Unpleasant is an understatement. Miserable is closer to how these things can make a person feel.
The idea of working with something like a pollen allergy must take into account the off season. What I mean is that during the winter we are working towards normalizing the things in our body that create allergic response. The way to tell if these protocols are successful is strictly by response. Are attacks less often and less severe? During the allergy season, herbs and supplements can be of great benefit to reduce allergy symptoms and diet plays a role in helping or hindering.
Listen to Harry’s radio interview on this subject:
If we look at allergy through the energetic/meridian model: the approach to treatment is through the digestive tract as well as the respiratory system. Herbs are given to strengthen the stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, small and large intestine and lungs.
Starting with gut flora and lipid quality, we can have an impact on food or pollen allergies. Prebiotics and probiotics, fish oil and G.L.A.. Great and gentle stuff that you can also give to children. As a matter of fact, I recommend that you give these things to your children even if there is nothing wrong, with the intent of keeping it that way. Bitters, before meals, would also be part of a program to heal and strengthen the digestive tract. The amino acid glutamine is one of the primary building blocks of the digestive track’s lining. Best absorption is with a form of glutamine bound to magnesium. A variety of immune cells also need glutamine and the proper secretion of growth hormone is encouraged by glutamine. Next would be the use of adaptogenic herbs, many of which normalize aberrant systems and many of which are straight ahead antiallergenic . Poor quality fats are a major problem in so many areas it is hard to list. Allergies of all kind are on that list. Many of these fake fats produce and accentuate inflammation. Allergy is a hyper inflammatory response. Sugar and refined carbs are like throwing gas on the fire. During allergy season; lighten up.
The long term or repeated use of antibiotics, steroids, and over the counter drugs can reek havoc upon our immune systems and in turn create or enhance allergies. If we need to do drugs of this caliber than we must learn to protect ourselves from side effect as best as possible; during and after treatment.
Taking things that support and enhance liver function is a plus and a must. Even a short juice fast may be of benefit. A common event in traditional cultures is a liver purge in the spring. There are about 50 variations on this theme. I have my own favorite version that I give when needed. There are many good plants and supplements that will support and strengthen the liver. Along with this is the idea of proper elimination. If this is out of order than it must also be dealt with.
When dealing with acute flair ups: runny nose, sneezing, tearing and burning eyes, stuffy head, fatigue, ect., a primary mechanism to normalize is mast cell degranulation. Mast cells are the bad boys that release histamine. Histamine is the substance that can induce all those symptoms. This is a hyper reaction, the body thinks it is under attack, to breathing in some pretty benign plant proteins. This response can be severe and debilitating. Many herbs bind and normalize mast cell behavior, preventing these irritating symptoms. A simple symptomatic approach to burning and itching eyes is with a golden seal eye wash. Relief is almost immediate. For the amelioration of many of the other symptoms, a more complex formula would be necessary. Some of our local plants can help: Yerba Santa and Grindelia would be 2 good examples. Licorice and Shizandra are 2 great adaptogens, both of which are anti-allergenic. The formula that I am giving next is something I put together a long time ago, that many of the people that I helped still use. This is a symptomatic approach to help relieve (short term) what can be a pretty debilitating problem
2 caps H.A.S. Formula ( Nature’s Way )
2 caps Shizandra Plus Combo ( Herbal Life )
2 caps freeze dried nettle
1 cap Quercitin 1 cap slippery elm.
Poison Oak can be incredibly nasty stuff. On the east coast it’s poison ivy. Personal and unfortunate experience with both plants has led me to conclude that poison oak is the worst of the 2. Many of the previously mentioned approaches to respiratory allergies also apply to allergic skin responses. Once again diet plays a key role in toning down symptoms and once again poor quality fats and refined carbs are at the top of do nots. Topical help can be gotten from another local plant; Manzanita. The astringency and anti- inflammatory effects of Manzanita make it and excellent topical approach to the itching and redness. If the rash is extensive, full body Manzanita baths can be a great help, smaller areas can be compressed locally. Drawback is that Manzanita is so astringent that too many repeated baths can dry a person out too much. Using aloe vera gel topically post bath can help stop this side effect. If I feel that I have been exposed to poison oak, the first thing I do is wash the area with vodka. Than I take a formula internally and get real tight on diet. If and when a rash develops, I use the manzanita externally and continue taking a formula 4-6x a day.
For those who suffer from it being just too hot, a cooling beverage tea of hibiscus Chryrsanthemum, and lemon balm will help. Good Luck and enjoy spring and summer.
Harry Chrissakis
530-933-8244