At a young age, I was diagnosed with allergy problems. My nose used to run almost non-stop and I never went anywhere without pocket fulls of nose tissue. Considering the amount of mucous that used to flow out of my nose, my mother seriously considered having my adenoids removed. Fortunately, I avoided that surgery and found a better way.
It was not until my twenties that I figured out that two things that I believed were health foods were poison for me. Being a skinny, underweight kid growing up, I forced myself to drink several glasses of milk and plenty of bread products each day. After all, these were “healthy foods” endorsed by my family, schools, media and the government. Who was I to argue?
After a nutritional consultant, Mitch Kronen, recommended that I give up milk and wheat, I actually gave it a try. Keep in mind that foods that we are allergic to often develop into a craving. While withdrawing from an allergic food, one often finds themselves craving the very substance that makes them ill. This is why some people undergo withdrawal symptoms when they try to give up tobacco, alcohol or junk food. The allergic reaction has become a mild high over the years. Most people do not realize that when their body’s rebel against something. They misinterpret the allergic reaction to a mild high.
The first taste of beer, tobacco or sugar might turn off some people if they have never had it before. But, slow introduction not only builds up a resistance, but also a dependence. Many people are allergic to food substances like milk and wheat and do not even know it.
Milk allergies are often confused with lactose intolerance. Milk allergies occur when the body produces poisons to fight off the “invading” milk casein proteins. Sometimes a body with a Leaky Gut Syndrome (a permeable intestine barrier) allows too many toxins, bacteria and allergens into the blood stream. Lactose intolerance is when a body, usually an adult, no longer has the lactase enzyme needed to digest the milk sugar lactose. If you are only lactose tolerant, you can probably digest cheese as cheese contains a small amount of lactose.
Either situation still puts toxins into the blood stream and irrates mucous membranes. The small vessels in the eyes, mucous membrane and skin become inflamed. The best solution in either case is to avoid consuming milk. You can get your calcium from vegetables, meats and seafood. Seaweed, like Kombu, is high in calcium and other minerals.
Wheat and other allergic foods, will also cause allergic reactions. To find out, just eliminate the suspected food for a week. Usually you will feel better when you stop eating the offending food.
The next step to fighting allergies and hay fever is to build your own immune system. By getting enough exercise, fresh air, sleep and proper foods you can build up your immune system to where it can increase its tolerance to eating well will usually increase your health to the point of being able to tolerate allergic foods, dust, pollen, etc.
Vitamin supplements can help. 100 to 500 mg. of vitamin C three times a day works for some people. I have had good success with 100 mg. of niacin and panothenic acid (vitamin B5).
Probiotics can also help. Buy building up friendly bacteria in your intestines, you will avoid the build up of harmful bacteria, which in turn produces histamines which bring on allergies. Keep your gut healthy and your sinuses will thank you for it.