03/03/2025
Spring is Here! And so is allergy season, along with all the allergy symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, and even skin symptoms like itching, dry patches, redness and hives. Allergies can also leave us more susceptable to the effects of stress, colds, flu and other conditions.
Just like allergens, stress can also affect the immune system and regulatory functions on the body. Stress on the immune system can affect the body in many ways, including:
- Poor sleep
- Changes in appetite (eating more or comfort foods, not wanting to eat at all)
- Indigestion (bloating, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, heartburn, etc.)
- Headaches
- Fatigue and low energy
- Musculoskeletal pain and discomfort
- Immune issues (getting sick more often)
- Anxiety, Panic attacks or periods of anxiousness
- Jaw pain and clenching the jaws/grinding teeth
🚙 Similar to a car, our bodies and immune system need a tune-up and support to keep everything running smoothly and help prevent any future problems.
Here are a few suggestions to keep you healthy with that "Spring in Your Step"......
1) Get acupuncture: ☯️ Acupuncture is wonderful at both preventing seasonal allergies and helping manage annoying allergy symptoms if they've already started. And it's backed by science! A study conducted through the National Institutes of Health found that "Acupuncture have significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of many diseases, among which allergic diseases are also one of the diseases that acupuncture is good at. Acupuncture has been found to induce both innate and adaptive immune responses." (D**g, B., Li, B., Xie, L., & Li, Y. (2024). Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis with Acupuncture Based on Pathophysiological. International journal of general medicine, 17, 2741–2756. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S470949). Click on the link to read the NIH Study here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11180464/
2) Keep your gut in balance - Take a daily probiotic. 💊 Seasonal allergies are an excess immune reaction in your body. A huge portion of your immunity is regulated by the nerves in your gut, so good gut health is essential for a balanced immune response. Choose a probiotic with multiple strains and include a healthy amount of fiber daily to keep your gut flora diverse and healthy!
3) Drink Nettle leaf tea 🍵 Nettle leaf can help naturally reduce the amount of histamine in your body, which is the cause of many allergy symptoms. (Of course, consult your doctor before beginning any new supplements.)
4) Add local honey to your diet. 🍯Local organic honey has some great benefits to boost your immune system against local environmental pollens and allergens. Honey contains natural prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, rich in antioxidants and can assist in wound healing. This is a great option to add to your cup of nettle tea, green tea or coffee!
5) Boost your Antioxidants. 🍊 Adding antioxidant-rich foods and supplements can help keep the seasonal sniffles away. Adding foods, such as vitamin C, green tea, elderberry, tumeric, berries (like blue berries, raspberries, strawberries), carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, artichokes, dark chocolate (yes ladies and gents, chocolate! - in moderation of course), almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, apples (includes good fiber and nutrients) can help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and germs that invade our bodies.
6) Try homeopathics or herbal medicine for your allergies. There are many great herbal options and supplements to boost your immune system and keep the sneezing, sniffling and congestion at bay. Ask for a recommendation at your next acupuncture visit for a customized natural allergy option. All Natural Vitamin B-12 and Engystol homeopathic injections can help boost energy, mood and the immune system to help keep the sniffles away. (Ask for details)
7) Get your beauty rest! 😴 Sleep is essential for healing and balance throughout all systems in the body. The average adult needs 7-8 hours of good sleep per night. Not getting enough sleep or good-quality sleep can have a negative impact on our health and wellness, including our immune function and stress levels. When we sleep, our bodies can regulate innate healing mechanisms, such as repairing tissues, regulating the metabolism, improving cognitive function, memory and problem solving abilities, improves immune function and boosts energy, just to name a few! While you sleep, your body produces proteins called cytokines, which help fight inflammation, infection, and trauma. If you have trouble sleeping, acupuncture can help you sleep like a baby!
If allergy symptoms and stress are creeping up on you, sign up for an acupuncture appointment today to keep them from progressing this season!
Call (941) 787-4488 to book your immune-boosting acupuncture session and feel your best!
Allergic rhinitis is a prevalent allergic diseases and has a profound impact on physical well-being. In recent years, more and more people have changed to allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, allergic dermatitis and so on. ...
