I grew up in an environment that exposed me to mold, pollen, pine, cedar, etc. on a daily basis. I constantly had to treat my runny nose, scratchy throat and numerous sinus infections. Until I finally found a solution that worked. I am completely rid of all allergies, and no longer take daily medication (Clariten or Zrytec anyone?), or nasal spray (Flonase) and have not had a cold or virus in FOUR YEARS! Learn about my 5 ways to get rid of seasonal allergies for good, so that you can start healing your body today.
Where it all began
It all began when I was 20 years old. I had been playing sports my whole life and suddenly I developed heart palpitations on a daily basis. I had to get checked out to make sure I was okay, and they found nothing wrong. Nothing wrong? I literally felt like my heart would explode at times, and they found nothing wrong. I was determined to figure out what might be causing this sensation that I was experiencing at such a young age.
I began looking at all the things I do on a regular basis. I eat, drink, play sports, exercise….oh yeah, and take a daily medication for my allergies. I have been on allergy medicine for my whole life! It made me start to wonder if this was the culprit. So, I did a little experiment. I went cold turkey on my medication. A few weeks in, I had less and less heart palpitations! I was stoked. So, I solved that problem, but now I have the problem of still having allergies and colds. How can I avoid taking medication, and also not get sick all the time?
How I got started on my path towards healing
I will be honest, this took years for me to figure out with a lot of trial and error. I researched a lot, asked doctors, and spoke with nutritionists. There was not a ton of advice out there for me, specific to seasonal allergies and healing them naturally. Until, one day my co-worker who happened to be an integrative nutritionist (look that up), was teaching me about how the food we eat impacts our health. I was pretty skeptical, but then I examined and noticed his life and how he was never sick, and had tons of energy everyday.
I took it one day at a time but over the years, I adjusted what I ate, and that led me to being rid of all my seasonal allergies completely with no medication. How amazing is that? Well, I am happy to share what I did, so that you can try to implement these things into your life.
The 6 ways I got rid of my seasonal allergies:
- No more inflammatory oils
- No more refined sugar
- Enhanced my microbiome
- Ate more fiber
- No more refined grains or dairy
- Enhanced my Vitamin D
What are inflammatory oils?
The best example of an inflammatory oil is Canola oil. Its a highly processed, refined seed that gets turned into an oil that causes inflammation in our bodies when we consume it. It is genetically modified and linked to chronic inflammation. Make sure you read that article I linked to get the whole picture on just that one oil. The other inflammatory oils to avoid are soy, vegetable, sunflower, and safflower. I only trust three oils currently. Avocado oil, Coconut oil and Olive Oil.
The first step I took was getting rid of all these inflammatory oils listed, to help my body not be in a constant state of stress. If its stressed by the food we eat every day, then its no surprise when we get this reaction from outside pollutants, our body has no more energy to fight them off because its busy being in a constant state of inflammation.
What is refined sugar?
The second step I took was getting rid of all refined sugars. According to LiveStrong they define refined sugar as follows, “Refined sugars are those that have been processed, such as cane sugar, as opposed to the natural sugars found in fruit and milk”. The key word here is, “processed”. Its been put through the ringer, striped of all nutrients. Does that sound like something the body will know how to digest, store, or get rid of? Nope. In fact, eating these refined sugars commonly found in donuts, cakes, cereal, bread, pie, etc can be causing more fuel to your constant state of inflammation that I mentioned earlier. More inflammation? No thanks.
Its also been proven that sugar helps bad bacteria thrive in our guts and can help viruses spread more easily, giving us colds and flu’s more often. Seems like a good things to get rid of in our diets right? Yes, get rid of it, and focus on natural sugar from fruit if you need something sweet. Check out my date ball recipe in my post on Toddler Snacks for Daycare, if you are in need of a sweet treat.
How I enhanced my microbiome
The third step I took was enhancing my microbiome. You might be wondering, how does this relate to my allergies? Well, did you know your microbiome is 70% of your immune system? That means everything we eat whether good or bad is going to impact our response to the common allergies, colds, sinus infections, or even COVID-19. So, I started the long journey of healing my gut. I got help from some fantastic functional medicine doctors that tested my bacteria and gave me ways to get rid of all the bad bugs, and pathogens I had in my gut lining. Once I healed this part of my body, I instantly noticed all my allergy symptoms were gone….and they have not returned! I would say this is the biggest piece of fixing those seasonal allergies. However, all the things mentioned go hand-in-hand with healing your microbiome.
What are refined grains?
The fourth step I took was getting rid of gluten and refined grains in my diet. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “Sometimes, when you consume it, it can confuse your immune system, setting off a cascade [of] issues”. That was a red flag for me. I don’t need any other problems with my immune system. So, I went on the journey of focusing on the food I could eat, while also getting rid of all refined grains. I will also point out that after you get off of these, you will notice a more stable blood sugar response, and less hunger pains. Basically, you will have more energy because your body is not having to work so hard to digest refined foods that we should not be consuming in the first place.
How is Vitamin D related to allergies?
The last step that I took at healing from my seasonal allergies, was enhancing my Vitamin D levels in my body. I had gotten them tested, and was at a very low level of 33. They like you between 50-70. So, I worked with my doctor on taking a supplement at a higher dose for a few months, and got my levels back up to normal. Now, I just take it as a maintenance dose each day for optimal health. Adequate levels of Vitamin D have been shown to reduce occurrences of cold and also has been use to treat COVID patients with a great study that just came out. It can also help prevent breast cancer in women! Make sure you talk with your Doctor on checking your levels to prevent colds and flus this coming season.
In summary, it has been a long journey towards health but I can honestly say the years it took to fix my allergies were worth it. It was hard work and often times a struggle but each item I listed make a huge impact on how your body responds to outdoor allergens. Hope you consider giving them a try. As always, consult with your Doctor for a long-term plan and guidance.
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