Allergies

Definition and Overview

An allergic reaction is a hypersensitive immune response to an adverse substance that would usually be regarded as harmless. There are many types of allergy triggers such as environmental poisons, pollens, molds, mites, animal dander, and food allergies along with countless others. As soon as the body is exposed to an allergen, natural defense mechanisms set in motion a complicated series of events involving several bio-chemicals. These chemical substances then create irritation which lets the brain know there is a foreign substance in the body. Allergic responses are generally mild, however, if you are having serious allergies, please contact your physician immediately.

Signs

Typical signs of an allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, watery or itchy eyes, tears, sneezing, coughing, itching, nosebleeds, puffy face, flushed cheeks, dark under eye circles, runny nose, swelling, hives, vomiting, stomachache, and nausea. Extreme allergic reactions are much more serious and may include constriction of the bronchial tubes or even anaphylactic shock, which could be fatal if not treated in time. Allergy symptoms may also include digestive problems such as gas, stomachache, nausea and indigestion. Some individuals may also experience swelling or irritation on their tongue or mouth.

Types of Allergens That Cause Allergic Reactions

Environmental Allergens: Chemical substances, poisons, molds, dusts and other irritants in our atmosphere, which make their way into the air we breathe, our homes, work, water, and food.

Meals Allergens: Food allergies are less common and don’t bother most individuals, however, for those that are affected, it is very important to steer clear of foods to which you are allergic. Food allergies can cause constricting of the breathing passages, hives, facial swelling and even death in extreme or untreated instances.

Typical Triggers of Allergy symptoms

The most typical allergens or triggers fit into 5 primary categories: Indoor, Outdoor, Skin, Medical and Food. If allergic, you are frequently more sensitive to one allergen than another.

Common outdoor allergen examples include plants, poison ivy/oak and sumac, pollen, mold, airborne chemical fumes, weeds, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, insect bites, and animal dander.

Indoor allergies include pet dander, air conditioning, cockroaches and cockroach shells, dust mites, and mold spores.

There are several known foods that cause allergies; these include wheat, corn, milk and dairy goods, egg whites, tomatoes, soy, shellfish, peanuts, and chocolate among others. Meals dyes, additives and pesticides have also been found to trigger allergies. If you have had an allergic response to food, see your doctor immediately.

Medical allergies are extremely serious. If you have a known medicine allergy, it is important that you communicate this to your doctor whenever you are receiving new prescriptions. Common medicines that trigger allergic responses are aspirin, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), and antibiotics for example amoxicillin and penicillin.
Typical skin allergens include latex goods such as gloves, household cleaning products, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, hair dyes, facial washes, and plants.
Allergy Symptoms and Meal Dependency

The link between food dependency and food allergy symptoms was initially reported in the early 1940s by Theron Randolph, MD. Randolph is considered among many to be the modern-day founder of environmental medicine. His analysis showed that individuals with food allergy symptoms are frequently addicted to the meals to which they are allergic to. Hypersensitivity to addictive meals develops as any other food hypersensitivity does – with a leaky intestine or improper digestion. An allergic reaction to food can occur up to 3 days after consumption thus generating the dependency on the food. The signs of withdrawal from an addictive food can be suppressed if the individual eats more of the addictive meals. This suppression of addictive/allergenic signs is termed as, “masking.”

Meals Hypersensitivity Response Occasions

Signs of food allergies can take up to 96 hours to manifest, making it challenging to figure out which meals an affected person may be allergic to. In most instances, the normal consumption of foods to which an individual is allergic to prevents these signs from occurring in a noticeable way (masking). Food allergy masking is similar to the withdrawal signs from alcohol or drug dependency. All are held at bay as long as the addict continues to use.
The most typical meal allergic reactions or signs, and the typical time it takes for them to occur:

Heartburn and/or Indigestion: 30 minutes

Headache: 30 to 60 minutes

Asthma-like signs; runny nose: 1 hour

Abdomen bloating and/or diarrhea: 3-4 hrs.

Hives or rashes: 6-12 hrs.

Fluid retention leading to weight gain: 12-15 hrs.

Convulsions and/or impaired psychological functioning: 12-24 hrs.

Backache, joint and/or muscle pain, and/or mouth ulcer: 2-4 days

Triggers of Allergy Symptoms

Overall, the underlying cause of most allergies can be attributed to dietary or lifestyle elements leading to imbalanced immune performance, leaky gut syndrome, and poisonous chemical overload. Every one of these, in varying degrees, are responsible for the development and continuation of allergies.

Imbalanced Immune Performance: An imbalanced defense system will substantially increase the risk of allergic reactions. A disturbance or imbalance of one`s defense mechanisms is triggered by repeated childhood and adult vaccinations and immunizations, and harm to wholesome intestinal flora from over-reliance upon antibiotics and steroids (particularly birth control pills). These types of medicines confuse the body and the immune system has issues distinguishing between friend and foe.

Other causes of immune dysfunction are: Inherited allergies, nutritional deficiencies, a repetitive and monotonous diet plan, chemical from pesticides and preservatives, and persistent intestinal yeast overgrowth (Candidiasis).The average diet plan of an affected person usually consists of 30 meals or much less, and also the meals which are eaten most frequently can turn out to be the foundation for food allergies.

Hurdle Performance Default: Hurdle functions are the natural defenses that keep an individual from becoming sensitized to substances. You will find 3 defense systems within the body that perform this function: digestion, mucus, and skin.

The first hurdle in meal sensitivity is digestion. If one can digest and absorb a meal, usually, he or she doesn’t turn out to be sensitized towards the meals. Inadequate digestion for any cause (infection, irritation, mal-absorption) might cause a digestive hurdle default. Undigested meal particles are then absorbed in to the bloodstream, causing an allergic response. One of the primary culprits of food allergies is really a “leaky gut.” Poor digestion, alcohol consumption, steroids, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), viral, fungal, and bacterial infections, parasites, nutrient deficiencies, extreme tension, antibiotics, and radiation, are all probable leads to a, “leaky gut.”

The second hurdle will be the mucus that covers the membranes within the sinuses and respiratory passages. Mucus shields the body from inhaled substances, (dust, pollens, dander, molds). The objective of the mucus is to trap any irritants and particles so they can be eliminated. Coughing and sneezing helps to expel the particles. If irritants are swallowed, abdomen acid and digestive enzymes usually kill them. Lack of humidity or over-exposure to environmental irritants can harm the mucous membranes and allow foreign substances into the bloodstream.

The third hurdle will be the pores and skin. Any break within the pores and skin (cut, scrape, burn, rash, or other pores and skin defect) compromises the skin and an allergic reaction might happen. Clothing, fabric chemical substances and dyes, laundry goods, cosmetics, perfumes, aftershave lotions, creams, sunscreens, and even topical medicines can set off allergic responses. Perspiration will increase the likelihood of irritation, because perspiration happens when the pores and skin are hot and also the blood vessels towards the pores and skin are dilated. Additionally, deficiencies in water and important fatty acids, ultraviolet radiation, hormonal irregularities, and tension can impair the skin`s healing process leading to further irritation and possible allergic reaction.

Poisonous Inhalants: Poisonous pollutants play a role with most allergy symptoms, and also contribute to arthritis and autoimmune illnesses. As our foods and atmosphere become increasingly saturated with pollutants and chemical substances, the body`s mechanisms for elimination of poisons can’t keep up with the chemical deluge. When key detoxification organs are unable to totally detoxify the system, a pattern of persistent allergy symptoms might develop. The constant circulation of poisons within the physique taxes the defense mechanisms, which continually strive to ruin them. An overworked immune system is never a good thing.