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The Fringe...
...the Festival
Martin Rowson
News in Brief
Readers Letters
Park Life
News in Brief
Dissent
Tapas Time
Back to the Fringe
Straight to the Point
Royal Bengal
Handy Contacts
Summertime Blues
Summery Justice
Up the Junction
Books/Poetry
The Factory
Summer Allergies
Farmers Market
The Arts
Away Days
A Royal Visit
Coffee Corner
Surfing N16
Man in North Bank
XWord
View from the Lane
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summer allergies
by Deanna Millard
Summer is finally here. The days are long, the air is warm and the
corresponding element of fire turns up the thermostat of the heart. Passions are ignited
as nature urges us to feel the love and generate some heat of our own...
Yet if you are one of the growing millions who suffer from hay fever, you may well view
the blossoming flowers and ripening grasses as a debilitating symptom of this ‘summer
madness’. But to be fair, pollen is nature’s way of ensuring the continuation of
life year after year and is only partially to blame.
Allergies such as hay fever occur when the body’s immune system over-reacts to
harmless substances (pollen, mould spores etc) and treats them as harmful foreign bodies.
Specialised cells in the membranes of the nose, eyes throat and lungs react to the
invasion by releasing histamine. The histamine irritates the tissues causing them to swell
and secrete fluid, resulting in the characteristic itchy, watery nose and eyes, congestion
and general malaise.
There are numerous conventional remedies that mask the symptoms but none address the crux
of the problem – an often exhausted and overly sensitive immune system. Remedying the
situation requires time to build, energise and balance the entire system with adaptogenic
herbs such as Siberian ginseng, Reishi mushrooms, Schizandra berries or Astragalus. Taking
organic honey, royal jelly or pollen grains year round can act as a natural immunisation,
allowing the body to recognise pollen as friend rather than foe. Many herbs act as natural
anti-histamines including Ribwort plantain, Nettle, Lemon balm, Echinacea and Mullein
flowers which can be taken daily as a tea or tincture.
Ribwort plantain, in particular, also has a relaxing and soothing action on the mucous
membranes and dries out excess catarrh. This treatment should ideally take place 6 –
8 weeks before the allergy season begins, but many other herbs such as Vervain, Eyebright,
Elderflowers, Marshmallow, Yarrow, Sage, Golden seal, Gentian, Chamomile, St Johns wort,
Burdock root, Liquorice, Cayenne peppers and Lobelia are all helpful in tackling the
causes and alleviating symptoms.
Itchy or watery eyes can be soothed by bathing them with a cooled mixture of Chamomile,
Eyebright and Raspberry leaf tea whilst stuffy heads can be relieved with steam
inhalations of eucalyptus and pine essential oils. Recently the herb Butterbur has proved
to be as effective as many conventional treatments and Green tea is also gaining a good
reputation. Bach Flower remedies have a valuable role too – Beech is an appropriate
choice as it is indicated for physical and emotional intolerance.
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Good nutrition is paramount and many sufferers report a marked
improvement of symptoms when they eliminate wheat and dairy products from their diet. Both
food types promote excess mucous production and are common allergens in their own right.
Increasing vitamin C intake helps as one of its many roles includes the breaking down of
histamine. A naturally occurring compound called Quercitin actually blocks the release of
histamine from immune cells and is particularly effective when partnered with vitamin C.
Garlic and onions are high in Quercitin and good sources of vitamin C include berries,
citrus fruits, watercress and chilli.
Interestingly, studies have shown that children who grow up on farms (surrounded by dirt,
animals and plenty of grasses) are far less likely to develop allergies of any kind.
Perhaps in our obsession to chemically eradicate all known germs we have deprived our
immune system of its teeth-cutting battles, prompting it to look elsewhere and make
enemies of harmless things like pollen!
Contact Deanna at The Healthy Living Centre on 0207 249 2990,
privately on 0207 503 4672 or visit www.N16health.com