4 simple tricks on how to get rid of seasonal allergies.
Conventional medicine treats seasonal allergies with vaccinations and pills, which regrettably, create side effects and fails to address the root problem. Basically, if you don’t address the root cause, the allergies will remain a constant feature in your life.
I’ve been treating a lot of clients who were complaining about gut problems. Once their diets were improved and their guts were healed, their seasonal allergies usually also vanished! When the immune system (60 percent of which is in the gut) is irritated, it reacts to everything – kind of like when you don’t get enough sleep everything makes you more agitated.
For many clients, a key strategy to getting rid of allergies involves healing their gut. After all, an unhealthy, inflamed gut can’t effectively defend against potential allergens. To do that and get rid of seasonal allergies, I’ve found these four strategies extremely helpful.
1. Replace bad with good - An elimination diet becomes the first step for a healthy gut. The basic rule is taking out the bad and putting in the good. Eliminate common toxic triggers such as wheat, corn, dairy, soy and (need I say?) alcohol. Consume a whole food, high-fibre diet that is rich in anti-inflammatory plant chemicals called phytonutrients. Avoid anything that contains sugar or trans fats. Eat healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil, nuts, avocados and omega-3 fats such as those that are found in small oily fish (sardines, herring, sable, wild-caught salmon). If you want a more scientific method to determine which foods are bad for you then you should consider taking a food intolerance test. There is no better or more accurate way to pinpoint those allergens that are messing up with your metabolism and causing you discomfort.
2. Get powerful gut-healing nutrients - This includes probiotics, which provide healthy bacteria which improves digestion and reduces inflammation. Other gut-healing nutrients include glutamine, zinc, curcumin and fish oil. I always recommend taking a high-quality multivitamin. Quercetin (which has anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties) and nettles can also relieve symptoms from allergies.
3. Manage stress - A mind-body disengagement can result in being stressed , anxious and fatigued which can really damage your gut and worsen seasonal allergies. To avoid, practice relaxation techniques Heartmath meditation daily.
4. Get proper shut-eye - Sleeping is crucial for gut health as well as overall health. Not getting enough sleep shortens your lifespan and increases inflammation, which is likely to lead to chronic conditions. Insufficient sleep can also increase your risk for diabetes through insulin resistance, leading to diabesity. Set your goal to be at least eight hours of uninterrupted, deep sleep daily.
From time to time, I might have a client who has tried all these things and is still experiencing problems. In those cases, we need to search a bit deeper for other culprits such as food colourants and additives, pesticides, chemicals and environmental pollutants. This includes mould spurs at home or place of work. Another thing you could do is get a hoover (vacuum cleaner) that has a HEPA filter. I also recommend a blood test called C-reactive protein, which measures the degree of hidden inflammation in the body.
Almost every modern disease is caused by or influenced by hidden inflammation including heart disease, cancer, obesity, dementia, arthritis, autoimmune disease, allergies and digestive disorders. Chronic inflammation that contributes to seasonal allergies and much more can come from innumerable origins, most of which I’ve mentioned above. You would need to try and avoid those because ultimately, lifestyle choices and how we care for our bodies and souls is not part of our education, values or daily goals; yet, these basic skills are what influences our happiness and health.
While these principles are disarmingly simple, most people fail to make the connection between how we treat our bodies and how we feel. Most of us never learned how to care for our wellness, but the good news is that a few simple changes to yourlifestyle could change everything, including seasonal allergies.
