Seasonal Allergies' Underlying Cause

There's a tree I've fallen in love with over the past 2 springs on my daily walks; I don't know what kind it is but has gorgeous fluffy white flowers that bud & fall wayyyy too quickly for my liking. Now *some* of you would probably feel otherwise if you're forced to hibernate inside when the Earth blooms in the Spring [or wilts in Autumn] because of seasonal allergies but it doesn't have to be that way!

If you're like so many clients of mine, friends or family these allergies 'just appeared' one year out of the blue. And while 'allergies' [probably more-so sensitivities but that's getting real nerd] can be transient, they appear because your immune system has become overreactive and that's likely not without cause. The first place I'd suggest looking is the GUT. Now that may seem a little crazy but 70-80% of our immune system is actually located IN our guts so when our immune system is overreacting like in the case of seasonal or environmental allergies, it's just the 'tipping point' that pushes our immune system into overdrive.

So what causes our gut and thus our immune systems to become overwhelmed? 

• Diet - a fiber-poor & nutrient-less diet AKA processed foods AND a lack of the good stuff [ie you can eat *some* processed foods & get way with it if you balance it out with the foods we *know* we should be eating like fruits, veggies & protein]
• Stress - stress not only hinders our ability to fight off bad bugs by depressing our immune system in our guts but it also erodes our gut lining allowing for more food & pathogens to come into contact with our immune defenders
• Medications - antibiotics, over the counters [OTC; especially NSAIDs like ibuprofen] and prescriptions - these create damage in different ways by eroding our normal bacteria, damaging the gut lining or creating nutrient deficiencies [check known side effects for more specifics]
• Toxins - alcohol, tobacco, air pollutants, agricultural chemicals, water contamination, household cleaners, personal care products - the level that individuals are able to effectively process & eliminate is based on SO many factors from movement, sweating, hydration, diet, exposure, genetics & everything in between. Overall - the less exposure, the better.
• Movement - this is helpful for our gut bacteria but also improves blood flow to all organs including moving food along the gut not to mention the mental health effects of movement that - full circle...reduce stress

The bad news? Your 'allergy equation' can be pretty complicated with lots of layer of dysfunction.

The good news? There are SO many ways you can reduce the burden on your gut & immune system so you aren't relying on allergy medications that don't even seem to fully work or worse yet, stuck inside when you'd rather be enjoying the fresh Spring air! 

Interested in some more natural approaches to allergy relief? Here's a link to my online dispensary with products I recommend for Seasonal Allergy Relief

But if you've been dealing with seasonal allergies, food allergies &/or gut-based symptoms, I highly recommend giving this GI-MAP video a watch - it explains my favorite gut test that comprehensively analyzes the levels of good bacteria, food-borne pathogens, pathogenic bacterial & fungal overgrowths like H. pylori & Candida, viruses, parasites and gastrointestinal organ function.

And if you're ready to tackle inflammation, gut & hormone-based issues, then click here to hop on a Zoom & see if I can help!