Overcoming Allergies/Asthma/Environmental illness
by Laurie Lynch, ND

Pollen and mold spores are blowing in the air causing discomfort to a majority of the US population. Allergies are more common and cause more serious health problems, both physical and mental, than is commonly believed. 

•    More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases each year.

•    As the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, allergies cost the health care system $18 billion annually.

•   The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (a condition due to allergy that mimics a chronic cold, often referred to as hay fever) has increased substantially over the past 15 years.

•   About 16.7 million visits to health care providers are due to allergic rhinitis (ISL Consulting Co., Why are Allergies Becoming More Common?, Internet).

"Asthma (a severe form of allergy) strikes Across All Age, Sex and Racial Groups" (ISL Consulting Co).  Allergies, and related conditions such as asthma, are becoming more common according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).  Asthma is the leading serious chronic illness among children. Asthma cases have nearly doubled in the last decade, according to the American Lung Association.  Scientists have found significant differences in a blood marker for allergies between parents and their children, indicating that kids today may be more susceptible to allergies than previous generations were. About 40 percent of Americans have allergic rhinitis, and when you count the other forms of allergies, that includes almost everybody.

"According to the National Health Interview Survey Conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1997: 

•   26 million Americans say they were diagnosed with asthma sometime in their life. 

•  10.6 million of these had an asthma attack in the last 12 months.

•   8.6 million are under the age of 18.

•   3.8 million of these young people also had an asthma episode in the past 12 months. 

•   Asthma accounted for over 5,000 deaths.

•   Studies show that there are many more Americans suffering from undiagnosed asthma.

What are allergies?                                                                                                                                                                .    
 "An allergy is the inappropriate response by the body's immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful"  (Balch, p. 78).  “Allergens may be inhaled, as dust or pollen, injected, picked up by contact or eaten.” (Nottingham, 91).  An allergic response can occur immediately upon exposure or days later, and can last a few minutes or several days, thus making it difficult to determine the allergen.  "Allergies are more widespread than most physicians, including allergists, realize, and they can cause far more serious health problems, both physical and mental, than is commonly believed… Allergies fall into two categories, those caused by environmental factors, and those caused by food" (Alternative Medicine, p.510).                                                                 .     

 "Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. When exposed to 'triggers' such as dust, pet dander, smoke, viruses, exercise or cold air, the 'bronchi' which are the tubes to the lungs, constrict. This hampers the flow of air to and from the lungs, making it difficult to breathe" (ISL Consulting Co). "Asthma is the leading serious chronic illness among children. Medical professionals continue to be alarmed and mystified by the dramatic increase in the number of asthma sufferers over the last decade during which asthma prevalence has almost doubled. The enormous impact on the health and well-being of those who are afflicted, and the great cost of health care related to asthma are of increasingly serious concern"(American Lung Association, ASTHMA, internet).

What are the symptoms of allergies? 
 "More Americans than ever before are reporting that they suffer from the coughing, wheezing and struggle for breath that are the symptoms of asthma" (ISL Consulting Co.).  Other allergy symptoms could include one or more of the following: sneezing, watery eyes, stuffy sinuses, fluid buildup in the ears, dizziness, lack of coordination; fatigue, asthma, muscle aches, rapid weight fluctuations from fluid retention, hot flashes, excessive sweating, heart racing or pounding, mouth or stomach ulcers, joint pain, cravings for bread, sugary foods, milk, chocolate, coffee, or tea, severe headaches, indigestion or heartburn, stomach bloat, irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, convulsions, mental disturbances, depression, attention deficit, hyperactivity,  poor memory, violent outbursts, or hallucinations.  People with food allergies are often addicted to the very foods they are allergic to. They experience withdrawal symptoms when the allergen is removed from the diet, and when the addictive substance is eaten again, the symptoms are suppressed.  The likelihood of having an allergic reaction to a specific food is directly proportional to how often it is eaten. 

What are the underlying causes of allergies?                                                                            
Allergies were once thought to be emotionally caused, however, allergies, whether to cats, dust, pollen, or smoke, have underlying physical causes even though some symptoms may be emotional. Allergies fall into two categories, those caused by environmental factors, and those caused by food, however, many environmental allergies have food allergies as an underlying cause.  The cat or pollen is not the cause, only the trigger.

•   Immune Deficiency -  "One of the primary causes of allergies is an impaired immune system…'This occurs when the immune system becomes stressed due to an overload of toxins,' says Charles Gableman, MD., a practitioner of environmental medicine in …California... Dr. Chaitow, in researching allergies, has found that a number of factors negatively impact the immune system.  These include increased toxic burden due to pollution in all its forms" (Alternative Medicine, p. 511,5122).

•   Toxic Chemicals - “Allergies are on the increase in industrial countries for example, asthma has increased by 30%, and skin allergies have more than doubled since the 1970s.  The reason for increase lies with modification to environment and lifestyle.  Hundreds of chemicals put into the environment by human activities are known to cause allergic reactions.  Identifying which allergen is responsible for a particular symptom is a difficult process. 

•   Environmental chemicals such as factory and water  pollution, tobacco smoke, mold, cosmetics, perfumes, household cleaning products, paint, gasoline, home heating oil, cooking gas; new carpet, upholstery, drapery, and clothing fabrics, new car materials, and dental fillings

•   Medicinal drugs such as Steroids weaken the adrenal glands and promote the overgrowth of fungus in the body.  Aspirin, according to the British Medical Journal, allows more of the allergy producing food to be absorbed.  Allergy shots can mask the symptoms and make the cause worse, damaging the immune system.  Birth control pills and Vaccinations can cause fungal infection and weakened immunity.  Allergy medications such as Actifed, Sudafed, Allegra, Benadryl, decongestives, and antihistamines often contain known causes of allergies such as lactose (milk sugar) and food dyes. These medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, dried mucus which can damage respiratory passages, high blood pressure, confusion, delirium, short-term memory problems, disorientation, attention deficit, hyperactivity, dry mouth, constipation, difficulty urinating, blurred vision, decreased sweating, fever, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, and glaucoma.  Antibiotics and anesthesia destroy helpful bacteria that keep fungus under control and aid digestion.  Researchers reported in the Jan. 2005 journal, Infection & Immunity, that changes in gut microflora caused by widespread use of antibiotics and our typical high-fat, high-sugar, low-fiber diet could be responsible for the major increases in cases of chronic asthma and allergies. Antibiotics further add to the confusion the immune system is facing, until the immune system is no longer able to tell friend from foe.  …This leads to fatigue and allows viruses, bacteria, and so forth to come in and play havoc" (Alternative Medicine, p. 512).  

•   Gland and organ malfunctions - When the pancreas is invaded by these poisons, it may not be able to effectively produce the right amounts of insulin or digestive enzymes, thus inhibiting digestion and nutrient absorption, disabling immune function, and contributing to the development of diabetes or hypoglycemia.  When these poisons invade the adrenal gland, the efficient production of adrenalin may be inhibited.  Adrenalin is an effective aid in eliminating allergens.  When toxins invade the spleen, its job of fighting infection and removing debris can become impaired.  When poisons enter the lymph system, the production of disease fighting lymphocytes may become inhibited, and often the lymph system becomes clogged with mucus, preventing the removal of debris. Mucus removing herbs such as Echinacea Angustafolia root, as well as a light friction massage, and bouncing exercises can help unclog the lymph system so it can do its job of removing toxins from the body.

•   Heredity -   According to Fuller Royal, MD, "The immune system may also be weakened by hereditary problems.  Usually this will be reflected in the gastrointestinal tract, so that nutrients are not able to be absorbed and utilized properly. This can set you up for food allergies.

•   Food Allergies – "Food additives have been linked to allergy, food intolerance, and child hyperactivity   According to Canada's National Academy of Science, …heating of some allergenic proteins actually increase their allergenicity" (CHB Spenser et al, p.67).

•   Nutritional Deficiencies -  Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, essential fatty acids, complex carbohydrates are all necessary for the immune system to function properly.  However, the vitamin and mineral supplements now contain chemical additives and coal tar, are made from petroleum, or are genetically engineered, all of which can be a cause of allergies and other immune deficiency diseases.  These essential nutrients have been depleted from the soil in conventionally growing practices, and replaced by toxic pesticides, herbicides, etc.  Only foods organically grown contain adequate nutrients because organic growers replace the nutrients in the soil and do not use toxic chemicals.  "A healthy body can resist allergens, but a lack of any one nutrient can increase cell permeability, allowing easy entrance by foreign substances. (Nutrition Almanac, p. 120).  The production of digestive enzymes by the pancreas"…may be impaired by specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies" (Null, p. 212).

•   Repetitive Diet and Poor Food Combining
   "'A repetitive diet can contribute greatly to the development of allergies,' says Marshal Mandell, MD., Medical Director of the New England Foundation for Allergies and Environmental Diseases.  Dr. Randolf has found that diets of allergy patients normally consist of thirty foods or less, which they eat repeatedly.  'These thirty foods then become the basis for the most common food intolerances,' says Dr. Mandell, 'if someone eats bread every day, for instance, he could easily develop a wheat allergy due to the immune system's continuous exposure to it." (Alternative Medicine, p. 512)   When cooking food, the food enzymes that aid its digestion are destroyed by heat.  When the food enzymes are deficient, the body has to overwork to try to produce these missing enzymes. This process can cause fatigue, abdominal discomfort, depression, etc. When the body has to continually produce the same enzymes, the enzyme producing organs, such as the pancreas and liver, can become worn out, and cease to produce the needed digestive enzymes.  Insufficient enzymes inhibit the digestive process and can cause a variety of allergic reactions.

•   Indigestion
   When the body is low in digestive enzymes, undigested food particles enter the blood stream and are attacked by antibodies, causing various immediate or delayed reactions.  Digestion is also inhibited when food is improperly combined causing putrification to occur, along with the build up of harmful bacteria, poisons and carbonic.  Indigestible foods such as junk foods, heated and hydrogenated vegetable oils, and animal products, adhere to the walls of the intestinal tract, preventing absorption of nutrients. Mucus forming foods such as dairy products and wheat also prevent nutrient absorption by coating the intestinal tract with excess mucus. As undigested food putrefies, the toxins produced by the putrification process seep into other parts of the body, damaging glands and organs that contribute toward the digestion and immune processes. When indigestion  prevents the essential fatty acids from promoting the integrity of the cell membranes, toxic chemicals can seep through these membranes to damage cells through out the body.

  "'Leaky gut syndrome', or excessive permeability in the digestive tract, is another major factor that can lead to allergies, according to Dr. Braly.  'In these cases, he explains, 'the immune system reacts to particles of partially digested foodstuffs… that leak into the blood stream through the gut as if they were foreign material.'  Among the causes of leaky gut syndrome, Dr. Braly cites poor digestion, alcohol consumption, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs…, viral and bacterial infections, parasitical infections, vitamin, mineral, amino acid and/or essential fatty acid deficiencies, excessive stress, antibiotics, premature birth, Candidiasis, and radiation. 'These are all factors that one should consider and bring under control as part of an overall approach for treating allergies,' he advises. ...Food can pass through the digestive tract into the blood stream and then to the brain, causing an allergic response  that can trigger exaggerated cerebral palsy symptoms,'; Dr. Mandell explains"  (Alternative Medicine, p. 512).
  
  When babies are fed formulas and solid foods in their first year, before their digestive system has matured, they are unable to digest these foods, and could develop allergies as a result.  "Not only is the baby unable to digest… baby foods, but they contain salt, sugar, fillers, and other chemicals that young babies do not need and which are detrimental to them… During the first year of the baby's life, he can only efficiently digest… the food elements present in mother's milk." A study conducted by Dr. ER Kimball showed "…that the longer the duration of the baby's breast feeding, the lesser the incidence of allergy… It was also found that in the rare cases where babies developed allergies when fed breast milk alone, the allergy subsided and disappeared as soon as the foods to which the baby was sensitive were eliminated from the nursing mother's diet.  …early intolerance to certain foods may 'set the stage' for later development of a sensitivity to other foods" (Airola, p. 141)

•    Fungus (molds, yeasts, Candidiasis)
   Fungi, such as yeast, mold, Candida, Thrush, etc, emit toxic chemicals such as acetaldehyde, a relative of the infamous formaldehyde, which suppress T cells, paralyze lymphocytes, damage cell membranes, and further confuse and damage the immune system, thus damaging other parts of the body and contributing to various allergic and toxic reactions.  

  Dr. Rogers, a leading expert on Environmental Illness explained that Acetaldehyde "disrupts cell membrane function and alters protein synthesis... depresses the citric acid cycle, disrupts collagen production and the function of...junctions along nerves.  Also, acetaldehyde raises havoc with cell membranes making them stiff.   For example, red cell membranes have to be very soft and pliable to squeeze through small capillaries.   When acetaldehyde damages and stiffens them, they can't scrunch up to squeeze through the small capillaries in the hands, feet, or brain.  Hence, cold extremities, irritability, and mood swings.  Dr. Horrobin also found a marked change in amino acid and fatty acid synthesis (major components of cell walls).  Dr. Iwata found a substance produced that suppresses T cells...Dr. Witkin found lymphocytes are paralyzed by a serum factor" (Environmental Illness Syndrome, Sherry A. Rogers, M.D. p177.).

  The take-over of the body by what is normally friendly yeast native to the intestines can be caused by medications such as antibiotics, birth control pills, prednisone, anesthesia, immunosuppressant drugs, as well as hormonal imbalances, junk food, sweets, acidic and fermented foods and beverages, milk products, gluten (contained in wheat), and animal products which are treated with antibiotics and/or growth hormones; and by nutritional deficiencies.  Disinfectant soaps, mouthwash, air fresheners, and cleaning products also kill the good bacteria that normally keep the fungi under control, so the fungi over proliferate, damage the immune system and are a major cause of allergies.

• *  Genetically Engineered Foods 
   Allergenic proteins can be created. "When recombinant DNA techniques are used to introduce new genes into a food producing organism, those manipulations can inadvertently alter the levels of proteins that are normally present in that organism. If the expression of an allergen or immune-irritant increases substantially, it may reach concentrations within the food that could induce serious allergenic responses" (J. Fagen, Internet). Studies suggest that allergenicity in plants is connected to proteins involved in defense against pests and diseases. Thus, transgenic plants engineered for resistance to diseases and pests may have a higher allergenic potential than the unmodified plants.  According to FDA scientists, “We cannot assume that all gene products, particularly those encoded by genes from non-food sources, will be digestible.  … If the genetically engineered protein appears to be resistant to digestion, this could increase concern about immunologic or allergenic potential” (FDA Documents), (“Rats ability to digest was decreased after eating GM corn.” A. Pusztai, Internet)

Genes that express protease and trypsin inhibitors are often engineered into plants to control pests.  “These molecules form complexes with particular animal and microbial digestive enzymes, preventing them from breaking down proteins” (Nottingham, 91) .  Logical thought would conclude that these digestion inhibitors could be a cause of allergies.  “The cells in the GMO (genetically modified organism) can begin to manufacture proteins… in much higher levels,…  in incorrect quantities or at the wrong times,… or they may contain entirely new foreign proteins, bacteria, or viral constructs that humans have never eaten before… some of which are toxic” (R. Cummins, p. 21).  The biotech proponents suggest that the foreign proteins in the genetically modified foods are good for you. Their spokesmen lump all kinds of proteins into one class- "protein, the essential building block of life".  But they fail to explain that there are many different kinds of proteins, the right proteins in the right balance are essential for life and the wrong proteins, or proteins in the wrong balance can be fatal, or cause varying harmful side effects. Remember, Mad Cow Disease was said to be caused by a reaction to a foreign protein!   “Proteins are a major cause of allergic reactions, and virtually every gene transfer in crops results in some protein production.  Proteins will be coming into food crops not just from known sources of food allergens, like peanuts, shellfish, and dairy, but from plants of all kinds, bacteria and viruses, whose potential allergenicity is … unknown.’” (R. Cummins, p. 37) Immunological reactions in humans can and do occur against DNA fragments as evidenced by the autoimmune disease SLE. In this disease, antibodies are produced against DNA fragments and nucleoprotein released from dying cells. This results in a Type III Immune Mediated Hypersensitivity Reaction. In fact, there are a small number of potentially self-reactive cells with access to their respective auto antigens such as human thyroglobulin, myelin basic protein and DNA normally present in the body. The only thing holding them in check normally is properly functioning homeostatic mechanisms that have obviously gone astray in conditions such as SLE and Rheumatoid arthritis. Immune complex glomerulonephritis is another condition associated with the production of antibodies against DNA and DNA-protein etc. In patients with SLE, immune complex deposits containing antibodies to single stranded and double stranded DNA have been detected in the kidney tissue (Sharyn Martin, PhD, IMMUNOLOGICAL REACTIONS TO DNA AND RNA, PSRAST).   "As food becomes more synthesized, through the use of genetic engineering, the problems of allergic reactions from foods are unlikely to diminish” (Nottingham, p. 92).

•  Pollen from transgenetic crops, collected by bees, may lead to allergic problems for consumers of honey.   A study conducted at Leicester University, for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Britain, showed that transgenetic pollen proteins could remain active in honey for several weeks” (Nottingham, p. 92).

•   GE Starlink corn has been shown to be a cause of allergy in numerous people because “a special protein in the corn… breaks down slowly in the digestive system,…  (and if not properly digested) might induce allergic reactions.” (P. Brasher, Internet).  Starlink was said to be unfit for human consumption by the FDA and allowed only for animal feed, but it has been mixed in with other corn and could be in any processed food containing corn.  Any GM corn could cause allergies.  17 people reported allergic reactions after eating corn products to the Center for Disease Control and Protection.  They were tested for sensitivity to a special protein in the corn, but the tests were negative.  Finger, a 57- year-old optometrist, said he had hives in his throat so severe that he couldn't breathe after eating tortillas.  “Some of the scientists questioned the effectiveness of the test and why the government had not sought out more potential victims by contacting doctors around the country. Federal officials said they lacked the money for wider-ranging tests.”  (P. Brasher, Internet).  "This was an exercise by the government to whitewash and approve something that is not good for us,” said Finger.(B. Chase) .

•    GM soybeans had a significant increase in a known allergen (trypson inhibitor) (Pusztai, Internet)..

•    In 1998, when the US greatly increased the imports of genetically modified soybeans to Britain, British scientists “…reported  …an unusual 50% increase in soy allergies” (R Cummins p. 38).

•    “Brazil nut DNA, if gene-spliced into conventional soy beans, could induce potential fatal allergies” (R. Cummins, p. 36).

•   GM Bt spray -   A 1999 study suggests that crop pickers and handlers exposed to Bt spray can develop allergies to it, so people eating Bt-containing plants might do as well.” (Yount, p. 14, 15)   A study of farm workers before and after exposure to Bt pesticides sprays “…did find that a number of the workers exhibited skin sensitization and presence of IgE and IgG antibodies (which) are components of an allergic response… Bt crops have far higher levels of endotoxin in the grain and leaves than do…Bt sprays.” (Dr. Hansen, Internet).   There have been 3 studies suggesting Bt sprays affect allergies. The authors are concerned because "approximately 75 percent of asthma cases are triggered by allergens and morbidity and mortality due to asthma have increased considerably over the past 20 years" (Bernstein et al, quoted by Dr. Hansen, Internet).  Herbicides and Bt toxins kill beneficial soil microbes and promote the growth of toxic molds and other fungi, which can be incorporated into the food chain.  This can result in lower nutrition in the plants, and the overgrowth of fungi which can cause immune deficiency problems such as severe allergic reactions, arthritis, brain and nervous system damage, and cancer.  

 “Although most of us know what foods trigger our …allergies and how to avoid them, … if genes from another organism can be inserted into a food plant, we won’t be able to recognize those allergy-causing foods. Gene foods cannot be tested for allergenicity, because allergic reactions depend on previous exposure” (HO p146). 

What are the conventional treatments and their harmful side effects?

•  Allergy shots can mask the symptoms and make the cause worse, damage the immune system and result in more viral, fungal, and bacterial infections.

•    Allergy medications such as Actifed, Sudafed, Allegra, Benadryl, decongestives, and antihistamines often contain known causes of allergies such as lactose (milk sugar) and food dyes. These medications can cause a variety of symptoms such as dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, dried mucus which can damage respiratory passages, high blood pressure, confusion, delirium, short-term memory problems, disorientation, and impaired attention… dry mouth, constipation, difficulty urinating, blurred vision, decreased sweating with increased body temperature, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, and glaucoma. (Worst Pills Best Pills, p. 305)  (PDR).   Aspirin, according to the British Medical Journal, "… allows more of the allergy producing food to be absorbed" (Balch, p. 80).   Some of the symptoms of allergy and other diseases (runny nose, cough, fever, etc.) are the body's way of healing itself. When these symptoms are continually suppressed by drugs, the body looses it healing capacity, and more chronic disease set in

•  Steroids - "Like all medications, corticosteroids carry a risk of side effects. Some side effects can cause serious health problems" (www.mayoclinic.com/health/steroids/HQ01431).
  
  Side effects of oral corticosteroids
  "Because oral corticosteroids affect your entire body instead of a particular area, this form is the most likely to cause significant side effects" (www.mayoclinic.com/health/steroids/HQ01431)). Possible side effects could include
  * Elevated pressure in the eyes (glaucoma)
  * Fluid retention, causing swelling in your lower legs
  * Increased blood pressure
  * Mood swings
  * Weight gain, with fat deposits in your abdomen, face and the back of your neck
  * Cataracts
  * Diabetes
  * Increased risk of infections
  * Loss of calcium from bones, which can lead to osteoporosis and fractures
  * Menstrual irregularities
  * Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production
  * Thin skin, easy bruising and slower wound healing
  
  Side effects of inhaled corticosteroids could also include coughing, hoarseness, dry mouth and sore throat.  "Some researchers have speculated that these drugs slow growth rates in children who use them for asthma" (www.mayoclinic.com/health/steroids/HQ01431).
  
  Side effects of topical corticosteroids could also include skin, red lesions and acne.
  
  Side effects of injected corticosteroids could also include Side effects may also include pain, infection, shrinking of soft tissue and loss of color in the skin near the site of the injection.
  
  Steroid Psychosis - A paper by Richard C.W. Hall, M.D., "Psychiatric Adverse Drug Reactions: Steroid Psychosis", reported on a 1979 study done by him and colleagues, as well as newer studies, indicating that steroids can alter the central nervous system, alter the sodium potassium pump and ion flux across membranes effecting ATP and Norepinephrine metabolism, negatively affect cells in the hippocampus and limbic neurons in the brain., increase Norepinephrine uptake in cells of  the limbic system and cerebral cortex, injure neurons, effect carrier proteins, decrease central nervous system serotonin levels, alter cyclical AMP, cyclical GMP, acetylcholine, dopamine and endorphins in the central nervous system.. 
  
  Symptoms of steroid psychosis could include agitation, anxiety,.apathy, cerebral hyperexcitability, delusions, depression, dysphoria, distractibility, disturbances of body image, emotional liability, hallucinations (auditory and visual), hypomania, increased irritability, insomnia, memory impairment, mood swings, mutism, organic brain syndrome, perplexity, pressured speech, sensory flooding, and pressured or driven thought processes.

What are the safe, effective natural methods of eliminating allergies and chemical sensitivities?
 "Allergy sufferers don't need to despair, however.  Proper diet and nutrition, combined with other alternative approaches, can relieve and reverse allergies, even after conventional approaches have failed" (Alternative Medicine, p. 510).  According to Dr. Wilkinson, "In order for true healing of allergies to occur, it is necessary to address their cause rather than just treat the outward manifestations or symptoms… This involves identifying the substances a person is allergic to and eliminating them from the diet and the environment.  At the same time the body needs to be purged of toxins and the immune system needs to be stimulated… Among the therapies which have proven most effective in treating allergies are diet and nutrition, herbal medicine"  (Alternative Medicine, p. 513).  I found that there are ways of eliminating or minimizing many of these causes, and strengthening the body to cope with the rest. The body has amazing healing powers of its own, but when it is overwhelmed by too many causes at once, then it breaks down and allergy and other diseases occur.  

Total elimination of allergies requires the following steps:

•   Find and eliminate the underlying causes of allergies. The first step in any health building program is to determine which of the myriad of possible causes pertains to you.  This can be facilitated by a Wellness Consultation.  You can test yourself for food, and other, allergies. The pulse test seems to be the most effective and can be done by taking the pulse, before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after eating a food, then 30 minutes after, then 90 minutes after. If the pulse rate changes more than a few beats, that can indicate allergy.

•   Avoid chemicals and allergy-causing foods. Chemical pollutants need to be avoided as much as possible.  If you smell something that you feel could cause a reaction, hold your breath and run for the nearest exit!

•   Nourish weak glands and organs back to health with the right nutritional supplements.

•   Kill off fungus that cause allergies, as well as harmful bacteria, virus, tumor cells, and some parasites with the right herbs and nutritional supplements.

•   Cleanse out toxins and mucus with the right herbs.

•   Improve digestion by eating properly.

•   Cleanse and regulate the intestinal tract. with the right herbs.

•   Rebuild the immune system.  The immune system can be strengthened and rebuilt with the assistance of specific herbs.

•   Improve  nutrition by: (a) avoiding harmful foods such as sugar, white flour, caffeine, alcohol, all dairy products, animal products, salt, heated and hydrogenated vegetable oils, vinegar, wheat, black and white pepper, and restaurant and processed foods since they may be genetically engineered and contain toxic chemicals.  (b)  Eating only organically grown foods, (c)  Eating helpful foods such as fresh, raw vegetables and fruits, sprouts, avocados, whole grains, beans, tofu, raw nuts and seeds. The Nutrition Board recommends 2 servings of fresh raw fruit, 2 servings of whole grains, and 4 servings of fresh raw vegetables a day. 

A Wellness Consultation with Laurie Lynch, N.D. will provide a program and schedule that will help your body to heal itself in a few months, so all the herbs and nutritional supplements won't be needed anymore.  It's essential to stick with this program strictly for a few months until healed.  However, once the body has healed, going back to the same life style that caused the allergies may eventually bring them back again, so proper eating habits should be continued moderately.  Remember, it's what you do most of the time that matters, after healing, cheating on the diet occasionally will not do irreparable damage, only minor discomfort.  When the body is functioning correctly, it tells you when you've eaten something harmful by producing fatigue, gas, mucus, and/or abdominal pain. 

As the body begins to heal, it goes through what we call a healing crisis.  Toxins, dead cells, and other debris are cleaned out of the tissues, emptied into the blood stream, and then to the organs of elimination to be excreted from the body.  While these toxins are in the blood stream, discomforts may occur, such as headache, fatigue, drowsiness, nausea, skin eruptions, emotional problems, coughing, runny nose, etc. Do not think these symptoms are an allergic reaction to the herbs; they are just the body's way of house cleaning.  Total healing cannot occur when these toxins continue to remain in the body. A healing crisis may last from 3 days to 2 weeks, depending on the strength of the body.  According to Herring's Law of Cure, as healing begins; symptoms disappear from the top down, from the inside out, and in reverse order of their coming.  So while you're healing, you can expect to be up and down like a yoyo for a few months or so.  The average healing time is said to be three months plus an extra month for every year you've been sick.  I was sick all my life with just about every thing, but I got rid of all these illnesses in about three months.    It may be uncomfortable at first, but soon your bad days will be much better than your good days are now, and, if you follow this program closely eventually you too can enjoy good health and boundless energy.  The body must be fairly strong to eliminate toxins, so if you feel sick after a period of health and energy, you can assume it's a healing crisis, but if you feel sick after overwork or excess stress, then it is likely to be a real illness.  Either way, a good way to relive a healing crisis or cold, allergy reaction, etc. is to take a detox bath.

  It helps to keep a journal of how you feel every day, because when you're in a healing crisis, you may forget that the day before, you felt better than you ever did, and be tempted to discontinue the healing program.

Sometimes all this wonderful information on how to become healthy can be just as overwhelming as learning about the causes. I found that a Wellness Consultation helps to determine the most important causes to eliminate and the right nutritional supplements to use to accomplish this. Included in a consultation is also a list of foods to avoid, helpful foods, and ways of combining them that can facilitate the healing process, and how to detoxify safely, all written out in order of priority. I also found specific visualization exercises to be extremely helpful to make the healing process easier, and to realize self worth to aid motivation.

Anyone interested in a Wellness Consultation and/ or visualization, motivation session can reach Dr. Lynch at THE LIVING WELL HEALTH & EDUCATION CENTER, 3342 Legion Rd. Hope Mills, NC  28348, (910) 426-5159

 References:
1.  James Balch, MD, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Avery Publishing Group
2.  The Burton Goldburg Group, Alternative Medicine, Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 1994
3.  E.I. Syndrome, Sherry A. Rogers, M.D.
4.  Paavo Airola, ND, PhD, Health Plus Publishers, 1979
5.  Laurie Lynch, ND, PhD, Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods, 2002
6.  Gary Null's Complete Guide to Healing Your Body Naturally, Mc Graw-Hill Book Company, 1988
7.  Paul Saltman, et al, The California Nutrition Book, Little, Brown and Company, 1987
8.  Louise Tenney, MH, Nutritional Guide, Woodland Books, 1991
9.  Nutrition Search, Inc, Nutrition Almanac, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1984
10. ISL Consulting Co., Why are Allergies Becoming More Common?, Internet
11. American Lung Association, ASTHMA, internet)  
12. Physicians Desk Reference
13.  (www.mayoclinic.com/health/steroids/HQ01431)
14. .Richard C.W. Hall, M.D., "Psychiatric Adverse Drug Reactions: Steroid Psychosis" (www.drrichardhall.com/steroid.htm),

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