Millions of people dread the onset of spring because of seasonal allergies. So much so that many people associate spring with a lifetime of torture. Springtime can be miserable for allergy sufferers because they deal with runny noses, sneezing, irritated eyes, itchy skin, asthma, coughing, wheezing, and congestion. However, there are things you can do to mitigate or even reverse allergies.

Allergies are a hypersensitivity to the nervous system, which adapts the individual to the environment. Any symptoms, including allergy-related symptoms, indicate that there is something wrong behind the scenes. Symptoms are simply warning signs that should be addressed. There are many underlying factors to consider.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic seeks to correct subluxations and improve the function of your nervous system. Since your nervous system controls every function in your body, it stands to reason that an improvement in this system can resolve a multitude of symptoms. There are thousands of anecdotal accounts of patients’ allergy symptoms alleviating after getting under regular chiropractic care. Several studies have supported this phenomenon.

A 2004 study showed the following, “1,028 people had some form of allergies (the most common was atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma). X-Ray evidence and physical exams proved that 98% of these allergy patients had remarkably similar vertebral misalignments in their mid-back. Over 88% of the people with dermatitis who received consistent spinal adjustments showed massive improvement in skin itching, and over 71% showed improvement in overall skin condition. Compare that to 0% improvement of the patients who did not receive adjustments. (1) (2)

Gut Health

Your gut is critical for overall health. However, too many Americans have put their gut under assault with abundant processed foods, toxins, heavy metals, medications, and stress. All of these things can cause an imbalance between the “good” and “bad” bacteria in the delicate microbiome (dysbiosis). Once disruption in your microbiome occurs, it leads to a leaky gut.

A leaky gut, in turn, causes massive inflammation, which leads to symptoms like asthma, allergies, skin conditions, cancers, autoimmune diseases, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, joint pain, mood disorders, and more. Similarly, underlying food sensitivities can manifest as symptoms related to allergies because this also results in a leaky gut.

Liver

The same poor lifestyle choices mentioned above also significantly affect your liver which is responsible for detoxification. When your liver gets overwhelmed, a chorus of hormones are affected, which triggers an immune response. This response can often appear as allergy symptoms. Support your liver by avoiding alcohol, avoiding toxins, drinking plenty of clean water, exercising, and avoiding processed foods (especially processed carbohydrates).

Parasites

Parasites can also be a contributing factor to allergies. Parasites are ubiquitous, and most people have no idea they even have them. Parasites like helminths (roundworms, echinococci, and Toxocara), giardia lamblia, and other parasites are the main culprits. These parasites are incredibly prolific, disrupt many of the body’s processes, and affect many organs. Problems arise because parasites deplete the body of essential vitamins and minerals, cause the immune system to go into overdrive, produce waste products that accumulate and essentially poison the blood and lymph, wreak havoc on the delicate intestinal microflora, and reproduce rapidly. (3)

Specific symptoms that can arise as a result of parasitic infestations are:

-skin disorders like eczema, dermatitis, acne, rashes

-lung issues like asthma and bronchitis

-itching

-cold-like symptoms like coughing, fever, runny or stuffy nose, swelling or reddening of the eyes

-fatigue

-decreased appetite

-prone to colds/flu

-intestinal disorders ‍

‍Histamine

Histamine is an essential neurotransmitter, is involved in the breakdown of food, and initiates inflammatory responses. The gastrointestinal issues previously described can lead to histamine intolerance, as can certain medications and several foods. However, the accumulation of histamine to very high levels can also contribute to allergies. An elimination diet (avoiding high histamine foods) for 1-3 months can be used to see if symptoms improve.

Other natural solutions:

Bee pollen.  Bee pollen has proven helpful under the premise that exposure to an allergen like pollen will allow the body to gradually and naturally build up a tolerance to it gradually and naturally, thus avoiding a severe reaction.  

Neti pot.  A Neti pot uses warm salt water to flush out your nasal passages to remove allergens, mucus, and debris.  

Xylitol-based nasal sprays.  These sprays use natural xylitol to kill bacteria and to help moisturize the nasal cavity.