Seasonal allergies

The sun is finally shining, flowers are blooming and, like Calvin, many of us are beginning to sneeze our heads off right??
Yep. Its allergy season.
But, why is it that some of us find ourselves suffering for months each year while others aren't phased by the seasonal change at all?

There can be many factors involved with the cause of seasonal allergies. One of the most important things to address is the immune system. Most of us dealing with allergies have an out of balance immune system. Without getting too complicated, our immune systems have two different types of T cell responses, Th1 and Th2. Our Th2 activated cells respond to toxins, allergens, and parasites, whereas Th1 activated cells respond to viruses, cancer, and intracellular bacteria. We want to have a balance of both Th1 and Th2 activated T cells. If Th2 is too dominate we have all the wonderful symptoms that go along with seasonal allergies. Because of our western lifestyles, most of us tend to be Th2 dominant, thus overreacting to allergens and often under reacting to viruses etc. This is not a state we want to be in, so how do we go about balancing our T cell immunity?? Here are few ideas....

How can we increase the Th1 immune response?

1) Get an adequate intake of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are seriously lacking in the standard american diet. We can obtain Omega-3s through a diet rich in cold water fish and dark green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables and algae.

2) Vitamin A, found in cod liver oil, cooked carrots, squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes

3) Vitamin E is an important antioxidant and induces a Th1 response

4) Another activator of Th1 is Garlic... yummy

How do we decrease the Th2 immune response?

1) Decrease the amount of white sugar in your diet as it will directly weaken the Th1 cells and resistance to all infections

2) Decrease the amount of trans-fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, found in much of the heated and processed vegetable oils Americans consume on a daily basis.

3) Heal your gut... a healthy balance of intestinal flora decreases Th2 and increases Th1. So get those probiotics either from naturally fermented foods/drinks and/or a good quality supplement.

A few other things to consider....

1) Bioflavonoids, such as Quercetin, help to decrease the inflammatory response brought on by allergies. Quercetin stabilizes the cells that release histamine so we don't have the allergic response when we come in contact with the allergens.

2) Make sure you're getting enough sunlight, water and exercise on a daily basis. These things all help to boost your Th1 immunity.

3) Make yourself a big pot of Nettle tea to drink throughout the day. Yep... that's right the stinging nettle plant we all hate to come in contact with makes an excellent anti-allergy drink. Look at the tea section in your local health food store... chances are, you'll find nettle tea. Or for all you brave folks, go out and collect some nettles yourself... with gloves of course. Often bags of fresh nettles are sold at farmers markets as well. Just boil some water, add the fresh or dried nettle leaves, let steep for 10 minutes or so... add a little honey if you like and enjoy. If its too hot outside for hot tea, make up a big batch, add some honey and lemon slices and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.

BPA

What is BPA?
BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical that has been used for more than 40 years in the manufacturing of many hard plastic food containers such as baby bottles, reusable cups, and water bottles, as well as the lining of metal food and beverage cans.

What does BPA do in our bodies?
Low levels of BPA have been found to have significant biological effects on our bodies. Its mode of action appears to mimic that of the female hormone, estrogen. For this reason, BPA belongs to a group of chemicals termed hormone disruptors or endocrine disruptors, which are able to disrupt the chemical messenger system in the body. Research suggests that BPA exposure may be responsible for:

1. The decline in sperm counts and increase in male infertility problems
2. Increased rates of hormone related cancers
3. Birth defects of the reproductive tract
4. Earlier puberty in girls
5. An increase in hyperactivity and behavioral problems
6. Increased adipogenesis in children after weaning (leading to obesity)
7. An increased incidence of insulin resistance (leading to Type II diabetes)

How can I avoid exposure to BPA?
1. Use beverage containers that are "BPA free" such as those from Klean Kanteen

2. Check the bottom of plastic containers for the triangle symbol. If you see “PC” (usually in or near the recycling triangle) that signifies polycarbonate plastic, containing BPA. Often a number “7” on the bottom in the recycling triangle, by itself, also means the material is polycarbonate, but not always. To be safe, avoid #7 plastic. Choose plastics labeled #1, #2, or #5 in the recycling triangle, but never heat beverages or food in plastic containers of any kind.

3. Avoid canned foods and canned beverages: Unfortunately, BPA can leach from the lining of metal cans into the foods and liquids contained within. Whenever possible, purchase food/drinks in glass containers. The one exception to this rule, is canned bean products from the company Eden Foods

4. Use glass to drink from and store food in whenever possible

5. Use only BPA-free products and toys for your children

Why is BPA still in products?
At the federal level, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has put BPA on a regulatory fast track, along with five other chemicals of concern. Even with that initiative, it may be years before protective guidelines are released. Currently in Oregon and Washington, legislators are pushing to get BPA out of our product stream and out of our bodies sooner than later, but until then we, as consumers, need to be aware of what we are buying and putting into our bodies on a daily basis.

Want to read more about the current legislation regarding BPA?
Safe Baby Bottle act of 2009
Oregon groups, legislators support new FDA guidelines on reducing exposure to bisphenol A
Let's Get Rid of BPA Products In Children's Products in 2010

wool socks for your woes...

Lions and tigers and SWINE FLU? Oh my!! Fortunately, we are past the peak of this year's swine flu outbreak, but will soon be in the midst of the seasonal flu and boosting the immune system is going to be extremely beneficial as we enter into the holiday season. There are many things we can do to boost our immunity, but one of my favorite ones is a simple at-home treatment called warming socks:

The warming socks treatment is recommended at the first sign of any upper respiratory congestion. It is helpful in sore throats, ear infections, headaches, migraines, upper respiratory infections, coughs, bronchitis, sinus infections, and/or maintaining overall wellness.

This treatment works best if repeated for at least three nights in a row, or as instructed by your physician. Warming socks are best done before going to bed, leaving them on while sleeping. It's an especially effective and easy treatment for children during nap time as well.

Supplies:

• 1 pair white cotton socks
• 1 pair thick wool socks
• Towel
• Warm foot bath or warm bath
  

Directions:

• Warm feet first in a bath by soaking feet in warm water for 5-10 minutes or taking a warm bath or shower.
  
• Take a pair of cotton socks and get them wet with cold water. Wring the socks out thoroughly. You don't want them dripping wet. (ankle socks work well for this... there is no need to have the wet socks above your ankles)
  
• Lie down. Place cold wet cotton socks on feet. Cover with thick dry wool socks. Cover up under your blankets to avoid getting chilled.
• Keep the socks on overnight or as long as you can. The wet cotton socks will warm up quickly and be dry in the morning.

Effects of the Warming Socks Treatment:

This treatment works to reflexively increase the circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head and throat. In addition to this, the treatment has a sedating action and many patients report that they sleep much better during the treatment. It's effective for pain relief and increases the healing response during acute illnesses.

sock picture via flickr

prevention?

I wanted to share this little tidbit that I recently came across in the British Medical Journal (Feb 2009) from a study regarding breast cancer screening and whether or not it is as beneficial as we are led to believe. The study looked at 2000 women, screened regularly (via mammography) for 10 years. The findings were:

If 2000 women are screened regularly for 10 years, one will benefit from the screening, as she will avoid dying from breast cancer. At the same time, 10 healthy women will, as a consequence, become cancer patients and will be treated unnecessarily. These women will have either a part of their breast or the whole breast removed, and they will often receive radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy. Furthermore, about 200 healthy women will experience a false alarm. The psychological strain until one knows whether it was cancer, and even afterwards, can be severe...

How lucky do you feel I guess? I'm not trying to shed a negative light on the use of mammography... but it is helpful to know the facts ahead of time. If anyone is interested in reading more here is the article.

The important point I want to get across in bringing this up is really that getting screened for breast cancer via mammography is not preventative. It is just that... screening. It is a way to know sooner rather than later that the cancer is already there and growing. True prevention would be changing our lifestyles now... all you young women reading this take a moment to think about this please... research suggests that cancer takes 10+ years to develop before it can even be detected on a mammogram and/or felt on a self breast exam. I would argue that it takes even longer than that, but that's another post in itself :)

So, that means the best prevention is to take care of ourselves NOW. How? The easiest way is by establishing homeostasis/balance within our bodies...

1) Nurture your body's natural rhythms: go to bed (and wake up) at the same time each night/morning, sleep in total darkness to ensure the proper release of melatonin each night (VERY important), move your body regularly, and take time to breathe deeply and slowly.

2) Avoid exogenous hormones which stress the liver and can significantly increase your risk for cancers (especially breast): Buy organic, grass-fed, free-range meat, eggs and diary products whenever possible, consider hormone-free birth control options (copper IUD is a possible option)

3) Eat your fruits and veggies every day: broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that directly combats breast cancer by converting the cancer-promoting form of estrogen into a more protective variety.

4) Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in the diet: It is important to have a good ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Interestingly, the standard American diet is way too high in omega-6 fats so we often need to supplement with omega-3s via fish oil, ground flax seeds etc.

5) Getting your daily vit D: Get outside and be in the sun (sans sunscreen) and/or supplement with vit D. Getting adequate levels of vit D can significantly reduce your cancer risk!

6) Play. Studies suggest that being under stress may as much as double your breast cancer risk. So, take time to nurture yourself. Discover what makes your heart smile and do it... as often as possible!

painting above from here