Naturopathic Newsletter August 2009: SEASONAL ALLERGIES

August 2009

Starting Wednesday September 23rd at 7pm, I will be giving a 4 week lecture series on Naturopathic Nutrition at John Abbott College, as part of their Continuing Education Program. For more information adn to register, pls contact the college.

I am also available for consultation in Cornwall, Ontario, on Fridays. As a licensed profession in Ontario, I am able to provide my patients with a greater level of care, including blood tests, complete physical exams, and PAP tests. For more information, please visit the clinic's website: 

www.millenniumhealthcenter.com

An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by the immune system in response to a trigger. This reaction is exaggerated because the trigger affects only sensitive individuals, while causing no response in others. 

Foreign substances which trigger an allergic response are called allergens. Late summer allergens include the weed pollen, such as ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, tumbleweed (Russian thistle) and cocklebur. 

When an allergen comes into contact with a sensitive individual, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction, whereby the body releases a substance from its mast cells, called histamine, which causes inflammation of the membranes lining the nose, throat and sinuses.

The word allergy is derived from the Greek words "allos," meaning different or changed and "ergos," meaning work or action. Allergy roughly refers to an altered reaction. 

The symptoms of seasonal allergies include: 

· nasal congestion, 

· runny nose with clear discharge,

· sneezing,

· itchy, watery eyes,

· sore, scratchy throat, and

· difficult breathing with wheezing, often diagnosed as asthma

 

If you suspect that you suffer from seasonal allergies, talk to your naturopathic doctor. We provide accurate and effective testing to identify which allergens are causing your symptoms.

Naturopathic Options

Seasonal allergy symptoms can interfere with our ability to get through the day. That is why millions of Canadians reach for over the counter anti-histamine allergy medication. Although these medications can provide immediate relief, few are aware of their long-term potential side effects. These include (1):

Drowsiness,

Dizziness (for up to 1 in 50 individuals),

Dryness, including mouth and nasal passages, and

Cardiac toxicity.

 

Also, few are aware of the various naturopathic alternatives that provide safe and effective solutions for seasonal allergy sufferers. In my 5 years of working daily with patients, I have been able to help a great number of them through their allergy seasons. Let's have a look at how you can benefit from naturopathic medicine.

 

1. KEEP HYDRATED

Lining the nasal and respiratory passages is small hair like projections called cilia. These cilia ripple like waves to gently wash away allergens that enter the nose and lungs. To ensure this clearance effect, the nasal and respiratory passages need moisture. Unfortunately, anti-histamine medications have a drying effect, making it more difficult for the cilia to clear the antigens. To help stay hydrated, ensure drinking 1 - 1.5 L water daily, and avoid dehydrating fluids, such as coffee and colas.

 

2. QUIET THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

As described above, seasonal allergies are an exaggerated response of the immune system, known as a hypersensitivity reaction. This hypersensitivity response causes the release of histamine from mast cells, as well as activates inflammation through the arachadonic acid pathway. A key factor in calming this inflammatory response is avoid food intolerances. Most individuals are unaware of their food intolerances, since they create subtle, low grade inflammatory responses that aggravate most health issues. The most common food intolerances are dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as gluten containing grains, principally wheat. These foods often contribute to the body's inflammatory load, rendering the individual more sensitive to environmental allergens, thereby aggravating their allergy symptoms. 

 

3. SUPPLEMENTS TO CONSIDER

In addressing inflammation and balancing the immune system, one of the first considerations is high dose, high quality omega-3 fish oils. These polyunsaturated fats prevent sensitivity to allergens, quiet the allergen-induced reactions, and help to mitigate the inflammatory response discussed above. 

 

Another effective supplement is quercetin, a polyphenolic compound found in several foods, such as onions, grapefruit, apples, leafy greens, and black tea. Quercetin has the ability to stabilize mast cells, preventing the over spilling of histamine, thereby acting as an anti-histamine (2). This supplement can be started up to 6 weeks prior to allergy season as a preventative to decrease the intensity of symptoms.

 

4. HERBAL MEDICINE

In nature's infinite wisdom, we find plants that trigger allergic responses and we have plants that quell their symptoms. My two favorite anti-allergy plants for seasonal allergies include butterbur (Petasites hybridus) and nettles (Urtica urens). 

 

Butterbur has been shown to be effective in the relief of allergic rhinitis, which includes the runny nose and sneezing. It is able to provide this relief by decreasing inflammation (3). It is by this mechanism that this plant also provides relief for a number of migraine sufferers.

 

In walking through the forests that surround your neighborhood, you will likely spot nettles. They grow like weeds, ready and available to assist us through allergy season. Be careful in picking them, as their name stinging nettle, is literal. This herb has a long history of use for providing relief from allergic symptoms, including: swelling around the eyes, watery eyes and runny nose. This plant can be steeped and drank as a tea; feel free to add some honey for taste.

Another effective and well researched plant is turmeric (Curcuma longa), a favorite mediator of the immune response in naturopathic care. Turmeric has been shown to: decrease the release of histamine from mast cells (4), calm the body's histamine response (5), and help with allergy-induced asthma by relaxing bronchospasms (6).

 

5. HOMEOPATHY

For specific symptom relief, I will often reach for homeopathic remedies in my practice. The choice of remedy/remedies is based on the individual patient's presenting symptoms. The most commonly used remedies include: allium cepa, sabadilla, and euphrasia. The strength and frequency of the dosing is also patient dependent, and is best recommended by your naturopathic doctor. 

 

6. ACUPUNCTURE

Consider a weekly acupuncture protocol starting 6-8 weeks prior to the estimate time of allergy season.  

 

As you can see, a number of options exist to address acute symptoms, as well as to prevent the intensity and duration of seasonal allergies. Discuss these options with your naturopathic doctor to decide which therapeutic route best suits your individual needs. With only a few months of summer per year, make sure that you can enjoy as much of it as you can! 

 

(1) Nagai et al: Recent advances in the development of anti-allergic drugs, Allergol Int 55:35-42, 2006.

(2)  Castellani ML, et al: Inhibitory effect of quercetin on tryptase and MCP-1 chemokine release, and histidine decarboxylase mRNA transcription by human mast cell-1 cell line, Neuroimmunomodulation 13(3):179-86, 2006.

(3) Schapowal A; Study Group: Treating Intermittent allergic rhinitis:a prospective, randomized, placebo and antihistamine-controlled study of Butterbur extract Z3 339, Phytother Res 19:530-7,2005.

(4) Tewtrakul S, Subhadhirasakul S: Anti-allergic activity of some selected plants in the Zingiberaceae family, J Ethnoparmacol Feb 12;109(3):535-8, 2007.

(5)Ram A: Curcumin attenuates allergen-induced airway hyper-responsiveness in sensitized guinea pigs, Biol Pharm Bull July 26(7)l 1021-4, 2003.

(6) Arulmozhi DK et al: Preliminary mechanistic studies on the smooth muscle relaxant effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Curcuma caesia, J Herb Pharmacother 6(3-4):117-24,2006.