Seasonal Allergies:

A Deeper Look

Oh to be a Kleenex salesman in spring! – or winter, or fall or even summer for that matter. There is a sneeze for every season in Arizona. As the heavy winter mold-producing rains fade into warm Spring sun-coaxing pollen-laden foliage into bloom, followed but the tyrannical dust storms of the summer monsoons and then finally the unique blend of mold spores in pollen which characterizes Autumn, the tranquility of the natural desert environment is shattered by the constant sneeze, cough, hack, drip, and wipe of seasonal allergy sufferers.

There is hope however for seasonal allergy sufferers to heal their condition and start enjoying all that the different seasons in Arizona have to offer. Like with any problem, when trying to find a solution for seasonal allergies, one first has to understand the “cause”. What causes seasonal allergies?

Allergies are a reaction by your immune system to a perceived threat which is entering the body. In an attempt to shield you from the systemic effects of some noxious substances, your body unleashes a host of defenses to purge the offending substance from your system or at least quarantine it so that it cannot go any deeper. Sneezing is a perfect example of this defensive strategy. A 500mph gust of wind is generated to blow the invader out of your body. If that doesn’t work an “oil slick” of mucus is summoned to flush the invader out. If still more defensive action is called for, congestion and inflammation will wall off any area, isolating it from the rest of your body and often leaving you with an awful sinus headache in the meantime. All these actions are valiant attempts by your body to protect you – yet we walk around cursing our runny noses and grumbling into our tissue like our bodies were betraying us!

The deeper question is why the body feels the need to raise such a vigorous defense against such harmless substances such as tree pollens and simple molds. Surely this is a case of mistaken identity. Our bodies should be saving these tactics for bird flu or bio-terrorism. But pollen?!!! Come on!

In Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) allergies are referred to as a “Phobia of the Immune System”. The body has learned to fear that which is not really harmful. How can this happen? Let’s explore.

When a person perceives the world as an unfriendly place, with disasters lurking around every corner, that perception is a neurological event. Your brain sends “Red Alert” messages to your nervous system which in turn passes alarm signals to your immune system. Now all of your body’s border crossings – the mucus membranes of nose, lungs, eyes, etc – are at Defcon 1. It’s ‘shoot first, ask questions later!’

Another way the body gets tricked into seeing friend as foe, is when digestion is compromised. NSAID medications, antacid usage, antibiotic abuse, improper chewing and poor dietary habits set the stage for large, undigested proteins to cross into your bloodstream from your digestive track. These large proteins are immediately tagged for extermination and cataloged as dangerous by your immune system. Now when your immune system spots that protein again – or one similar to it – an immunologic event is set off, usually resulting in some kind of inflammation. This inflammation further degrades the border crossing at the level of the gut so that more oversized proteins enter the bloodstream and aggravate the immune system even more.

It is this agitated and over stimulated immune system that starts ‘freaking out’ over citrus and olive tree pollens. It has lost all perspective. In short, it needs to get a grip.

There are a multitude of natural interventions that work well along this line: Acupunture, Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, etc.., are all powerful tools to control allergy symptoms and help restore balance to the system. More fundamental however, is – in conjunction with these other therapies - working at the level of the mind and the digestion.

Eliminating or lessening the intake of common food allergens such as gluten and dairy can go a long way. So can the addition of digestive enzymes, bitter digestive tonics such as ginger and better dietary hygiene, ie. Chewing properly and eating in a relaxed and mindful manner. All these techniques help heal the integrity of the digestive system which can help quiet a hyper-active immune system.

The messages we give ourselves can also have a huge impact on our allergies. When we obsessively follow the pollen counts on the news or the web, when we keep our windows shut tight in fear of the slightest bit of pollen entering our airspace, we are telling our body that indeed these things are to be feared, and if you do see any, “Kill ‘em!”. I’m not saying that one should throw out common sense and go lie naked in a field of wild flowers (unless of course that’s your thing). Rather I’m suggesting that we take charge of our self talk and tell ourselves that “Nature is my friend”, “Trees are harmless and they clean our air.”, “My immune system in strong, calm, intelligent and at peace.” These affirmations will ripple through our body and have positive effects on our immune systems.

When our mind and our gut is at peace with the world around us, the rest of our body will often follow.

This article was written by Dr. Steven Ehrlich ND, as a patient education resource for The Center For True Harmony Wellness and Medicine. Edited and revised by Sherry VanGoethem, Dr.Christine Brass-Jones OBGYN, and Dr. Denise Quance Grobe N.D. If you have any questions or comments contact the office at (480) 539-6646 or through email at info@trueharmonywellness.com