Kff HEALTH MATTERS »¢flflflfl%WW %fl%fl Sniffl! I t Must Be Allergy Season BY RENEE LANG, ND llergies. Fall arrives with mold and ragweed allergies. If you don’t suffer from allergies and/or « PHOTQPROVIDED allergic conditions, you prob- ably know someone who does. Allergies affect more than 50 million Americans, about 1 in 6 people, and are the sixth lead- ing cause of chronic disease in the United States. Treatment of allergies costs the health care system about $18 billion dollars per year. In 2002 alone, there were about 14 million office visits for allergic rhinitis (stuffy, runny nose due to allergies). The number of people suffering from allergies and allergy-related conditions has grown in the past 15 years and continues to grow. This is good news for pharmaceutical companies producing the medi- cations, but bad news for the individual sufferers. According to an article in “Drug Topics,” sales of over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicines were about $1.7 billion for the year 2003. This is due in part to the switch from prescription to OTC sta- tus of Claritin and Claritin D. What are allergies? Allergies are an over-reac- tive response by the immune system to a foreign substance. Anytime a foreign substance enters the body, from the air or food, it comes into contact with the immune system. The immune system determines whether it is part of the body or foreign, and then if it is harmless or harmful. If the substance is determined to be harmful, such as bacteria or virus, then the immune system mobilizes in order to get rid of it and keep the body healthy.- In individuals suffering. from allergies, pollen (a nor- mally non-harmful substance) is recognized by the immune Renee Lng, N.D. system as harmful. The im- mune system then reacts to this substance by producing chemicals, mainly histamines, which are responsible for the typical allergy symptoms. responsible for eliminating waste and toxins. When the liver is unable to keep up with the demand for elimina- tion, other organs including . the lungs, skin, and digestive From a Naturopathic perspective, allergies result from improper elimination of waste and toxins, and poor diet and lifestyle choices. Allergy symptoms include: 0 Sneezing, often with a runny, stuffy nose 0 Itchy eyes, nose, and throat 0 Coughing and post-nasal drip 0 Allergic shiners — dark, circles under the eyes due to increased blood flow near the sinuses. 0 Allergic salute - a crease across the nose caused by constant upward mo- tion to relieve itching. 0 Watering eyes 0 Mental fog and tiredness Why is the system overactive? Most people inherit their ten- dency toward being allergic from their parents. They don’t necessarily inherit the same allergy, but rather a hyperactive immune system. An individual has a 50 percent chance of having allergies if one parent is allergic and a 75 percent chance if both parents are allergic. However, genetics are not the only reason that an individual’ suffers from al- lergies. Toxic burden in the body from substances in the envirorunent, diet, and lifestyle choices contribute to allergies. The Naturopathic medi- cine approach to determining an individual’s susceptibility to allergies is different than conventional medicines. The body is one whole organism in which all parts interact with all other parts. The toxic burden in a body increases an - individuals susceptibility to al- lergies. Americans are increas- - ingly exposed to chemicals and other toxins in theirfood from pesticides and preserva- tives, from alcohol, and other chemicals such as auto exhaust, factory emissions, and agricul- tural pesticides. If the intake of . toxins is greater than elimina- tion, there is a backup and a buildup of toxins in the body. ‘-The liver is the main organ tract will aid in the elimina- tion process. When there is a significant buildup of toxins, the body becomes prone to illness and diseases such as allergies, cancer, and menstrual irregularities. Not everyone who experiences a high toxic burden will show signs of an in- creased allergic reactivity, but all people who have allergies will benefit from a program of decreasing their toxic burden. Toxic burden is decreased with a consistent exercise regi- men and eating easily digested and nutritious foods. When an individual eats a food that they may have sensitivity to, or an overt allergy to, their body is not able to' properly digest that food. As a'result, larger mol- ecules are transported through the digestive tract causing inflarrunation and fermenta- tion. Infiammation contributes to allergy symptoms and fer- mentation produces additional toxins. Avoiding foods that cause a reaction will decrease inflammation and fermentation. Eating a wide variety of foods will decrease chances of creat- ing additional food sensitivities. Treatment options Conventional treatments of al- lergies include antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal _ sprays. These medications often reduce symptoms for most people, but have side effects and do not address the underlying predisposition toward allergies. For some people, medications decrease in efficacy over time, and more potent versions may be needed to cope with their symptoms. Without addressing the under- lying predisposition or root cause of the symptoms, these individuals will most likely have to take the medication for the rest of their lives. 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