Article

If you are experiencing itchy eyes, a dry, raspy throat, sneezing, sinus headaches, and tiredness, chances are you have seasonal allergies.  In the spring, the earth comes alive; bursting with new growth and the wind spreads the news.  We always look forward to spring, but when it’s here, many of us claim that it makes us sick and tired.  Instead of enjoying it, we may find ourselves reminiscing that winter wasn’t so bad.

We invest a great deal of hope into spring, yet our bodies become stressed by it.  The thought of strolling in the park is enough to make us sneeze and itch.  Commercials bombard us with idyllic images of anti-allergy products.

However, we quickly adapt to the medication and soon need a stronger prescription.  There are always side effects because there is never a free ride.  The solution is already in your hands.  You contain the seed to heal.  Just shed the old skin to reveal what is fresh and new underneath.

Know thyself

Your response to allergens correlates to how balanced you are regarding eating, exercising, sleeping, and managing stress.  Actually, allergies are an autoimmune response that translates into your self against the self.  So, it makes absolute sense that when you are intact and whole, your allergies dissipate and no longer bother you; your immune system will be more vigilant in resisting those irritants.  I present myself as a test case:

For years, I suffered from allergies.  My sinus headaches, dizziness, itchy eyes and occasional less energy told me that it was springtime.  Every morning, I woke up to a cup of coffee and Allegra D 180 mg.  However, for the past three years, my allergies have been declining, and this year I have no symptoms at all!

What has changed is that I stopped taking medication three years ago because I changed my diet to include more fruits and vegetables and less simple sugary foods, and adopted a more positive attitude which helped my immune system deal better with stress.  Because I felt better, I stopped fighting nature.  I went out to my garden, in the trenches so to speak, fertilizing, weeding, mulching, and pruning without the fear or the expectation of an allergic reaction. 

Balance:  an important ingredient

It’s time to ease up on yourself and find balance in all that you do.  When feeling centered, you will feel well, and able to inhale the fresh air as you exhale the staleness.  Here are some suggestions that worked for me:

• Taper off your medication to help your body adjust to its reduction.  Of course, always consult your doctor if you have special problems.

• Exercise five days a week for 45 minutes.  Incorporate core stabilization exercises like lunges, squats, sit-ups and yoga postures to help find your balance.  Take a brisk walk, bicycle, or any other type of cardio you enjoy.

• Diet is crucial.  Keep every meal balanced with complex carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, and fruits.  Cut down on sugar because it is an inflammatory agent.  When you do have sugar, make sure it follows a protein and complex carbohydrate to dilute its effects.  It’s best to limit or eliminate simple sugars, flours, poor quality fats, and caffeine.

• To rid your body of toxins quickly, drink at least eight cups of water and eat fiber from vegetables and flax seeds and other healthy choices.

• Drink a shot glass of wheatgrass juice about four times a week to keep your immune system on high alert.

• Befriend nature: feel the earth, smell the blossoms, and feel the texture of trees and stones.

• Get into rhythm with the season.  In spring, let go of anger and resentment the way plant life lets go of everything in winter to begin again without any past consciousness.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wake up tomorrow morning feeling fresh and light in your heart, and no longer weighed down by the past?