SEPTEMBER 2013 - Practitioner's Corner with Vanessa Laird

Hay Fever 

Are you irritated with hay fever? For many who suffer from this condition it can be a highly aggravating.  Hay fever is an allergic reaction caused by pollen, dust, animal hair, fungi or mould. This allergic response is from our immune system wrongly identifying a substance that is not normally harmful, and begins to attack it. Allergies may last for weeks and can make us feel extremely tired.

This imbalance within our immune system can lead to upper respiratory symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion. This can lead to sleep dysfunction and therefore affect our daily performance and quality of life.

 Nutritional supplements can be highly affective to reduce and prevent symptoms associated with hay fever.

 Nutritional & Herbal Supplementation:

·         Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that is found in the lining of airways. It has shown to help lower histamine levels, which is released from white blood cells and increases detoxification of histamine. Vitamin C may also decrease bronchial constriction due to allergens.

·         Flavonoids such as Quercetain has shown to inhibit histamine release and reduce the production of leukotrienes (allergy agents)

·         Supplementing with Omega-3 fish oil will help to decrease airway responsiveness to allergens and improve respiratory function.

·         Herbs are highly useful when reducing symptoms of hay fever and can help to prevent the onset of an attack. Garlic is a wonderful herb to use due to its antioxidant, anti-microbial and immune enhancing effects. It helps to prevent and alleviate upper respiratory complaints such as mucous congestion. It is best taken in conjunction with Horseradish which can be used as a decongestant and exerts an antibiotic effect.

·         Another highly beneficial herb is Elder Flower. This helps to tonify mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, increasing resilience to allergens.

·         Albizia is a great herb to use to help reduce the severity of allergies. Studies have found Albizia to have anti-allergic and anti-microbial activity.

 Dietary and lifestyle suggestions:

·         Remove the offending antigen from your environment.

·         Cook with plenty of garlic, horseradish, fenugreek and ginger.

·         Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, raw nuts and seeds. (High fibre diet)

·         Eliminate mucous forming foods from the diet such as dairy products, eggs, sugar, white flour, fatty foods and alcohol.

·         Increase omega-3 fatty acids in the diet including fish (salmon, halibut, and mackerel), walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds.

·         To destroy dust mites wash clothing and bed linen in hot water over 58°C.

·         Use air filtered vacuum cleaners, to reduce exposure to allergens in the house.

References

 

1.         Bach, P. (2002). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishing Group, New York, USA.

2.         Chevallier, A. (2000). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. 2^nd Edition, Dorling Kindersley Limited, Sydney, Australia.

3.         Murray, N. & Pizzorno, J. (1998). Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. 2^nd Edition, Three Rivers Press, New York, USA.

4.         Osiecki, H. (2006). The Physician’s Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 7^th Edition, AG Publishing, Queensland, Australia.

Written by: Vanessa Laird
Naturopath Calanna Pharmacy Woree
e: vanessaw@calannapharmacy.com.au