Every fifth adult and every third child suffers from some form of allergy.
Although, thanks to the great advances of medicine over the past two centuries, people have managed to overcome many dangerous, previously incurable diseases such as polio, rheumatic fever, cholera and tuberculosis, humanity today faces other problems. These are diseases that stem from a disturbed balance in life: stress, poor diet with genetically modified and contaminated food, widespread environmental pollution, constant exposure to hazardous substances, strong medications with many side effects… The result of this way of life is the rise of autoimmune diseases, of which various kinds of allergies are the most common problem.
What Exactly Is an Allergy?
Allergies are unusual, abnormal reactions of the body to certain substances we encounter in everyday life. When we come into contact with these substances, the body releases histamine, the substance we use to fight these invaders. That excessive reaction of our body, which we call an allergy, is actually a reaction to histamine, not to dust, pollen, food…
Fixed and Cyclic Allergies
Two types of allergies should be distinguished: fixed and cyclic.
Fixed allergies are constant, violent reactions to a certain substance (most often pollen, dust mites, strawberries, peanuts…). It is estimated that about 37 million people are allergic to pollen. They most often show up as sneezing, watery eyes, skin reactions (hives) or breathing difficulties.
Cyclic allergies are more dangerous because they are hidden and can differ greatly from one another. They make up 90% of all allergies. They can include depression, abdominal complaints, headaches, a feeling of chronic exhaustion, and joint and muscle pain.
Fixed allergies can be diagnosed relatively easily with allergy tests, but the second type of allergy and its cause are somewhat harder to detect. Around the world, allergies are also diagnosed with the help of applied kinesiology. The procedure is as follows: a little of the food suspected of being an allergen is placed under the tongue. The doctor then pushes the patient's arm down while the patient tries to raise it. The method is based on the idea that, if the food is an allergen, it immediately causes weakness.
Allergies are most often an annoying sneeze that appears in spring, or hives when we eat a certain kind of food, but there are also extremely dangerous allergies that can be fatal – these are called anaphylaxis.
Medicine treats these disorders with decongestants, which open the nasal passages and dry the mucous membranes (they can cause insomnia and raise blood pressure), and with antihistamines, which can have a sedative effect. Both groups of medicines act only on the symptoms and, with long-term use, can weaken the immune system.
How Can You Help Yourself?
Diet
First and foremost, you have to change your lifestyle. It is especially important to pay attention to your diet. Dr. Peter D'Adamo, the famous American naturopath and expert in blood-type-based treatment, says that allergic reactions are very rare in people with blood type AB, while they are most frequent in people with blood type O. He links this to the claim that type AB has the most tolerant immune system, while the defensive capacity of type O is so strong that people with this blood type are also prone to autoimmune diseases.
Some experts suggest keeping a food diary in which you record everything you ate during the day and any reaction.
It is very important to wash the fruit and vegetables you prepare thoroughly. Ideally, soak them for half an hour in clean, cold water before use, and then of course pour the water away. It is quite possible that you are sensitive to some pesticides and other harmful substances to which plants are exposed to increase yields.
Foods that can potentially cause allergic reactions: strawberries, egg yolk, honey, tomatoes, peanuts, walnuts, shellfish, milk and dairy products, gluten from grains…
It is very useful to eat foods with bioactive flora (live bacteria), such as yogurt, sauerkraut or kefir. These foods have an exceptionally beneficial effect on the digestive tract, and its good functioning is extremely important for resolving allergic reactions.
Experts claim that allergies can also appear as a result of long-term intake of concentrated, unnatural foods such as white sugar, white flour, hydrogenated fats, coffee and food full of artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives and additives.
A Cleansing Day and Green Clay
To begin with, it would not be a bad idea to fast. Try eating only watermelon and drinking lemonade for one day. This way you will rest your digestive organs and speed up the elimination of toxins from the body. Do not do anything strenuous during this fast.
Start drinking green clay every day. It has a remarkable effect on the gut flora and helps exceptionally well in releasing toxins.
Herbs for Allergies
When it comes to herbs, garlic, onion and hot peppers can be of great help, because they contain the compound quercetin, which has been proven to have an anti-allergic effect. They are well worth using every day if you suffer from allergies.
Tea Blend for Allergic Rhinitis
The following tea blend has proven exceptionally effective for allergic rhinitis and all the breathing complaints that accompany it:
- Nettle (Urtica dioica) – 20 g
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – 20 g
- Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) – 20 g
- Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) – 20 g
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) – 20 g
- Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) – 20 g
- Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) – 20 g
Mix all the herbs, then pour a liter of boiling water over 4 tablespoons. Stir and leave covered for one hour. Strain and drink throughout the day in small sips.
Nettle Tea
Nettle is certainly one of the most valuable herbs in treating this disorder. Frozen dried nettle leaf is the most effective.
Nettle tea is prepared like this: pour a cup of cold water (250 ml) over a tablespoon of nettle leaf, heat until boiling, stir, cover and leave for half an hour. Strain and drink in small sips.
Echinacea
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is the number one herb for strengthening the body. If you suffer from allergies, be sure to use an extract of this plant. Take it 3 times a day in the prescribed amount for 4 days, then take a 4-day break. This gives the best results. The best-quality extract tingles on the tongue and causes numbness. Echinacea is especially effective in suppressing early symptoms.
Butterbur Tea
Butterbur tea (Petasites hybridus) is also very effective. The root and leaf are used for medicinal purposes. Pour half a liter of boiling water over a tablespoon of the chopped dried plant. Stir, cover and leave for half an hour. Strain and drink in small sips.
Sweet Flag Root Tea for Gluten Intolerance
Sweet flag root tea (Acorus calamus) helps with gluten intolerance (allergy to flour and grains). Pour 750 ml of cold water over 3 teaspoons of the herb and leave it overnight. In the morning, warm it slightly and strain. Drink a cup of lukewarm tea half an hour before meals.
For Skin Allergies: Mallow Tea and Calendula Oil
Lukewarm common mallow tea (Malva sylvestris) and calendula oil (Calendulae oleum) relieve allergic skin reactions. Rinse the skin with the tea and apply the oil several times a day.
Local Honey for Pollen Allergy
Some advocates of natural healing claim that people who are allergic to pollen should take small amounts of honey made by bees near where they live. This way, you gradually become immune to the pollen of local plants.
Vitamins
It is advisable to take vitamin C, vitamin E and B-complex tablets.
Allergy-Friendly Tips for Cosmetics and the Home
Many substances contained in skin and hair care products or cleaning products can be allergens.
- Do not use lanolin-based cosmetics. Many people are allergic to the preservatives and colorings in creams and lotions, so it is better to use products without added fragrance, color and preservatives, which may not look and smell perfect but are considerably safer and healthier. Instead of artificial hair masks, use natural ones made with olive and sesame oil. Homeopathic cosmetics are the right solution.
- For laundry, use eco-friendly liquid detergents with enzymes that clean biologically rather than chemically. Rinse your laundry with a baking soda solution – this will remove the last traces of detergent.
- Instead of fabric softener, add a little vinegar and/or a few drops of rosemary essential oil to the final rinse. It is completely safe, and you will get the same effect Mediterranean women achieve by drying their laundry on rosemary bushes.
- Scrub the bathroom and kitchen with baking powder.
- Do not use nickel-plated or aluminum cookware. Nickel very often causes allergies (people in constant contact with metal coins are especially exposed).
- If you are allergic to dust, often spray the rooms you spend time in with water to which you have added lemon juice and a few drops of eucalyptus or mint essential oil.
- Try to replace storage heaters with other types of heating.
Allergies and asthma often go together. Read Asthma: Herbal Remedies and Tips for Easier Breathing, and learn more about nettle and calendula in Five Herbs Every Home Should Have.
