Looks like Covid hysteria has calmed down!....right in time for allergy season! Now those watery eyes, sneezing, congestion, dry/sore throat and cough are more likely benign reactions to the beautiful trees and flowers blooming instead of dreaded Covid-19! If you or someone you know can only make it through early spring by spending a small fortune on Zyrtec, Allegra, Benadryl, and Claritin, this is the blog for you. Staying inside to avoid the elements isn’t healthy...now more than ever, it’s important to get out for fresh air when we can! Fresh air and getting out in nature can be healing in so many ways, so I wanted to share a few ways to fight the allergies naturally:
1. DRINK MORE WATER
The solution to pollution is dilution. According to CBS, an estimated 75% of the population is dehydrated. The more garbage that comes into our system, (that we ingest, inhale, or absorb) the more our body has to mount an immune response to deal with it. The more we push clean water into our bodies, the better we dilute the offending substances that initiate the reaction. I recommend at least drinking half your body weight in ounces of quality filtered or spring water each day to properly cleanse your body, improve energy, and avoid allergies. There is a book I frequently suggest entitled, “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, MD. Water is important for so many physiological processes in the body, and I know I clearly feel a difference when I don’t drink as much as I know I need to!
2. AVOID INFLAMMATORY/ALLERGENIC FOODS
As mentioned above, our bodies are filled with immune challenges daily. The last thing our system needs is to be stressed by things we eat voluntarily. Not everyone needs to avoid the same things, as we are all individuals and therefore respond differently to different foods. However, in general, the following foods are commonly prudent to avoid when trying to reduce your inflammatory and immune load:
Dairy (all cow’s milk products)
Wheat
Corn
Sugar
Try an elimination diet or “Whole 30” to test cleanse and reset your body. Then once completed, you can slowly reintroduce certain foods to evaluate how you feel after consumption. You can play detective on your own! It’s in recognizing how we feel when eating certain foods that we can take an active role in our health and create the life and body we want!
3. CONSIDER ANTI-INFLAMMATORY HERBS/VITMAMINS
There are a plethora of options when it comes to the right supplement for you or your loved ones to prevent or cope with seasonal allergies. The following supplements may be worth looking into: boswelia, turmeric, ginger, N-acetylcysteine, quercetin, curcumin, silymarin, garlic, ginseng, stinging nettle, echinacea, and butterbur. There are many more possibilities and options depending on what other conditions you may be dealing with – so please check with your trusted physician before trying anything new! This blog is not a substitute for personalized medical care, so trust your body and test things out before committing to a new supplement regimen.
4. THINK ABOUT ADDING CHIROPRACTIC/HOLISTIC CARE TO YOUR LIFE
There is something else incredibly important that builds our immune function, inner strength, and reduces stress…CHIROPRACTIC CARE!!! Studies have shown time and time again that those who seek regular treatments have at least a 200% greater immune response when compared to those who do not receive consistent care. Additionally to regular chiropractic adjustments, holistic work of clearing emotional blockages can be very impactful in overall body function, and therefore allergy symptoms. I encourage you to think: who/what situations could I be “allergic” to? What could I be "rejecting?" If there are people or circumstances in your life that are toxic, creating boundaries with those things or reflecting on your right way to move forward with them could support your allergies more than you ever thought imaginable!
Please check out my YouTube video where I echo and expand on these recommendations for allergies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xco8X1lLII and consider subscribing to my channel Dr. Christy Cares!
I am here to serve you, so please feel free to reach out for more guidance on more specific suggestions for your unique situation! I’d would be happy to assist in choosing supplements and care that’s most appropriate for your issues. Stay healthy! Dr. Christy Matusiak