All about allergies... I almost DIED from mine! ☠️😱☠️
Fall allergies are REAL; and for some, they seem to be getting worse 🤧
Maybe it’s climate change making this allergy season longer and more intense, but my professional experience shows that people have lower tolerances to pollen due to higher systematic chronic inflammation within the body.
Today, I’d like to cover what causes Fall allergies, and some of the best ways to cope.
There’s a myth many people believe about Fall allergies. Can you guess what it is?
Before we get started, many of you were excited about last week’s newsletter, “New healthcare discoveries that may help you in the NEAR future”. If you missed it, you can use this link, Here.
Okay, let’s find out what the biggest Fall allergy myth is, and how allergy sufferers can cope and feel better f-a-s-t 🤩💨💨💨💨
What causes Fall allergies?
Fall is a heavenly time for a lot of us, with cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice, and the beauty of changing leaves 🍁🍃🍂🍃🍁
But for some of us with seasonal allergies, asthma and hay fever, the arrival of Fall is a living hell 🤧
Ragweed, a tall, willowy plant that grows in cities and rural areas, is the most common culprit behind fall allergies. Just one pesky plant can release one billion grains of pollen which can irritate and inflame sinuses. Ragweed starts to bloom in August and can continue to grow into November.
You can find ragweed in nearly every state in the country, though it tends to grow in particularly great numbers on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Those with fall allergies can also blame the mold from leaves that fall and decay, which can stir up the same symptoms.
Research is showing that allergy seasons have almost doubled in length and gotten more intense because of climate change. Higher carbon dioxide emissions spur plants to release larger amounts of pollen, making allergies feel a lot worse.
And, as temperatures stay warmer for longer periods of time and the first frost happens later and later, plants like ragweed have more time to grow and release allergens.
Cities tend to have higher temperatures than suburban or rural areas. Crammed buildings and infrastructure absorb and retain the sun’s heat, making it as much as seven degrees hotter in urban areas during the day. That means allergies may be particularly intense if you live in a city where warmer temperatures allow ragweed to grow for longer.
What plant gets blamed for Fall allergies more than ragweed? Goldenrod 🌾🌾🌾🌾
Goldenrod allergies is a myth! You may argue, but take a look at this in-depth article published on PubMed. Research shows that although allergies to goldenrod are possible, one would need to be in physical contact with the plant to see significant effects, as its pollen is not distributed on the wind. In other words, someone with a goldenrod allergy should be fine in the presence of goldenrods so long as they aren’t burying their faces in the flowers themselves.
Another good article on Ragweed and Goldenrod can be found, Here.
What are the Symptoms of Allergies?
One (or more) types of pollen can be the culprit of seasonal allergies. Some of the symptoms may include:
Runny nose
Sneezing
Clogged sinuses
Post-nasal drip
Fatigue
Ear pain
Watery, red, or puffy eyes
Coughing
Headache
Excessive phlegm and throat-clearing
Allergy symptoms are not just limited to these: there can be worse symptoms or complications and they are far from fun!
This was me, I had a far worse run of it….
My Allergy Story…. (I almost died)!
As a kid growing up in South Florida I was fortunate enough to play baseball and golf almost daily. Lucky, and not so lucky, me! Why?
What most people dont know is that golf courses and athletic fields are sprayed heavily with chemicals to make them look beautiful all the time. As I played daily (golf in the morning and baseball later in the day) I would be exposed to exponential amounts of chemicals, pollen, grasses, trees and more! It got to a point that any time I ran, I would have trouble breathing.
Of course, the first stop was to see my family doctor. I told him that I had trouble breathing while I was running and playing sports.
He diagnosed my issues as, Exercise Induced Asthma; and of course, put me on a prescription immediately! He gave me an albuterol inhaler and said to use it as needed, when I felt I couldn’t breathe. He also put me on a nasal prescription inhaler called Nasonex (which is now sold over the counter).
So I did as he told me to do, and used the inhalers as needed; which turned out to be sometimes over 140 times in one day! I listened to my doctor and followed his directions, but it was the WRONG INFORMATION!
One day after using my inhaler too many times, I got rushed to the emergency room … almost putting my body into cardiac arrest and dying!
An overdose of albuterol can be fatal. Thank goodness the medics figured out what was going on!
We think that by getting a prescription and taking it as directed, that the answer lays in a bottle, when in actually it NEVER DOES!
We have to understand this concept:
The Body will never heal from the outside in, the body only HEALS from Above, Down, Inside, Out!
The body was created by God to be PERFECT; it knows what it needs to do, every second of the day.
If you have a fever? That’s the body heating up to kill whatever bacteria or virus you have inside; its perfect!
If you are sneezing? That’s the body clearing out an irritant in the nasal passage, perfect!
But many of us want to stop the “symptoms” so that we can feel comfortable; in turn shutting down our body and making ourselves sicker day by day.
The answer is not to fight against the will of our body, but to facilitate it to work more efficiently. The body needs no help; it just no interference. This is an amazing principle.
So come to find out, I didn’t really have Exercise Induced Asthma; I simply had what we called “a reactive airway”. Meaning that with all the chemicals, pollens, and allergens that were entering my airways, my body was trying to shut them down.
When I used the prescribed inhalers, they would open my airways back up, allowing MORE of the chemicals, MORE of the pollen, MORE of the trees into my body, making me sicker and sicker. No wonder I was getting worse and not better, I was working against the will of my body, not with it.
It wasn’t until one of my best friend’s chiropractic father offered to help fix my damaged low back, that I finally had my allergy breakthrough. He first addressed my low-back pain. He said the nerves coming out of my lower back were being pinched and this was what was creating my pain. But not only that, he said that I had pinched nerves in my mid-back and neck; and that these nerves went into my lungs and airways. He said that these pinched mid-back and neck nerves were causing my allergies and asthma.
What did I say to the fact that he told me a “pinched nerve” was causing my asthma and allergies? Yup, those that know me well can imagine what I said…… “Just fix my low back snake charmer”. Because, I had no clue how pinched nerves could cause asthma and allergies!
This is where I started my journey of true health and healing. A chiropractor changed my life forever, allowing me to help tens-of-thousands of patients throughout my career.
Imagine if I cut the nerve going to the heart, what would happen to that nerve? It would die! But what if we put 50% pressure on that same nerve going to the heart? It wouldn’t die right away, but it would die over……time.
Remember this, it’s never one thing that fixes or makes us sick; it’s ALWAYS multifactorial.
The reason I got better faster, is the same reason our dedicated patients do; they go all in with food, nervous system, exercise, detox and mindset!
So, I got rid of all the inflammatory foods and medication, got chiropractic adjustments, and my body healed at a much, much, faster rate!
Below are some natural options to help you feel better when dealing with seasonal allergies. The good news? You won’t complicate matters and work against your body with these holistic remedies.
If none of these natural options give you the relief you need to function with your allergies, I will share with you (in the following section) what I had to do to finally get rid of my allergy symptoms once and for all.
Hopefully some of the natural options below will help you….
What are some “natural” allergy options for immediate relief?
Allergies can interfere with your mood, your energy, and even your work and personal life if they bog you down too much.
While nature can be the cause, it can also be the cure - or at the very least, it can help. What are some natural home remedies you can try before you move on to the “big-gun” therapies?
People with allergies may find relief by using natural plant extracts and foods that act as antihistamines.
Natural Antihistamines
Antihistamines are substances that block histamine activity in the body. Histamine is a protein that triggers allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and a scratchy throat.
Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription antihistamine medications can cause side effects, and let’s face it, who wants to take drugs?
Here are four of best natural antihistamines, and the science behind them.
Vitamin C - boosts the immune system. It also acts as a natural antihistamine. Oxidative stress plays a key role in allergic diseases. As vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it may act as a treatment for allergies.
Studies show taking 2 grams (g) of vitamin C daily to act as an antihistamine. Researchers also observed that high doses of intravenous vitamin C reduced allergy symptoms. They also reported that a deficiency in vitamin C might lead to allergy-related diseases.
Bromelain - is an enzyme found in the core and juice of pineapples and is a popular natural remedy for swelling or inflammation, especially of the sinuses and following injury or surgery. Bromelain can reduce allergic sensitization and allergic airway disease thanks to its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties.
In some people, oral supplementation of bromelain may cause reactions such as changes in menstruation, digestive upset or increased heart rate.
Quercetin - is an antioxidant flavonoid found in many plants and foods. Research reports that quercetin can have anti-allergic and antihistamine properties, and that quercetin could reduce the respiratory effects of allergies by lowering airway inflammation.
Quercetin is naturally present in many foods including: apples, berries, black and green teas, broccoli, grapes, peppers, red onions and red wine. However, taking supplements of quercetin will work better in the treatment of allergies than eating foods that contain it. This is because foods contain significantly lower levels of the flavonoid. Quercetin is generally safe for most people. Very high doses, especially when taken long-term, may cause kidney damage.
Locally produced Raw honey - which contains local plant pollens to which a person would be allergic, is the preferred type of honey for allergies. It makes sense that consuming honey that contains pollen to which a person is allergic would improve allergies, much like how sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops taken under the tongue) works. Eating local honey means that there may be enough pollen to create a natural body response to stimulate the immune system.
Allergy Avoidance
Allergy avoidance is typically the first line of defense against symptoms. Try to identify the allergen, which might be pollen, pet dander, or mold spores, and reduce exposure to it as much as possible. Stay inside, wipe off and wash your hands. Two suggestions that almost always give immediate relief are:
Sinus rinses
Give those sinuses a gentle rinse, which is also called “nasal irrigation.” I highly recommend the Neti pot method filled with warm water and salt. Neti pot kits are easy to find and buy just about anywhere – just follow the directions!
Facial steams and Showers
Bring a pot of clean distilled water to boil, and then turn it to low just below a simmer. Inhale the steam— and you can even put in herbs that open up those tubes, like eucalyptus, thyme, peppermint, or even rosemary. Or even easier: just take a shower or a bath…. the steam itself works wonders!
What did I do to finally stop my allergy symptoms?
I know as a previous allergy sufferer you are looking for that “magic bullet” (the one thing you can do to cure your allergies), but fortunately everyone is different (thank goodness we aren’t a bunch of clones walking around) and there are several options, or combinations of things, you can do to cure your allergy problems.
Here’s what finally helped me…..
I attended a seminar in Dallas to learn more about Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation (UVBI) therapy for patients with systemic infections (caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria) who had run out of drug options. After watching and learning about the results, including patients at risk of death from sepsis, I made the decision to bring this therapy to my practice.
In 2017, after (36) rounds of UVBI treatments over a period of nine weeks, my allergy symptoms were gone. Over the past (5) years, if I feel any scratchy throat symptoms, I do a few treatments and all is back to normal. This year, I’ve already scheduled a proactive treatment to keep myself running full stride without any interferences.
We have patients that after only one UVBI treatment, their allergy symptoms have been gone completely for two years. Of course, keep in mind, none have been just getting UVBI treatments alone for their allergies. All these patients come in for their regular chiropractic adjustments, keep to an organic healthy food diet, and exercise. They are doing their part in keeping their immune systems as healthy as possible. With the help of UVBI treatments, it’s a full-spectrum, pro-active, healthy approach to winning over allergies.
I’m living proof that natural healing cured the root cause of my illnesses. This became my calling, to become a doctor and help others, by healing through naturopathic medicine.
Over time, with a change of scenery, a doctorate health education, and a greater focus on my nutrition and overall health, I hardly ever experience a single symptom related to seasonal allergies.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.”
"Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
I hope today’s newsletter has you excited and hopeful about enjoying the beautiful fall weather outside 🍁 Whether you use some of the natural antihistamines for relief, or come into the clinic for (UVBI) therapy, I hope you will be able to enjoy the fellowship and peace of being outside in nature without your allergies taking control of your life.
If you’d like to know more about UVBI therapy, make a point to come see me so that I can help you!
To make an appointment with me use this link: HERE
Or, you can give me a call at (973) 210-3838
I want to hear from you! Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Did you find this newsletter helpful?
Share your thoughts in the comments on our
We bring tools such as these to you, our patients, by using proven cutting-edge therapies to extend the health-span, life-span and years of health for everyone (no matter their age)!
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