Allergies
What are Allergies?
An allergy is an exaggerated immune response or reaction to substances that are generally not harmful to others. The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. It also reacts to foreign substances called allergens, which are generally harmless and in most people do not cause a problem. But in a person with allergies, the immune response is oversensitive. When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals such as histamines, which fight off the allergen. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, hives, rashes and other symptoms, which vary from person to person and can range from mildly annoying to slightly painful to potentially fatal (in the case of latex, for instance). They may also make certain medical disorders – like sinus problems, eczema and asthma – worse. Many common conditions such as headaches, fatigue, depression, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome or learning disabilities may be triggered by allergies or sensitivities to foods or chemical odors.
Who is Affected?
Allergies are relatively common with at least one out of every five Americans suffering from either seasonal allergies or an allergy to foods, like milk, corn, soy, peanut or gluten. Both genetics and environmental factors play a role. A specific allergy is not usually passed down through families (inherited). However, if both of your parents have allergies, you likely will, as well. And, the chance is greater if your mother has allergies.
Some patients who believe they have celiac disease but test negative for the disease may have allergies to wheat or gluten. Patients who suffer from menstrual migraines or premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may have allergies to their own progesterone.
Common allergens include pollen, such as grasses, trees or weeds, mold, pet dander, dust, dust mites, food, smoke, chemicals.
What Are the Options for Treatment?
At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, we naturally treat the immune system by training it to respond appropriately to the allergens that affect each individual patient. This is done using sublingual desensitization, a safe and effective alternative to traditional allergy shots that uses orally administered drops or pills. A safer, less invasive approach to managing allergy symptoms, it is also more convenient – as it can be self-administered by the patient – and has been shown to cause no anaphylactic shock, a potential side effect of immunotherapy injection. And recent studies published in prestigious medical journals validate what we at the Magaziner Center for Wellness have known for nearly 25 years: Sublingual desensitization significantly reduces the symptoms of hay fever and nasal allergies, as well as the need for medication, and is especially recommended for children.
Other key factors in treatment include evaluation for environmental toxins and heavy metals, reduction of fungus and yeast in the nasal passages and intestines, and a rebalancing of a “leaky gut”. Since the majority of our immune response to allergens exists in our intestinal tract, a healthy gut environment is often essential to recovery in many cases of chronic allergies. We utilize immune-modulating natural substances to build your body’s natural defenses to combat the symptoms of allergies.
