Allergy to pollen is not new. Already in the 5th century BC, Hippocrates had already identified the occurrence of seasonal illnesses like the common cold in the spring. Allergic, there has always been, but what is new is the intensity of the phenomenon. Today it is estimated that a quarter of American Suffer from this condition.
Difficult in these conditions not to admit that this is a serious public health problem. Treating the symptom relief perhaps, but no use, the prevention is more effective. Natural medicines is full of preventive medicine, we give the details in this article (click here).
But few practitioners know and in general, we prefer to sell you antihistamines, corticosteroids or Ventolin.
For two people, the arrival of spring, it was the beginning of trouble: sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, difficulty breathing, and headaches … The showers of pollen cause an explosion of respiratory allergies. These exponential allergies are available on all tones and dimmable: allergic rhinitis (hay fever), conjunctivitis, dermatitis meadow, reduced sense of smell, taste loss, asthma, itching. We even see now appear cross allergies: pollen causes intolerance food intolerance to fruit and vegetables. The most frequent cases: allergies to apples, kiwi fruit, and celery.
Billions of “sperm” flying
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What is disturbing is that every year we are increasingly likely to suffer when the “sperm” plants go in search of “eggs” (the pistil). Since the 80s, the proportion of French badly affected by this seasonality has more than doubled. And this is only the beginning because the peak will be reached in mid-April: in this period, we may face some day’s more than 10 million pollen grains at a time!
Climate change aggravates allergies
In addition, the period of pollen goes with climate change. As this year it started at the end of winter, in a very warm spell between episodes of improbable snow. The first warnings were launched in mid-February. This is, however, where the season of trees. Will follow the season grasses that then, in the summer, herbaceous. It all ends increasingly late in September or October. It’s not all pollens are becoming more aggressive. What makes allergies the most painful and difficult to reverse?
Thousands of kilometers between you and the allergen
Then they will tell you that it is the fault of nature. Blame the trees and herbaceous anemone (whose pollen is spread through the air). But is this not a fault of man, who plant more particularly in cities, residences? Grasses fashionable in gardens are not innocent. Man broadcasts without realizing its own poison set exclusive and massive use of some species form veritable walls of pollen in our environment. Even deforestation phenomenon involved in causing the proliferation of grass on fallow areas.
Or perhaps do you not know but you can develop an allergy to tree pollen that are thousands of kilometers from home: sneezing pollen argent from Morocco to Montpellier and the French pollen even in the Sahara! Which was perfectly tolerable in a balanced environment is harmful, it’s as simple as that.
Pollen “mutants”
But if the phenomenon is exaggerated proportions with more pollen involved, but also because of pollution. The most honest experts will tell you: the air pollution changes the composition of certain pollens and makes them more aggressive. It was an aggravating allergies, today it is also a risk factor. First, increased CO2 leads plants to produce more pollen. It was 20 years ago, for example, a foot ragweed pollen was producing 5.5 g, now he gives twice. Then the protein particles of pollen to “stick” to fine particles, mainly diesel, or ozone.
These modified pollens, mutants, baptizes “Pollutions ” penetrate deeper into the bronchial tree and in our intestines. This explains in large part the increase in allergies: it is estimated that a dose of the mutant pollen causes the same symptoms as two doses of normal pollen.
Sleep your defenses is not the solution…
Doctors, allergists and pulmonologists other, have a number of ready-made solutions to alleviate or eliminate these allergies:
- First they tell you to oust allergens. Not easy, but to stay locked at home, which in this season is contrary to common sense.
- Then prescribe antihistaminesin spades. Histamine is a chemical mediator involved in the immune response causing the allergy. Doctors are quick to prescribe all year to their patients. There is no danger, they say. Except that these drugs have a tendency to you and cause drowsiness conducive to all kinds of accidents. Moreover they are used as sleeping pills.
- If the problem too hard and discomfort, you will be prompted to take local corticoids there too “safe”. One wonders why you should avoid using more than three months and why they cause scabs or burns to the nose…
- If you are intractable, or if you prefer comfort, you can also get desensitized. Desensitization after identification or allergens involved (e.g. a prick test) practice, how we put a letter in the mail. More bites but few drops to swallow or tablets under the tongue. This sublingual treatment should last at least 3 months and does not protect life. It is not without side effects: itching, burning sensation of the lips or mouth, swollen tongue, diarrhea with colic and even serious relapse…
Sometimes the rocker in asthma allergy: you are good for Ventolin and Becotide, which often create a lifelong addiction … All these treatments are erasing symptoms bypassing the immune system, the amending, the lulling. But is this the solution when our body does not know to defend themselves? No: these local symptoms are only the manifestation of a deeper malaise that nestles immune to the palm of our intestines and that calls for other answers makeshift bandages.
Another way to act
The word allergy derives from the Greek “allos” (other) and “Ergon” (action). It is “another way of acting” for the immune system. Inadequate, excessive response, vis-à-vis a foreign substance (allergen). Our immune response is both humoral (antibodies) and cellular (T cells).
From the first contact with an external agent to the Self, specific antibodies, IgE, and T cells are made to defend our self. When the pollen grain arrives at the mucosa of the nose, it releases its allergens that cause the production of IgE antibodies. At this first meeting, it produces nothing visible. But the immune system starts working. It is the awareness phase IgE bind to certain cells, mast cells (mainly located in our intestines) which are real full grenades hazardous substances. These agents keep in memory the identity of ‘intruder’ in order to react again in case of recurrence of it.
When this new contact, allergic reaction occurs: they are real “land mines” exploding, releasing several toxic mediators including histamine that causes the allergic inflammatory reaction. That said, little is known about the precise mechanics which gets underway over time in allergic processes (our inflammatory defenses depend very complex cytokines).What one knows best, however, is that it is important to promote contact with the maximum of exogenous agents from an early age.
It is no coincidence that allergies are a disease of “rich” in poor countries where the permanent contact exists, they hardly appear.
How not to become allergic from birth
From a scientific standpoint, the immune system of the newborn is dominated by Th2 lymphocytes: these promote the production of proteins involved in allergy before moving towards a fight against infections activity. But for this, we observe that it is preferable that the body be invited in the first months to react with infectious agents.
No study has proved precisely but several surveys have demonstrated indirectly the interest of this contact: crib in children for example have more infections but fewer allergies; babies born via caesarean section are more allergies because they have not been in contact with the vaginal germs; premature, confined in sterile incubators have great immune susceptibility.
Sprinkle the cradle of dust…
In some African tribes, reminds us barefoot doctor Jean-Pierre Willem, it’s customary to collect the maximum dust before the birth of a child. From birth, we “sprinkles” when the cradle of the full dust pollen and mites so that the baby is in direct contact with them while he is still breastfed by her mother that she is protected. It’s a way to make the child stronger, more resistant educating her immune system. This behavior is easily explained from a scientific point of view. She joined the observation made in poor countries where hygiene is poor and where being in contact at a young age with a host of exogenous agents, we naturally immunized. Respiratory allergies are still rare in these countries.
All played before the first year of life
The best way to have children later and non-allergic adults, it is primarily to behave before, during and shortly after birth:
- Birth normally, avoiding if possible Caesarean section. This is how the baby by air captures the good bacteria in the vaginal flora of his mother from which he will sow its own flora and build its immune system.
- Breastfeeding for 6 months: breast milk provides immunity to the baby, which is not the case of the formula. Breast milk native proteins are
an allergenic. This unique milk contains immunoglobulins in an amount of 1 to 2 g per liter (and much more the first days in colostrum), proteins providing antibodies. It mainly transmitted to the baby secretory immunoglobulin A, IgA but also IgG and IgM which will initially protect the baby from infections and participate in a second time to the development of Th2 famous. - Avoid abuse asepticand do not hesitate to confront gradually infants in a normal environment, dust, pollen … especially during the key period of breastfeeding. Avoid cleaning any frantically to shine the floors especially with violent chemical detergents baby ingurgiter necessarily by sucking fingers.
Allergic to flowers… plastic
For some, the simple fact of seeing a bouquet of flowers upon entering a room can trigger an asthma attack. Although it is plastic flowers! The clinical picture is then superimposed in every respect to that observed during an allergic reaction. Also paradoxical is the case of allergies disappear when the patient moves away from home, even if he is still in contact with the same allergen.
This proves that the allergy has more or less a psychological dimension. If the brain perceives a substance as potentially hazardous, it then instructs the immune system to mobilize its defenses, resulting in an allergic response. This is the case face the mutant pollens, discovered that our brain just. Hence the interest of certain methods such as NAET method (see here) to restore the gut-brain balance.
Honey Warning
We forget but honey and royal jelly (known for their immunomodulation properties) may also, paradoxically, cause violent reactions in the most sensitive people. These noble materials prepared from Hymenoptera secretions, pollen and sugar can contain up to 10,000 pollen grains per gram!
Five preventive solutions that also work in emergency
Chemical allergy present, we have seen, disadvantages and do not prevent allergy from returning. Here are some more natural solutions (which does not exempt you to use plenty saline enemas nose and eyes). These solutions act on the respiratory mucosa, but also bowel. They often have immediate effects in people who are allergic full episode, but they are much more effective if used before the onset of symptoms.
- The quercetin (Hesperidin, vitamin P) is certainly the most effective nutrient to reduce the symptoms (itching, sneezing …). This antioxidant has the property of inhibiting the production of histamine and cytokines. We associate with vitamin C and bromelinfor best results.
- The quail egg. It is in the albumen of the egg quail found ovomucoid, this powerful inhibitor of human trypsin, so important in the allergic reaction. Officially, the protocol is as follows: During the first 2 days of treatment, the patient must take the content of 3 eggs (raw). 4 eggs and then the third and the fifth to the 49th day, the patient will take 5 eggs. For a child of 10 years, we rather suggest an amount of 3 eggs per day for 30 days. Simpler, the standardized extract of quail eggis also a good regulator of the allergy.
- A cure for old Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 4000 years can also help you. Yu Ping Feng Wanis his name, is indicated in cases of allergy, hay fever, aversion to drafts and dust.
- For some, the essential oil of tarragon may suffice. It is an allergic friend just reminded me. He tested one day to this simple solution, and it works! A drop of this field of allergy and anti-inflammatory on a handkerchief crisis is sometimes enough.
- The cuminis also an interesting plant season: its seeds strengthen the natural defenses and reduce allergies. Whole or freshly ground, they are used as ordinary cumin and pepper and are sold everywhere (under the name of “black onion seed” sometimes). You can also dress your salad with edible oil Nigel.
- Finally, special mention to the extract of fermented papaya which quickly unpinned inflammatory processes and the associated oxidative stress. To take at 2 sachets a day under the tongue, fasting.
- If your pollen allergy causes each year of heavy and very disabling disorders, it will turn to a dietary supplement prescribed in general in case of autoimmune disease, and whose function is to modulate the expression of the immune system (for slow or booster). This is the Pro-Moducare.
Put the oil in your intestinal workings
Better to act not only on symptoms but also on the ground in promoting immune system regulation. Because as said the great Francesco Bottaccioli (1), “the stimulus is nothing, everything is in immune stimulation.” For proper stimulation, we must first calm down the immune system, and inform and take some circumstance of natural products. This is called prevention. And it starts with our intestines, where much of our defenses lodge, including Peyer’s patches. One of the best preventions that are happening in the fish oil consumption. The decline in consumption of omega 3 in the West also explains in part the low permeability of mucous membranes.
In this area, I recommend the best of the best: krill oil. At the bottom of the food chain thus spared by pollution (especially as he lives only 18 months), Krill is a tiny crustacean that feeds on phytoplankton. Several studies have shown that krill strengthens the mucous membranes, equilibrium reactions of the body and helps the proper functioning of the immune system by enhancing the quality of its cellular membranes and controlling excess inflammatory. It is also rich in antioxidants that eradicate free radicals on irritation sites.
You can also, in parallel, consume full of Perilla oil (small genus of Asiatic herbs). The seeds of this plant contain a very high proportion of omega 3. The oil of Perilla Full, synergy between vegetable oil and essential oil is known to strengthen the field of our organization. Natural shield, the essential oil of Perilla is particularly effective against spring allergies.
Prevention also know that vitamins C and D are essential to the functioning and regulation of the immune system. As probiotics. This has been demonstrated in many studies.
Customized therapies for the curious
For the curious among you, there are also specific methods to soothe and re-harmonize the immune system.
This is for example the Gesret method, very effective as asthma before: just a few sessions with a good practitioner (you can find here). It is no coincidence that this approach emphasizes the visceral allergies and asthma!