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Body and Being
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH AND BODY CARE

Monthly articles are supplied by guest writers who explore natural solutions to health and well-being issues.

Cleanse away your allergies

by Mary Beth Watkins,
Director of Research and Development, Botanical Laboratories

(April 2005) — More than 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal and year-round allergies. An allergy is a hyperactive response of the immune system to certain substances that are “foreign” to our bodies. These substances, called allergens, can range from food and pollen to drugs and dust.

Some individuals have a greater likelihood of developing allergies than others. However, most allergies are acquired after birth when exposure to an allergen triggers the defenses of the immune system. Allergens are the trigger for allergies in susceptible people but they are not the underlying cause.

Many people are exposed to allergens without developing allergic reactions. It is the individual’s overall state of health and the condition of the body that determines whether an allergic response results from exposure to an allergen.

According to Maharishi Ayurveda, allergies result when the body has accumulated excess wastes, toxins and impurities. Improperly digested food, environmental toxins and impurities such as chemical additives, are absorbed into the body, travel through the circulation and lodge in the respiratory tissues, skin and other tissues prone to allergy symptoms.

Cleansing is an effective preventative health measure to reduce the body’s stress and toxins, and the spring season is the optimal time of year for cleansing and detoxification. In many cultures, spring is the traditional time to cleanse and rejuvenate organ systems sluggish from winter. This is especially important for those with spring and summer allergies.

It is important to cleanse the body before the allergy season begins to help prevent allergy symptoms from developing. A complete, easy-to-use cleansing program features key herbal components to cleanse, detoxify, soothe, and provide overall support to the colon and liver.

Milk thistle supports the liver which is responsible for processing substances that are foreign to our body and to make them friendly. The liver’s detoxification of chemicals and pollutants is an essential step in cleansing.

Fiber acts like a scrub brush inside your intestines, cleansing the build-up along the lining of the intestinal wall. Finally, a gentle laxative is needed to aid in the actual flushing of the unwanted toxins, which can be re-absorbed if proper elimination does not take place during the cleansing process.

Even those who cleanse regularly and eat a healthy diet may still suffer occasionally from allergy symptoms. Homeopathy provides a safe alternative treatment for the relief of allergy symptoms without the side effects or drowsiness of conventional medicines. In addition to symptom relief, homeopathic allergy medicines go a step further with the use of specific allergens.

Exposure to these minute doses of allergens allows your body’s natural defenses to gently and gradually adapt. Over time, your body becomes less sensitive to exposure to these allergens, reducing the severity and frequency of future allergic reactions.

This spring, don’t let allergies get the best of you! Cleansing and homeopathic allergy medicines can help you get the most enjoyment all spring and summer.

References: Janet Zand, OMD, L.Ac., The Importance of Fiber, 2002; and Milk Thistle, 2002.

For over 25 years, Ms. Watkins has worked in the natural products industry. Ms. Watkins majored in Chemistry with a Master’s Degree in BioChemistry from the University of New Mexico.

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