Start with Better Hydration

Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D., author of the book, The ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus, explains that asthma and allergies are a sign of cellular dehydration. Normally, tears and mucus, secreted by the eyes and nose, wash particles of pollen and other irritants away.  When the body is dehydrated, however, there isn’t enough moisture to wash these pollutants away, which triggers inflammatory reactions.

Furthermore, the body uses histamine as a neurotransmitter to regulate moisture to organs when there isn’t enough water for all the functions of the body.  So, when one is properly hydrated, histamine production is reduced.

So, the first step anyone suffering from allergies should take to reduce their allergic reactions is to increase their intake of water.  Dr. Batmanghelidj recommends drinking at least one half ounce of water per pound of body weight per day, but he indicates that asthma and allergy sufferers may need three-quarters of an ounce of water per pound of body weight per day.

Also, it is important to take a little natural salt with the water.  You’ve probably noticed that tears, mucus and sweat are all salty, which means you need extra salt to help the water produce more mucus and tears.  Nature’s Sunshine’s Sea Salt is an excellent salt to use for this purpose.  It is mined from an ancient salt dome in Redmond, Utah so it is free of the pollutants found in modern oceans. 

Blood is like ocean water in the body.  The trace minerals found in natural salts like this help the blood maintain its ocean-like quality.  A little natural salt helps to hydrate the blood and body even better than pure water. (But, don't use table salt for this purpose, because it has been stripped of these trace minerals and is full of unhealthy additives.

It is also essential to avoid all beverages that dehydrate the body, which include tea, coffee, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, artificial sweeteners and alcohol.  These substances all act as diuretics, which means you lose more fluids drinking them than you gain.  Dr. Batmanghelidj believes that the rise in childhood asthma and allergies is linked to the increasing use of caffeinated beverages by young children.

The xanthones in mangosteen have anti-allergic properties, and I have found Thai-Go helpful for reducing allergic reactions.  I make a quart of lemonade with fresh lemons and maple syrup and then add a couple of ounces of Thai-Go.  

I drink several quarts of this and it relieves allergy symptoms when I get them.  It works even better if you add some of the Vitamin C Abscorbates to the drink.

One way of desensitizing yourself to pollen is to take some pollen internally.  It’s the “hair of the dog that bite you” or homeopathic approach.  It is best to use pollen from local beekeepers or raw, unfiltered honey from local beekeepers, but even the pollen from capsules may be helpful. 

Take just one or two grains of pollen per day to start and then gradually work up to about a teaspoon (about four capsules) per day.  You can also eat a spoonful of local, unfiltered honey each day. If you can obtain a homeopathic preparation made from local pollen, it may also be helpful.

You can also read more about the benefits of bee pollen on our website.  It’s not just good for allergies; it’s also a good source of energy and nutrition.

Speaking of “the hair of the dog,” it’s interesting that many of the herbs that cause allergic reactions actually help relieve them.  Ragweed, from the genus Petasites, has been used to ease allergies.  It’s sold as butterbur.  Goldenrod is also used to combat some types of allergic reaction.  Stinging nettle, an ingredient in HistaBlock, stings you because it actually contains formic acid (found in ant bites) and histamine, and it also has anti-allergenic properties. This is an interesting principle of nature that the solution to a problem is often found in the same plant that causes it.