A lot of allergies can be mistaken for intolerances, or vice versa, because they possess such similar symptoms. Intolerances are the inability to digest a compound in a food. For example, lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance and produces antibodies to target this substance. One of the antibodies produced through allergies is called Immunogloblin E, or IgE, which causes quite immediate reactions in the body. These can be skin hives, red-teary eyes, itchy congested nose, swelling at mouth and throat. If the allergy is severe, it can have fatal effects and may cause the person to go in to anaphylactic shock. This can be reactions to foods and environmental substances such as pollen, peanuts, dust, milk.
The other antibody produced as an allergic response to a foreign substance is immunogloblin G, IgG. IgG is usually linked to food allergies and causes more delayed reactions. Symptoms can take up to 3 days after food consumption to surface. Symptoms of a food allergy can include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating, constipation.
Fortunately, these allergies and intolerances can be tested for by a simple finger prick blood sample that can test your reactivity to multiple foods and environmental substances as well as quantifying the scale of the reaction. Once the reactive food is identified it can be removed from your diet. However, environmental substances that cause reactions such as pollen, grass, dust cannot be controlled as easily. For IgE allergies, there is no cure, only methods to reduce symptoms and avoidance of the allergy substance. For IgG allergies, the food can be cut out of your diet for a number of weeks, and then slowly reintroduced to allow your body to learn to tolerate it. We offer YorkTest Premium Food Intolerance Tests which test for over 200 foods and drinks such as beef, coffee, gluten, eggs, yeast, cow's milk, etc. We also offer YorkTest Food and Environmental Allergy Test which tests for 23 different food allergies and 19 environmental allergies. You can pop in to our store for a consultation or you can order these online and do them yourself. Click the image below to be directed to our Health Screening Tests page on our website which are also currently on sale!
Our gut, like it does for everything, also contributes to allergies. Because the gut membrane is so thin, when allergies irritate it, as well as other irritating substances such as alcohol, it will cause the gut to become more permeable and if these compounds are crossing the wall of the gut, the body recognises them as foreign triggering an allergic reaction. Probiotics will help breakdown the substances that cause trouble for the gut and L-glutamine will help with healing the lining of the gut and reduce permeability. This is good for IgG type of allergies. Micromax is a brilliant probiotic to recondition the gut's environment to not only replace the bad bacteria with good, but also provide it with the environment healthy bacteria needs to grow. L- Glutamine is an amino acid used to help heal the inner lining of the digestive tract. Click the images to be guided to the product on our website.
Hay fever is an IgE type allergy caused by pollen that affects 1 in 4 people. Although hay fever cannot be cured, there are ways we can reduce our symptoms naturally.
Our Irish Botanica All Seasons Complex is a specific herbal blend formulated to help manage seasonal symptoms of hay fever. It helps by reducing inflammation and congestion in the chest and nasal passages as well as reducing the release of histamine. The blend of natural ingredients such as Milk Vetch, Liquorice Root, Magnolia Flower, etc, allows for the perfect remedy for the itchy eyes, runny nose, itching and all other symptoms associated with hay fever.
Cutting dairy out of your diet can also help with respiratory linked symptoms of allergies such as congestion in nose and chest as well as breathing issues such as asthma. This is because a compound needed for the breakdown of milk causes excess mucus production which will then build up in the respiratory tract.
Irish Botanica Reishi Mushrooms are a good prevention of allergies, particularly hayfever and sinus issues. It's 2 active compounds are β glucans which has immune modulating effects and triterpenes, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine effects. It is recommended to supplement reishi mushrooms 2 months before the hayfever symptoms begins. Click the image to be directed to Irish Botanica Reishi mushrooms on our website.
Another method for prevention of hay fever is to supplement local honey in your diet. The pollen in the honey can help your body build up a tolerance to the pollen in your local area. Although it might feel as your allergies are constantly holding you back one way or another, why not try out some of the products mentioned above to suit your health needs.
All products mentioned above can be bought online or in store. If you have any questions or queries on supplementation on any products mentioned you can phone 028 3005 2332 or email us at info@microbiohealth.co.uk.
