By Dr. Gayle Maguire, B.Sc, ND
It's allergy season and many of us find ourselves reaching for medication for our itchy eyes and runny noses! When it comes to an ND's perspective, most natural approaches to allergies should begin prior to the season, as we hope to soothe and cleanse necessary functions in the body. When these functions become overwhelmed, we see a worsening of allergy symptoms. This also explains why many adults "grow into" allergies.
Many patients are surprised to experience hay fever for the first time, wondering why they never had allergies as a child or young adult. The question is usually "Don't we grow out of allergies?". It would appear that stresses to proper immune response, such as stress in particular, throw off our body's natural response to pollen, snow mould, and more. This may even include food allergies and sensitivities too.
It becomes really important to look at your diet going into your worst allergy season. Try a "break-up" with coffee, sugar, and for some, dairy products. If stress has been high, work diligently on stress reduction and talk to your naturopathic doctor about supplements to help.
Quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant found in many vegetables can be purchased as a supplement and seems to calm the immune system very effectively for some. Nettle, as a tea (provided you are not allergic to it!), can be an effective anti-inflammatory and immune stabilizer due to its quercetin content. This can interact with several medications so talk to your pharmacist or naturopathic doctor first. Probiotics and Vitamin D are other important nutrients for stable immune responses.
For more information, book a free meet-and-greet session with Dr. Gayle Maguire at AST Willow Park, 4032781405.
*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
