Let’s talk about seasonal allergies. The sniffing and sneezing start up for a lot of people this time of year as the Winter melts away and Spring starts to bloom in full force. It’s beautiful, but it can be frustrating for those with allergies. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help combat this problem naturally. You might not have even thought about some of these things…
Heal your gut. Most people have no idea about the connection between the gut and their overall health. In fact, proper digestion and gut health is the foundation of good health. As we get older, most of us continue to compromise our digestion and gut health. That is why many people will notice their allergies “getting worse” as they get older.
So, how do you repair your gut? You can do several things. The first is to Eat Clean. What does that mean?! Well, in a nutshell, that means getting plenty of nutrients that can be found in vegetables and fruit. Protein that comes from animal that are pastured or grass fed. Healthy fats that are found in avocados, coconut products, olive oil, grass fed better and nuts. Staying away from sugar is a big one. Not only is it very inflammatory in nature, but it compromises your immune system. A double-whammy!! You will want to also stay away from wheat and most other grains as they are also very inflammatory in nature. Inflammation is at the root of most chronic health problems and makes any kind of respiratory situation worse by irritating the small blood vessels in the lungs. This is especially true in situations involving asthma. Most people experiencing respiratory conditions also do better on a dairy-free diet. In fact, if you are having allergy or asthma symptoms, eliminate wheat and dairy and see if you don’t feel better. I bet you will. This is essentially a paleo diet, and there are tons of great recipes out there you can search to prepare healthy, tasty meals.
What about supplements? I have found that a good quality probiotic supplement can do wonders for gut health. This helps create the proper balance of good bacteria in your gut. As we said above, much of the immune system function is under the control of the gut, so this helps tremendously in that department. Another supplement I find extremely helpful, is a supplement that helps your body break down histamine. Histamine is that chemical released by your body that causes itching, sneezing, watery eyes. It is broken down by your liver, and as we age, many times our livers become over-whelmed by clearing all the toxins from our bodies. By using a liver support that helps your liver break down histamine easier, you don’t experience the nasty effects like itching, watery eyes, etc. In my experience, the natural supplements I use work as well or better than Benadryl and they don’t knock you out!
Last, but not least is a good Chiropractic Adjustment. Chiropractic care is all about restoring balance to the nervous system. Taking the load off the body helps every area of your health. So many of our clients who are adjusted on a regular basis report that their allergies are improved under Chiropractic care.
I hope that inspires you to try some natural approaches to seasonal allergies. Please visit www.DrJeni.com/store and send a message if you have any questions about the specific supplements I use and recommend and I’ll answer any questions you have.
Many blessings!
Dr. Jeni
