One of the most important aspects of being able to address a health issue you may have is to understand the cause and effect of how and why you are experiencing your symptoms and what they represent.

Seasonal allergies are for many the down side to the beauty of spring and summer. Itchy, runny eyes and nose, sneezing, coughing, and even wheezing can dictate an individual’s activity choices, where they can go and even what they can eat. None of this is desirable and much of it has been shown to be preventable.

To understand how you can take control of your seasonal allergies, let’s explore where they come from. When foreign proteins found in many airborne substances, such as pollen, dust mites and rag weed.

When mucous membranes that come in contact with these foreign proteins are not immunologically competent enough to break down these proteins, the membrane secrete mucous, fluids and histamine. This causes the itching, swelling, irritation and watery excretions that make seasonal allergies so challenging.

To improve allergy symptoms, steroid or steroid like medications, are often prescribed. These are anti-inflammatory chemicals that reduce the allergic immune reaction to the foreign proteins. By building up our immune and adrenal system we can enable our bodies to be better able to handle these allergens, which cause the allergy reactions.

Our adrenals are located either on top of or within the kidneys and produce cortico-steroids and other natural anti-inflammatory as part of our “national guard” system. Hans Selye, MD, PhD, who spent over 50 years researching the adrenals and immune system, discovered the important nutrition and lifestyle components to keeping this important body system working well: 

• a diet or supplementation rich in B, C, E,  and A vitamins; unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish oils, adequate protein intake and minerals to aid in the production of natural allergy fighting anti-inflammatory.
• adequate sleep and rest
• elimination of infections
• reduction of emotional stress
• moderate exercise – avoid over exertion
• avoidance of traumas, dental and medical surgery
• elimination of extreme temperatures indoors and out

Seyle’s research demonstrated that by taking good care of our adrenal and immune system, allergies may be greatly reduced, and in some cases eliminated.