It’s that time of year. Spring brings the flower and tree blooms and with it, for some people, that means allergies. The sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion can be really bad for some. But why is it only some people? We are all breathing in the same pollen but not everyone is affected.
To answer that we’ll have to go back and look at how we have existed for the past few decades. One of the primary theories as to why allergies have become more common is due to the hygiene hypothesis. This is the idea that we have become overly concerned about being clean, especially with infants and young children, so we aren’t exposed to the potential allergens in our environment. With no exposure the body doesn’t know how to react to these allergens once exposed to them. It has been documented in several studies that children raised on farms have far less incidence of allergies and autoimmune diseases. Likely due to exposure to all sorts of allergens from the crops and animals.
This leads us to our first line of defense against seasonal allergies and that is supplementing with Probioitcs. These are the healthy gut bacteria we should have but may be lacking due to everything being so sanitized or due to dietary choices. We are just beginning to understand the complex interaction that happens between our digestive system and the bacteria in it and how it affects our health. Preliminary studies have shown mixed results of using Probiotics to help with seasonal allergies but the underlying idea of how they work shows promise. Part of the reason individual studies have shown different results comes down to what Probiotic strains were used, other dietary factors and severity of symptoms.
It is commonly accepted that Probiotics decrease the immune response to pollens encountered in seasonal allergies. This increased immune response is why some people will be sneezing and congested right next to someone having no ill effects to breathing the same pollen.
The next natural product that can be used to lessen symptoms from seasonal allergies is honey. Honey provides benefits against allergies several different ways. First honey is known to help balance the cells in the immune system, similar to how Probiotics do, which will limit the immune response against pollen. Second honey is an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is at the root cause of all diseases including allergies. The third reason honey is beneficial is if it is sourced locally there are particles of the local flora in the honey which desensitizes the body to these pollens when they are breathed in. Several studies showed significant results in reducing nasal symptoms from allergies when using honey from locally produced sources.
The last thing you can do to help allergies is get adjusted! Chiropractic adjustments make everything in your body function better, even your immune system. Studies have shown adjustments can affect some of the same immune cell markers that were looked at in the studies done on Probiotics and honey.
Probiotics, honey and Chiropractic adjustments, the triple threat against seasonal allergies! Go get some and I’ll see you outside!
