Adjust Your Thoughts About Seasonal Allergies

Bottom Line:

For many people, the start of spring brings thoughts of blooming flowers and more time spent outdoors. For others, the first thought is whether or not they have enough tissues for =their runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing fits. Seasonal allergies in the spring can put a serious damper on your mood and ability to get outside and seize the day. Staying active with exercise and avoiding foods that make your allergies worse are a few great ways to feel more like yourself this spring. But, did you know emerging research hints that getting adjusted may also be a secret weapon in your fight against allergies?  

Why it Matters:

Allergies and allergic reactions are regulated by your nervous system. When your nervous system is stressed; it is more likely to overreact to its environment. The result? You guessed it…worsening allergies. Your nervous system has a close connection with your spine. In fact, emerging research has found a relationship between spinal misalignments and allergies. When these spinal misalignments were corrected, many patients in the study had a reduction of their allergies! We have heard from quite a few of our patients that their allergies improved after starting to receive chiropractic care. Have you experienced any improvement yet?

- Researchers have found misalignments of the bones in the mid-back correlate with allergies

- Medications such as corticosteroids and antihistamines can worsen allergies long-term

- Many people report improvement in their allergies after getting adjusted

Next Steps:

If you suffer from worsening allergies every spring, getting adjusted may help improve your quality of life. Medications often end up triggering a host of aggravating side-effects, making them difficult, if not impossible to take. So stay well naturally!  If you have been under chiropractic care and have experienced an improvement in your allergies- let us know. We would love to hear your story today.

Science Source:

Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities And Allergic Diseases.The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery 2004.

Title: Stressed Out and Sneezing

Bottom Line:

Research has shown that high levels of stress can cause your allergies to become worse. Mental stress can upset the balance of your nervous system and immune system. If your nervous system is overstimulated with stress, it can affect the response of your immune system to an allergen. By decreasing mental stress, your immune system can function better and head off many allergies at the pass.

Why it Matters:

Exciting new research has showcased how stress reduction can reduce the symptoms we associate with seasonal allergies. Meditation and chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce stress levels. And with reduced stress levels, your immune system has the potential to function at a higher level. Feeling more relaxed is something all of us could benefit from- and it may even help reduce your seasonal allergies.

- Physical, chemical, and emotional stress can cause your immune system to become hypersensitive

- A hypersensitive immune system often overreacts to a potential threat resulting in worsening allergies  

- Reduce stress, and allergies, with a stress-reducing activity like exercise, meditation, or even getting adjusted!

Next Steps:

Aside from putting you in a bad mood, being over-stressed has far-reaching effects on your body. If you “start to feel your allergies coming on” find stress-reducing activities that you enjoy. It may be reading a book, meditating, getting a massage, or perhaps even getting a chiropractic adjustment. Feeling better mentally and reducing your seasonal allergies are just a few of the benefits you can expect by lowering your stress levels!

Science Source:

Stress and Allergic Diseases. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2011.

Sugar is Fuel for Allergies

Bottom Line:

Seasonal allergies- the runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing- are never fun. You may not realize the foods you eat can make your allergies worse. Certain foods can contribute to overstimulation of your immune system, activating your allergies.  Small amounts of pollen on your fruits and vegetables can initiate an allergic reaction. So be sure to thoroughly wash your produce before eating to reduce the amount of pollen and bacteria present on their outer layers. But, perhaps the worst trigger for allergies is good ol’ fashioned refined sugar. So, contrary to popular opinion, your allergies do NOT have a sweet tooth!

Why it Matters:

Refined sugar causes inflammation and stresses your immune system. When your immune system is stressed, your allergies get worse. Talk about a catch 22! When you are suffering from a runny nose, itchy eyes and constant sneezing it is enticing to reach for a cookie or pastry. But that cookie may put you in a downward spiral of worsening allergies. Refined sugar raises your insulin levels and then causes your blood sugar to plummet. The spike in blood sugar is stressful to your body and can severely impact your immune systems’ ability to fight off allergens appropriately. And a stressed immune system is never able to function at its highest level.

- Refined sugar causes inflammation in your body and can crash your blood sugar levels

- Sugary foods put stress on your body and immune system

- Reducing refined sugar in your diet can help reduce your seasonal allergies

Next Steps:

Avoiding excess refined sugar is a great way to reduce your allergies. The next time you feel your allergies coming on, recognize it’s a body signal that your immune system is stressed out. Try avoiding sugary snacks for a few days and give your body a chance to get well. Also, if you know someone who has been suffering from allergies and has “tried everything” to get well, share this paper with them and invite them to our monthly workshop. This information may help them feel better than ever this spring!

Science Source:

7 Foods That Can Help Fight Seasonal Allergies. Prevention 2017.

What are Allergies?

Bottom Line:

The spring season not only starts to bring warm weather- but for over 20% of people, it also brings allergies! Are allergies a sign of a weak immune system? No, quite the opposite. Allergies are a common overreaction of the immune system to a natural product. Every day you come into contact with dust, mold, or pollen. Allergies occur if your body and immune system overreact and over produce antibodies to attack the material. This overreaction of the immune system is what we call allergies. The sneezing, wheezing, itching, runny nose, and watery eyes are all signs that your immune system has overreacted to a perceived threat.

Why it Matters:

When your immune system is working correctly, it should react appropriately to the dust, mold, or pollen. Each day we all encounter millions of potential allergens. The handles on the door to your office, your countertops, your keychain- the list goes on and on. Most of the time your immune system coordinates the response to these allergens, and you move along in your day not aware that your immune system is taking care of business. It is only when your immune system overreacts and creates a body signal, such as a runny nose or itchy eyes, do you stop and take notice.

- Allergies are the body signal of an overactive immune system

- Sneezing, watery eyes, headaches, and red eyes are frequent symptoms associated with seasonal allergies

- Reducing stress through exercise, diet, and adjustments has the potential to improve your seasonal allergies

Next Steps:

It’s not possible (or healthy) to avoid all forms of allergens, and besides- that would be no fun!  Just like muscles, your immune system gets stronger as it's challenged. Help your immune system stay as strong and balanced as possible by reducing stress, daily exercise, getting adjusted, and eating right!

Science Source:

Allergies and the Immune System. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2018