No, I’m not trying to name the Seven Dwarfs. These are allergy symptoms. Most people have dealt with these symptoms at one time or another. Some are absolutely plagued by them like clockwork every Spring and Fall. The histamine response sets off an inflammatory reaction in your body that can really just feel miserable.

Did you know, though, that your body isn’t suffering from a deficiency of Claritin or Zyrtec or another antihistamine or decongestant? An allergic response to a natural substance (i.e. pollen, pet dander or food) in your environment is actually a sign that you likely have an imbalance in your digestive system.

“But I don’t have any food allergies,” you might say. That may be true. Your seasonal allergies are still related to the gut. Want to know how?

“Well,” you say, “I’m dying! What can I do NOW?” I’m SO glad you asked!

In the short term, I’d definitely recommend looking for things that can help relieve the miserable symptoms — especially natural substances — because to heal, we really need sleep. Therapeutic grade essential oils, such as the combination of lemon (or lime), lavender and peppermint can really help. Lemon is a great cleanser, lavender is a natural antihistamine and peppermint opens airways and is a natural decongestant. Homeopathic remedies are also great for symptoms. Allergena makes Zone remedies that help with environmental allergies based on what plants grow in the area. In New Mexico, where juniper and chamisa allergies are rampant, the local herb store makes remedies for these, too. Check with your local herb store or homeopath for the best symptomatic relief.

I also recommend using a netty pot to flush out the nasal passages with salt water. Doing this regularly helps prevent stuffy noses, though in the midst of full-blown allergy attacks, it’s not always immediately helpful. This is more of a prevention strategy.
For long term healing, relief and getting to the root of your allergies, let me give you a little backstory first…

Your intestines are somewhat permeable, with tiny holes to allow nutrients, once they’re broken down through the digestive process, to pass into your bloodstream so that they can nourish your cells. When your system is exposed to different substances, such as antibiotics, gluten, glyphosate (chemical in Roundup pesticide), other chemicals, mercury fillings, sugar, systemic infections, parasites, candida, stress and many other inflammatory substances, these tiny holes can be ripped open and then allow larger food particles, pathogens, hormones, food waste and other toxins to pass through the intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. When this happens, your body’s immune system initiates an inflammatory response called a histamine response. This causes an “allergic” response to anything that gets through and into your bloodstream.

This imbalance in your gut is often referred to as “leaky gut” and it can be the source of a myriad of problems.

Getting to the Root
How do we heal this? You can work with a practitioner to balance your digestion. This is one area that conventional medicine, also called allopathic or “Western” medicine is not often successful. Don’t get me wrong: if you are injured and need surgery, allopathic medicine is 100% the way to go. Often, when it comes to healing the digestive system or working to improve leaky gut, they rely on prescription medications that actually degrade digestion more or only address symptoms, like allergies or acid reflux. Suppressing these symptoms can drive the imbalance deeper into your tissues and create larger issues in the long term. I strongly suggest finding a qualified Holistic Health Practitioner or drugless practitioner, with demonstrated experience working with digestive issues. They will help you balance your digestion, fix your leaky gut issues, raise your hydrochloric acid levels, stop chronic infections, address the auto-immune issues or chronic inflammation, balance your hormones, support your adrenals, thyroid, and other organs, walk you through a 10 day detox program to get the liver detox pathways cleared so you can release toxins and take in nutrients on a cellular level.

So many things can play a role in this and the list can really be overwhelming. Start simply. Take a look at your diet. Eat organic as much as possible. Look at your mineral consumption. Our foods are sadly depleted of vitamins and minerals, since often the soil the foods are grown in are depleted. And most processed and fast foods have very little, if any, nutritive value. You can do the 10 Day Detox Program that I recommend. The detox program clears the liver detox pathways so that your body can easily and efficiently release toxins and begin to take in more nutrients on a cellular level. This detoxing process is amazing because it reduces inflammation and builds up your immune system so chronic, recurring infections stop. Your hydrochloric acid levels rise, so you stop suffering with acid reflux or heartburn symptoms. Your hormones balance, leaky gut heals and your digestion eases and flows nicely.

Drink quality water. Eliminate plastic containers as much as possible. Exercise. Improve your sleep quality. Educate yourself on environmental toxins and limit those to which you are exposed as much as possible. Get outside and take in the fresh air, sunlight and natural world as much as possible. Find your joy and lower your stress. Seek out the support you need. Ask questions here. You can do this! Be well, my friends.