Seasonal Allergies
11-04-2009
Springtime in Kentucky is one of the Earht's most allergy-inducing events. Read more about why, and what you can do about it.
Here, during spring, we get lots of airborne allergens. There's tree pollen, which reaches its peak while the trees are blooming, which most of them do before they get leaves. Lots of our trees here are wind-pollinated, so they don't have showy flowers to attract bees and the like-- just little ones that produce tons and tons of pollen that drifts through the air in the hopes of colliding with another flower of the same species.
Then there's pollen from flowering plants of all different kinds. Most of your spring plants are pollinated by insects, so even though they often get blamed for the allergies people have, it's frequently the fault of some other, less-conspicuous allergen.
As the rains set in, you get less airborne pollen, but the dampness and he warmth can really make the mold become prolific. Since many individuals with sensitive systems are allergic to mold as well as tree pollen, this can be a seamless transition from one type of allergy to another. For others, the onset of wet weather will either bring relief or make matters worse.
As summer comes on, grasses and wind-pollinated plants (ragweed, especially) begin to fill the air with pollen again. By the time they're done, it's fall, and the leaves become a great source for more mold spores.
Central Kentucky seems to be an especially allergenic place. I hear people say, frequently, that they never had allergies until they moved here, or that their allergies are alleviated whenever they travel. This probably has something to do with our warm but wet climate, and the fact that so many species (of plants and mold) flourish here.
Allergies happen because the body is having an immune/inflammatory response to these airborne substances. When the pollen or spores stick to the lining of the sinuses, eyes, throat, lungs, etc., they trigger the production of histamine and some other substances (leukotrienes and prostaglandins to name a few) that in turn trigger all the symptoms we associate with allergies.
Sometimes, people treat allergies by trying to eliminate a specific allergy to a specific substance, as for instance by injecting or ingesting small amounts of the substance. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't, but the biggest problem is that it can be very difficult to tell precisely what you're allergic to. Lots of environmental allergens come on at once, and so-called "allergy tests" are pretty unreliable. The approach I've had the most success with is in trying to change how the body reacts to the allergens around it, whatever they are, and giving the immune system the means and opportunity to adapt to the presence of these allergens.
In their mildest manifestations, allergy symptoms consist of irritation of the eyes and sinuses, and excess production of mucous. In their worst form, these symptoms can lead to bronchial spasms and severe respiratory problems, and the irritation can open up the way for a bacterial infection to get started, resulting in pneumonia.
For someone with mild allergies, taking a natural antihistamine like jewelweed or dyer's crotal can be effective for preventing most symptoms, and if the symptoms do present, then a decongestant antiinflammatory herb can be used-- such as ginger or mint.
Just keeping the inflammation down and allowing the body to be exposed to the allergens in the course of normal activities is sometimes enough to desensitize the immune system to the allergens. Sometimes not. In other cases, it can be helful to also use an immune-modulating herb such as astragalus or reishi. These change how the immune system works in such a way as to make allergic reactions less frequent and less severe.
In a person with more severe allergies, such as the type that leads to asthmatic type symptoms, it may be necessary to use stronger antiinflammatory herbs to prevent inflammation, and possibly a different type of decongestant that works by stimulating the kidneys and adrenal glands, such as extract of black tea, broomweed or ephedra. Such a decongestant should not be used unless symptoms are already present, as these can interfere with normal sleep cycles, especially if used continuously.
For allergic people who are very susceptible to lung infections (such as anyone with a history of repeated pneumonia, or anyone using drugs that suppress the immune system, or a very old person, or an infant), exposure to allergens should be minimized (filter your air with a hepa filter and don't go outside as much if you can help it). Thyme, taken as a tea or fluidextract, can help to prevent or aid the body in overcoming the presence of bacteria in the lungs. It's quite a strong antibacterial, and has little effect on beneficial bacteria elsewhere in the body.
Getting through allergy season can be difficult for some, but there are treatments available that can often make a big difference, not only to how strongly your symptoms show up, but to how your body responds to allergens in the future.
