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Category: Allergies

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4 Best Supplements To Alleviate Seasonal Allergy Symptoms - Ottawa Holistic Wellness
By Dominick Hussey 0 Comments Allergies

4 Best Supplements To Alleviate Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

As a child, I suffered from terrible allergy symptoms. My mother did not know about supplements that may alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms. Instead, she would take me to the doctor who wrote out various prescriptions to mask my multiple symptoms.

Common Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Common seasonal allergy symptoms include:

  • Congestion.
  • Post-nasal drip.
  • Excess mucus production.
  • Sneezing.
  • A runny nose.
  • Itchy, watery eyes.
  • Scratchy throat.
  • Tickle/irritation in the ears.
  • Wheezing

Supplements To Alleviate Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Back in the 1970’s, when I was a child with allergies, natural remedies and supplements were available, but a minority of people knew about them, and they received minimal scientific scrutiny. Thankfully, things are beginning to change, and researchers are showing that supplements work. The following is a list of the four best supplements demonstrated through high-level scientific research to alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms.

1. Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of these as germs that cause diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.

A placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and randomised study demonstrated that a probiotic containing a Bifidobacteria longum bacteria was able of significantly improving Allergic Rhinitis symptoms and Quality of Life in children with pollen-induced AR and intermittent asthma.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial results suggest that Lactobacillus acidophilus can alleviate the symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis

I recommend trying Probiotic Supreme DF™ which contains both Bifidobacteria longum and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

2. Black Cumin (N.sativa)

Nigella sativa (black caraway, also known as black cumin, nigella, and kalonji) is an annual flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to south and southwest Asia.

A double-blind clinical trial showed that N. sativa could reduce the presence of the nasal mucosal congestion, nasal itching, runny nose, sneezing attacks, turbinate hypertrophy, and mucosal pallor.

I recommend trying Life Extension Black Cumin Seed Oil.

3. Curcumin

Curcumin is a bright yellow chemical produced by some plants. It is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.

A randomised double-blind study showed that curcumin alleviated nasal symptoms (sneezing and rhinorrhea) and nasal congestion through reduction of nasal airflow resistance.

I recommend Curcum-Evail™ by Designs for Health.

4. Tinospora cordifolia

Tinospora cordifolia, which is known by the common names heart-leaved moonseed, Guduchi and giloy, is a herbaceous vine of the family Menispermaceae indigenous to the tropical areas of India,

In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study, Tinospora cordifolia significantly decreased all symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

I recommend HistaEze™ by Designs for Health that contains Tinospora cordifolia.

Disclaimer

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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Energy Healing and Reiki for Seasonal Allergies
By Sue Taylor 0 Comments Allergies , ,

Energy Healing and Reiki for Seasonal Allergies

Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to an otherwise harmless substance.

In the case of seasonal allergies, you are reacting to pollens which do not pose a threat to your body. This reaction creates a continual state of ‘fight or flight’ in the body, weakening your immune system, increasing the risk of other infections or health problems and leaving you red and worn out. It can also impact your sleep, adding to your fatigue.

Reiki and Energy Healing work to rebalance and calm your body, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, eliminating the state of ‘fight or flight’ and allowing healing to occur. It can be used to help symptoms and to release underlying emotional issues which trigger the allergic response.

When using Energy Healing and Reiki, there are two parts to treating your seasonal allergies, and they are most effective when you commit to a short course of treatments.

Controlling your symptoms

The first part is to assist in managing your symptoms. The practitioner will focus on the affected areas of your body, so in the case of seasonal allergies your head, face, throat and chest.

The focus is on bringing balance and relaxation, unblocking the energy in the affected areas, releasing sinus pain, headaches, and resolving itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and wheezing. It is not uncommon to initially feel a little worse after the treatment; however, this will shift within a day or two leaving you feeling better.

Reiki and Energy Healing also bring relaxation, allowing your body to rest and recuperate and improving your sleep. Many clients report feeling able to breathe more freely and that their sinuses and eyes are more comfortable following treatment.

Releasing underlying triggers

The second part involves addressing the underlying reasons for your allergies. Most of us, especially adults, carry a certain amount of emotional baggage; from our childhoods, from our parents and previous generations (genetic memory), and some say from past lives.

Releasing these emotional memories from your body will help to bring about long lasting relief from your allergies. We cannot change what has happened in the past, but we can shift the way in which we react to these memories.

By allowing you to become less triggered and controlled by these previous issues you become more balanced, grounded, centred, relaxed which ultimately makes you less reactive to allergens and also to daily stressors in your life.

Energy Healing and Reiki are not usually a complete cure for seasonal allergies, but they can assist your body to function in an optimal way. Following treatments clients will comment that they feel better in many ways, including their allergic reactions. Everyone can benefit from this type of healing so book now and enjoy enhanced health and well-being.

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

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L’asthme et l’ostéopathie
By Carl Teychene-Coutet 0 Comments Allergies ,

L’asthme et l’ostéopathie

L’asthme est une maladie du système respiratoire touchant les voies aériennes inférieures et notamment les bronchioles, définie comme étant une gêne respiratoire à l’inspiration. Il amène des périodes récurrentes de respiration sifflante, une oppression thoracique, un essoufflement et de la toux.

Le processus d’inflammation et de constriction

L’inflammation provoque une sensibilité des voies respiratoires qui à tendance à les faire réagir vivement lors de l’inhalation de certaines substances.

Ainsi, les muscles qui les entourent se contractent, provoquant le rétrécissement des bronches et la diminution du flux d’air dans les poumons.

Il semblerait qu’une combinaison de facteurs, tels la génétique familiale et l’environnement, peuvent interagir et amener l’asthme à se développer, généralement précocement dans le développement de l’enfant.  Il peut cependant affecter les personnes de tous les âges. Environ 12% des enfants et 8% des adultes sont asthmatiques.

Les premiers signes et symptômes sont:

  • la toux fréquente, surtout la nuit
  • essoufflement ou manque d’air facile
  • respiration sifflante ou toux après l’exercice
  • sensation de fatigue
  • symptômes de rhume ou d’allergies.

Il est important de traiter médicalement les symptômes lorsqu’ils surviennent pour la première fois.  Cela permet de prévenir une crise plus importante et d’avoir un meilleur contrôle sur celle-ci.

Les patients atteints d’asthme doivent effectuer des efforts considérables pour surmonter les limitations mécaniques de la respiration.

Les muscles expiratoires (diaphragme, intercostaux, scalènes) et les muscles inspiratoires (obliques, intercostaux, transverse de l’abdomen) vont être sur-sollicités pour parvenir à une ventilation convenable. Cette sur-sollicitation, dans le temps, réduit la mobilité de la cage thoracique, du dos et du cou.

Toute augmentation de la mobilité de la cage thoracique par les manipulations ostéopathiques, réduit par conséquent ces efforts respiratoires.

Traitement ostéopathique

Le traitement ostéopathique ne doit jamais remplacer un traitement médical. L’inhalation de corticostéroïdes permet la diminution de l’inflammation des cellules bronchiques, l’hyperactivité des bronches, et réduit l’urgence d’intervention sur un patient en crise aiguë.

Le traitement ostéopathique apporte une complémentarité au traitement médical. Il cherche à lever les tensions des muscles inspirateurs/expirateurs, les tensions tissulaires de la cage thoracique et du cou (en rapport avec le nerf phrénique) afin de faciliter la bonne ampliation pulmonaire.

Pour cela, il aura notamment recours à l’ostéopathie cranio sacré.

Cette pratique travaille sur le système neuro végétatif, notamment le système para-sympathique afin d’accroître la décontraction et la mobilité pour augmenter la capacité vitale et la mobilité de la cage thoracique, et améliorer le fonctionnement du diaphragme.

11 foods to avoid to help alleviate your seasonal allergies
By Dominick Hussey 0 Comments Allergies ,

11 foods to avoid to help alleviate your seasonal allergies

For thousands of people in Ottawa, the arrival of spring is a bittersweet time of year.

After surviving another long cold, snowy winter interspersed with the occasional cold or flu this is replaced by itchy eyes, sneezing and runny nose triggered by the arrival of moulds and pollens.

More than 1 in 6 Canadians suffer from seasonal allergies, which equates to nearly 6 million people. The highest concentration is found in Ontario while the lowest rates are in Atlantic Canada. Exact numbers for Ottawa are not available, but it is known, by some commentators, as the allergy capital of North America.

Dependent on what you are allergic to, the allergy season can start in late March, with the melting of the snow, and last all the way through to the fall, with the first frost.

At the end of March, the chief culprit comes in the form of leaf or snow mould, which emerges as the snow melts.

Throughout the spring and most of the summer different grass, flower and tree pollens take their toll. At the end of the summer, ragweed makes its appearance and from my observation can cause the worst symptoms.

Histamine

With the beginning of the allergy season, the majority of people reach for their favourite brand of a histamine medication.

Histamine is a chemical produced by the body when it comes into contact with an allergen. The release of histamine causes the itchy red eyes, runny nose and sneezing. Taking the antihistamine helps to stop the production of histamine so reducing symptoms.

Some people who suffer from seasonal allergies have an underlying issue with an excess of histamine in their bodies.

This excess is always present, so when they encounter allergens, they experience much stronger reactions.

There are some different reasons why your body might have an excess, one of the reasons is a problem with the friendly bacteria in your gut.

Histamine-containing foods

If you do suffer from seasonal allergies, an effective way to lessen your symptoms is to reduce your intake of high histamine-containing foods. These include:

  • Fermented alcoholic beverages, especially wine, champagne, and beer
  • Fermented foods: sauerkraut, vinegar, soy sauce, kefir, yoghurt, kombucha, etc
  • Vinegar-containing foods: pickles, mayonnaise, olives
  • Cured meats: bacon, salami, pepperoni, luncheon meats and hot dogs
  • Soured foods: sour cream, sour milk, buttermilk, sourdough bread, etc
  • Dried fruit: apricots, prunes, dates, figs, raisins
  • Most citrus fruits
  • Aged cheeses including goat cheese
  • Walnuts, cashews, and peanuts
  • Avocados, Eggplant, spinach, and tomatoes
  • All smoked fish and unsmoked mackerel, mahi-mahi, tuna, anchovies, sardines
  • If reducing these foods helps your symptoms then the next step is to work out why your body has an excess of histamine in the first place.

Once you have identified and resolved that reason, you will be able to go back to eating the above foods without any adverse allergy symptoms.

If you would like help with this, I offer a free consultation where we can review your case.

Disclaimer

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Like what you’ve read? Sign up for FREE updates delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Ottawa Holistic Wellness, 356 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6, https://www.ottawaholisticwellness.ca. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Allergies: How Does Osteopathy Help?
By Justine Gapihan 0 Comments Allergies

Allergies: How Does Osteopathy Help?

The common symptoms of allergies may include a runny nose, eye irritation, sneezing, and are collectively called “allergic rhinitis”.

People who are suffering from allergies will have hypersensitivity of the mucous membrane in the nose. As soon as an allergen contacts this mucous membrane, there is irritation, and the tissues will become inflamed.

As a result, they experience the symptoms of a runny nose and congestion, and possibly a sensation of breathless.

Eye irritation, sneezing, headaches or migraines are also possible.

Osteopathy to treat allergies

Cranial osteopathy is a very subtle, gentle technique. It will bring more mobility to the facial bones, releasing some of the tightness in the muscles, and improving mobility in the neck.

However, the whole body is compensating for these restrictions, so the osteopath will also make sure that there is no limitation in the ribcage, diaphragm and pelvis.

A whole body approach

In fact, in osteopathy, an allergy is considered more an imbalance in the neuro-vegetative system.

It originates from other systems that related to each other; the vertebral, cranial, and visceral systems. It causes some stress in the body and disturbs the whole. The goal of the osteopath will be to find where the stress is focusing: it could be a joint, an organ, teeth, feet, jaw, ribs, diaphragm.

Parasympathetic and sympathetic systems are not balanced. The sympathetic system is not inhibiting the parasympathetic. This has several consequences such as digestive spasms, fatigue, hypersecretion from mucus glands, depression and more.

Treatment by the osteopath will be focussed on rebalancing both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, allowing the body to function correctly and as a whole.

Come for a complete check-up and let’s try osteopathy!

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Like what you’ve read? Sign up for FREE updates delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Ottawa Holistic Wellness, 356 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6, https://www.ottawaholisticwellness.ca. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Histamine Intolerance: More Than Just Seasonal Allergies
By Dr Eric Viegas ND 0 Comments Allergies ,

Histamine Intolerance: More Than Just Seasonal Allergies

Histamine is an important inflammatory molecule used by your immune system.

Seasonal allergies and asthma are both affected by histamine release in your body, but did you know that gut issues and pain are also affected?

In a healthy gut, histamine is produced in large amounts, but your gut cells also do an excellent job of producing diamine oxidase (DAO) to breakdown histamine. If your gut is inflamed from a chronic digestive issue, your gut cells (called enterocytes) have a limited ability to produce DAO. When the production of histamine outpaces your body’s ability to break it down, histamine can spread from the gut to other parts of your body.

Flushing, headaches, rashes, diarrhea and abdominal pain can all result from an imbalance in the breakdown of histamine; this is called histamine intolerance (HIT). HIT has been implicated in anxiety, depression, chronic pain, estrogen dominance, interstitial cystitis, urinary tract infections, IBS, and IBD. Certain medications can also affect HIT.

Children with a history of chronic abdominal pain may benefit from a diet low in the amino acid histidine, and foods that free histamine in your body. Histidine is converted to histamine through a series of steps in your gut.

Aged cheeses, red wine, yeast products, and cured meats have all been identified as ‘histamine-rich’ foods; those that can add more histamine to your system. Citrus fruits, while not histamine-rich, have been implicated as a histamine liberator.

If DAO is not being produced in sufficient quantities, both histamine-rich foods and histamine liberators can worsen HIT.

Your family or naturopathic doctor may be able to test for blood levels of DAO, but unfortunately, low DAO blood levels are not always a reliable way to predict HIT. If avoidance of histamine-rich foods improves your symptoms, the chances are good that HIT is the culprit.

Working with your naturopathic or functional medicine doctor to strengthen your digestion, immunity, and response to stressors is what will ultimately provide meaningful change in HIT.

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Like what you’ve read? Sign up for FREE updates delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Ottawa Holistic Wellness, 356 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6, https://www.ottawaholisticwellness.ca. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Acupuncture for Sinus Headaches
By Dr Stacia Kelly DC 0 Comments Allergies

Acupuncture for Sinus Headaches

For a growing number of people, the change in seasons and temperature results in some form of physical symptoms. It is common that our bodies respond negatively to this change. These changes along with seasonal allergies can cause you to experience frequent sinus headaches.

We have three major sinus cavities (Frontal, Sphenoid/Ethmoid and Maxillary) in the bones of our skull and face, between our eyes, in our forehead and nose.

Sinus headaches usually appear in the form of throbbing pain behind the eyes, in the face and the forehead. Sinus headaches can occur when inflammation develops within the facial sinus cavities or when there is a build up of mucous.

These headaches can mimic tension or migraine headaches so getting a proper diagnosis from your practitioner is important. When our sinuses become inflamed they cannot drain mucous properly and, for this reason, you become more susceptible to bacterial infection.

You may be experiencing a sinus infection/headache if you get pressure like pain in your face or have tender points between the eyes and nose. The pain may be aggravated by sudden movements or when looking down, be worse in the mornings, and you may have pain in your upper teeth or a runny nose.

Although there are many medications and even surgical treatments for severe sinus issues, one natural way to treat the signs and symptoms is acupuncture.

Most acupuncture practitioners will place needles in the face and distal points like the hands and feet. Chinese doctors describe sinusitis as “dampness” which creates inflammation and congestion in the mucus membranes. This dampness is cleared by strengthening the spleen meridian and by working with the stomach meridian.

Although there is not a large body of research done on this subject, Acupuncture is also said to reduce inflammation by promoting the release of vascular and immune regulating factors.

So, if you are struggling with sinus pain this spring, give acupuncture a try. We at Ottawa Holistic Wellness can help you with this, along with other therapies that may be helpful for you.

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Like what you’ve read? Sign up for FREE updates delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Ottawa Holistic Wellness, 356 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6, https://www.ottawaholisticwellness.ca. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
How Acupuncture Can Help Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
By Emily Dunn 0 Comments Allergies

How Acupuncture Can Help Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Are you tired of taking allergy medicine to relieve your runny nose and watery eyes? Are you worried what the long-term effects of taking them? Are you wondering why your body is responding so negatively to these usually harmless particles?

You are not alone. Millions of North Americans suffer from itchy and watery eyes, runny noses every year, and every year, millions of dollars are spent on allergy medications and allergy shots to keep those pesky symptoms away.

Western medicine

From a Western medicine perspective, seasonal allergies are an inappropriate response by the immune system which sees the foreign particles as something to fend off. Our lymphocytes create antibodies which then attack the offending particles. These lymphocytes are found in the bloodstream as well as in our gastrointestinal tract, spleen, lymph nodes and even in our bone marrow.

The Traditional Chinese medicine approach

In TCM or Traditional Chinese medicine, the approach to treating allergies includes stimulating the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine meridians. The Large Intestine meridian starts on the index finger and ends at the nose. It is very common for patients to report an itchy nostril when the meridian is needled all the way down on their hand!

Diet plays a critical role in our health. In TCM theory, too much overly sweet food is harmful to the Spleen, which is one of the important TCM organs treated when it comes to allergies. Sugar, milk which contains a form of sugar called galactose and gluten can all contribute to the formation of mucous and phlegm. It is, therefore, advisable to avoid or minimise these foods in your diet to maximise the benefits of the treatments.

Treating with Acupuncture

As an acupuncturist, I enjoy treating allergies. Although a series of treatments is necessary to keep symptoms at bay on a long-term basis, immediate relief of some sort is often experienced during the first treatment. After the initial series of 10 to 12 treatments some patients will come in for a booster treatment once or twice a year, others don’t find the need for that and a few will come in every 2 or 3 months.

As acupuncture is a holistic form of therapy, it addresses the root of the problem (cause) and the branches (symptoms). Because other branches or symptoms arise from the same source, by treating your allergies with acupuncture or your holistic therapy of choice, you will find other things relating to your health improve as well. For instance, it is common for patients to report better digestion, sleep and an overall sense of well-being after a session.

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you. Do you suffer from Seasonal Allergies? What have you tried to help your symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Like what you’ve read? Sign up for FREE updates delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Ottawa Holistic Wellness, 356 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6, https://www.ottawaholisticwellness.ca. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact