A naturopathic approach to seasonal allergies
A runny nose, watery eyes and difficulty breathing. Sound familiar? For many, these symptoms are commonplace. If you live in Melbourne (AUS) and are experiencing allergies/hay fever, you should know that this city is notorious for allergic disease.According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), almost one in five Australians (more than 4.6 million people) had allergic rhinitis in 2017-18. In 2016, during an asthma thunderstorm, 9 Melbournians died. Wind circulated pollens, there was a sudden drop in air pressure, big raindrops wet the pollen and this caused the grains to explode – and release particles tiny enough to lodge in people’s airways. This season, Victoria was expected to have some of the highest levels of pollen.
So what’s the deal? Why Melbourne?
Environmental factors like Melbourne’s wide open spaces and changing weather patterns is particularly favourable for the growth of certain grasses (Victoria has thousands), such as ryegrass, that results in the production of more pollen. Climate change also contributes to this problem, with the increase in C02 and rising in temperature impacting pollen and vegetation growth significantly.
While pollen is an extremely common allergen, other agents can trigger allergenic processes and contribute to Hay fever as well. Dust, airborne contaminants, mould, dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, environmental chemicals, cleaning products, personal care products, and foods can all cause allergic reactions. Everyone is different in what he or she reacts to.
If you have never had an allergy it is still possible to develop one in the future!Allergies are your body’s reaction to particles that it considers foreign. The first time your body encounters an allergen, your body releases immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody specific to that allergen. IgE attaches to the surface of your mast cells, which are found in great numbers in your tissues, such as your skin and nasal mucous membranes, where they help mediate inflammatory responses.
The next time your body encounters a particular allergen, within a few minutes your mast cells become activated and release a powerful cocktail of histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins, which trigger the entire cascade of symptoms associated with allergies, such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, cough, etc and can lead to asthma.Who is at risk, and what factors may predispose a person to hay fever?
A family history of atopic conditions (eczema, asthma, hayfever). About 40% of the Australian population are “atopic”, and According to Professor O’Hehir (professor of allergy/immunology at Alfred/Monash) : Babies and infants might have eczema (atopic dermatitis) or food allergies (especially to milk and eggs in infancy) -> often resolves by school age -> often progress’ to asthma, peaking between ages six to eight -> hay fever develops in mid-to-late teenage years.
Frequent upper airway infections and sinusitis.
Frequent antibiotic use, causes alteration to the intestinal flora and changes in the immune response.
Frequent paracetamol use, which depletes your antioxidant defenses
Altered micro flora balance, due to poor digestion, dietary allergens, bad food choices etc.
A poor diet, especially if high in sugar and processed foods and lacking in essential nutrients.
Food sensitivities: Common allergens include eggs, nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy or wheat.
Structural abnormalities such as a deviated septum.
Early exposure to allergens/ pollution e.g. parental smoking, chemicals etc.
Environmental allergens e.g. dust mites, feathers, animal dander, mold, pollen, grass, fungus spores, synthetic drugs etc
Immigrants from Asian countries who have not been exposed to ryegrass pollens. Indian, Sri Lankan or south-east Asian ethnicity made up 39 per cent of hospital admissions related to the 2016 storm in Melbourne, according to a study in The Lancet in June 2018. Treating hay fever and allergies for long-term results requires a multi-modality approach.My top basic tips for managing hay fever/allergies include the following:
Use a Neti pot/sinus cleanse to flush your nasal cavity of pollens and other irritants. Literally detaches the irritant from the mucous membranes in your sinus ! .
Avoid being outside at high pollen times. Shut house windows during spring and especially in afternoon and evenings. Avoid parks & gardens during the late afternoon, especially when it’s windy. You can track pollen count here: https://www.melbournepollen.com.au.
Avoid drying/washing outside if pollen counts are high as it can get trapped in the fibres of clothes and bed linen.
Recognise/identify/manage your exposure to any indoor allergens (such as dust etc)
Engaging in regular exercise to support the lymphatic system.
Quercetin and bromelain: both powerful nutrients that may assist hay fever symptoms through reducing sinus inflammation and histamine release. They can be consumed in foods and in supplemental form; Quercetin can be found in broccoli, red onion, capsicum, berries, grapes and green tea, while bromelain is rich in pineapple.
Eating for gut health. Research shows strong associations between imbalances of gut bacteria/gut dysfunction with atopic conditions such as hay fever, allergies and eczema. Fibre, prebiotics and probiotics. Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus salivarus (probiotic strains) has been clinically shown to alleviate and prevent symptoms of allergic rhinitis/hay fever.
Reduce alcohol, processed sugar, dairy and wheat consumption and include plenty of wholefoods, citrus and dark leafy greens.
A tablespoon daily of fire cider leading up to hay fever season and during; can be purchased here: Other specific nutrients and herbal medicine can be extremely helpful in balancing the immune system, reducing histamine release as well as inflammation.
There’s no reason to suffer with your seasonal allergies anymore; book an appointment with Noor Naturopathy to settle them once and for all!