Fall allergy season is upon us! As you may already know, allergies are an abnormal reaction by the body’s immune system to normally occurring substances in the environment. Flowers, plants, weed grasses, and their pollen in the air…you’ve no doubt experienced many allergy symptoms and know how they can negatively affect your health and your life.
Weed pollen season began in late July and will continue until the first freeze, which usually occurs sometime in December. The giant ragweed, which you can see with me in the above photo, causes severe allergies in many people, however, there are also many other different weeds that pollinate and cause airborne allergy symptoms, too. Weed pollens are airborne and can travel 400- 600 miles in the wind.
When cool fronts begin to arrive in late September and early October, they carry weed pollens from as far away as southern Kansas. 40% of Americans have a genetic predisposition toward allergy, and 20% have severe enough symptoms to need allergy desensitization treatment.
Common Allergy Symptoms
- sneezing, red, itchy, and watery eyes
- stuffy nose
- nasal congestion
- postnasal drainage
- sinus infections
- sinus congestion
- headaches
- fatigue
- sore throat
- ear infections
- chronic cough
- bronchitis
- asthma
- eczema
Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI)
You can greatly reduce and even eliminate your allergy and asthma symptoms naturally through allergy desensitization treatment. Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI) is an allergy treatment available for chemical, environmental, and food sensitivities. LDI can treat significantly more sensitivities than conventional allergy shots, and it has a much lower risk of a serious allergic reaction (like anaphylaxis) because the dose is so small. It can be used safely used in both adults and children.
We are administering LDI sublingually (under the tongue), which means you can take your dose at home – just put your allergy drops under your tongue at the designated dates and times. It’s that easy!
10 Tips to Fight Fall Allergies
1. Take Supplements to Help Fight Allergies
- Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. Vitamin C boosts the immune system and supports the adrenal glands. I recommend that you take 1,000 mg. per 25 pounds of body weight in divided doses, in the morning and evening. If you have an allergy attack, then you can increase the dose until you can control your symptoms or have stool intolerance.
- Quercetin is also helpful and can be taken with vitamin C. Both of these natural antihistamines will help block adverse effects of fall pollenosis.
- Xlear Nasal Spray soothes and moisturizes the sinus and nasal passages, and Xylitol helps kill bacteria in the sinus cavity.
- Argentyn 23 is a hydrosol silver product that works as a natural antibiotic to help kill infections. It is very effective as a nasal spray for sinus infections.
2. Neti Pot or Nasal Wash – Rinse your nose and sinuses of pollen daily with a Neti Pot or nasal wash spray to decrease your exposure to allergens.
3. Clean Air Filters and Air Vents – Clean all air vents of dust and mold. Change air filters regularly and consider using a HEPA air filter for your home.
4. Dust Mite Covers – The presence of dust mites increases the allergy load on allergic individuals. Dust mites are insects that live in our bedding, and crawl on and eat our dead skin. (If this doesn’t motivate you to invest in dust mite covers, I don’t know what will!) The average bed has 1,000,000 dust mites. Use dust mite covers for your pillows, mattress, and box spring to decrease contact with dust mites and keep them from aggravating your allergies at night. This material is so tightly bound that dust mites cannot get through.
5. Cleanse Yourself of Pollen – If you have been outside, change your clothes and shoes when you come inside so you don’t bring allergens into your home. Also, take a shower to help remove excess pollen.
6. Cleanse Your Pets of Pollen. Be sure to wipe your pets down with a damp cloth when they come indoors because they will have pollen on their fur.
7. Reduce Exposure to Allergens – Only go outdoors after 10 am, for example. Dust early in the day to give dust time to settle before you’re inside for the evening. Keep pets out of bedrooms and replace carpets with hardwood floors, if possible. When the weather starts to cool down, everyone wants to go outdoors. If you are having allergy symptoms, spending more time outdoors will only make things worse. If you do go out, late afternoon is best as the pollen counts are highest mid-morning.
8. Avoid milk, melons, and bananas in the fall. These foods are associated with ragweed pollen, and if eaten in the fall, will make your allergy symptoms worse.
9. Optimal thyroid function is key for a healthy immune system and helps improve resistance to infection. Learn about the many symptoms of hypothyroidism.
10. Optimal adrenal function is needed to ensure adequate cortisol production. Cortisol is your body’s naturally occurring anti–inflammatory hormone. Chronic allergies can lead to adrenal fatigue and low production of cortisol. When this occurs, supplemental bioidentical cortisol is a safe, effective, and natural way to relieve the inflammation caused by allergies.
I believe that you deserve a doctor and a team of professionals to coach you onto a path of health and wellness naturally, without the use of pharmaceutical drugs, so you can enjoy a better quality of life. If you’re ready to conquer your allergies and regain your energy so that you can feel your best, contact us today at 281-698–8698.
To schedule a Free Wellness Consultation with the Hotze Health & Wellness Center—call us at 281-698-8698 or visit hotzehwc.com. Click here to take the symptom checker to find out if you could be experiencing symptoms of allergies or hormone decline.
