Ahahah … Allergies !

The arrival of spring signals for many the arrival of allergy season. The usual symptoms are irritation and redness to the eyes, nose, sinuses, and throat. Many people also suffer from respiratory wheezing and mild to moderate allergic asthma symptoms.

Practical Tipsfrom Dr. W. Lavallay of Nova Scotia :

Eating Guidelines

Keep a dietary journal over a 2-3 week period. Draw a line down the middle of each page. On the left side of the page record in chronological order all the different foods you have eaten during the day. Breakfast is at the top, lunch in the middle, the evening meal at the bottom. On the right half of the page, keep a daily record of how you feel throughout the day and overnight. At the end of the 3-week period, tally how often each food was eaten. For example: dairy products 28 times, cereal 18 times, apples 14 times, broccoli 4 times, etc.

During the allergy season reduce or eliminate the top two or three most commonly eaten foods. This is particularly helpful if the most commonly eaten foods contain dairy products, grains, or soy products. Recent findings suggest that certain foods can cause cross-reactions with pollen allergies in allergy-prone people. By changing your diet to reduce or eliminate the most common food in your diet, you can hopefully reduce the likelihood of the most common cross-reactions. The goal is to reduce your “allergen-load” during “allergy season”.

Conventional Medications

For short duration allergy symptoms, a non-drowsy antihistamine such as Claritin is a safe choice for most people. Since it has a high safety profile, you can take it twice a day with slightly better results and nearly no increase in side effects. While it may not be quite as effective as Clarinex, it is cheaper and works well. For some people, the short-term use of a nasal steroid inhaler like Flonase can also be very effective with few adverse or risky side effects.

Natural Supplements

For seasonal allergies, especially runny nose, the inflammation caused by cytokines can be reduced by taking a natural product called beta-glucan. A specific water-insoluble form of this supplement supports the immune system while reducing the effects of allergic inflammation. Go to your local health food store.

Homeopathic Medication

A virtually risk-free therapeutic choice is the use of homeopathic medications prepared from common plant airborne allergens from trees, flowers, and grasses in your region of the country (Clef des Champs – Laurentian region). These are available from local health food stores in liquid dropper bottles.

Outdoor Activity

I recommend that patients think about the timing of their outdoor activities to limit exposure to the allergens that bother them. If you have tree, grass and pollen allergies, watch the weather forecasts to learn the patterns of allergen release in your local community. Modify your outdoor activity accordingly.

Special Products and Procedures

Indoor air filters can be very helpful to reduce allergen exposure. You can also eliminate or reduce sources of unnecessary indoor air pollution including strong detergents with heavy scents, scented cleaning products, and scented so-called “air-fresheners” (that are in fact, airborne inhalant chemicals). I encourage you to use natural and scent-free soaps, shampoos and cosmetics.

Unfortunately, your pet may be a significant additional cause for worsening seasonal allergies. Allergens can come directly from your pets (cat and dogs especially) and they may also bring allergens from the outdoors back into the house. There are non-toxic low-allergen pet shampoos that can reduce the allergen exposure caused by your pets.

I hope this information is helpful and brings you relief. Until next time … pass me a Kleenex please.