Allergy Testing

If you deal with the itching and burning of eczema you know all too well how uncomfortable it is. However, a solution may be found in the form of Chinese healing herbs.

Three new studies, presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, suggest that traditional Chinese herbal treatments might be helpful for both children and adults.

Eczema is the name used for a broad range of skin inflammation (dermatitis) and can happen at any age, though its most common in infants. By three years old eczema will disappear in half of infants, the others are stuck with the troublesome condition for life.

Up to 20% of children and from 1-2% of adults are thought to have this very uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing skin problem.

No one knows exactly what causes it, though an issue with the immune system could well be to blame... especially in the case of atopic dermatitis

A different form of eczema, known as contact dermatitis can be caused when the skin comes into contact with something in the environment like soap, clothing, detergent, cosmetics or jewelry (even sweat) that causes a reaction from the skin.

Eczema has also been known to flare because of changes in temperature or humidity, or even psychological stress.

When it comes to treatment, a doctor looks at the patient's age, overall health and type of eczema involved. Creams and ointments are often used to keep the skin hydrated, avoiding over bathing and making other lifestyle changes to stay away from triggers are also important to keeping this condition under control.

There are over the counter antihistamines that can be used to control the itch. Sometimes a short course of oral corticosteroids is used to manage an acute outbreak.

A pair of topical medications have been approved by the U.S. FDA: tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel). However, an FDA warning in 2005 about these drugs cited animal studies that linked them to some types of cancer. Because of this, your doctor will use these medications only as a second line therapy - after getting no response from other forms of treatment. Even if you are given these medications, you'll only take them for a short time.

Perhaps because of the need for relief not achieved from traditional treatments, as many as 30% of those with eczema have been prescribed traditional Chinese medication, though there are still questions about whether this non-western approach works, and is safe.

In an effort to address these concerns, researcher Julia Wisniewski, MD, of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York studied 14 children who had persistent eczema and were treated with traditional Chinese medicine between August 2006 and May 2008.

All the children drank Erka Shizheng Herbal Tea two times a day, soaked in an herbal bath for at least 20 minutes, and applied an herbal cream to their skin several times a day.

They also had acupuncture treatments. At the beginning of the study, more than half of the children had severe symptoms; after 8 months of this regime, most had mild symptoms. Participants also needed less medication (steroids, antibiotics and antihistamines) after only three months of being treated.

The herbal treatments were safe, and caused no abnormal liver or kidney function.

When it comes to adult eczema, a team of Japanese researchers found that grown ups can also benefit from traditional Chinese medicine.

This work involved 274 men and women who had dealt with eczema for an average of 12 years. About a third had symptoms that were classified as severe or very severe, with patches of chronically dry, itchy, inflamed skin over about ten percent of the body.

After three to four months of treatment with herbal remedies that had been selected and administered based on the subject's symptoms, 87% of the subjects were symptom free. Another 12% were very much improved. One patient in the study had mild abnormalities in liver function that resolved by stopping the herbal therapy.

The third study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Cincinnati who tried to find risk factors for developing childhood eczema by following 636 infants of parents with allergies.

By age 4, babies with parents who had eczema had double the risk of having the skin condition than did other infants. Babies who tested positive for egg allergies (a fairly well known link to eczema) at age 1, were four times more likely to have eczema at four years old.

Those who tested positive for cat allergies (and had a cat) at age 1, 2 or 3, were more than 13 times more likely to have eczema by age 4 than other children. Pollen was also shown to be a risk factor for eczema - children who tested positive for elm allergies at age 1, 2 or 3 had about three times the chance of having eczema by age four.

So if your little one has eczema and is around a cat (dogs seem to offer a protective effect) or you live in a wooded area, you may want to consider allergy testing.

In all areas, while more work is needed, these three studies offer encouraging results and suggest if you suffer with eczema, or know someone who does, then there may be answers for them in Chinese healing herbs or TCM.

After dealing with vertigo for years and finally seeing an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, I discovered my problem was mostly related to allergies. The rigorous tests the doctor performed included a balance test, an Electronystagmography, which is a test to look at voluntary and involuntary eye movements. It evaluates the acoustic nerve, which aids with hearing and balance. I also had the usual round of allergy testing.

My doctor didn't discover or uncover anything drastic, but now that I know vertigo is related to allergies, when the dizziness sets in, I break out my sinus and allergy medications. The bouts of vertigo have drastically reduced in number and severity.

Allergies affect most of us. Some deal with the runny nose, sneezes and watery eyes. While others of us experience the unsteadiness that vertigo brings. Whatever the symptom, following these tips will help us in our move towards an allergy free season.

To control pollens and molds avoid:

o Humidifiers -humidity promotes the growth of mold.
o Wall paper and carpets in bathrooms - mold can grow under them.
o Mowing the law

In your homes and automobiles:

o Ventilate bathrooms, basements and other dark, moist places where mold can grow.
o Use air conditioning: it removes excess air moisture, filters out pollen from the outside and provides good airflow and circulation throughout your home. Change filters monthly.
o Drive with the air conditioner on
o Keep house doors and windows shut during pollen season.

To control animal dander:

o When pets must be inside, don't let your pets sleep in the same room with you.
o Bathe pets and wash pet bedding at least once weekly to remove dander and collected pollens.
o Use a high-efficiency particulate air filter in the bedroom.

To avoid and/or control dust mites:

o Don't use ceiling fans, this stirs and spreads the dust.
o Dust and vacuum weekly
o Remove wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedroom.
o Cover mattresses and pillows with allergy-proof cases to stop the invisible dust mite allergens.
o Wash bedding in hot water each week to kill the microscopic mites.

Introduction

Just what is Idebenone? Those of you who have inquired into this compound will see that the internet is awash with all manner of bizarre and fascinating claims; a more advanced version of coq10 is a common claim, a more biologically available version of coq10 another - one site even purports (not a surprise since they sell just coq10) that idebenone is a synthetic, Indian chemical totally unrelated to coq10 and intrinsically dangerous. Confused? Smartnootropics to the rescue.

Mechanism

Idebenone is a short-chain quinone in comparison to coq10 a long chain quinone and as such possesses both superior bioavailability and a faster peak plasma concentration profile. Idebenone is a potent antioxidant which is currently being investigated for its therapeutic role in neuromuscular disorders and unlike coq10 has demonstrated an ability to renew cellular ATP levels in abnormal conditions through cytosolic-mitochondrial shuttling. Idebenone also increased learning and memory in mice studies and has been claimed to activate NGF in the human brain. Finally Idebenone has been shown to uprate the production of the life-extending enzyme: superoxide dismutase in specific cortical regions.

Uses

• May benefit neuromuscular disorders


• Improves memory and learning and may increase brain dopamine levels


• Has been indicated to accelerate the turn over of the neurotransmitter serotonin.


• Powerful antioxidant


• May improve age related mitochondrial decline


• Increases production of superoxide dismutase

Issues

At high doses idebenone has demonstrated an ability to cause cellular death via genomic DNA fragmentation, however the study dose would be near impossible to match in-vivo and lower doses exhibited no such toxicity. Idebenone has also been theorised to stimulate oxygen radical production in mitochondrial electron transport and some now label it a "pro-oxidant" capable of accelerating the aging process - it is unclear whether its antioxidant profile and production of superoxide dismutase are sufficient to counteract this process or whether an additional antioxidant (ALA) could sufficiently nullify idebenone's pro-oxidant capacity.

Dosage

Idebenone is well tolerated and doses range from a mere 70mg up to 200mg or greater. As always one should err on the side of caution and begin with an allergy test.

Experience

I cannot comment on Idebenone's antioxidant capacity. From a single 150mg dose daily for a week I experienced a noticeable increase in energy and positivity I would normally associate with an uprating of the neurotransmitter serotonin. No side effects were noted. Due to the possible pro-oxidant nature of this chemical I intend to suspend further testing until more research has been completed.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, has made it official the CDC now reports that 1 in 100 children are autistic. A study conducted by the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) found a staggering 1 in 63 children were reported to be autistic and the rate climbed to 1 in 38 if the child was a boy! Even more frightening is that 1 in 6 infants have developmental delays. The rate of ADHD has now reached levels of 1 in 10 children; this can be easily verified by talking with most elementary school teachers. Why is this epidemic exploding within our modern society? More importantly what can be done that is safe and effective to help these children? It is vital that parents are provided an understanding of these disorders, what affects the health of their child's brain and metabolically what can be done to restore health.

One approach that is gaining ground is biomedical care for children with autism, ADHD, OCD and behavioral problems. Biomedical care for these disorders is a science-based, metabolic approach to treatment. Everyone is now agreed that psychotropic drugs do not treat the problem; they simply reduce or suppress some of the symptoms. It would seem that a better choice is to address the underlying metabolic issues and health problems in these disorders. The primary guiding principle then is simple: remove what is causing harm, and add what is missing!

Research is now demonstrating that children with these disorders often have an exaggerated response to specific foods, airborne allergens, toxic chemicals and metals in our environment. It is well documented that they often lack various nutrients, enzymes, anti-oxidants, and essential fatty acids, and that they require methylation support. The combination of these factors leads to or aggravates neuroimmune dysfunction causing low-grade inflammation in affected brain tissues. This state of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in the brain causes the nerve cells to not communicate properly with one another. These disorders have aptly been called disconnection syndromes, one area the brain is not communicating well with other areas leading to symptoms in cognition, emotion and behavior.

A partial outline of possible biomedical care for a child with one of these disorders:

1st: Laboratory tests through blood, urine and stool are performed to rule out any frank pathology and provide vital clues on what road to take for real healing.

2nd:The diet is improved along with specific dietary restrictions. A primary dietary goal may be a casein and gluten-free diet, along with removal of sugar, preservatives, and food additives.

3rd: Specific laboratory IgG food allergy testing may be performed to identify other food allergies that could be leading to brain inflammation, and then remove these foods from the diet.

4th: It is vital to identify any problems with maldigestion, malabsorption, and dysbiosis through specific laboratory tests such as comprehensive stool analysis. Then improve GI function by overcoming any dysbiosis and leaky gut problems, a primary source for chronic inflammation in these disorders.

5th: At this point specific supportive nutrients for autism and ADHD are added, depending on what has been found on history, exam and clinical lab.

6th: Support methylation and sulfoxidation-sulfation inadequacies and other cellular detoxification pathways

7th: Chelation of heavy metals can have marked benefit once all other factors have been addressed.

Allergy testing has been progressing for over 100 years. Doctors and scientists have a difficult job looking to find the root causes of those symptoms such as running nose and streaming eyes, among several others. One third of Britons (around 19 million people) develop allergy symptoms, and are looking for effective answers through allergy testing.

Treatments and vaccines for hay fever, asthma and food allergies have failed to live up to expectation despite the huge amount of money we spend on them, and sufferers are left wondering where all the money pumped into research over decades has gone.

A high percentage of doctors and researchers are baffled at certain causes of allergies in many patients. Some people do react to certain events that trigger a group of reactions in their system, while the exact same events might not have any effect on others whatsoever. The difficulty in pinpointing the exact reason why someone is allergic to a particular food, insect or even house is a very complicated situation.

Many doctors advise that 'blood allergy testing' has to be employed to find out which allergy you suffer from, which takes longer than skin prick tests - but is extremely accurate. With the sheer amount of complex allergies in society today, it is a difficult and slow process finding out their source. Those who suffer allergies may have to wait a few decades for allergists to come up with answers.

There are several methods of allergy testing that are effective, quick, and cheap, but don't expect any miracle cure - as you will only be given advice on altering your lifestyle. These tests look for 'Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies' in the human system for allergens like pollen, common dust mites, indoor pollutants and pet dander. Variations of these tests like skin prick food intolerance testing are used to examine the complex subject of food allergies. Food allergy testing kits are said to be very accurate in their results, but it's surely better to seek advice from a doctor before you purchase one these kits.

Finding allergy testing centres in your area is straight forward. You can ask your own doctor or practice nurse if you are registered with a GP. A health visitor or school nurse can give you good advice about testing and effective Allergy Relief, or even your local family health service authority where you live. Failing that, just pop down to your local hospital reception or speak to a pharmacist.

Allergy testing kits are available to buy in chemists and on the web that will give you your results in a short period of time. Basic skin prick testing is painless and it's usually the first test advised by specialists when allergy symptoms are present. Taking antihistamines and various other medications like inhalers are prohibited for up to 1 week before the skin testing start day.

A very small droplet of allergen is placed on the skin inner forearm. Up to 30 allergens can be tested on the one arm, which is marked in various areas so the tester knows which allergen those results will come from. Using a specially designed very sharp lancet, the skin is lightly pierced at an angle of 90 degrees directly on top of the allergen drop. Simple, painless and quick diagnosis.

The main advantage of this type of testing is that results normally takes up to 25 minutes. A visible raised wheal and red flare activity on the skin means that the tester can effectively eliminate a realistic cause for allergic symptoms, or diagnose you as positive for an allergy.

Allergy Patch Testing

Another relatively easy way to test for allergies is 'patch testing', which is carried out to determine whether allergies are present through dermatitis (Eczema). Tiny droplets of allergen are spread in a 'Vaseline mixture' which is applied to small metallic discs. These discs are usually taped on the patients back area, and left there for a few days. The patient comes back to the specialist after 2 days for removal and inspection in case of swelling and redness.

After another 2 days, the back is thoroughly scanned for signs of skin reaction to the small amounts of allergens that were applied there earlier. 'Atopy Patch Tests' (APT) on the skin can also be implemented to find out if reactions to foods are present. They are usually used to identify other allergens such as metals, rubber/latex and certain beauty cosmetics. Please note there are several more allergy testing methods available today.

People who are trying to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR are required to take and pass a course in order to be certified. The American Heart Association and the Red Cross are the organizations that usually offer certification courses. In these classes, students learn the required protocols and must pass written and skills tests in order to receive their certification. That's one reason CPR practice tests are made available.

When you are enrolled in first aid or CPR classes you receive clear concise instruction on how different procedures should be carried out properly in order to help a victim. The instructor will demonstrate the different components of CPR in a class and allow you to practice on manikins to improve your skills. You will be allowed to take CPR practice tests to be sure that you understand the information in written and practical form before taking the actual certification tests.

Upon successful completion of CPR training, you will receive a card to carry that shows you are CPR certified. The certification is good for one year at which time you must renew it. The reason for renewing annually is because if someone receives their certification, but never uses it, they may forget some of the important protocol that could do more damage than good. This particular certification is one that should be renewed to keep the information fresh in the minds of those that will be performing the tasks. The guidelines change as well for certain aspects of the CPR certification. The annual renewal makes it possible to keep everyone up to date with what is required in proper CPR techniques. The best study aids to prepare for the CPR certification are the CPR practice tests that are available. They are multiple choice and can help you learn how to answer the questions and what type of questions you will most likely be asked. Your certification depends on your wealth of knowledge in the area and how to use it.

Along with CPR training, you can acquire first aid and AED, or automated external defibrillator certification. All of these skills can go hand in hand in helping you help others. These can contribute to complete emergency situation preparedness. You never know what emergencies can crop up in a location or situation. Being certified and keeping up with your certification through classes, CPR practice tests, skills testing and continuous learning will make you a valuable resource to someone who is experiencing an emergency situation.

Do you often experience dizziness and wonder why do I feel light headed? If so the real reason could surprise you! Find out now the 3 most common reasons for constantly feeling light headed and what you can do about correcting this aggravating and life altering condition.

3 Reasons Why you're light headed!

Low Blood Pressure - Quite often the feeling of light headedness and seeing stars or feeling dizzy is a direct result of a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain. Now low blood pressure is often not the actual cause in of itself but just another symptom. You will have to dig deeper to root out the real reason your body is experiencing low blood pressure.

Undiagnosed Allergy - This is a very common situation where a person eats a specific type of food regularly such as wheat or dairy and is in a constant state of reacting at all times. The only real true solution for this scenario is to eliminate the aggravating food itself from the body. A good start is to go on an elimination diet and remove all the common allergens such as dairy, wheat, corn, eggs, soy etc.

Adrenal Fatigue - This is in fact the core problem for an individual who suffers from light headedness. You see when your adrenals are burnt out through a variety of causes such as stress, ongoing allergies and poor sleep/diet habits your adrenals will begin to go into a state of weakness where it can be very difficult for them to recover from.

The most common symptoms an individual will experience who has adrenal fatigue is exhaustion even when they wake up, low blood pressure, weakness, shortness of breath, increased incidence of allergies and brain fog where concentration is severely impaired.

I would suggest doing some research and getting an accurate diagnosis for what's really causing your symptoms. The ideal method is to use something called EDS testing or electro dermal screening, it's a very popular way of testing for various conditions, specifically allergies, however you will need to check with a naturopath or alternative practitioner as conventional doctors are not familiar with them. Alternatively naturopaths will often use a detailed questionnaire to determine the most likely cause of your current health symptoms.

I'm seeing lots of skin cases lately. I love these cases because I have huge amounts of personal experience with eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema and even ringworm. Dyshidrotic eczema is an irritation that occurs on the palms of hands and soles of the feet where clear, deep blisters pop up that itch and burn. They seem to be worse with sunshine exposure. Man, do these ever itch. As a child I was hospitalized for this and generalized dermatitis several times.

I believe the core cause of most skin diseases are: food or contact allergies, improper food combining and malabsorption/maldigestion, parasites, viruses, yeast and emotional distraught. Children internalize a lot of emotions and I was no different. At age four or five, I was once put into a straight jacket to control my self-mutilation which was causing secondary bacterial infections in my skin. The nurses were not happy with me.

I guess what bothered me most about the whole skin treatment process as a child, was that not one doctor asked me what I wanted to do and what kind of treatments I would be comfortable trying. They talked to my mother and ignored me like I was some kind of deaf-mute. I felt used as they dispensed the latest and greatest treatments that they knew of, occasionally doing a regime of antibiotics, steroids, creams and lotions containing urea and things that stung, along with bowel cleansings and hospitalizations.

Because of how I was treated, I feel it's important to allow children to be a part of their treatment protocols, so I spend a lot of time during my consults listening to the children tell me what they think. I take pride in knowing that when given a choice of who they want to go see for their ailments, often children will tell their parents they want to consult me (either in person or by phone.) They know that I will empower them to choose techniques they feel will help them, and they like it when they can communicate with their parents more effectively about what they are thinking.

I found as a young adult that I was more accurate in listening to my body about what it liked than the doctors and their allergy tests were. Gee, when a kid almost vomits at the smell of hot dogs or gags on their cream of wheat, it's a pretty good sign there is a problem with the food... The body is rejecting it.

I remember one food elimination trial where I was only allowed to eat rye-tack for a week in an attempt to clear out my body for some allergy testing. I think it was harder on my mom than it was on me to tell me I couldn't eat with the rest of the family. "Wouldn't you like another piece of rye-tack?" She'd ask with a pained look on her face.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to see your own child get stuck with 40-50 needles for the testing process they used to do for allergies. These days they do allergy testing using blood. I do it through tapping into the body's energy field with a process called muscle testing.

Fortunately I grew out of some of my food allergies, but I now manage allergies to sulfites, nitrates, MSG, antibiotics, phenol, formaldehyde, squirrels, guinea pigs, nuts, peppers (which cause fibromyalgia signs), pollens, environmental toxins, paints, petrochemicals, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and who knows what else. These allergies show up in a variety of ways in my system, but the easiest symptoms to control are the skin symptoms.

In general, here is what I've found works best for skin symptoms such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, dandruff and ringworm:

1. Bathe and wash your hair daily: Up to 30% of all the toxins we produce in our bodies are expelled through the skin. During heavy pollen times, it's best to shower before you go to bed to wash off the pollens from your hair, as huge amounts of pollens stick to your hair. If we don't bathe daily, we are loosing the battle. Using dechlorinated, soft water is the best choice. Bathing is easy to do for humans, but let's face it... it's difficult to give your pet a bath every day. We can only do the best we can with them with diet and supplements.

2. Eat for your blood type: This is an excellent choice of treatment for allergies, arthritis, autoimmune diseases and for acid stomach syndrome (also known as GERD.)

3. Add Udo's Choice Oil blend capsules or the Udo's Choice bulk oil to the diet.

4. Support the adrenal glands with products such as Drenamin簧 and raw adrenal glandulars. Manage stress and cut back on stimulants such as sugar, coffee, tea and sodas.

5. Support the liver by eating lots of raw and cooked dark green vegetables.

6. Treat the underlying viral or parasitic core causes of psoriasis with homeopathics, appropriate immune builders and wormers.

7. Increase dietary zinc. I most often recommend raw, hulled pumpkin seeds--about one tablespoon per day, but I also dispense a lot of Standard Process Lab's Zinc Liver Chelate supplement.

8. Change your pillowcases often. As the pollens get on your pillow from your face and hair, you smash them into your nose and face making your body even more sensitive to them. If you wake up in the morning all stuffed up, you might also want to toss those pillows into a hot clothes dryer once a week for 20 minutes to get the pollens, molds and dust mites out of them as well. Some pollens can travel up to a couple miles, so it doesn't make sense to get rid of some plants and trees from your yard when your neighbors won't be getting rid of theirs.

9. Use a Neti Pot: A neti pot is a nasal cleansing pot that looks like a little tea pot which you fill with mildly salty water. You run the water in one nostril and out the other. Sounds really gross and I've never tried it, but many of my clients with sinus allergies swear by this item. They say it really works to keep their sinuses clear and that since they have been using their neti pot they have their sense of smell back which had not been working for years.

10. Find out which oils are best to use on your skin after a bath or shower. Often this is olive, cold pressed sesame or sunflower oil. Also, Avon Silicone Glove is just an awesome product to use on your hands as a lotion. It takes the abuse of hand washing for those who need to wash their hands often and even though it has a scent to it, it seems to work well for allergic people.

11. Do emotional clearing work: Many allergies have to do with traumas from your past and how these traumas have stored in your body as emotional cysts. Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are quite good at managing and even eliminating some allergies. Please remember that pets pick up on human energy. If you are suffering, most likely they are too!

12. Fast: A 5-Day water only fast does wonders to detoxify the body and to kill off yeast which is often the underlying cause of many skin diseases. Always do fasting under the supervision of someone well-versed in this procedure. (There are some contraindications to water-fasting.)

13. Try Allergy Nosodes: These homeopathic drops do wonders for eliminating allergens from your body. We use Professional Complementary Health Formulations nosodes and have lots of great results with them. My favorites are for food additives, sick buildings, lawn and garden chemicals, grasses and pollens and tree pollens. Tinea-Aid is the best ringworm alternative treatment I have ever come across and can be used for both human and animal ringworm. Vaccinosis Nosode drops do a great job of getting residual small pox vaccine contaminants out of your system (especially for atopic dermatitis) and Bacterial System Immune Stimulator drops do a great job of attacking and removing the different types of Staphylococcus causing oozing, pus and acne in skin cases.

14. Manage the environment as best you can. One can't do much about your hereditary predisposition to allergies, so the next best thing is to minimize, eliminate and manage the environmental influences surrounding the allergy sufferer.

So, make a list of everything you are exposed to including: supplements, medications, cosmetics, soaps, cleaners, detergents, perfumes, cigarette smoke, pets, aerosols, work environment supplies and odors, hobbies, household smells, molds, insects, foods that you eat and drink and anything else you can think of that you may be exposed to on a weekly basis. An alternative medicine healer should be able to go through your list using muscle testing to determine which things you can use and which are causing more problems.

You are the best doctor you have. I was gifted with having skin challenges most of my life. These challenges taught me to listen to my body and to trust it. With a little education and some new ideas and perspectives, you can do this to--and have your life back. If I can do it, you can too! I promise.

The fast would probably have been first used by our ancient predecessors in their early attempts to treat illness. After all, it makes sense to give the body a rest from the daily rig ours of the digestive processes.

The benefits of fasting are without dispute. Throughout the known history of every civilization, race and culture, fasting has featured significantly for both religious and health reasons. Even religious fasts were based on sound physiological principles. The ancients knew that it was difficult to think good thoughts when the body was overloaded with toxic rubbish.

In animals, the abstinence process is instinctive. As a result, not only will the animal fast and rest, when it is sick or injured, but it will also avoid eating any food which may be harmful to it. This is not quite the case in domesticated animals, as they can acquire the bad habits of their owners, if given the chance. Unfortunately, human beings (especially those living in modern industrialized societies), have had their basic sensory mechanisms blunted by the unnatural processing and extraordinary diversity of the Western diet. As a result, we are no longer, instinctively, able to recognize what is good for us and what is not. If we could, there would be very little sickness in the world today and, certainly, the ever increasing problem of masked multiple allergies would simply not exist.

Many people, these days, experience toxic overload, to some degree, due to:

Habitually eating more food than is required for the body's needs.

Poor quality, processed foods, which impose a strain on the digestive and assimilative functions of the body.

Lack of exercise, which reduces the detoxifying capacities of the liver and kidneys, and affects the excretory efficiency of the bowels and bladder.

Allergy sufferers have these problems further aggravated by the additional toxins permanently present in their bodies, as a result of allergenic substances. A primary cause of allergy illness is food allergy. Obviously, if a sufferer stops eating he will feel better.

The fasting process:

When we eat, or engage in physical activity, our food must be broken down into component nutrients and then built up into cellular tissue, or energy supply. The residue must be collected and eliminated. If allergenic food is constantly ingested, toxicity will accumulate, resulting in discomfort and illness. This is further exacerbated by too much food, containing excessive, unusable matter. Fasting, therefore, allows the continuation of the brief cleansing period that takes place during sleep. It is important during a fast to rest as much as possible, so that all available bodily energy can be directed to the cleansing process. With no food in the gastrointestinal tract and no tension in the muscular or nervous systems, this can take place with maximum efficiency.

During the fasting process, the body lives on its stored reserves. These are contained in every cell and every organ, in the form of glycogen in the liver, protein in the blood and lymph, stored fat, (even in thin people) and assorted food elements in the bone marrow and glands.

One of the incredible things about the fasting process, is that in a few short days, the accumulated toxicity from years of illness can be obliterated due to the body's incredible capacity to recover. The temporary suspension of its digestive and eliminative labours, increases this capacity greatly. In no time at all the body is relatively clean, thus allowing food testing to commence.

The cleansing action taking place during the fast results in the toxic residues being eliminated in many different ways. Bowel and bladder movements are considerably reduced. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to drink copious quantities of water. However, a litre of pure water per day, should be the average intake, with more if necessary, depending on the state of health of the individual. Elimination through the ears, nose, mouth and pores will continue constantly throughout the fast until all toxins are consumed. The tongue, in particular, will take on a concentrated 'furriness' and this is a good indication that toxic elimination is working properly. After a few days, this will pass.

It is important to understand that a fast is the quickest way to clean the body and recover from an overloaded, toxic, allergy inducing state. This means having no food at all if it is to work effectively, in the shortest possible time. Partial fasts, such as the grape diet, are not really fasts at all and, although a single food diet will facilitate valuable cleansing, it will obviously take longer to achieve. The body cannot metabolize nutritional intake and, at the same time, effectively break down stored reserves.

When you consider that, in the course of a normal day's food intake, the pancreas produces three quarters of a litre of digestive juices, and the liver about a litre of bile, it is easy to see why a fast would be beneficial to these vital organs and, at the same time would release energy for toxin elimination.

It is important to consult your doctor before commencing a fast. Normally this is a safe process, but some medical conditions may need careful monitoring.

How do I know if I am suffering from pollen allergy symptoms?

Many plants reproduce through pollination with the help of the wind. The male reproductive cells are spread through the air pollinating plants. Unfortunately these tiny male plant cells also are responsible for pollen allergy symptoms. Traditionally pollen allergies have been called hay fever because many people use to suffer them during the haying season but pollen allergies can occur in spring, summer or fall. Various plants pollinate at different times of year.

Pollen allergy symptoms can vary depending on climate and the severity of ones allergic reaction to them. They can be hard to identify because they are so similar to other allergy symptoms like those that occur with mold and pet dander.

-itchy skin and eyes

-stuffy nose, and possibly nose bleeds

-headaches

-sore throat

-trouble breathing and asthma attacks

-dark circles under eyes

-increased congestion

-sneezing, wheezing and coughing

-feeling drowsy, tired and weak overall

To help identify if you are suffering from pollen allergy a doctor can do skin testing for different allergens. Skins testing can involve either a scratch or prick to the skin and they generally only cause minor discomfort. Diagnosis can also be done through blood. A sample of the patients blood is taken and levels of the IgE antibody are measured for a particular allergen. In some cases a doctor may put a small drop of allergen in the eye for allergy testing.

If you think you maybe suffering from pollen allergy symptoms see your doctor and get a diagnosis so you can find out what allergen is causing the trouble. Once you have been diagnosed you can take steps to reducing your exposure and start treating your symptoms.