| So the summer has finally arrived... The time of | | | | this you may want to see a Naturopathic |
| BBQ's, lounging in the park with friends and | | | | Nutritionist to tailor a diet for your needs. |
| unfortunately for some, the itchy, puffy, swollen | | | | Probiotics (acidophilus and bifidus) have been |
| eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat that are all | | | | shown to reduce the immune response in the gut |
| associated with hayfever. How can you help | | | | wall by mediating certain inflammatory pathways |
| yourself to get through this trying time? We | | | | and chemical messenger release in the body. |
| asked CNM Naturopath Debbie Cotton to give | | | | Taking a course of probiotics in a good dose |
| some advice... | | | | range may help to get the immune reaction down. |
| Inhaled and ingested irritants can add together to | | | | The contingent nutrients Rutin and Quercertin |
| create that lovely hay-fever effect in the body. | | | | along with Vitamin C have been shown to have a |
| The mucous production that your nose and eyes | | | | regulatory effect on inflammation and histamine |
| creates is only to protect the body from a | | | | release. Supplementing with these may also help |
| perceived threat. So in turn the body is only doing | | | | to alleviate some of the nasty symptoms |
| its job, buts its being a bit hyper vigilant about it. | | | | associated with hay-fever, and regulate the |
| The trick is to find out why. | | | | immune and inflammatory response. |
| One of the biggest tools that we have as | | | | There are many herbs that can help minimise the |
| Naturopaths in reducing and alleviating hay-fever is | | | | immune reaction of hay-fever, but it is always |
| looking at diet. Removing irritants from someone's | | | | best to get a herb prescribed for your specific |
| diet takes a lot of stress off the body, and it | | | | needs. Homeopathic remedies also often have |
| slows down the hyper immune reaction. Wheat | | | | great results in clearing up hay-fever. There are |
| and diary are often highly implicated for being | | | | many complexes available at health food stores, |
| irritants to the mucosal membranes in the gut | | | | but these sometimes might be a bit 'hit and miss' |
| wall, which in turn affects the mucous | | | | in their actions, as they are not formulated for |
| membranes in the nose and eyes, but every | | | | you personally. |
| person is different so you may need to find out | | | | Alleviating some of the symptoms of hay-fever |
| what food is slightly irritant to you. Once you | | | | this summer may still be possible if you get on |
| have worked out what it is in the diet that is | | | | top of it now. Otherwise, start a plan now with |
| affecting you, try removing it for a while to give | | | | the long term goal of having a hay-fever free |
| your body a break and see the difference. To do | | | | summer next year! |