Seasonal Rhinitis a.k.a. Allergies

Itchy, watery eyes. Constant sneezing with post nasal drip. Scratching. Low grade fatigue. These are all signs and symptoms of seasonal rhinitis a.k.a. allergies.

Ironically, many patients move to the Southwest to avoid allergies only to be confronted by a different group of environmental allergies. Allergies can be related to immune system function and level of physical and emotional fatigue.

During my patient interviews, we address the problem from many different angles: How is your GI function? (Usually, a direct line to the immune system.) Your lifestyle - where do you live and work? Are you in an enclosed environment all day? Do you have good air filtration? What is your level of exercise? What time of day do you exercise? (Pollens tend to increase as the day proceeds, i.e., changes in barometric pressure.) How much sleep are you getting? What are the stressors in your life? (Sleep and stress play a role with allergies due to an increase of catecholamines, i.e., stress hormones.)

Ways to help alleviate allergies: establish good air quality in your work and home environment, get a proper amount of sleep, and reduce stress as much as possible. Quercetin and Turmeric are two botanicals that are very beneficial along with Stinging Nettles. Use a good quality Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids, this helps keep down the inflammation. Balance adrenal function with Licorice, B5 and B6, and consider an adrenal glandular. Keeping the GI lining intact is crucial; consider Slippery Elm and Marshmallow, both are excellent in combination. Avoid dairy, wheat and corn as they are known food allergies, and can often make your condition worse. B5-B6 injections along with low dose prescriptions such as Natural Cortisol and Cromolyn. Call our office if we can be of further assistance.

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