Natural Remedies For Allergies

As I sat down to write this month’s blog on natural remedies for allergies, I thought, “That’s easy. Stay indoors. Move out of St. Louis.” Done. That’s the easiest blog I have ever written.

Nothing can be that simple, right?

As always, it is important to understand what is happening on a cellular level before intoxicating it with medicines it may not need.  Medications can interfere with the body’s natural immune response and alter pH balance.

An allergy is defined as a hypersensitive response to anything that enters the body or touches the skin. The allergen could be environmental, food, chemicals, heavy metals, or anything your body deems as foreign.

Once the allergen enters the host, it causes an activation of an immunoglobulin called IgE.  Although everyone has IgE, those prone to allergies produce them in larger quantities. The allergen then binds to the IgE receptors. This binding triggers a “degranulation” of mast cells and basophils. Degranulation causes the mast cells and basophils to break open releasing histamine.  Histamine is responsible for all of those classic allergy symptoms that keep us from feeling our best.

We all know those pesky symptoms and if you live in St. Louis, likely you have experienced a majority of them. So let’s skip over to the important stuff.

Aside from the standard treatments of an antihistamine, eye drops, nasal spray or the ultimate allergy shots, let’s look at some natural ways that may provide relief.

1. 1. Avoidance. While this may seem obvious, there is much more we come in contact with then we realize. Allergies are not all from pollen, grass or mold. With a weakened immune system, one can become sensitive to day to day exposures (i.e. household products, foods, daily use chemicals etc). Assume everything and anything is contributing to your symptoms until proven otherwise. Begin an elimination process by taking out one allergen every 2 weeks.
   2. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating foods that are more alkaline help restore pH balance and thereby strengthening the immune system. Foods such as garlic, lemons, green leafy vegetables, bone broth, coconut milk, almond or almond milk are great sources.
   3. Apple Cider Vinegar. ACV has some promising clinical response to decreasing cellular inflammation. Add one tsp in a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning at the onset of symptoms or add one tsp in your Netti pot solution.
   4. Netti Pot. There is nothing like clearing out the nasal passages with good ole saline. I like to call the Netti Pot “IV fluid for the nose.” Word of caution: make sure to use distilled water. Tap water is contaminated with chlorine and fluoride that can aggravate the sinus passages.
   5. Essential oils. Dr. Axe has provided great tips for use of oils. Oils help by reducing inflammation and improving detoxification of harmful bacteria, parasites, microorganisms and toxins that can trigger an attack.An all time favorite is eucalyptus oil. Add few drops into a Netti pot solution and diffuse it in each room. Or mix with coconut oil for a topical saav. Homemade “Vicks” with the added benefit of smelling minty fresh.
   6. Healthy gut. Healthy life. And there it is again! Everything comes back to the lumens of the GI tract. Eliminating gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar goes a long way in controlling those sniffles.

So, next time you long to be one with those peonies, give these tips a try. It is a whole lot easier than moving across the country.

Dr. Raman’s Concierge Medical Practice is focused on caring for each person as a whole, not just a list of symptoms. Our office is committed to helping our patients stay well and maintain good health rather than treating patients only after they become ill.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Raman, please contact us today.