Every
spring we see many people enduring weeks of sneezing and sniffing as the hay
fever season sets in.
What’s more, more and more people seem
to be falling prey to hay fever. It seems that up to 12% of the population now
gets hay fever here in Ireland. The hay fever season is also getting longer
too.
Sniffing and sneezing are the most
common symptoms, but for some the problem can be worse – itching eyes, nose and
throat are often experienced, while chronic tiredness, poor appetite, nausea
and headaches are also reported by hay fever sufferers.
Hay fever is an allergy, an
overreaction of an immune system to a particular substance in the environment.
It is not known exactly what causes the immune system to react so strongly, but
the number of allergic responses is definitely on the rise, indicating environmental
and lifestyle causes. There is now a theory that our over – clean lifestyle may
be a cause to the increased allergy in children. Studies which follow children’s
health and the environment that they live in, have found that children that
live on farms are less likely to suffer hay fever than children from cities
with little or no contact with animals.
Hay fever is arguably the most common
allergy in Ireland, with up to one in four 11-21 year olds experiencing
symptoms. Pollinating trees and flowers irritate the mucus membranes in early
spring, and freshly cut grasses and weeds tend to be more of a summer problem.
Symptoms can be worse when our immune
system is not working well. Eating a diet of refined carbohydrates (white
bread, cakes, biscuits and sugar), saturated fats (animal fats), transfatty
acids, artificial flavorings and colorants,
with little or no fruit and vegetables – a common diet of to-days children will
simply not supply the nutrients that our body and immune system needs to work
optimally. Also today, we are exposed to a host of environmental toxins,
pollutants, irritants and potential allergens that were not in existence even
20 years ago.
This combination of poor diet and
continual onslaught to our immune systems from today’s environment is laying
the basis for weakened immunity.
So what can be done? If you suffer
from hay fever its best to start treatment early in the season, so that your
immune system is working well before the allergens start flying.
Begin treatment with a short,
cleansing juice fast, with drinks made from chlorophyll – rich green and leafy
vegetables to help purify the blood. Avoid fatty meats and processed dairy
products which are mucus forming. Stop sugar if possible, eliminating sugar
from the diet, including natural sugar from concentrated fruit juices goes a
long way towards helping normalize the immune system.
Herbs that can normalize, or
strengthen our immune systems should be taken before the hay fever season
starts for best results, but if it’s already started they will give excellent
results.
Two herbs which I have found very
useful in treating allergies are Reishi mushrooms and Astragalus.
Astragalus has been used by the
Chinese for thousands of years to treat allergies and weakened immunity. It can
be taken by anyone, it has very few side – effects and can be taken over a very
long time without any side – effects. It is very useful for children with
allergies.
Reishi mushrooms also have a long
history of use by both the Chinese and Japanese. It has a great reputation for
preventing cancer and normalizing ones immune system. It is very effective in
preventing allergies such as hay fever or chronic sinusitis.
David
Foley
MNIMH,
MRCHM
Medical
Herbalist
