Well, it’s that time of year again when flowers bloom and leaves pop, sending mold, pollen, and other respiratory irritants airborne.

From sneezing and coughing to runny nose, head congestion, fatigue, and swollen itchy eyes, the symptoms of allergies debilitate millions of people each year, usually in the spring and fall.

If you are like millions of others, you rush to the drugstore for the latest and greatest allergy medication to stifle the symptoms. However, you also dread the side-effects of drug-based anti-histamines and decongestants just as much as you dread the allergy symptoms themselves.

If you suffer from allergies, don’t wait until you become symptomatic with those nasty symptoms. The key to minimizing your suffering is to reduce minimize the immune reaction before its in full swing.

Treating the symptoms once the allergic response is active is hard to do.

To best tackle them, its important to know what they are Allergies that is.

What are allergies?
An allergy is an immune reaction to a substance (antigen) in the environment. The antigen could be a certain protein in a food source, e.g., peanuts, gluten, casein (from dairy), or found in the air, like pollen. For many, these antigens can cause anything from a mild immune reaction to the debilitating and miserable symptoms associated with seasonal allergies.

The reason for your suffering is an imbalance in certain white blood cells, which are programmed to search and destroy the presenting antigen. Once the white blood cell comes in contact with the antigen, the white blood cell signals other cells to release histamine and prostaglandins, chemicals that make you sneeze, itch, and feel miserable.

What you didn’t know about allergies
The immune system is a complex world of white blood cells that protect us from disease and disease-causing organisms like parasites, bacteria, viruses, and cancer. A type of white blood cell called a T-Lymphocyte turns on and regulates the immune system by making chemical messengers, called cytokines, which tell other cells in the immune system what to do.

There are two types of T-Lymphocytes that make cytokines: TH1 cells and TH2 cells. TH1 cells are active killers of viruses and bacteria, while TH2 cells produce cytokines which trigger different effects in the body, one being the allergic response.

A normally functioning immune system will turn on the TH1 response or the TH2 response when needed, switching back and forth depending on the internal threat.

Immune problems arise when TH1 or TH2 responses get stuck. Typically in allergies, the TH2 response becomes dominant.

The cytokines from TH2 cells cause inflammation and the production of histamines, prostaglandins—the chemicals that make you miserable during allergy season—and IgE antibodies. This can lead to allergies, asthma, skin eruptions, itchiness, and anaphylactic reactions.

Why so many allergies now?
According to Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the increase in seasonal allergies may have some connection to improved hygiene and better infection control in industrialized countries.

It would appear that being overly clean and reducing the burden of microbes during childhood modifies the immune system, thus elevating the stuck TH2 response.

Inflammatory foods and westernized diets—processed foods—is other reason behind the increased incidence of seasonal allergies. So, it appears that environmental and genetic influence early in life dictate your current immune response.

What can you do to rebuild your immune system?
A major part of your immune system is attached to your gut. The greatest control you have over regulating your immune system and its response to the environment is to eliminate inflammatory foods that wreak havoc on the immune system.

These include processed/refined grains (breads, crackers, pretzels, and other refined flour-based foods), and dairy—ALL dairy. Dairy includes all animal milks (cow and goat), cheese, yogurt made from animal dairy, and the milk protein casein found in protein bars and powders.

Refined vegetable oils are another hazard. These oils include: vegetable oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, and all partially-hydrogenated oils.

If foods can contribute to allergies and an abnormal immune response, then logically, there are foods that improve the immune response.

Foods that help fight allergies:

• Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, etc.)
• Fatty fish, which provide omega-3 fatty acids and the anti-inflammatory compounds DHA and EPA. These include salmon, mackerel, herring, and tuna
• Walnuts and flax seed—also supply anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids
• Fruits high in anti-oxidants including: blueberries, dark grapes, plums, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries
• Foods high in bioflavonoids that help fight inflammation: apples, tea, onions, garlic
• Foods high in magnesium: almonds, cashews
• Spices: turmeric (curcumin), anise, mustard, and horseradish

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Proven Relief
Many over-the-counter drugs aim to block these inflammatory cytokines, but chemical interventions always have lists of side-effects. A common antihistamine, called Zyrtec, has a long list of potential side effects, including:  fast, pounding or uneven heartbeat; weakness; tremors (uncontrolled shaking); sleep problems (insomnia); severe restless feeling; hyperactivity; confusion; problems with vision; urinating less than usual or not at all; dizziness; drowsiness; tired feeling; dry mouth; sore throat; cough; nausea; constipation; and, last, headaches.

Wow . . . sounds like relief to me! My sneezing stopped, but now I’m constipated and can’t pee. My mouth is dry, and I have a sore throat. I have a splitting headache, and I can’t sleep . . . great!

For this reason, I recommend OPC-3, a natural supplement containing two very powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and anti-histamines: grape-seed extract and Pycnogenol®, a natural plant compound found in the French maritime pine.

Proven through research, Pycnogenol® eliminates free radicals to prevent oxidative damage to cells; improves immune function; strengthens blood vessels; and is an incredible antihistamine. According to Phytotherapy Research, Pycnogenol® dramatically reduced allergy symptoms in test subjects, when taken prior to full-blown allergy season.

Grape-seed extract is derived from grape seeds, which contain polyphenols and OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanidins). These plant-based compounds are also a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which helps with the allergic response.

Isotonix® Immune is a blend of nutrients containing the powerful ingredient Wellmune®, a natural supplement ingredient clinically proven to help strengthen the immune system.

Basically, Wellmune® is a proprietary baker’s yeast beta 1,3/1,6 glucan—a carbohydrate that causes the production of anti-inflammatory compounds that inhibit the TH2 response seen with allergies.

Immune also contains vitamin C and zinc. Zinc is a mineral that supports your immune system and metabolism. Multiple studies have concluded that deficiencies in zinc are associated with a higher occurrence of allergies.

According to the journal MOJ Immunology, zinc deficiency is associated with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (chemical messengers) through an unregulated TH2 response.

A third product that needs to be taken if you suffer from allergies—or any immune dysfunction for that matter—is vitamin D.

In my opinion—based on research and data—not much in the body compares to the power of vitamin D.

Vitamin D, which is created when UV radiation from the sun hits the skin, becomes a powerful hormone in the body.

The hormonal form of vitamin D (1-25 dihydroxyvitamin D, or calcitriol) has a powerful effect on white blood cells and those TH2 cells that are responsible for the allergic response.

Current data shows vitamin D regulates the production of inflammatory chemicals produced by white blood cells by activating the vitamin D receptor on specific white blood cells, thus reducing the release of histamine and prostaglandins—the chemicals that make you miserable.

Last, the pinch-hitter for resolving the allergic response is the full-spectrum nutriclean® probiotics. Studies indicate that probiotics are a therapeutic treatment of allergic rhinitis. Basically, probiotics (healthy bacteria) can interact with your immune system to modify the natural course of the allergic response.

The mechanism for this is multi-faceted; what’s really cool is that every probiotic—every beneficial bug—has its own pathway to affect you—the host.

Studies found in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences found probiotics modified the function of white blood cells and the chemicals they release during the allergic response.

Specific bugs, including Bifidobacterium Longum, L. Gasseri, and L. Casei, were found to regulate the TH2 response and reduce the misery for those suffering from allergic rhinitis and asthma.

In addition to this data, other studies show how beneficial probiotics re-polarize the TH2 response by shutting down the cytokines released from certain white bloods cells, including Il-4, IL-5, IL-13.

Here’s the impressive point about nutriclean® probiotics. Nutriclean® uses BIO-tract and LiveBac technologies which help deliver probiotic organisms into the body so they work more effectively. Basically, BIO-tract technology protects the probiotics throughout your digestive system to ensure more probiotic organisms reach the intestine alive.

Nutriclean® probiotics contain different strains needed to improve and resolve the allergic response.

Before you run to your favorite drugstore, consider nutraMetrix OPC-3, Isotonix® Immune, Vitamin D with K2, and Nutriclean® Probiotics.

If you are interested in getting these 4 products, here’s are the links  . . . (click on the name)

OPC-3 

Isotonix® Immune

Vitamin D with K2

Nutriclean Probiotics

See the attachment below these recommendations for instructions on how to use the isotonic nutrients. Not sure how much of each to take? Dosing and amounts vary depending on your individual needs. However, here’s my suggestions:

• OPC-3—3-4 servings (caps a day)
• Isotonix Immune—1 serving (cap a day)
• Vitamin D with K2—(1 cap a day unless your vitamin D levels are suboptimal. Strive for 70-80-90ng/ml in the blood)
• Nutriclean Probiotics—1 tablet per day. With or without food.

Isotonix Instructions

Note: It’s important to start improving the immune system before you have full-blown allergy symptoms.

If you have questions . . reach out to us at info@darienfm.com or 203-655-4494

Please send in your successes getting through the allergy season, and let us know how you’ve responded.

Here’s to victory!

Z

References: 

Ngoc Ly, Gold D, Tzianabos A, et. al., Cytokines, allergy, and asthma. Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2005, 5:161–166

Wilson D, Evans M, Guthrie N, et al., A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Exploratory Study to evaluate the potential of Pycnogenol® for Improving Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms, Phytotherapy Research, 2010

Vitamin D and 1,25(OH)2D Regulation of T cells Nutrients 2015, 7, 3011-3021; doi:10.3390/nu7043011

North American Journal of Medical Sciences 2013 Aug; 5(8): 465–468.