Wisdom of Healing

I love springtime. Not everyone does, though. With the arrival of spring comes the sniffling, sneezing, watery eyes and itching of allergies. These and other spring allergy symptoms come from the overreaction of the immune system to tree pollen drifting through the air. Some of the most difficult and aggressive allergy symptoms seem to accompany tree pollen in the springtime. Even here in New England, folks are already saying that their tree pollen allergies are shifting into high gear. The pollen counts in the southeast have been through the roof, and the people with tree allergies there are really suffering the consequences.

There is real help for allergies found throughout the globe and brought to us by Mother Nature to aid with these numerous discomforts. Mother Nature’s remedies often help us even when medications have been of little use. Some of these herbs and supplements support temporary relief; while others can actually help the body begin to reverse the overreaction to common substances, such as the pollen falling from trees.

Ads throughout the media lure allergy sufferers, desperate to find a solution to their discomforts, by promising bright, happy, colorful days filled with flowers, trees, pets and blissful contentment. Several over-the-counter medications, however, when taken for as little as two or three days, can cause a rebound effect; meaning that they actually worsen the original symptoms that a person took the medication for. Unwitting allergy sufferers take more medication, symptoms get worse, more medicine; with no end in sight.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications for allergies are making pharmaceutical companies billions of dollars every year. But the risks associated with many of these medications are very serious. Here are some of the side effects related with the most commonly used allergy medications:

Rash
Heartburn
Fever
Cough
Headaches
Drowsiness
Insomnia
Diabetes
Irritability
Weight gain
Cataracts
Elevated blood pressure
Osteoporosis
Muscle weakness
Dizziness
Loss of libido
Gastritis
Vomiting
Depression
Disturbed coordination
Mood disorders
Tremors
Excessive bleeding
Seizures
Death

These side effects are nothing to sneeze at! Thirty years ago, few people suffered allergies long-term. Forty or fifty years ago, allergies were quite rare. According to the National Institutes of Health, the proportion of children diagnosed by a MD general practitioner with hay fever or allergic rhinitis tripled between the early 1970s and early 1990s. Today in some cities, the number of children suffering with allergies and asthma can be as high as 90% in homes where one person already has asthma.

What’s changed? Why do so many of us now suffer with allergies? And why does it seem that once a person has developed one allergy, they increase in numbers over the years?

In short, our immune system health as a nation is plummeting. There are other various theories as to the answers to these and other questions regarding allergies. But for the moment, let us agree that the problem seems to be as out of control as the immune system is when the allergies occur.

For now, we’ll focus on how someone might prevent the necessity for medication that may cause mild, moderate or even very serious side effects.

Natra Bio’s line of homeopathic remedies that are formulated for various allergy concerns is called BioAllers. One of those products, Homeopathic Tree Pollen is available in a liquid form, and is specifically produced with very minute amounts of the very tree flowers that may be bothering our sinuses in the springtime. This is the same theory as immunizations, but without any known side effects.

Considered harmless enough for infants and even used with newborns, they’re likely safer, since they aren’t preserved with mercury and other potentially toxic heavy metals. Instead, they’re simple drops that may go in water or under the tongue. They have little or no flavor. In Germany and much of Europe, doctors prescribe homeopathic remedies for many chronic conditions such as allergies. Far fewer people there risk the potentially harmful side effects of the pharmaceutical preparations because so many folks find the homeopathic remedies very helpful in providing immediate temporary comfort.

Elder flower, the same bush that provides us with the elderberry in summer, has been used to help the body with inflammations of the skin, lungs, stomach and the sinuses for more than 2,500 years. I have witnessed the elder flower in helping with severe allergy symptoms, even when medications and other home remedies were of little or no use.

An example of this was a 73 year old man who came to me in Boston and stated that he didn’t believe in ‘any of this natural stuff’, but his allergies were so bad and nothing seemed to help. He had not had three days in a row where he was free of allergy symptoms in almost seven years, and just couldn’t take it much longer.

His friend suggested that he visit my office, and just follow what I might suggest, even though he did not believe in it. He told me that he would take only one product, so I suggested that, if it were me only taking one product, I would choose my most favorite elder syrup; Flora’s Sambu (or their newer version, Sambu Guard). These delicious syrups combine elder flower with elderberry, and Sambu has been on the European market for nearly 100 years. He jokingly asked if the reason I thought of this product was because he was an elder man. I told him that it as because he was a wise enough elder to ask me for my opinion!

He called a few days later to report that he was ‘marginally hopeful’; that he had not had any symptoms of his nasal allergies since about four hours after his visit to my office. I had taught him that when we suffer an acute situation, ancient herbal wisdom suggests taking a small amount of the herb as often as every hour or even every half hour.

Although the directions for the Sambu that he chose to use states to take one to two tablespoons, we discussed how our ancestors would more likely have used a half to one teaspoon frequently, and once the acute situation was past, they may have taken one to two teaspoons morning and night for prevention. They would have continued this preventive practice for about one month for each year that they had experienced the condition; in this gentleman’s situation, he took it for seven months. He called me again after nearly four months to say that I had made a true believer out of him. He said, “I guess this proves that you really can teach an old dog new tricks!”

Mrs. M. Grieve, author of A Modern Herbal, writes, “The flowers were used by our forefathers in bronchial and pulmonary affections, and in scarlet fever, measles and other eruptive diseases. An infusion of the dried flowers, Elder Flower Tea, is said to promote expectoration in pleurisy; … and is considered excellent for inducing free perspiration. It is a good old fashioned remedy for colds and throat trouble, taken hot on going to bed. An almost infallible cure for an attack of influenza in its first stage…”

We want to be sure to choose organically grown herbs, as many of the chemicals used in commercial farming are themselves allergens. To achieve immediate relief, we’ll need to moderate excess inflammation. Turmeric root, especially in a supercritical extract form found in two excellent products from Thera Veda called Ajay Aller Support and Pavan Respiratory Support and New Chapter’s Turmericforce will help the body to detoxify allergens from the liver and blood as it helps the body modulate the excess inflammation. Other excellent blood purifiers that may also provide detoxification support include red clover, burdock, yellow dock and dandelion root.

Nasal Support, organically grown, freeze-dried herbs in a vegetarian capsule, is produced by Eclectic Institute. This is my other most favorite herbal product (along with the Sambu) for any sort of sinus discomfort. Nasal Support contains nettles, eyebright, elder flower and horseradish. As you’ll see, this is a premier formulation in a high quality product.

Nettles, sometimes called stinging nettles, has been used in a variety of ways for inflammation associated with allergies and skin irritations for centuries. Nettles helps to purify the blood and balance the Ph, facilitating a release of the assumed toxin causing an excessive immune response called an allergy. Nettles may be used in tincture, tea, freeze-dried capsules, fresh and, my favorite, in pesto! (To make nettles pesto, use equal parts of nettles and basil, or nettles and cilantro.)

Nettles was researched for allergies and rhinitis and found to relieve all or most symptoms in most of the patients (58%). Now, they took the herbs at specific times, rather than the way our ancestors would have used them; as needed. There are not side effects associated with nettles. The side benefits are numerous, however, from glowing clear skin, healthy bones and good blood pressure rates, just to name a few.

My favorite ways to use nettles in supplemental form are the freeze-dried capsules and tincture. Just as our ancestors may have done when symptoms were acute, mentioned above with elder flower, a capsule or dropperful of tincture could have been taken every hour (or half hour in very acute situations), then morning and night (or morning, noon and night) for prevention once the acute symptoms had subsided.

Enzymes, specifically protein digesting enzymes called protease, can support the body with a reduction of allergy symptoms by digesting the proteins that cause excess inflammation. There are several excellent books on the market that explain the details and effectiveness of using enzyme therapy, but the short story is that there are always excess proteins present in the regions of the body where excess inflammation occurs, such as the sinuses or the skin of a person with allergies.

Having had arthritis since I was a child, I have experimented for decades with natural ways to deal with excess inflammation. In the early 1980’s a naturopathic doctor suggested I try enzyme therapy to reduce my pain. He suggested I take ten of the very best digestive enzyme capsules on the market at a time, between meals (at least two hours after a meal and thirty minutes before the next meal), five times per day for five days.

Because I had very significant hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), I usually ate five to six small meals every day. I bought the 250 capsules of the best digestive enzymes, and took the handful of ten at a time, over the course of seven or eight days’ time. My hand and knee pain was gone by the end of the first day. It did not return for several months. I did a follow-up enzyme therapy program every three months or so for three or four days for several years, keeping the arthritis pain at bay.

Sinus inflammation associated with allergies has been very responsive to enzyme therapy in several young people I’ve known to try it out over the years. I once knew a young man who was told by his alternative practitioner to use Renew Life’s Digest More enzymes, six at a time, before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner and before bed for eight days. He shared with me that he felt relief on the second day and didn’t have any allergy symptoms for several weeks.

Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that reside in the intestinal tract, support our digestion and immune system in numerous ways. It is important to have a wide variety of these beneficial bacteria in the gut. There are trillions of probiotics in a healthy digestive tract. When they have been damaged or wiped out by antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills, excess stress, sugar, radiation, chemotherapy and a thousand other things, opportunistic microorganisms such as candida, harmful bacteria and parasites move in and wreck havoc.

When these potentially pathogenic microorganisms are in the majority, immune health suffers. It may become sluggish or reactive to normally occurring things, such as flower pollen (tree, grass, ragweed, etc) dust, pet dander, mold spores, etc. See the connection?

Remember, there are very few truly excellent probiotics on the market. The three brands I find most effective are Bio-K Plus, Natren and New Chapter.

Cellfood is an amazing product, formulated with 78 ionic minerals, 34 enzymes, 17 amino acids, electrolytes and dissolved oxygen. Helping to deliver oxygen to every cell in the body, Cellfood can support the lungs, heart, lymphatic, immune and digestive systems. Many people report increased energy, vitality, deeper sleep and a brighter outlook on life when they use Cellfood regularly. This may be due to the detoxification properties, the nutrient support, the nascent oxygen or all of the above.

Cellfood is easy to use. Simply drip eight drops into a glass of water three times daily and drink. Its lemony flavor is pleasant as it helps to balance our pH. I once had a friend who moved to Boston from the Midwest. Ginny’s allergies immediately went wild. She began to use her prescription medication frequently throughout the day. She got jittery, agitated and began losing sleep.

Not comfortable with this, she researched some herbs and supplements that might help her. Ginny asked me what I thought about Cellfood. I shared that I used it nearly every day and she smiled. A few minutes later, she returned with the small bottle of Cellfood she had purchased earlier in the day, dropping the first eight drops into her water bottle.

A few days later, she let me know that she only needed her medication one more time after that first use of Cellfood. Four years later, we were talking about the amazing benefits of Cellfood and Ginny shared with me that she had only ever used her medication three more times and that she still kept it on hand for emergencies, but she felt that she’d never be without her Cellfood again.

Eyebright is a small common weed found throughout much of the temperate regions of the world. People have used eyebright for allergies, sinusitis and the common cold. Eyebright help the body reduce mucus secretion, assisting in the relief of sinus irritation. For centuries, eyebright was the herb of choice when the eyes, and the face in general, appeared cloudy, dull and puffy; hence the need for brightening the eyes; eyebright!

A word or two about bee pollen. If you’re at all familiar with holistic remedies, you’ve probably heard that bee pollen provides effective relief for sinus issues. But we’re experiencing a national crisis with our bees. Bees, especially honey bees, some of the most important pollinators, are dying at record levels. And most recently a mystery has also been occurring; bees are simply disappearing. Hives are being found with no sign of life. The ‘experts’ say that they can’t understand what’s causing this massive problem.

Well, let’s consider this. For more than a half century, we’ve been harvesting everything that the bee produces to keep their communities healthy. We take their food, the honey; their medicine, the propolis; etc. In return, we give them some sugar water; SUGAR WATER! Anyone reading this blog has got to understand that refined white sugar is very, very bad for us. Who can’t figure out that if, for decades we steal the bees’ nourishment and protection, an opportunistic pest will come along and do damage. In this case, it’s a mite; a small bug that attaches itself to the bee’s back and literally sucks the life out of it. We need to change things here.

If you feel you must use honey, pollen, propolis, etc., please buy certified organic products. Unlike the unhealthy harvesting practices of commercial beekeepers, certified organic bee products are harvested much more ethically, leaving plenty of nourishment and propolis to protect the hive from danger. About the only organic bee products I really trust, available at most real health food stores are produced by Y.S. Organic Bee Farms.

Since there are so many high quality herbal products that are easily available in most regions and on the web, there is no longer a reason to suffer this spring; don’t you agree?

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