Fighting Allergies
In This Chapter
▶ Getting a feel for allergy basics
▶ Exploring a few supplements that can help your allergies
▶ Making food choices that help with your allergy problems
Allergies are an extremely common health problem. About 55 percent of all Americans have a reaction to at least one allergen, and about $18 billion per year is spent on diagnosing, treating, and preventing allergies. What’s worse is that hundreds of deaths occur each year because of extreme allergies to certain foods, stinging insects, and medicines like penicillin. Maybe the most worrying statistic of all is that allergies are becoming more common: The presence of allergies in the U.S. population has increased by 300 percent since 1960.
Allergies are a result of the immune system reacting in an unusual way to some substance — an allergen — that has entered the body. The unpleasant and in some cases dangerous symptoms that come along with allergies all start with your immune system, so keeping that critical part of your body healthy is terrifically important when it comes to reining in allergy problems. (I talk all about the immune system in Chapter 10, and all the rules I explain there certainly apply here.)
Toxins wreak havoc on every part of your body, and your immune system is no exception. An increased amount of toxins in your body can throw a wrench in your immune function, which can make you more prone to the ravages of allergies. If you have allergies, you need to focus on cutting out toxins and taking steps to improve your immune system now. You also want to embrace a few allergy-fighting techniques. I cover all these bases in this chapter.
To figure out just how much of an allergy problem you may have, take a few minutes to go through the allergy quiz included in Chapter 8.
Covering Allergy Basics
Allergies are caused when your immune system has a response to an allergen. I won’t go into all the nitty gritty details of an allergic reaction because it involves more technical information than you really want to know. Here’s the short version: You end up with a reaction when your immune system identifies and responds to an allergen in a way that, through a series of steps, gives you elevated levels of certain chemicals — histamine is the main one — in your bloodstream, and these chemicals cause allergy symptoms. The symptoms are wide ranging and can affect many areas of your body, including the following:
✓ Eyes: Itching, burning, redness, watering, allergic shiners (a dark or blue hue under the eyes), blurred or double vision
✓ Mouth: Sores, constant bad taste, trouble swallowing
✓ Sinuses: Itching or runny/stuffy nose, recurrent infections, pain, sneezing, decreased smell
✓ Ears: Recurrent infections, sensitivity to sound, ringing, pain, clogged feeling, itching
✓ Lungs: Shortness of breath, tight chest, cough, excessive phlegm — and even complete swelling of the throat that stops breathing
✓ Cardiovascular system: Heart pain, palpitations or irregular beat, high or low blood pressure, inflammation of arteries or veins
✓ Stomach and intestines: Bloating, gas, heartburn, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, ulcers, irritable bowel, spasms, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
✓ Muscles: Inflammation, tremors, weakness, stiffness, pain
✓ Joints: Stiffness, swelling, pain, arthritis
✓ Skin: Rash, itching, swelling, redness, perspiration, eczema
The vast number of symptoms caused by allergic reactions is matched only by the hundreds of different kinds of allergens that are commonly found in the world around you. I don’t have room to list all the allergens out there, but here are some of the most common offenders:
✓ Pollen: Many different kinds are released by a variety of plants, from weeds to trees.
✓ Mold: Lots of different types of molds cause allergic reactions.
✓ Drugs: Some drugs can cause an allergic response in humans; antibiotics like penicillin are among the most common drug allergens.
Itching to control the poison ivy allergy
One of the most common allergies of all is an allergy to poison ivy. The resin on the poison ivy plant causes an itchy, burning rash on the skin of most people, and a prevalent misconception only makes the problem worse. Let me clear things up: Poison ivy does not spread. If you’re exposed to it and you get an allergic reaction, the resulting rash can’t spread to other parts of your body (or to other people). After you shower with hot soapy water, all the poison ivy resin is gone from your body.
So how does poison ivy get from one place to another? The problem is usually large amounts of poison ivy resin that remain on clothes, shoes, and other items after the exposure has taken place. If you get the resin on your shoes,
the next morning you can put your shoes on and get the resin on your hands, which you can then rub on your neck, arms, or even your eyes. That action spreads the resin all over, and the rash spreads with it. The resin off the plant can stay active for three weeks.
It’s easy to beat this common allergic reaction. If you find that you’ve gotten into some poison ivy, take off your clothes and wash them with lots of detergent and hot water. Then take a long, hot, soapy shower and don’t miss any spots when you’re washing. After the shower, put on fresh gloves and wash everything that may have come in contact with the resin, including shoes, belts, hats, watches, glasses, tools, and even pets.
✓ Animal dander: Dander is made up of scales of old animal skin, which slough off and are inhaled through breathing. Many people assume that pet hair or fur causes allergies to animals like cats or dogs, but dander is the real culprit.
✓ Latex rubber: Sources include gloves, balloons, and condoms.
✓ Foods: Allergic reactions to certain foods are a concern for millions of people. Common food allergens include shellfish, peanuts, dairy products, eggs, and gluten.
If you think you’re having an allergic reaction to a food, don’t immediately focus on a food that you’ve just eaten or one that you’ve had for the first time. Reactions because of food allergens can be delayed, so think about what you’ve eaten over the course of the last two or three days. And you can’t be allergic to something the first time you’re exposed to it; your immune system has to be exposed at least one previous time before it goes haywire and causes an allergy. Instead, focus on foods that you have had a limited number of times in the past and eaten again recently.
Many people assume that allergies are inherited, but that’s only partly true. Research has shown that the tendency to develop allergies is influenced by heredity, but being allergic to a specific allergen isn’t inherited. So if one or both of your parents had allergies, you’re more likely to have them. But if your mom or dad is allergic to ragweed, that doesn’t mean you will be allergic to ragweed — just that the chances are greater you’ll develop an allergy to something.
If you have a new baby or you’re expecting one, you can limit the baby’s chances of developing allergies by breastfeeding. Infants often develop food allergies because they’re exposed to food too early in life. Infants don’t start making digestive enzymes to break down food other than breast milk until they’re about 1 year old, and introducing those foods can contribute to the development of allergies.
Maintaining a healthy digestive tract can help you to avoid allergies. When your intestines are irritated or inflamed by toxins, they can malfunction and leak allergens into your bloodstream. Read up about how to keep your intestines healthy and toxin-free in Chapters 4 and 5.
Nothing to Sneeze At: Supplements for Beating Allergies
Years ago, the wholesome, natural foods that people ate were high-quality and nutrient-rich enough to provide the substances necessary to keep their immune systems healthy and less likely to get out of whack, so allergy problems were less common. In the last 100 years or so, however, the quality of our food has gone way down and the amount of toxins in the environment has shot through the roof. One of the results is a dramatic increase in the number of people who suffer from allergies.
If you have problems with allergies and you want to solve them the natural way, adjust your diet accordingly — that’s the focus of the next section — and consider taking some supplements to expedite the process. In this section, I present two different categories of supplements that can help tame your allergies: supplements that give your immune system the kind of kick in the pants it needs to perform efficiently and not create allergy issues, and supplements that help you to keep existing allergy problems under control.
Energizing immunity
Because your immune system’s response is the root of your allergies, it pays to take supplements that keep your immune system from getting out of whack. A range of products is on the market, but I’m a fan of the following options, which are widely available both at health food stores and online. (For some basic information on how to pick out safe, high-quality supplements, be sure to visit Chapter 5.)
✓ American skullcap: 1–2 grams per day
✓ Astragalus: 250–500 mg per day
✓ Devils claw: 600–1,200 mg per day
✓ Evening primrose: 2–8 grams daily
✓ Folic acid: 800 micrograms per day
✓ Gamma-linolenic acid: 2,800 mg per day in several divided doses
✓ Licorice: 250–500 mg three times per day
✓ Omega-3 fatty acids: 1–4 grams per day
✓ Quercetin: 50–200 mg three times a day
✓ Spirulina: 2,000–3,000 mg per day
In Chapter 10, I sing the praises of concentrated antioxidant supplement pow- ders, which are commonly called greens. They’re terrific for your immune system and can therefore help you to get your allergy problems under control. Make sure you look for products that have an ORAC of at least 20,000 per scoop in powder form.
Helping to keep allergies under control
In addition to the supplements listed in the previous section, which will keep your immune system humming along as it should, you can also try taking some supplements that have been shown to help nip allergy problems in the bud. I list some of the most promising options here. These supplements are good for sinus-type problems but also help with any allergic reaction:
✓ Butterbur: Recent studies have shown that tablets made from this herb can treat allergy symptoms as well as some of the common prescription allergy drugs that have become increasingly popular in recent years.
✓ Goldenseal: Natural compounds in the root of the goldenseal plant can help with your allergies. Look for capsules containing goldenseal, and take the supplement according to the dosage recommendations on the product label.
✓ Stinging nettle: As you can tell by its name, the stinging nettle plant isn’t something you want to encounter when you’re walking through the woods or on a creek bank. But when its leaves and roots are freeze- dried and packaged in capsule form, the plant can help you fight seasonal allergies. You should be able to find several varieties at your favorite health food store or at a shop that specializes in vitamins or supplements.
Controlling Allergies with Smart Food Decisions
The food choices you make can have a tremendous impact on your allergies. Of course, when it comes to food allergies, the choices you make about what you eat can be a matter of life or death (in extreme cases). But even with more common allergies, like pet or seasonal allergies, you can make a lot of headway just by picking out the right food options.
As always, the general rules for food apply: Avoid toxins by cutting out pro- cessed foods, skip on foods that contain additives, and eat organic whenever possible (remembering that 100 percent organic is the best). Just taking these steps can do you a world of good because you’ll eliminate the toxic load from your diet and greatly reduce the stress you put on your immune system. Here are a few examples of healthful foods that will help you keep your body in tip-top shape and less likely to fall prey to uncomfortable and dangerous allergies:
✓ Fish and fish oil: Be sure to keep in mind — and avoid — the types of fish that commonly contain mercury. (See Chapter 2 for details.)
✓ Fruits: Apples, blueberries, and papaya are a great place to start.
✓ Green vegetables: Try broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus.
✓ Orange or yellow vegetables: Carrots, squash, peppers, and pumpkin are just a few examples.
Choosing locally grown or produced foods is another way to lessen your allergy troubles. One of the top choices is local honey, made by bees that live in your area. This may sound a little farfetched, but local honey can help you with your allergies. All honey contains very small amounts of pollen, which bees constantly bring back to their hives after visiting hundreds and thou- sands of plants to collect the nectar that provides their food source. Local honey contains trace amounts of the types of pollen that are most common in your area — the pollens that cause your seasonal allergies to flare up twice a year (or more for some people). When you eat the honey, you expose your body to just a little bit of the pollen — not too much. Over time, your immune system figures out how to deal with these allergens in a healthy, normal way, instead of going haywire and causing dreadful allergy symptoms like sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes.
Even if you haven’t had problems with food allergies in the past, it always helps to be alert when you’re eating top offenders like milk, wheat (gluten), eggs, peanuts, shellfish, soy, and tree nuts. If you experience troubling allergy symptoms after consuming these types of foods, consult your doctor. You can also read up with Food Allergies For Dummies by Robert A. Wood, MD and Joe Kraynak (Wiley).
Recipes for Getting Your Allergies under Control
Fighting allergies with food can be effective and also extremely enjoyable. The recipes in this section will please your palate and also help to keep your allergy troubles at bay.
Sweet Apple Dip
Everyone loves apples, and they’re easy to use in recipes. They provide a good amount of soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as pectin, which helps lower LDL cholesterol. Apples also contain quercetin, an antioxidant that fights free radicals that lead to dis- ease and aging. Children with asthma who eat apples and drink apple juice have less wheezing.
Serve this dip with more apples and other fruits and vegetables, like carrots, pear slices, and kiwifruit.
1 Toss grated apples with lemon juice, then mix with all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately with other fruits and vegetables, or cover and chill for 2–3 hours.
Garlic Salmon Vegetable Salad
If you have food allergies, you need to avoid certain foods. Never eat the specific food you are allergic to, of course, but also make sure to avoid caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. The most allergenic foods include eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, and shell- fish. Luckily, there are many foods you can eat!
Vegetables and fruits, along with salmon, local honey, and tea, are all excellent sources of nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids. You’ll start feeling better when eating to detox your body.
1 In small bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne pepper, and thyme; mix well and set aside.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Then add salmon; sauté 4 minutes, then turn. Sauté 2–3 minutes longer until just cooked. Remove salmon and garlic from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Break salmon into chunks.
3 Combine salmon with bell peppers and mushrooms in large bowl; pour dressing over all. Toss to mix. Serve on greens; garnish with sprouts.
Stir-Fried Vegetables on Quinoa
Stir-frying is a very quick and healthy way of cooking. Before you start to stir-fry, make sure all the ingredients are prepped and ready to use. There’s no time to stop and pre- pare an ingredient while things are hopping in the wok!
In this recipe you can substitute long grain brown organic rice for the quinoa if you’d like, but do try the quinoa. It’s nutty and mild and contains all the amino acids your body needs.
2 Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables. In large skillet or wok, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add ginger root, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, and beans; stir-fry 5–6 minutes until crisp-tender.
3 Combine 1/2 cup water, vinegar, honey, and cayenne pepper in small bowl; stir well and add to skillet with sprouts. Stir-fry 3–4 minutes until liquid thickens slightly. Serve over quinoa.
Honeyed Pineapple Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is a creamy, rich, and comforting dessert that almost anyone with allergies can eat. You can omit the pineapple if you are allergic to it, or you can simply substitute another fruit. Rice milk is easily found in most grocery stores. Be sure to look for a 100 percent organic variety.
Eating locally produced honey may actually help relieve allergy symptoms. Honey is an immune system booster and may work like a vaccination, helping your body become accustomed to the allergens in the air and environment. Be sure you aren’t allergic to honey before you eat it or use it in a health regimen.
Don’t give honey to infants, as it can contain a certain kind of bacteria that is harmless to adults but can make infants extremely ill.
1 In medium saucepan, combine rice with filtered water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45–60 minutes until rice is tender.
2 Combine cooked rice, pineapple, juice, rice milk, honey, ginger root, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat 30–40 minutes, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in stevia and vanilla, remove from heat, and serve warm or cold.
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