Just lately we had a young married couple visiting at our house and I noticed as the day waned into evening the young man started coughing, not only did he cough but he would also “harmph” into his hankie! Thinking he was starting with a cold I offered him some herbal remedies, to which he replied,” Oh no, this is allergies.” His face also had a slight swelling to it, plus he had a burning sensation in his throat and lungs. Visions of him suffocating danced through my mind as I racked my brain as to what to do!
Having had no experience with allergies whatsoever but, having heard that honey helps to ease symptoms, I got out a jar of raw honey and also fixed him a cup of hot peppermint tea. He soon felt better, but I was left with the question, “What causes allergies, and is there anything that can be done about it?”
Here is what I found: One of the major jobs of your digestive system is to provide an interface between the external world (food, allergens, bacteria,) and your bloodstream. It does this in the stomach by using digestive acids to break down potentially allergenic proteins and in the intestines via a barrier of cells that prevent these proteins from getting into your bloodstream. You also have a whole host of special bacteria in your gut, as well as immune cells, whose job it is to break down and get rid of proteins and other molecules that can cause you to become sensitized to them leading to gut and other inflammations.
What Causes Gut Inflammation?
Many lifestyle habits and food choices can weaken your gut lining over time, making you more prone to inflammation and allergies. When you have leaky gut syndrome foreign proteins get into your system and cause your body to react to many harmless triggers in your environment such as tree pollen. The standard American diet, antibiotics, and stress all contribute to Leaky Gut Syndrome.
The first step to quieting down your body’s overreaction is to heal your gut!
REMOVE; White sugar, gluten, artificial anything, antibiotics, and ALL junk foods! Drink plenty of water and get plenty of fiber in your diet. I had a friend who fasted for a whole week to get rid of inflammation! (Fasting is not for children!!)
ADD; Bone broth from pastured chickens, dark green leafy veggies, fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, yogurt, and my all-time favorite, milk kefir to your diet. Milk kefir actually colonizes new friendly bacteria into your gut while yogurt only feeds the existing bacteria. You can read about milk kefir here, https://www.thenolthomestead.com/new-blog/2019/2/15/what-is-milk-kefir Another friend of mine simply switched to all grass-fed meats, raw milk from grass-fed cows and was able to get rid of her allergy meds. She now enjoys the pollen-infested outdoors in peace!
The idea is to rid your body of the toxins that have been building up for years and rebuilding with gut-friendly foods!
Here’s to your health-Louise