Are allergies keeping you sneezing, streaming and itchy?

Are you struggling with allergies? If stepping outside on a sunny, spring day makes your eyeballs feel like they are on fire, and nose stream nonstop, it’s time to heal your gut… my gut?  But my nose and eyes are streaming and my skin is itchy!  Why my gut?

Let me explain…

When your immune system overreacts to something normally harmless, such as pollen or dust mites, triggering inflammation and producing allergic symptom, ranging from sneezing, itchy eyes, eczema and asthma, to life-threatening anaphylaxis, we call this an allergy.

The quick fix pharmaceuticals such as antihistamines, provide symptomatic relief.  However, targeting the underlying drivers of allergy, particularly your gut health and function, can provide long-term health benefits.

The overreaction of your immune system can be calmed down if your gut, the seed and centre of your health, is clean and efficient, i.e. absorbs nutrients from your nutrient rich wholefoods and supplements, and eliminates in a timely manner. 

Your microbiome a.k.a. your gut bacteria is the foundation to regulating your immune system.  70% of your immune system resides in the gut. Dysbiosis, a term used to describe an imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria and the integrity of the gut wall have been identified the cause for inflammation causing a downstream effect or itchy eye, streaming nose and itchy skin. The release of histamine causes many inflammatory symptoms related to allergies.

 

Therefore, looking after the integrity of the gut wall, eliminating trigger foods that cause inflammation and reactivity, as well balancing the microbiome are keys to solving the seasonal allergy problems.  Having and adequate daily intake of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables is a great way to feed the microbiome.  The naturally occurring Vitamin C in fresh fruits and vegetables reduces histamine reactions.  The gastrointestinal wall also requires adequate amount of zinc to function properly.  Zinc rich foods include oysters, mussels, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and almonds.

Photo:  from Pexels by Nita

30 min deconstructed gluten and grain free burger

This is a vegetable rich burger which has no grains, no gluten and no dairy.

Ingredients:

3 medium kumara (sweet potatoes, steamed)

1/2 head of cauliflower (steamed)

1 tsp garlic powder (optional, omit if you are on FODMAP)

1 tsp onion powder (optional, omit if you are on FODMAP)

4 Tablespoons tapioca flour to bind

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Steam the vegetables.  Allow to cool and blend together all ingredients.  Roll into patties and pan fry on low heat.

To assemble burger, you can use any meat or non-meat options of burger patties.  I just use pan fried salmon.  Garnish with lots of salad greens.

https://youtu.be/xkq-F6KMIz8

Gluten free diet

This is a follow on educational video from the previous one that I share about how to be gluten free or low gluten without breaking the bank account.  Dr Kylie Vincent and I also talked about the problems when we cannot break down gluten.

Decoding your face on your state of health

Many civilisations have used the face, skin, nails, tongue and pulses to decode a person’s state of health.  When you look at yourself in the mirror, some of the observations you have can alert you to health issues that are starting and may not be full blown and diseased yet.

1.       Puffy face and thinning of eye brows – we all love skinny face and long eye brows to highlight our features but if you have been noticing that your face is getting puffier and your outer third of your eye brows are thinning, it could be a sign of iodine deficiency.  Iodine is a trace mineral that we need a very small quantity of, but if you are deficient in it or cannot absorb it, you will have different symptoms that will show up.

2.       One side of the face droops – this can be caused by a viral infection affecting the vagal nerve causing a condition called Bell’s Palsy.  If you have always had a symmetrical smile and notice you are not, get it checked to make sure you haven’t had a stroke.  If what you have is Bell’s Palsy, acupuncture soonest possible can help save you from ongoing droopiness.

3.       Puffy and flaky eyelids – this is usually from some form of allergic reaction, quite often from topical applications or skin care that you have put on.  Eliminate all topical applications and allow skin to heal.  Choose skincare that are as natural as possible and has the shortest list of ingredients.  Avoid any bottles that contain ingredients you cannot pronounce.

4.       Rashes or blotches – this often indicates a food allergy or absorption issues in the gut

5.       Pale and cracked lips – this is often an indication of iron and B vitamin deficiencies

6.       Persistent hair growth on your face if you are a woman – this could be a sign of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.  You will need to get blood tests and preferably scans done to confirm the condition.

7.       Enlarged tonsils – these could indicate ongoing infection or a deficiency of vitamins A,C,E and zinc.

8.       Dry, thinning hair and dandruff – this can be a sign of deficiency of essential fatty acids and hormonal imbalances. 

IBS Symptoms and what you can do to overcome them

How your gut feels can make or break your day.  IBS affects about 15% of the population, more commonly occurring in women than in men.  The symptoms of IBS include bloating, flatulence, excessively frequent bowel movement with soft, watery stools, or absence of bowel movement causing it very hard to defaecate.  IBS is different from IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease the likes of Crohn’s and Ulcerative colitis).  IBS patients do not have increased risk of bowel cancer but IBD patients do.  However, IBS patients can still feel a lot of abdominal discomfort, suffer from fatigue, headaches, nausea and dehydration.  

The triggers for IBS include food, stress and hormones.  Common foods that trigger IBS include dairy, coffee, chocolate, wheat, fried and fatty foods and fibre.  Some forms of IBS do well with more fibre and other form of IBS do better with less fibre!  Stress and nerves can make IBS worse and IBS can make mood worse.  That’s because the gut is the second brain.  Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that makes you feel good, control your appetite and sleep well is made predominantly in the gut.  Patients with IBS often can feel low in the mood due to low serotonin production.  Addressing your IBS will lift your mood and improve your sleep.

Women tend to suffer from IBS more than men as the menstrual cycle changes the hormones at different times of the month.  The days of ovulation or immediately following ovulation and a day or two prior to the period is when IBS symptoms can exacerbate. 

Is it possible to have IBS and be symptom free?  Yes, absolutely.  What needs to happen is to identify your trigger, help your gut heal and you don’t need to suffer from IBS anymore.  Identifying the trigger can be tricky. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. If you have problems, seek the help of a naturopath or naturopathic nutritionist who would address the underlying cause of your symptoms rather than mask the symptoms.  

If your IBS is more constipation than diarrhea, the focus is to help the bowels relax and reduce straining. If you do not empty your bowels adequately daily, you are not helping your body detoxify effectively and this can cause problems in the longer term.  Make sure you are well hydrated, 30mls per kg of body weight of fluid intake per day, and you are consuming adequate fibre from nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables that do not irritate you gut.  If you are constipated, you may get the common symptoms of headaches, nausea, bloating or abdominal pain.  So understanding why you have IBS and what drives your IBS can help you sort out the root cause of your problem!

Mold – how it is affecting your health and what you can do about it

You may be suffering a mold problem that you aren’t even aware of, realise or think about!  It is often insidious and not recognised by many healthcare professionals.  However, mold can play havoc in our lives.  With this winter being so wet, walking into the garden can have us stepping onto mouldy citrus fruits on the ground and mouldy fallen leaves that are lying on the ground.  Condensation can be a problem with temperature difference inside and outside the house and we can wake to a “sweating” window or ranchslider.  With doors and windows shut, this can be the perfect breeding ground for molds.

Mold is toxic, and can make you fatigue, out of breath, give you weak immunity, headaches and other respiratory or cognitive problems.  Toxic mold can occur in any colour but the most well-known is black mold.  It can grow in any humid or damp area and produce mycotoxins, which can enter our system through the air we breathe, spores on the food we eat and once it enters our system, can cause multiple or persistent symptoms in our health.

The first step to handling a mold problem is to get rid of it.  If an area of the house is affected, it should be cleaned out, if it is a small area, it can be cleaned with water, soap and a tea tree spray, and dried out.  If it is a large area, you may need an external party to help clear it.  Look out for water stains in the ceiling, wall and floor.  Remove any furniture or carpet that has been soaked in water for 48 hours.  Allow air to flow and keep a dehumidifier on.  Keep your shower and kitchen clean and dry.  Open the curtains and let the sun shine in!

When your immune system is regularly exposed to mold mycotoxins e.g. in a damp building, your immune system keeps firing and fighting in response to the exposure and this creates inflammation.  Mold disrupts our microbiome and creates an imbalance.  You also have to make your body a hostile terrain for the mold and that is by avoiding sugar, grains, processed food, mushrooms, cheese and alcohol. 

Increase your intake of garlic, ginger and turmeric to help with immunity and liver detoxification, and boost glutathione levels.  Increase your antioxidant intake like fresh fruits and vegetables to support your immunity.  I often prescribe herbs to remove and bind on to mold to kick start the healing process.  Each patient’s individual history is important to prescribe appropriately for personalised course of treatment.  Restoring the microbiome is also important to the whole healing process.

So if you have some persistent too hard to solve health issue, you could be battling with mold!

Natural Treatment for Hayfever, Sinusitis or Seasonal Allergies

The arrival of spring normally indicates the end of the miserable cold winter weather and the beginning of warmer days and more outdoor activities.  But, for some people, spring is a time of misery as the increase of flowering plants sets off their hayfever, sinusitis and other allergy reactions. During spring, pollen can be the major trigger for the allergic response that causes hayfever; other triggers or allergens may include grass, dust and animal dander.  These allergens irritate the nasal passages causing inflammation, increased mucus production and symptoms such as itchiness, watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose and congestion.

Besides hayfever, some people can also suffer from sinusitis during spring.  Sinusitis is a painful condition involving inflammation of the paranasal sinuses (hollow spaces around the cheeks and eyes).  It may be an infection and is commonly accompanied by headaches, pain and mucus congestion.  Sinusitis if left unresolved, may lead to chronic infections lasting weeks or even months.

In allergic conditions like hayfever and sinusitis, one aspect of the immune system becomes overactive and leads to excessive immune activity causing all the signs and symptoms experienced by allergy sufferers.  Standard treatments for allergies, hayfever and sinusitis include steroids, antihistamines and decongestants.  All of these can provide symptomatic relief, but unfortunately, do little to address the underlying immune imbalance.

Natural treatment for hayfever, sinusitis or seasonal allergies involves reducing inflammation, restoring balance to the immune system and supporting long term immune health.

Here are what you can do naturally to manage your body’s response to allergens and reduce the allergic reactions or symptoms:

·              Use natural herbs and nutrients that can help manage the symptoms of sinusitis, hayfever and seasonal allergies, as well as restoring balance to the immune system.  These herbs and nutrients include Quercetin (vitamin-like compound which calms the immune system down), Albizzia (traditional Ayurvedic herb for the relief of the symptoms of allergies), Atractolodyes (a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine to support healthy immune function) and Perilla (a herb for maintaining healthy immune balance).

·              Almost 80% of your body’s total immune system is present in your digestive system.  Improve the health of your digestive system by reinoculating your digestive system with “good” bacteria.  These beneficial bacteria or probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactics send calming messages to the immune system and help reduce the allergic responses that have been generated. 

·              Keep yourself well by making healthy lifestyle changes.  Eat a healthy diet, high in nutrients and essential fatty acids.  Minimise intake of red meat, refined starches and sugars.  Have fish as your primary source of protein.  Consume a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.  Drink appropriate amount of pure water (ideally 6-8 classes a day), and most importantly, exercise regularly and have fun.  

Natural Treatment of Eczema

What is eczema? Eczema is a condition of the skin that results in weak skin integrity, itchiness, redness and/or weepy skin. Eczema is prevalent in 10-12% of children. Allergic reaction and gastrointestinal function is almost always implicated in eczema cases. The pharmaceutical treatment of eczema is often steroid creams. Many people put up with eczema for years because they think applying the steroid cream from their doctors is the only cure for eczema. There can be different causes of eczema. Amongst the major causes of eczema include:
1. Food allergy
2. Toxicity from the gastrointestinal tract, liver, bowels or lymphatic system
3. Stress
4. Exposure to environmental allergens and irritants or overwashing
5. Nutrient deficiency
6. Immune dysregulation
7. Bacterial infection
Treatment of eczema naturally involves dealing with food allergy or intolerances and working with the gastrointestinal tract as a toxic gastrointestinal tract from leaky gut syndrome, constipation or congestion of the elimination organs like the liver and lymphatic system can also show up on the skin as eczema. For more information, visit our Free Articles page and download the article on treating eczema and allergy naturally.