It's Allergy Season: Don't Let it Ruin Your Thanksgiving
Writing this from Dallas, Texas one of the ragweed hotspots of
the nation, I'm particularly aware of "allergies" and the havoc
they can cause. Here are some facts about allergies:
More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. Ragweed
pollen is probably the largest single seasonal allergen in North
America. It is estimated that one square mile of ragweed plants
would release 16 tons of pollen in one season. Even skin contact
with ragweed can cause dermatitis.
An allergy is "...a heightened sensitivity to a foreign
substance (called an "allergen") which causes the body's defense
system (the immune system) to overreact when defending itself.
Normally, the immune system would only react if a harmful
substance such as bacteria attacked the body. But for people
with "allergies," their own immune system is working too hard
and it reacts even when relatively harmless substances such as
pollen are present. The severity of an allergic reaction can
vary from mild discomfort to life threatening situations."
[Source: www.pollen.com]
Because of this assault on the immune system, it's crucially
important to take supplements that nutritionally support the
immune system. You can read about it here:
http://tinyurl.com/9jzsf . By the previous definition, you can
see that an already assaulted immune system becomes further
weakened with allergens. Our immune system is our health, our
first line of defense for bacteria, for instance, and our ONLY
line of defense for viruses. While we have antibiotics for
bacteria, there is no know cure for a virus, as you know.
It's smart to prepare ahead of time by getting the necessary
information. Sign up at http://www.pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp and
be alerted in the morning of conditions likely to exceed the
trigger point, the point where most allergy sufferers will start
to experience symptoms.
If you have a website, you can be of service to others. Probably
25% of your website visitors suffer from allergies. At
http://www.pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp, you can get the html to
put a pollen alert box on your website - either a zip code entry
box or for any town in the U.S.
The most extreme allergic reaction is called "anaphylactic
shock." Immediately after contact the individual will suffer
difficulty breathing, itchiness, welling of the lips and throat,
and drop in blood pressure, and finally collapse. If you've ever
suffered anaphylactic shock, you should carry injectable
adrenaline from your doctor and keep some at home as well. Have
the 911 number handy, and seek medical attention immediately.
It's also important to know that subsequent contact with a
particular allergen can be much worse then the first time; for
instance, if you're stung by a bee. Instead of building up
"resistance," you build up "sensitivity." That's why people talk
about their allergies coming on suddenly. Everything's fine,
they're 30 years old, and one night they have beer and shell
fish and end up in the ER. "Out of the blue," we say. "It never
happened before!"
Likewise, normally innocent foodstuffs such as peanuts, which
don't bother one person can actually kill someone else who's
susceptible. One way to determine what you're allergic to is to
see your personal physician and get an allergy test.
Allergic conditions include:
(1) Hay fever and allergic asthma. Pollen from grasses, ragweed
and trees, mold and dust can all cause respiratory and nasal
problems.
(2) Eczema. A special form of skin reaction. Cement dust is
particularly likely to cause this.
(3) Urticaria (itchy hives). Most of us get this from nettles.
You can also get this from strawberries, seafood, cheese; it
depends.
Once the allergy is established, you must remove the cause or
avoid it. Here are some tips:
1. Wear hypoallergenic gloves.
2. Use a filter in the vacuum cleaner to remove dust mite
droppings and an air filter on your A/C which you clean often.
Also clean the ducts.
3. Remove heavy drapes and bedspreads from the bedroom and
replace with blinds. Take up old carpeting and replace with tile
or wood flooring. Do not use area rugs.
4. Keep your immune system built up with a product like
Arbonne's DefenseBuilder or rebuild it with Get Well Soon
Dietary Supplement:http://tinyurl.com/9jzsf .
5. Use protective clothing when handling material such as
cement.
6. Use a filter face mask when in dusty areas and when mowing
the lawn in high pollen areas.
7. Check food labels for potentially allergenic ingredients such
as peanut products, wheat, gluten and corn. Again, an allergy
test from your personal physician can alert you to potential
problems.
It is extremely important that you avoid irritants such as
mineral oil, fragrances of any sort, and impure ingredients in
your cosmetics, shaving cream, makeup, and skin lotions. What
you put on your skin irritates there, and then is absorbed into
your blood stream where it causes further problems. Choose
well-researched, dermatologist-approved, fragrance and
mineral-oil free, scientifically-proven nutritional supplements,
cosmetics, lotions and shaving cream (http://tinyurl.com/9jzsf
).
There is some evidence that allergen sensitivity builds from a
too-early introduction to certain substances. Consider the
generation born in the late 40s that is basically allergic to
orange juice because of having been introduced to it in the
hospital, virtually at birth since there was no other way to
prevent scurvy at the time and it was considered good medicine.
No pediatrician these days would recommend you give orange
juice, egg white and other things to your child before the age
of one year. Continue this prudent and safe care by using only
safe baby products for skin and bath. You can find some here:
http://tinyurl.com/9jzsf .
Living with allergies and allergens is a 24/7 prospect for all
of us. You can't move away from them, and you can't get rid of
them all, so eliminate the offenders that you can since the
effect is cumulative, and stay informed.