Allergies

Allergies
By Cindy Holt, RN, LMT

Is your nose running and are you scaring the dog when you sneeze violently? You’re not alone! I did some research on this, and I found it’s not just about the pollen. Yes, the juniper pollen spikes about now where I live, but pollen of some kind or another is always around. According to one article I read, your diet may be the number one aggravating factor. Foods can increase or decrease allergy symptoms, even if you’re not exactly “allergic” to them. Some foods increase inflammation, others mitigate it. We all have foods we can’t digest properly, and you are probably not aware of most of them. Many people are sensitive to wheat and wheat gluten, even if you don’t have classic allergy symptoms like rash and itching. Next common are milk and dairy foods, and corn is a close third. To check to see if you have a problem with a particular food, eliminate it from your diet for 3 weeks. Then, introduce it back and eat it 3 or 4 times. If you develop symptoms like gas and bloating, indigestion, headache, fatigue after eating, or true allergic symptoms like a rash or increased runny nose, know that you need to eliminate that food from your diet.

Next, try honey- local Arizona honey made from the plant you think you are allergic to is best. Start with a taste and increase to a teaspoon a day gradually. You can also use bee pollen (from local bees) with similar results and less calories. Always ramp up the serving slowly! Foods like blueberries, and herbs like gingko biloba are also anti-inflammatory. I recommend antioxidant blends based on my personal experience with allergies over the years. I virtually eliminated all my chronic sinus problems and frequent bronchitis by taking antioxidants on a daily basis.

Stress can also trigger allergies because it dampens the immune system. Take an exercise class, do some yoga, get regular massage, or try meditation. Whatever works for you! Stress reduction is critical to solving many health issues.

The cleaning products you use to clean at home and in the office can also make allergies worse. I read a report back when I was doing nursing that the most hazardous profession is housecleaning, because of the harmful chemicals used by them. (I have a shocking video I can send you, as well as a CD you can listen to on this subject). Children are particularly vulnerable to chemicals used around them. Pregnant women must be extremely careful as the fetus doesn’t have brain protection as older children do, and are frequently damaged in the womb by what the mother is exposed to.

And, frequent use of antibiotics also harms the immune system and can make you more susceptible to allergens. If you must take an antibiotic, take probiotics afterwards to balance the good and bad bacteria in your colon.

Last but not least, eliminate the use of “fragrances” from your home, car, office, and personal care products. They are usually made from petrochemicals, and are linked to many problems, including allergies but even worse, cancer.

Safe Ingredients For Personal Care Products
By Cindy Holt, RN, LMT

Last month I discussed the dangers of chemicals in your personal care products. I came across this list of ingredients that should NOT be in your soap, lotion, toothpaste, mouthwash, or shampoo, or anything else that comes in contact with your body.
Alcohol or isopropyl (SD 40)
DEA (diethanolamine)
FD&C (color pigments)
Fluoride
MEA (monoethanolamine)
Mineral Oil (petroleum product)
Parabens
PED (Polyethelene glycol- antifreeze)
PG (Propolene Glycol- antifreeze)
Sodium Laurel (or Laureth) Sulfate (SLS)
Talc
TEA (triethanolamine)
Triclosan

The risks of cancer are all around the environment. We shouldn’t be compounding the risk with the personal care products we use. Don’t be fooled by labels that tout “Natural” without reading the labels. The FDA doesn’t have the funding to monitor these claims. For products that are triple tested for safety, view http://ineways.com/holtholistichealing

How Toxic is YOUR House?

How Toxic is YOUR House?
By Cindy Holt, RN, BSN, LMT

I’ve been doing some reading. My friends say that scares them, since I usually come up with something else they shouldn’t be doing. I’ve known for some time that household cleaners aren’t good for us. In fact, back when I was nursing full time, (at least 9 years ago) I read that the most toxic profession was housekeeping. I chuckled and said that wouldn’t likely affect me since I was allergic to housework and usually had someone else clean my house. But think about that- household products are so toxic that if you do a lot of cleaning, you’ll get sick. They were talking about lung cancer, liver cancer, chronic bronchitis, and a bunch of other scary diseases. One of the most ubiquitous toxic ingredients, according to Dr. Sam Epstein, M.D., an expert in the field of environmental and occupational medicine, is Sodium Laureth (or Lauryl) Sulfate. I’ve checked, and it’s in everything from soaps, to laundry detergent, to dish detergent, to baby products. It's not so much that it causes cancer, but it irritates and denatures the protein in your skin so other toxins can get into the blood more easily. And here’s another “fun” tidbit. Many cleaning products don’t have to list their “secret” ingredients if they’re not on the government’s list of toxic substances. But the government doesn’t test them, so how will they know if they’re toxic or not? Currently, we know of at least 80 chemicals that cause cancer that are in our daily routine products. Heard about Bisphenol A (BPA) in the news lately? It’s in plastics and has been leaching out into our food, baby formula, and household products. Oh, joy, my aching liver.

If you think the EPA or FDA is keeping an eye on things, guess again. They have no funding for such things and rely on the manufacturer to provide information regarding toxicity from their own research. Oh, yeah, I’ll bet that happens a lot. According to the EPA, only 7% of the nearly 300,000 chemicals available in the US have toxicology reports.

And it’s not just your cleaning products. Body lotions, shampoo, bath soap, shower gel, nail polish remover, toothpaste, face creams, and the list goes on are all absorbed through the skin. In medicine, they call it the “transdermal” route. More and more medications are being delivered that way because it bypasses the stomach acid and heads straight for the blood stream. And if you want it to get there really fast, you give it under the tongue, called the “sublingual” route. So where do you think the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and propylene glycol in your toothpaste is going?

We have to get smart as consumers, and start reading labels. More health conscious stores carry some brands that are safer, but what do we really know about those companies? Colgate bought Toms of Maine and put the sodium lauryl sulfate back in it. Clorox bought Burt's Bees. Oh, there's a name I want to trust. They can volunteer to test their ingredients and pass that information on to the EPA??? I’ve been doing my homework, and I think I’ve found a few solutions. I use Neways International products in my home, on my body, and I take their nutritional supplements. Check it out at http://ineways.com/holtholistichealing.