The Top 5 Natural Allergy Cures

Medicine Saved My Life, But Herbs and Environmental Changes Cured Me Of Allergies

I love modern medicine. It saved my life many times when I had asthma. So I?m not here to knock medicine. I just believe (from my own experience) that despite incredible breakthroughs and heroics in medicine sometimes they simply fail to look for the cause. Such was my experience on my path of curing allergies and asthma from my body.

I was amazed that my doctors had no interest in finding out, or even hearing about what I had done to get rid of asthma. And I don't believe their disinterest was because it would threaten their occupation. I just think their training and conditioning was not about looking for a cure, but only in treatment.

Searching

At age 18 I gave up on the drugs and shots. I still took the drugs as needed, and used an inhaler when needed, but I quit seeing my allergist. I decided to see what Chirporactors and Nutritionists could possibly offer. This led to reading books on nutrition, and I tried all the following:

Herbs, cell salts, vitamins, minerals, apple cider vinegar, raw goats milk, protomorphogens (from animal parts), and a host of other things I took. That was in the day when Health Food stores were for wierdos.

After many failed herb, vitamin, and natural experiments While I felt healthier the allergies and asthma were still a part of my life. I decided to accelerate my search.

The following approach worked for me:

5 Steps To Getting Rid of Allergies

The way I rid myself of asthma and allergies involved 5 things:

#1 A clean Liver - The liver, when toxic, can overproduce histamines, causing a hyper-sensitive and over-reactive immune response. There are Liver herbs, and some juices, which can detox the liver of the toxins and additional histamines

#2 A clean diet - Keeping inflammation down by reducing sugars, starches and refined foods keeps the body from over-reacting to allergens and immune system threats.

#3 Avoidance - Avoiding Cats, Dogs, and Allergens while I took the oethr 4 steps also allowed my immunity to rebuild itself.

#4 A clean bedroom - allergy resistant sheets, pillowcases, and keeping my room free of dust mites, mold, and bacteria. This way my immune system would rest at night instead of working all night against the environment. By the way it's the dust mites excrement, not the dust mites themselves, that cause the allergic reactions when inhaled. Change your pillow to a synthetic (mites don't like it) and buy a new one every 9-12 months.

#5 A clean environment -By far the easiest step this meant finding an air purifier, one that kills viruses and bacteria (with UV), absorbs pollen (HEPA), picks up pollution (ion) and can kill mold and mildew (timed ozone is best) to allow the immune system to recover each night, reducing allergic responses.

Not really that tough when you take the steps above. Once your body and immunity is rebalanced you might find as I did that I was able to eat as I wish, withouitb any allergic response.

Mark Richardson is an author, and former Health Practitioner who researches cutting edge health products. His Video Website http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=markedwr2003 features FREE Video demonstrations on the newest in air purifier technology.

Allergy Drops - Another Treatment Option For Allergies

Allergies can interfere with even the most commonplace of daily events; for those who suffer from allergies, even leaving their house during certain times of year can prove nearly impossible. For sufferers, finding effective, long-lasting allergy relief can mean a significant difference in their life. And while many have found great success with oral medications and allergy shots, there is an alternative treatment option that comes with its own benefits ? allergy drops.

Allergies are the result of the body?s immune system malfunctioning. When the body is introduced to something that it considers a threat, it reacts accordingly in an effort to rid the body of the toxin. With allergies, the immune system reacts to otherwise benign substances as if they are a threat ? pollen, cat dander, nuts, or any other number of elements. To fight what it considers to be trespassers, the immune system releases the chemical histamine that results in the common symptoms of allergies ? runny nose, congestion, coughing, wheezing, watery and itchy eyes, etc. In many cases, avoiding the allergy trigger or combating the symptoms with over-the-counter or prescription medication can make a world of difference for the allergy sufferer. But for those who suffer more intense symptoms or are exposed to their allergens on a daily basis, allergy shots have been the effective treatment of choice. But research has shown that allergy drops can be just as effective ? and far more convenient ? than allergy shots.

Allergy shots are often given once a week and must be injected in a doctor?s office. Further, there is time associated with this visit as the patient is often injected with extremely diluted allergens. The patient must then wait ? often at least thirty minutes ? before being able to leave the doctor?s office as the doctor must first ensure that the patient is not having any negative reactions. This inconvenience of visiting the doctor - and the discomfort of the injection itself - often causes patients to shy away from pursuing the treatment.

With allergy drops there are no painful injections ? simply a drop put under the tongue. This procedure is something that the patient can do themselves at home; doctor visits are reduced to just a few times a year in order for the doctor to follow the progress of the patient. For children who suffer from allergies, the allergy drops can be enormously beneficial allowing them to receive the necessary treatment without having to get a shot once a week.

Allergy drops are but one alternative to the management of allergies on an ongoing basis. For allergy sufferers, they can make a world of difference in keeping symptoms at bay and maximizing comfort levels.

For easy to understand, in depth information about allergy drops visit our ezGuide 2 Allergy.

Acupuncture With a Modern Twist

Acupuncture is thought of as an ancient Chinese practice and rightly so. Recent trends have resulted in a new modern twist on this ancient practice.

Modern technology is impacting virtually every area of our life and so it is no surprise to learn that it has reached the ancient practice of acupuncture. Laser acupuncture is a relatively new addition to this timeless healing art. A concentrated light beam can penetrate into the skin for a certain distance without burning or harming the skin. This allows the beam to stimulate certain acupuncture body points. This stimulation is not exactly the same as the stimulation of a needle, but it does trigger reactions in the points.

The practice is still considered to be in an investigational type of treatment, and in that status no claims of cures are permitted in the United States. The procedure is not being viewed as a replacement for the use of needles in acupuncture treatments. The idea is that the lasers will be used as just one of the tools in the overall regime of treatment offered by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The other tools such as herbal concoctions, acupressure, moxibustion, and advice on lifestyle choices will continue to be applied in a complete treatment package.

Currently, this new approach is limited by the strength of the beam itself. The normal range used is between 5 and 500 mW of power. When the level goes over 500, there is a possibility of burning the skin. This power level limits the depth of the beam and therefore its ability to stimulate the acupuncture point.

The process is so new and is being used in a practice that has taken centuries of study and trial and error to perfect. It is not unexpected that much experimentation and clinical studies are being done to attempt to understand the benefits and limitations of this modern twist on acupuncture. The beams can also be used only in certain areas. For example, points on the foot can be stimulated except for the points on the heel. The beam of light can not attain enough depth here to stimulate the point.

This new form of acupuncture is a technical change in the practice of acupuncture that will take some time to completely understand. Its use does say something about attitude of professional acupuncturists. While many view acupuncture as a foreign and very culturally different type of activity, the idea of a new approach shows that acupuncture is actually very much like any other body of knowledge. It is constantly seeking to improve. The great body of knowledge that is contained in the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine has always been growing and evolving.

Get more acupuncture information at AlternativeHealthCompanies.com.

Self Help for Your Dust Allergy Symptoms

Self Help for Dust Allergies

About one person in ten suffers from an allergy to dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic creatures of the arachnid family which also includes spiders and scorpions. Dust mites burrow deep into fibrous objects, such as clothing and carpeting. This makes it difficult to remove them by cleaning or vacuuming.

The World of Dust Mites

Dust mites thrive in indoor living spaces. They like temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees and the humidity levels of about 75%. Dust mites feed on shed scales from human skin, which is commonly found in carpeting, bedding, etc.

Symptoms of Dust Mite Allergies

People are not allergic to dust mites themselves, but rather to their fecal matter and decaying body parts. These mite waste products continue to cause allergic reactions long after the mite that produced them has died. Itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, clogged and itchy ear canals, and other respiratory problems are the most common symptoms. Symptoms are often worst at night because dust mites thrive in blankets, pillows and other bedding materials. A little bit of tossing and turning is all is takes to make some of the allergens airborne.

Asthmatic people often have an especially difficult time with dust mites. Respiratory congestion, wheezing, and severe shortness of breathmay occur. Anyone suffering these symptoms should be treated by a licensed physician or asthma specialist.

Self Help for Dust Allergies

Reducing your exposure to dust mites will help to alleviate your symptoms. Here are some effective methods:

- Vacuums equipped with special filtering systems help to reduce the amount of allergens in your home or office.

- Dust mites live in areas with high concentrations of dust and debris. A cleaner house means fewer dust mites.

- Focus on your bedroom. You probably spent one-third or more of your time there and it is often the room with the most dust mites.

- Encase your box spring, mattress, and pillows in dust proof covers. An average bed can contain as many as ten million dust mites! Yikes!

- Use polyester fiberfill pillows instead of kapok or feather pillows.

- Use window shades instead of curtains or venetian blinds (both are dust magnets).

- Wash blankets in hot water. Do not use wool or down blankets.

- Avoid dust collecting knickkancks such as wall pennants, macrame hangings, throw pillows, and stuffed animals. Furniture should be wood, leather, plastic or metal--as upholstered furniture tends to trap dust and become a site for dust mites to grow.

- Use hard wood or linoleum floors in place of carpeting. Dust mites love carpeting because it keeps them and well fed with human skin cells and fingernail residue.

- Adjust the climate in your home. Use a dehumidifier and turn down the thermostat. Dust mites don't survive for long when the humidity below drops below 55 percent. Dust mites don't drink water like we do, they absorb it from the air through their skin. If it is too dry they will die of thirst.

- Use specially designed filtration systems for furnaces and air conditioning units. These filters capture airborne allergens. It is also a good idea to place a cheesecloth screen over your bedroom heating vents to minimize dust coming from a forced air style heating system.

Michael has published many free articles on Allergy Symptoms including Seasonal Allergy Symptoms and Wheat Allergy Symptoms

What Is A Gluten Allergy

In wheat, barley, rye, and low level oats, there is a rubbery like protein called gluten. This substance is what helps the dough bind, which you would see with baked breads and other baked foods. Although these grains contain gluten, which can cause a gluten allergy in sensitive people, they also contain a number of other proteins that can also cause allergy symptoms.

The four primary proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley includes albumin, globulin, gliadin, and glutenin, better known as gluten. While the symptoms and severity of the symptoms of gluten allergy vary from one person to another, generally a person would experience hives, swelling, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, or asthma. If the person is highly sensitive to gluten allergy, the symptoms could be life-threatening.

The good news about gluten allergy is that if the person has a reaction after eating wheat or wheat product, making an early diagnosis is easy. The challenge is that so many of the foods we eat are made with wheat, making it difficult to tell where the real problem lies. Most often, a trained doctor or allergist would conduct a skin prick test or take blood to confirm that gluten allergy is the problem.

If the reaction to gluten is severe, the solution might be to eliminate wheat and wheat by-products from the diet. However, if the gluten allergy is minor, then reducing the amount of wheat consumed and/or allergy medication or shots might do the trick. If the person with gluten allergy is a young child, chances are he or she will outgrow the allergy.

Gluten Intolerance, also known as Coeliac Disease, is a hereditary disorder that affects the immune system. In this case, when gluten is consumed, the mucosa, which is the lining of the small intestine, is damaged. When this happens, important vitamins and nutrients are not absorbed properly. When a person has this type of gluten allergy, the symptoms would be different in children than they would be in adults.

For children, the gluten allergy would be seen as abdominal distension, impaired growth, abnormal stools, irritability, poor muscle tone, malabsorption, poor appetite, and wasting of muscle. If an adult has this type of gluten allergy, then diarrhea, significant weight loss, abdominal cramping and bloating, constipation, and offensive stools are common.

In both cases of gluten allergy, a doctor would need to perform blood tests to make a confirmed diagnosis. Once done, the only treatment is to have gluten completely eliminated from the diet. Because of this, it is essential that nutrient and vitamin deficiencies be addressed with things such as niacin, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, chromium, magnesium, selenium, folacin, molybdenum, and phosphorus. With proper care and diet, a person with gluten allergy can enjoy a hearty choice of foods without the irritating symptoms.

Grant Segall RPh is a pharmacist and webmaster for the allergy related website http://www.allergy-allergy.com.

Guide To Allergy Relief Air Purifier

The deteriorating quality of indoor air is now a matter of growing health concern. Pollutant levels are 2 to 5 times higher inside the home than out, according to the EPA. Apart from gases and chemicals, these pollutants include airborne particles and particulate matter, which can be allergens causing different types of allergies. An allergy relief air purifier can improve indoor air quality, thereby reducing the chances of people having allergies. Apart from controlling the source and improving ventilation, an allergy relief air purifier is the best way to tackle this problem.

A good allergy relief air purifier is capable of greatly improving the quality of indoor air. But you must carefully choose from the numerous types and brands of purifiers that are now available in the market. It is because some of the air purifiers can cause some of the very problems they are meant to get rid of.

An allergy relief air purifier may be of various types. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Purifier is one of them. These air purifiers filter a minimum of 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns and larger, which include allergens and contaminants like dust mites, dust mite feces, mold spores, pollen and animal dander. They offer cleaner air to help you breathe better. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends HEPA air purifiers, and it's the highest current standard in air filtration. When you purchase a HEPA purifier, you should take into account the size and quality of the filter medium.

Activated carbon filter is another type of purifier that helps removal of gases, odors and toxins. In such purifiers, chemicals, gases, and odors stick to the carbon and are "adsorbed" onto its huge surface area, bonding to the surface through chemical attraction. An electrostatic precipitator can also be called an allergy relief air purifier which ionizes particles as they are passed over an electronic cell, after which they are attracted and trapped by oppositely charged collector plates. Although you don't need to replace filters with this product, you have to wash the collector plate regularly to keep the purifier effective. Many ionization air cleaners generate ozone, which is a documented health hazard and lung irritant. The EPA has strongly discouraged the use of ozone generators as air purifiers.

As different homes have different air contaminant sources to deal with, including both airborne particulates and allergens, and household chemicals and odors, it is always better to find an air purifier which combines a HEPA filter with some amount of carbon. This combination, apart from acting as an allergy relief air purifier, will remove the widest variety of indoor pollutants.

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on allergy relief, allergy relief air purifier and allergy relief product.

Allergy Treatment And Care Guide

People face some type of allergy to all sorts of things, this may include environmental allergens, odors, fumes, food, and cigarette smoke just to name a few. Allergy treatment and testing is required when symptoms become uncomfortable and occur on a daily basis. With food allergies and small children, the process of elimination is the best way to determine which food is causing the allergic reaction. Allergy testing methods such as skin testing and blood testing are helpful, but some people may respond better to one than the other. Blood testing is particularly helpful in detecting food allergies, but if you know you?re allergic to a certain food, wouldn?t you just not eat it?

Environmental allergies are a little trickier amongst the different types of allergies. There are a number of possible triggers like weeds, trees, pollens, grasses, dust, dust mites, molds, pet dander, chemical fumes, and cigarette smoke that are all popular offenders. Skin allergy testing is a popular method that is used to diagnose different types of allergies that are severe enough to warrant this approach. Allergy treatment can then be prescribed based on the level of reaction to certain irritants. Seeking assistance from a specialist is not required for everyone with allergies. You can find quite a number of over-the-counter medications that are effective in treating symptoms, but for cases where medications don?t work one would need to consult a professional. There are a number of times where allergies are present with other conditions such as eczema and asthma, and should be assessed in conjunction to allergy treatment as they all go simultaneously. As a result of treating allergies, related conditions will either resolve themselves or lessen considerably as allergy treatment progresses.

Prescribed allergy treatment usually consists of immunotherapy which is also known as allergy shots, that expose allergy sufferers to little amounts of the offending allergens in gradually increased doses that over time reduces symptoms. Make sure that substance that triggers severe allergic reactions, for example certain foods like (shellfish, eggs and peanuts) and bee stings is avoided completely. One must remember that avoidance is the only allergy treatment in this case, aside from using an Epi-Pen and/or Benadryl in cases wherein an accidental exposure may take place. People who are afflicted with allergies should try different allergy treatments and combinations in order to experience any significant relief. Over a period of time allergies decreases and may in due course disappear thus requiring a lesser amount of allergy treatment. There are a number of resources online you can look into about allergy treatments like http://ww.allergies.about.com, http://www.medicinenet.com, or http://www.drgreene.com where you will find a world of information about allergy treatments right at your fingertips.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for health, fitness and other related information.

How To Treat An Allergy-Triggered Cough

It?s springtime; the trees are budding, the flowers are blooming?and you?re stuck inside, coughing and sneezing and hiding from the substances that trigger your allergic reactions. Having a cough or cold is bad at any times ? having cold-type symptoms every year at the same times is even worse. There are various ways to treat an allergy cough and help you get back to enjoying life outdoors.

There are various substances that can cause an allergy-triggered cough. The most obvious one is pollen, which plagues thousands of people across the country. Others include animal dandruff, dust, and mold. Before you run out and buy a cough suppressant so that you can have a rest from coughing, it?s good to remember that coughing is your body?s way of clearing the respiratory tract and lungs. It may not be in the best interest of your health to stop the cough immediately. There are packaged drinks that can be bought at a drug store that contain calming ingredients like honey or chamomile which can help to control your cough without suppressing it altogether.

If you have been suffering from a cough for over a week, and you believe it is allergy-related, it is best to make an appointment with your doctor. The doctor can diagnose what is causing your cough, and can also prescribe what would be the best treatment. He or she can choose from a variety of products that are already available, or can write you a prescription. Your doctor may advise that you take a cough syrup that helps to calm the throat but also allows you to continue coughing to clear your lungs.

Once you have been diagnosed with an allergy, you now have a weapon you can use against the substances that cause your allergic reaction ? knowledge. If you know what triggers a reaction, you can avoid it, or, in the case of an allergen like pollen, you can take allergy medication before stepping outside. Especially when you have a cough, one of the best steps you can take is to rest. If you have to work, take a nap when you come home. Give your body not only the medication, but the time it needs to recover and get you feeling healthy again.

Learn more about allergic cough treatments at http://www.asthma-allergies.org/allergies/Allergy-Cough-And-Its-Remedy.php