Most people are well aware of the ever-increasing number of adults and children alike who suffer from obesity these days. It would be the understatement of the century to say we have a problem on our hands. It is also well known that there exists a strong link between diabetes and heart disease when it comes to our expanding waistlines, but new research is showing that our risk for suffering from allergies may be greatly increased with the size of our fat cells.

In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report showing that about 34.9 percent of the U.S. population today is obese, which accounts for a whopping medical treatment cost burden of about $147 billion.¹ Since that time, the obesity problem has continued to grow (no pun intended) right along with the costs.

So what do all of these stats have to do with us clawing at the television every time we see another antihistamine commercial playing? A lot! It turns out that right along with the growing trend in obesity, we have also seen a drastic rise in the prevalence of allergies—especially those related to common foods. According to Food Allergy Research and Education, over 15 million people now suffer with food allergies.² To put things in perspective, we need to first connect the dots and understand if and how obesity inhibits our allergic response and predisposes us to various allergies.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has explored this concern through a publication based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.³ A sample group of obese subjects between the ages two and nineteen were chosen for the study. The researchers sought to look at the association between obesity and immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. IgE level indicates the allergic activity that takes place in the human body. Based on the IgE activity, the researchers concluded that obesity could have a direct relationship with allergic diseases in children, particularly when it comes to food.

Asthma and Obesity
According to the latest stats from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 44,000 people have asthma attacks, 36,000 children miss school, 27,000 people miss work, and nine people die due to asthma every day. It is also considered a contributing factor for over 7000 deaths each year. The most concerning fact here is there is evidence to suggest obesity plays a major role in asthma by weakening the body’s allergic responses.

A study published by Harvard School of Public Health indicated that adiponectin—a metabolic hormone produced by the fat cells, which has anti-inflammatory properties—could exert a positive reaction when it comes to allergic induced airway inflammation. Obese people tend to have lower levels of this anti-inflammatory hormone, which places them at a much higher risk for allergic asthmatic reactions.⁴ It is important to understand that when a person suffers an asthmatic attack, the difficulty in breathing is caused mainly because of excess inflammation in the airways. With the absence of adiponectin to alleviate this, the effect of the asthmatic attack goes somewhat unhindered in those who carry too much body fat on their frames.

Ineffective Meds
Even the medications such as inhaled steroids for asthma are less effective in overweight and obese children. A 4-year National Institute of Health (through its Childhood Asthma Management Program) study on overweight and obese children looked at hospitalizations and ER visits due to asthma. The study showed that inhaled steroids were less effective on the overweight and obese kids compared to children who were of normal weight.⁵ Asthma is the most common chronic condition in children today and is often triggered by allergies, which makes the ineffectiveness of medications due to obesity a concerning fact.⁶

The question that we must ask ourselves is, “Does weight reduction help in controlling asthma and allergic responses?” A study by the University of Newcastle says, “Yes.” ⁷ The study was conducted over a period of 10 week pilot study where the weight of asthmatic children was brought down through dietary intervention. The results concluded that diet-assisted weight loss could drastically affect the clinical outcome of asthmatic obese children. So, ultimately, the impetus is on adaption of a healthy diet and active lifestyle, which ultimately helps our children and us stay lean, and living a leaner life also helps us control the rate of allergic reactions. Talk about a WIN, WIN scenario!

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Overweight and Obesity
2. Food Allergy Research and Education, Food Allergy Facts and Statistics for the U.S.
3. Visness CM, et al. Association of obesity with IgE levels and allergy symptoms in children and adolescents: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2006. Feb 23, 2009
4. Shore SA1, Terry RD, Flynt L, Xu A, Hug C. Adiponectin attenuates allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in mice. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2006 Aug;118(2):389–95
5. National Academy on an Aging Society. Chronic conditions: a challenge for the 21st century. Num 1, Nov 1999
6. Forno E, Lescher R, Strunk R, Weiss S, Fuhlbrigge A, Celedón JC. Decreased response to inhaled steroids in overweight and obese asthmatic children. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Mar 2011; 127(3): 741–749
7. Jensen ME1, Gibson PG, Collins CE, Hilton JM, Wood LG. Diet-induced weight loss in obese children with asthma: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Allergies include a variety of bodily reactions to our external and internal environments. There are cellular, biochemical, and tissue reactions with histamine, lymphocytes, antibodies, and more. These often include reactions to agents such as:

• Pollens, weeds, dust, molds and animal hair (dander).
• A multitude of foods, most commonly cow’s milk, wheat (gluten), eggs, yeasts, and a variety of sometimes others like peanuts and almonds, corn, soy, tomatoes, and what might bother you. There are several types of food reactions, and only one or two may be actual allergy.
• Chemical agents lead to inflammation and immune reactions.
• Invasive microbes, such as yeasts, parasites, viruses, and bacteria and the reactions they cause, also setting off the immune system to fight them.

Allergies trigger specific chemical responses in the body such as the release of histamine from our cells, causing the familiar allergic reactions–redness, swelling or discharge, itching, and sometimes pain. Hay fever, asthma, and eczema are classic allergic disorders. Other manifestations of allergies involve the skin (urticarial or “hives”), the nose and sinuses (allergic rhinitis or “hay fever”), the digestive tract, as well as most other systems of the body.

Another process triggered by allergic reactions in our body causes autoimmune diseases, which involve the immune cells and the production of tissue-specific antibodies. As examples, these inflammatory reactions can affect the joints (rheumatoid arthritis) or the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). Allergies can also affect our mental and emotional states, affecting brain chemicals and causing anxiety or depression. Also, the presence of infection or inflammation may trigger the immune system with allergy-like reactions.

In mainstream medical treatment, allergies are diagnosed from skin prick testing and then treated with desensitization injections and avoidance of the reactive agents. Blood tests can also show increased antibodies to specific agents. Often, this treatment is used along with drug therapy to control the immediate symptoms. The drugs have been primarily antihistamines that block the histamine effect, like Benadryl (sedating), Claritin and Zyrtec (these two less sedating); but nowadays the stronger corticosteroid drugs are employed earlier to suppress the immune/allergic responses in the body. Decongestant drugs may also be used.

In my experience, this type of approach may be needed for long term or extreme cases. However, in many situations, being allergic is a state of reactivity that is also the body’s response to its constant high level of congestion or imbalance. From a natural medicine point of view, most allergic symptoms are seen as the body’s attempt to cleanse itself and detoxify. In Chinese medicine, it is an imbalance of the elements that most commonly comes from Liver energy stagnation (congestion and stress on the liver), frustration and suppressed anger, and resistance to change.

I take an integrated approach to allergies (as I do to most illnesses). Clearly, allergies can result from a number of causes. Many people develop allergic reactions in response to stressful times in their life–as they age, when they move to a new area, after experiencing certain illnesses, or following exposure to certain chemicals. In terms of the health of our digestion, there are many factors that may contribute to our allergic state: our overall diet; the overuse of certain foods; the general health of the intestinal tract, or the presence of parasites or the overgrowth of yeast, specifically Candida albicans. The health as microbial balance in the gut, the biome or “microbiome” is a powerful collection of mostly bacteria contributing to over health. (Review The Detox Diet or other books on these topics to understand the gastrointestinal effect on overall health.)

For example, I have had an allergic potential for most of my life. I say “potential” because I could be very allergic but I am not. While growing up in Michigan, I had hay fever every year and a variety of skin rashes. Here in California, at times I have been allergic to weeds, dried grasses, pollens, and dust in the spring and summer. However, I have also noticed for the past 30 years that when I really pay attention to my lifestyle, I can be pretty much allergy-free. That means eating a clean diet high in fruits and vegetables, doing cleansing fasts, exercising regularly, and keeping my stress low.

In fact, when I did my first 10-day Master Cleanser/lemonade fast in 1975 and then changed my diet, I was clear of allergies for many years. You can get further information on this cleansing/healing process in my books, Staying Healthy with the Seasons and Staying Healthy with Nutrition. I have also overseen many thousands of people on cleansing fasts and ear “infections,” I guide them and their parents in a nutritional approach. Getting those kids off cow’s milk products is often the first step in reducing allergies and congestion, particularly in the nose, sinuses, and ears. Avoiding refined foods, sugars, and chemical additives, particularly food colorings, may also help. Adding a children’s multivitamin/mineral and extra vitamin C, about 250–500 mg 3–4 times daily may also reduce the allergies.

For adults, I suggest higher amounts of vitamin C (1000– 1500 mg 3–4 times daily) during an infection or hay fever season along with about 250–300 mg of Quercitin 2–3 times a day as a special bioflavonoid shown to have an antihistamine effect in the body. Another option is to use a vitamin C supplement that contains a mixed bioflavonoid along with a separate quercitin (150 to 250 mg), both taken several times daily. I have often seen this program improve allergic symptoms and reduce the need for medications.

For people who are concerned about food reactions, some helpful eating guidelines are the following:

• Eat whole, unprocessed foods
• Diversify your diet
• Rotate foods and don’t eat any one food every day
• Eat only non-allergenic foods at first

A non-allergenic, or allergy elimination diet could include the following foods:

• All fruits, except citrus
• All vegetables, except corn and tomatoes
• Brown or white rice
• Turkey (ideally organic, free-range)
• White fish—e.g. halibut, sole, swordfish (mercury concern)
• Almonds or walnuts, and sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Other natural therapies are also helpful. The use of acupuncture and herbs can be effective; homeopathic remedies can also help minimize or clear allergies. I cannot suggest specific remedies, however, because the remedies are based on the specific symptoms of an individual at a given moment in time.

My book, The False Fat Diet, looks at food reactions and provides you with a simple method for reducing all allergic type reactions. Also, I usually do a guided 10-day juice cleanse group at my office each spring. It’s a very uplifting, rejuvenating, and healing process. It’s a good and worthy experience to initiate, especially if you could get a few friends or family members to do it along with you. Be Well.

The body’s ability to detect foreign substances varies from person to person. Thus, some people react to certain substances while others do not. What may be recognized by one person’s body as foreign is not recognized as such by another person’s body.

While allergies are part of the normal function of the immune system, it does not follow that they cannot be managed or minimized. Certain nutrients, when taken in the right amounts, can go a long way in minimizing—if not totally eliminating—the unpleasant symptoms of allergies. Following are my top nutrients for beating allergies:

1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps reduce allergy symptoms like inflammation. It has been shown in past medical studies that a high intake of vitamin C prevents or at least minimizes the release of histamine, and consequently decreases the unpleasant sensations endured by allergy sufferers.⁴

Vitamin C can be readily added into the diet, because of the many fruits and vegetables that contain it. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons contain very high amounts of vitamin C in its most natural form. Excellent non-citrus sources include papaya, pineapple, and strawberries. Aside from fruits, vitamin C can also be obtained from over-the-counter supplement tablets or capsules and one of the best forms to consume it in is camu camu berry.

2. Selenium
Selenium is a trace element that is a component of some proteins with powerful antioxidant properties. These proteins help reduce allergy symptoms by minimizing tissue damage and inflammation.⁵ The U.S. National Institute of Health recommends that all adults take 100 mcg of selenium daily. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and whole grains are rich sources of selenium. Meat sources include poultry (turkey and chicken), lean pork, beef, and eggs.

3. Omega-3 fats
Also known as healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids have long been proven by science to have anti-inflammatory properties. As such, they help relieve some allergy symptoms. On the other hand, the structurally-related omega-6 fatty acids have the opposite effect: they stimulate the production of inflammatory substances. In fact, one study appearing in the British Journal of Nutrition, indicated that pregnant women who had a lower intake of omega-6 and a higher intake of omega-3’s, gave birth to children with lower risks of certain allergies.⁶ Allergy sufferers are therefore advised to decrease intake of foods that are rich in omega-6 fatty acids (i.e. poultry, eggs, nuts, cereals, durum wheat, whole-grain breads and most vegetable oils). Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include cold-water fish, soybeans, flaxseeds, spinach, parsley, walnut oil, soybean oil, and flaxseed oil.

4. Vitamin E
Vitamin E, when taken in proper amounts, can help reduce allergies. A study investigating the connection between vitamin E and allergies suggested that sufficient vitamin E intake decreased the production of IgE, the antibody responsible for allergic reactions, anywhere from 34–62 percent.^7,8

Dietary sources of vitamin E are sunflower seeds, almonds, cooked spinach, safflower oil, and beet greens. And even though the RDA for vitamin E is fifteen milligrams (which is equivalent to 22 IUs or International Units), studies indicate a lot more than the RDA is needed to ensure optimal health. Also, I highly advise the most natural forms of vitamin E, as mixed tocopherols, as opposed to only one isolate form like alpha tocopherol.

5. Quercetin
Quercetin belongs to a class of organic molecules called bioflavonoids. Scientific research has proven it to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-histamine properties. Quercetin has been shown to exert properties that prevent the production of substances involved in allergic reactions.⁹ Sources of quercetin include apples, black tea, red wine, onions, beans, grapefruit, berries, peppers and green leafy vegetables. There are also commercial quercetin supplements that are sold online and in health food stores, should the allergic person choose to take it in tablet or capsule form.

6. Probiotics
Probiotics is the collective term for the live microorganisms (bacteria and yeast) that are essential for optimal health. These microorganisms are present in the body, as well as in various supplements, drinks, and food (i.e. yogurt made fron grassfed cows). Their main role is to prevent the growth of “bad” bacteria, and in doing so, also prevent diseases brought about by these “bad” bacteria. There are two very common probiotic bacteria—Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. One of the most research proven shelf-stable forms of the latter is found in my Ultimate Probiotic,^10,11 product.

While probiotics are usually involved in digestive health, studies have suggested that they can also help prevent or minimize allergies¹², since digestive health is very closely connected to overall body health.

Foods with probiotics include miso, fermented milk, kefir, sourdough bread, tempeh, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut.

7. Rosmarinic acid
Rosmarinic acid is a plant substance that is found in large amounts in herbs like rosemary, marjoram, sage, and oregano. Studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory properties that are more potent than those of vitamin E. In 2004, Japanese researchers published a paper that demonstrated the ability of rosmarinic acid as a therapeutic substance for those who suffer from asthma.¹³ Rosmarinic acid seems to prevent allergic reactions by blocking the activation of biochemicals produced by the immune system in response to a foreign substance.¹⁴

1. Pawankar R, et al. World Health Organization. White Book on Allergy 2011–2012 Executive Summary.
2. Why is Allergy Increasing? Allergy UK. www.allergyuk.org.
3. Li L. Biologist studies possible link between chronic low-grade inflammation, major diseases. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Jun 12, 2011.
4. Johnston CS, Solomon RE, Corte C. Vitamin C depletion is associated with alterations in blood histamine and plasma free carnitine in adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 1996 Dec;15(6):586–91.
5. Kamer B, et al. Role of selenium and zinc in the pathogenesis of food allergy in infants and young children. Arch Med Sci. See comment in PubMed Commons below 2012 Dec 20;8(6):1083–8. doi: 10.5114/aoms.2012.32420. Epub 2012 Dec 19.
6. Nwaru BI, et al. Maternal intake of fatty acids during pregnancy and allergies in offspring. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108(4):720–32. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511005940. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
7. Yamada K, Tachibana H. Recent topics in antioxidative factors. Biofactors. 2000;13(1-4):167–72.
8. Tsoureli-Nikita, et al. Evaluation of dietary intake of vitamin E in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a study of the clinical course and evaluation of the immunoglobulin E serum levels. Int J Dermatol. 2002 Mar;41(3):146–50.
9. Salvatore Chirumbolo. Dietary Assumption of Plant Polyphenols and Prevention of Allergy. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2014, 20, 000-000 1.
10. Ballongue J, et al. Effects of Bifidobacterium fermented milks on human intestinal Lait 73, 249–256 (1993).
11. Tomoda T, et al. Effect of yogurt and yogurt supplemented with Bifidobacterium and/or lactulose in healthy persons : A comparative study. Bifidobacteria Microfloa 10, 123–30 (1991).
12. Prakash S, et al. Probiotics for the prevention and treatment of allergies, with an emphasis on mode of delivery and mechanism of action. Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(6):1025–37.
13. Osakabe N, et al. Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect of rosmarinic acid (RA); inhibition of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR) and its mechanism. Biofactors. 2004;21(1-4):127–31.
14. Huang SS, Zheng RL. Rosmarinic acid inhibits angiogenesis and its mechanism of action in vitro. Cancer Letters. 2006 Aug 8;239(2):271–80. Epub 2005 Oct 18.

In the July issue (page 28) I reported on the dangers of synthetic chemical fragrances, the number of people affected in one way or another, symptoms manifested from fragrance exposure, and current research on their toxicity.

This month I’m listing the most common chemicals so that you can use this as a guideline and, hopefully, begin to take seriously the “toxic soup” to which we have all become exposed. Don’t simply “buy into” the marketing campaigns instead of being informed about what you put on your body and the health consequences… remember…what goes on the skin goes in the body!

I have devoted my life and private practice to victims of chemically-induced immune system disorders—counseling those whose immune systems can no longer protect them from chemicals. I believe that it’s a matter of decreasing tolerance—the more you’re exposed to the less the organs of detoxification can process and eventually we become allergic to substances we previously tolerated.

Use the following information for your health, those around you and the health of the planet. Remember also that your perfume could be someone else’s poison when they’re immune system is already compromised.

No one group works harder at consumer education than the Environmental Working Group (EWG); I have supported and followed their research for many years. The incidents described below were reported by the EWG and provided for your education with full credit.

When sprayed or applied on the skin, many chemicals from perfumes, cosmetics and personal care products are inhaled. Others are absorbed through the skin. Either way, many of these chemicals can accumulate in the body. As a result, the bodies of most Americans are polluted with multiple cosmetics ingredients. This pollution begins in the womb and continues through life.

Numerous other products used daily, such as shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, air fresheners and laundry and dishwashing detergents, also contain strongly scented, volatile ingredients hidden behind the word “fragrance.” Some of these ingredients react with ozone in indoor air, generating many potentially harmful secondary air pollutants such as formaldehyde and ultrafine particles (Nazaroff 2004).

People have the right to know which chemicals they are exposed to. They have the right to expect government to protect them, especially vulnerable populations, from hazardous chemicals. In addition to required safety assessments of ingredients in cosmetics, the laws must be changed to require the chemicals in fragrance to be fully disclosed and publicly accessible on ingredient labels.

Product tests initiated by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics [safecosmetics.org/] and subsequent analyses, detailed in this report, reveal that widely recognized brand-name perfumes and colognes contain secret chemicals, sensitizers, potential hormone disruptors and chemicals not assessed for safety:

• SECRET CHEMICALS: Laboratory tests revealed 38 secret chemicals in 17 name-brand products, with an average of 14 secret chemicals per product.
• MULTIPLE SENSITIZERS: The products tested contained an average of 10 chemicals that are known to be sensitizers and can trigger allergic reactions such as asthma, wheezing, headaches and contact dermatitis. All of these were listed on product labels.
• MULTIPLE HORMONE DISRUPTORS: A total of 12 different hormone-disrupting chemicals were found in the tested products, with an average of four in each product. In each product, six of these chemicals mimic the hormone estrogen, and the seventh is associated with thyroid effects. Some of these potential hormone disruptors were listed on labels; others were undisclosed and were uncovered in product testing.
• WIDESPREAD USE OF CHEMICALS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ASSESSED FOR SAFETY: A review of government records shows that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not assessed the vast majority of fragrance ingredients in personal care products for safety. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an industry-funded and self policing body, has assessed only 19 of the 91 ingredients listed on labels or found in testing for the 17 products assessed in this study. The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), which develop and set voluntary standards for chemicals in the “fragrance” component of products, have assessed only 27 of the 91 ingredients listed on labels or found in testing for the 17 products assessed in this study, based on a review of assessments published in the past 25 years.

Products in these samplings were tested by Analytical Sciences, an independent laboratory in Petaluma, California. The lab found, in all, 40 chemicals in the tested fragrance products. Thirty-eight of these were secret, or unlabeled, for at least one of the products containing them, while the other two were listed on all relevant product labels. Ingredient labels disclosed the presence of another 51 chemical ingredients, giving a total of 91 chemical ingredients altogether in the tested products, including hidden and disclosed ingredients combined. Of the 17 products tested, 13 were purchased in the U.S. and four in Canada.

Thirteen Most Common Chemicals Found in Fragranced Products

1. ACETONE
Found in…cologne, dishwashing liquid and detergent, nail enamel and remover.

Facts…On the lists of the EPA, RCRA, and CERCLA as Hazardous Waste—“Inhalation can cause dryness of the mouth and throat; dizziness, nausea, loss of coordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, and, in severe exposures, coma—acts primarily as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.

2. BENZALDEHYDE
Found in…perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, Vaseline™ lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, and dishwasher detergent.

Facts…Narcotic. Sensitizer. Local aesthetic, CNS depressant. Irritant to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs, and GI tract—causing nausea and abdominal pain. May cause kidney damage. Do NOT use with contact lenses.

3. BENZYL ACETATE
Found in…perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air fresheners, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave and deodorants.

Facts…Carcinogenic (linked to pancreatic cancer). Dangers from vapors: irritant to eyes and respiratory passages, produces cough. In mice: hype-anemia of the lungs. Is absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects. Do not flush into the sewer or septic tank.

4. BENZYL ALCOHOL
Found in…perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel and remover, air fresheners, laundry bleach and detergents, Vaseline lotion, deodorants, and fabric softeners.

Facts…Irritant to upper respiratory tract. Other symptoms include: headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, central nervous system depression, and death, in severe cases, due to respiratory failure.

5. CAMPHOR
Found in…perfume, shaving cream, nail enamel, fabric softener, dishwasher detergent, nail color, and stickup air fresheners.

Facts…Local irritant and CNS stimulant readily absorbed through body tissues, irritant to eyes, nose and throat, causes dizziness, confusion, nausea, twitching muscles and convulsions. Avoid inhalation of vapors.

6. ETHANOL
Found in…perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergents, laundry detergents, shaving cream, soap, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish removers.

Facts…showing symptoms that include: fatigue, irritant to eyes and upper respiratory tract even in low concentrations. Inhalation of ethanol vapors can have similar to those characteristic of ingestion. These include an initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision, ataxia, and stupor. Known to cause CNS disorders.

7. ETHYL ACETATE
Found in…after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, and dishwashing liquid.

Facts…Narcotic. On the EPA Hazardous Waste List warning of the following health effects: irritant to the eyes and respiratory tract, headache and narcosis (stupor), defatting effect on the skin and may cause drying and cracking, may cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys. Wash thoroughly after handling.

8. LIMONENE
Found in…disinfectant sprays, bar soap, shaving cream, deodorants, nail color and removers, fabric softeners, dishwashing liquid, air fresheners, after shave, bleach, paint and varnish removers.

Facts…Carcinogenic. Warnings include: prevent contact with skin or eyes because it is an irritant and sensitizer, wash thoroughly after using this material and before eating, drinking, or applying cosmetics, do not inhale limonene vapor.

9. LINALOOL
Found in…perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, bleach powder, fabric softeners, shaving cream, after shave and solid deordorant.

Facts…Narcotic. Causes respiratory disturbances, attracts bees, depressed heart activity and causes CNS disorders. In animal tests: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity, depression, development of respiratory disturbances leading to death.

10. METHYLENE CHLORIDE
Found in…shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish removers.

Facts…It was banned by the FDA in 1988, yet no enforcement is possible due to trade secret laws protecting the chemical fragrance industry. It’s on the Hazardous Waste lists on the EPA, RCRA, and the CERCLA. When absorbed, it is stored in body fat, metabolizes to carbon monoxide, reduces oxygencarrying capacity of the blood, causes headaches, giddiness, stupor, irritability, fatigue, tingling in the limbs, and CNS disorders.

11. A-PINENE
Found in…bar and liquid soap, cologne, perfume, shaving cream, deodorants, dishwashing liquids, and air fresheners.

Facts…Sensitizer (damaging to the immune system).

12. G-TERPINENE
Found in…cologne, perfume, soap, shaving creams, deodorants, and air fresheners.

Facts…Causes asthma and CNS disorders.

13. A-TERPINEOL
Found in…perfume, cologne, laundry detergents, bleach powders, laundry bleaches, fabric softeners, stickup air fresheners, Vaseline lotion, cologne, soap, hairspray, after shave, and rollon deodorants.

Facts…Highly irritating to mucous membranes, aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal edema, causes excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination, hypothermia, CNS and respiratory depression, headaches, and repeated or prolonged skin contact can cause serious skin disorders.

WHAT’S IN A LABEL?
Since companies can get away with incomplete labeling, follow these guidelines to ensure healthy choices.

• Choose products that list all ingredients, not generalized ones.
• Examine the list of ingredients to check that the word fragrance does NOT appear. Essential oils should be listed separately.
• Be prudent because even if the label advertises “un-scented,” most manufacturers use masking agents that block our ability to perceive odors; so not only is the fragrance still in the product, but even more chemicals are present to mask other chemicals.
• Avoid phthalates and parabens (often listed as methylparabens), they disrupt reproductive and thyroid function.
• Always inspect labels because formulas change.
• Since no legal definitions exist for natural, nontoxic, and hypoallergenic, those words don’t signify a healthier product unless every ingredient is identified.

Synthetic Fragrances are MORE Powerful in Summer Months…

What do the following people have in common?

• People with allergies (50 millions in the US)
• People with asthma (15 million in the US)
• People with chronic severe headaches (45 million in the US)
• People with sensitivities (10 to 30 million in the US)

Did you know…

• Current research shows three in five people respond negatively to synthetic fragrances?
• Your perfume (or fragranced product) may be another’s poison?
• You do not have to be wearing perfume, cologne, or a scented product to be negatively affected by it—it merely has to be airborne within approximately a 20-foot perimeter.
• Fragrances were studied for their effect with chronic lung disease, particularly asthma. Study results differ, but some data suggests as many as 75 percent of known asthmatics (i.e. approximately 11 million people in the U.S. alone) have asthma attacks triggered by fragrances.
• A number of studies show how fragrance affects the brain.. Because of the strong connection between scent and memory, we know that fragrance products can cross the blood brain barrier. This is important because it means fragranced chemicals have the potential to affect, and possibly damage, brain tissue. This kind of effect is called neurotoxicity. For example, Linalool, the most abundant chemical in perfume and fragrance products, is known to cause lethargy, depression, and life-threatening respiratory effects.
• As an example of how powerful the effects of fragrance can be in the brain, one Japanese study showed that an organic citrus fragrance was more effective in alleviating depression than were prescription anti-depressants—the fragrance has psychoactive properties, placing it in the category of psychoactive drugs (i.e. Prozac, Valium, Elavil, etc.).
• Fragrance chemicals enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, the nose and mouth, and absorption through the skin—then absorbed into the bloodstream and transported throughout the body. Individual sensitivity to the effects of fragrance chemicals varies widely from no effect at all to severe symptoms for those who are hypersensitive or have compromised immune systems.

Children are significantly more susceptible than adults to the effects of fragrance chemicals, yet fragrances are added to nearly every baby and cleaning product on the market. A parent who wears perfume or uses scented products may well be poisoning the air their children breathe. Exposure to fragrances may result in the child having difficulty concentrating, learning disabilities, hyperactive behavior, and even growth retardation and seizures in extreme cases. Even if you think avoiding fragranced products will protect your child, evidence shows that fragrance chemicals can be stored in the body, showing up in breast milk in the nursing mother. A frightening prospect indeed!

Symptoms experienced as a result of exposure to synthetic fragrances of any kind, include, but are NOT limited to:

• sneezing, nasal congestion
• watery eyes, blurred vision
• headache (especially migraine)
• sinus problems
• anxiety
• wheezing (especially in asthmatics)
• shortness of breath
• inability to concentrate
• brain-fog
• dizziness
• convulsions
• nausea
• hyperactivity (especially in children)
• sore throat, chest tightness, chronic cough
• tremor(s)
• extreme fatigue
• lethargy
• muscle pain and tenderness to touch
• sleep disturbances (from insomnia to un-restorative sleep)
• drowsiness
• blurred vision and extreme difficulty focusing

The Human Ecologist published a member survey fill-in-the-blank questionnaire, to gauge member perceptions of their health-related concerns. Responses began to come back almost immediately by return mail, and are still arriving in the HEAL office. A significant percentage of all respondents reported difficulties with exposures to fragrances used by others. Here are some verbatim samples of how members filled in the blank in the following sentence:

My most troublesome exposure is...

• fragrance in all forms.
• neighbors’ fragranced dryer exhaust in my yard which prevents me from enjoying a neighborhood walk or private time in my own yard.
• perfume and hairspray on co-workers.
• perfume, aftershave, cologne in the hospital, and in stores.
• perfume (any fragranced product), because it keeps me from church and social gatherings, and from building a support system.
• perfume in church and restaurants.
• perfume, especially in public buildings and on people.
• perfume everywhere.
• fragrances, because everyone wears fragrance of some sort in public.
• perfume- it’s ubiquitous.

De-scents-itizing Your Home

• Dryer Sheets—Try dryer balls, or safe reusable cloths made by Static Eliminator (at health stores and online). You can also use an aluminum foil ball in the dryer, 1/2 to 1 cup white distilled vinegar in the washer rinse cycle, or separate your synthetics and cottons when drying to avoid static cling.
• Laundry Detergents—Use fragrance-free detergents and softeners from responsible companies. A safe and economical option is to use three reusable T-wave™ washer discs that will be effective through 700 wash loads…no detergent required! I’ve used mine for years and love them (haven’t purchased or used detergent in over eight years).
• Air Fresheners—Instead of masking odors, identify and remove the source and properly vent.
• Take shoes off at the door
• Empty trash often
• Open window or use fan in bathrooms or kitchen

• Filtration—Air cleaners and purifiers are important to improve indoor air quality, especially for those individuals highly reactive or with compromised immune systems. Not all filters are the same. Avoid filters with plastic parts or materials that off-gas. A reputable company that makes HEPA filtration systems combined with other filtration materials, and customized for your specific needs, is available through your environmental health care professional built to filter your specific airborne pollutants.
• Cleaning Products—The most inexpensive, safe cleansers are baking soda and water (for deodorizing), white distilled vinegar and water (for cleaning when mixed with water and a few drops of chemical-free dish-washing soap), Bon Ami (for scrubbing), and hydrogen peroxide (for disinfecting). I also recommend you consider using a washcloth moistened with silver hydrosol and carry in a zip-lock bag while on trips and away from home much easier and healthier than alcohol-based antibacterial agents that reduce our own body's defenses.
• Essential Oils, Incense and Candles—A good alternative to synthetic scents is pure essential oils. They can be placed around the house (onto gauze, cotton balls, or a diffuser), worn as perfume, or used as a room and car deodorizer. Use a very small amount because those that are highly responsive may still react to essential oils because of a compromised immune system. When someone you know suffers from multiple allergic response syndrome (MARS.) do not wear any fragrance because the cellular memory recalls that fragrances are dangerous and does not differentiate between synthetic or natural oils and may still cause a serious allergic response until their body is again able to protect them and responses diminish.

1. For candles, try soy, natural beeswax or, better still, battery-operated. Don't trust "unscented" because we know manufacturers can use other chemicals to mask chemical scents. A good alternative is battery-operated candles. I received some as a gift and have now gifted several to friends—the atmosphere they create is the same as regular candles without the health-depleting effects.
2. Don't assume all incense is safe; it has combustible materials, may include contaminants, and may contain artificial fragrances and other toxic chemicals, including lead depending on country of origin.

Yes, it does take effort to de-scents-itize your home. That said, it's more energy and cost-effective to stay well rather than get well, naturally.

In next month's article, I specifically name the 13 most common chemicals found in fragranced products.
Dr. Gloria—Your Health Detective

No one who responds to seasonal allergens looks forward to spring, especially when the tree pollens begin flying. That said, you can minimize or eliminate—as I did—allergic responses to airborne triggers by taking simple steps you may not have considered. In addition, using a proprietary homeopathic remedy to not only rid yourself of symptoms but to take proactively before the season is well on its way, is your best "insurance." AND, March is the time to begin that therapy.

More than thirty years ago I relocated from California to Northern Idaho. I never had seasonal allergies in California and I lived in both the southern and northern parts of the state. I didn't give any thought to protecting myself from, or that I'd even respond to, airborne pollutants—was I in for a surprise!

The first spring, around mid-March I found myself with nagging frontal headaches, itchy swollen eyes, post-nasal drip and then by the first of April I developed a full-blown sinus infection with a headache that felt like a sledge hammer landed on my head. I hadn't had a sinus infection in more than twenty years and after trying everything non-drug I finally ended up in the emergency room. The physician that saw me asked if I had a history of sinus infections. After taking a complete history, he commented, "Oh, if you just relocated here you'll always have symptoms and/or infections this time of year with the burning of farm fields at the end of summer, and in the early spring all the pine pollens flying around, just get used to it the rest of the year is beautiful here." I couldn't believe my ears...just get used to it? The only thing he could offer was an antibiotic for the sinus infection and an injection of a steroid (Kenalog) to help with the acute inflammation. Being a doctor of natural health, I KNEW what side effects could ensue but I was in SO much pain I felt I could do anything once, surely without terrible side effects, right? WRONG.

Yes, my sinus infection cleared up, my head stopped pounding, my eyes were now back to normal albeit I still couldn't wear my contact lens because my eyes became too irritated with the continual barrage of airborne pollens. In addition, I experienced the exact same side effect of the antibiotic that I deal with in my patients...a yeast infection that was painful and itchy. Of course I did, the antibiotic killed ALL the bacteria, good and bad.

Within approximately four weeks, my hairstylist commented that my hair was coming out in handfuls when she shampooed. I have always been blessed with enough hair for two women but it was becoming thinner and hard to manage. With all the travel I did, I had my hair styled weekly so she was the best barometer of what was occurring with my hair. I never related the hair loss to the Kenalog injection until several patients I consulted with began losing their hair, and in my case history intake I asked about Kenalog or any kind of corticosteroid use. Sure enough, when sudden hair loss began in these patients they had either injectable or oral corticosteroids prescribed for allergies. It is my experience that this drug causes the same symptoms it is meant to treat and many more—some serious. The mystery was solved and I went on with my health detective investigation to formulate a homeopathic to help my body, not only avoid the symptoms by building my natural resistance to airborne pollens and weeds, but to also protect me proactively. The yeast infection was resolved with high potency probiotics of 200 billion microorganisms in one capsule for 14 days and the spring allergies were resolved with the creation of a special homeopathic.

After consulting with my homeopathic pharmacist, he suggested I get some "un-touched" pollen of every kind possible in my area and send him a petri dish full. Oh great, I had to actually collect the stuff that made me so sick.

Oh well, a good health detective must endure in whatever terrain they must tread in order to succeed in solving the case, right?

My clinic was on the second story of a walk-up medical building in Idaho with a wrap-around deck. What happened next is comical now but it wasn't then. My secretary and I climbed on a tall ladder to the huge pine trees hanging over the balcony of the building. Armed with hoods, shields, gloves, and fully covered, we shook the branches until we filled two petri dishes of pollen. (YES, that's what I looked like during my pollen collection safari, go ahead and laugh, I do now).

Scientifically Speaking
The pollen was sent to my homeopathic pharmacist to make a remedy because in homeopathic medicine—like cures like— taking some of the offending substance in a homeopathic helps build resistance to the substance and alleviates symptoms. As the years passed and clients raved about its effectiveness we had newer complexes made that now include as many airborne pollens and weeds as available nation-wide as well as some for other countries when clients can send me local pollens and pollutant substances.

Be Proactive Not Reactive
After more than thirty years, this proprietary homeopathic formula, Pollen & Weed, is used by thousands worldwide and my patients wouldn't be without it. I use it beginning March 1st every year and all I need is 6 drops under my tongue once daily to avoid any symptoms of spring allergies. If I go to a new area I need to take it 2–3 times daily because my body hasn't yet built immunity to the new species, but this formula still helps me avoid symptoms by stopping them before they cause irritation that can become an infection. I stop taking the remedy about June or when the nasty airborne pollen has subsided. If you don't take the remedy until AFTER you have symptoms you'll need to take 6 drops under the tongue 5–6 times daily until all symptoms subside then you can adjust depending on exposure and symptoms. I call it Nature's Pollen & Weed Solution because it works so well. I even have clients from Brazil, Australia, England, South Africa and Mexico who order it every year because they have been recipients of its benefits.

After taking the remedy for one entire season, you'll see that you need less and less in subsequent years as your body adjusts and builds its own resistance with the help of the remedy.

In a later issue, I'll share with you the other homeopathic that necessitated being formulated for dealing with the dampness and mold of fall allergies.

Other Irritants to Watch For

Contact lenses
When pollen counts are high it's best to wear your glasses rather than contact lens. According to David Rosenstreich, MD, director of Allergy and Immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, "If you trap pollen in your eyes and it stays there, you may experience more problems that can lead to infection."

Soft contact lenses especially are prone to absorbing airborne irritants, like pollen or smoke, because they're permeable. A soft lens lets more oxygen through but can absorb anything in the tears, according to Steven Shanbom, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist in Detroit. If you're set on wearing contacts and don't like hard lenses, you may want to look into disposable ones you can throw out daily to prevent pollen buildup during the season.

Produce with pollen-like proteins
If you're sneezing and sniffling, you could also be sensitive to some fruits and vegetables—called oral-allergy syndrome (OAS). The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates up to a third of patients allergic to pollens may be affected. What's apparently to blame is a protein found on the surface of some raw produce, including apples, tomatoes, and cantaloupe—though each pollen allergy has its own set of trigger foods. "Pollen and food proteins are like first cousins, so your body thinks you're swallowing pollen," according to Cliff Bassett, MD, founder of Allergy and Asthma Care in New York City. "This usually leads to symptoms like an itchy throat and mouth as well as cough and post-nasal drip. Peeling produce may help reduce your reaction. Even cooking the produce may help. Just be careful—research shows about 2 percent of people with OAS have symptoms than can progress to potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shock, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

The homeopathic Pollen & Weed formula is available ONLY from the exclusive source for all products used and recommended by Dr. Gloria—the store at: www.naturalrejuvenation.solutions

The Way I See It
Since my specialty includes allergic response syndromes and inflammatory disorders, I am constantly playing health detective with my clients when they experience allergic reactions/responses and this is what I teach my Wholistic Rejuvenist Practitioners. Additionally, many people with existing inflammatory conditions like fibromyalgia experience an acceleration of symptoms when, for instance, cantaloupe is consumed. I believe it's the mold that forms on the outer skin because other melons don't seem to "ignite" the same inflammatory responses. I, for one, avoid cantaloupe because it does create some inflammation not previously experienced in those with underlying inflammatory conditions.

Nature always has a remedy or natural food for us so in my practice, I always use Food as Medicine, Homeopathics and Herbals when possible. Health thru Education™ is my life's passion, sharing information so that our wholistic health reach broadens more each year.

Part 1: Genetically Engineered Soybeans

The huge jump in childhood food allergies in the U.S. is in the news often, but most reports fail to consider a link to a recent radical change in America’s diet. Beginning in 1996, bacteria, virus and other genes have been artificially inserted to the DNA of soy, corn, cottonseed and canola plants. These unlabeled genetically modified (GM) foods carry a risk of triggering life-threatening allergic reactions, and evidence collected over the past decade suggests they are contributing to higher allergy rates.

Food safety tests are inadequate to protect public health
Scientists have long known that GM crops might cause allergies. But there are no tests to prove in advance that a GM crop is safe. That’s because people aren’t usually allergic to a food until they have eaten it several times. “The only definitive test for allergies,” according to former FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl, “is human consumption by affected peoples, which can have ethical considerations.” And it is the ethical considerations of feeding unlabeled, high-risk GM crops to unknowing consumers that has many people up in arms.

The U.K. is one of the few countries that conduct a yearly evaluation of food allergies. In March 1999, researchers at the York Laboratory were alarmed to discover that reactions to soy had skyrocketed by 50 percent over the previous year. Genetically modified soy had recently entered the U.K. from U.S. imports and the soy used in the study was largely GM. John Graham, spokesman for the York laboratory, said, “We believe this raises serious new questions about the safety of GM foods.”

Genetic engineering may provoke increased allergies to soy
The classical understanding of why a GM crop might create new allergies is that the imported genes produce a new protein, which has never before been present. The novel protein may trigger reactions. This was demonstrated in the mid 1990s when soybeans were outfitted with a gene from the Brazil nut. While scientists had attempted to produce a healthier soybean, they ended up with a potentially deadly one. Blood tests from people who were allergic to Brazil nuts showed reactions to the beans. It was fortunately never put on the market.

The GM variety that is planted in 89 percent of U.S. soy acres gets its foreign gene from bacteria (with parts of virus and petunia DNA as well). We don’t know in advance if the protein produced by bacteria, which has never been part of the human food supply, will provoke a reaction. As a precaution, scientists compare this new protein with a database of proteins known to cause allergies. The database lists the proteins’ amino acid sequences that have been shown to trigger immune responses. If the new GM protein is found to contain sequences that are found in the allergen database, according to criteria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, the GM crop should either not be commercialized or additional testing should be done. Sections of the protein produced in GM soy are identical to known allergens, but the soybean was introduced before the WHO criteria were established and the recommended additional tests were not conducted.

If this protein in GM soybeans is causing allergies, then the situation may be made much worse by something called horizontal gene transfer (HGT). That’s when genes spontaneously transfer from one species’ DNA to another. While this happens often among bacteria, it is rare in plants and mammals. But the method used to construct and insert foreign genes into GM crops eliminates many of the natural barriers that stop HGT from occurring. Indeed, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever conducted verified that portions of the gene inserted into GM soy ended up transferring into the DNA of human gut bacteria. Furthermore, the gene was stably integrated and it appeared to be producing its potentially allergenic protein. This means that years after people stop eating GM soy, they may still be exposed to its risky protein, which is being continuously produced within their intestines.

Genetic engineering damaged soy DNA, creating new (or more) allergens
Although biotech advocates describe the process of genetic engineering as precise, in which genes—like Legos—cleanly snap into place, this is false. The process of creating a GM crop can produce massive changes in the natural functioning of the plant’s DNA. Native genes can be mutated, deleted, permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their levels of protein expression. This collateral damage may result in increasing the levels of an existing allergen, or even producing a completely new, unknown allergen within the crop. Both appear to have happened in GM soy.

Levels of one known soy allergen, trypsin inhibitor, were up to 27 percent higher in raw GM soy. In addition, although cooking soybeans normally reduces the amount of this protein, the trypsin inhibitor in GM varieties appears to be more heat resistant. Levels in cooked GM soy were nearly as high as those found in raw soy, and up to seven times higher when compared to cooked non-GM soy. This suggests that this allergen in GM soy may be more likely to provoke reactions than when consumed in natural varieties.

Another study verified that GM soybeans contain a unique, unexpected protein, not found in non-GM soy controls. Moreover, scientist tested the protein and determined that it reacted with the antibody called IgE. This antibody in human blood plays a key role in a large proportion of allergic reactions, including those that involve life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The fact that the unique protein created by GM soy interacted with IgE suggests it might also trigger allergies.

The same researchers measured the immune response of human subjects to soybeans using a skin-prick test—an evaluation used often by allergy doctors. Eight subjects showed a reaction to GM soy; but one of these did not also react to non-GM soy. Although the sample size is small, the implication that certain people react only to GM soy is huge, and might account for the increase in soy allergies in the U.K.

Increased herbicides on GM crops may cause reactions
By 2004, farmers used an estimated 86 percent more herbicide on GM soy fields compared to non-GM. The higher levels of herbicide residue in GM soy might cause health problems. In fact, many of the symptoms identified in the U.K. soy allergy study are among those related to glyphosate exposure. [The allergy study identified irritable bowel syndrome, digestion problems, chronic fatigue, headaches, lethargy, and skin complaints, including acne and eczema, all related to soy consumption. Symptoms of glyphosate exposure include nausea, headaches, lethargy, skin rashes, and burning or itchy skin. It is also possible that glyphosate’s breakdown product AMPA, which accumulates in GM soybeans after each spray, might contribute to allergies.]

GM soy might impede digestion, leading to allergies
If proteins survive longer in the digestive tract, they have more time to provoke an allergic reaction. Mice fed GM soy showed dramatically reduced levels of pancreatic enzymes. If protein-digesting enzymes are less available, then food proteins may last longer in the gut, allowing more time for an allergic reaction to take place. Such a reduction in protein digestion due to GM soy consumption could therefore promote allergic reactions to a wide range of proteins, not just to the soy. No human studies of protein digestion related to GM soy have been conducted.

Soy linked to peanut allergies
There is at least one protein in natural soybeans that has cross-reactivity with peanut allergies. That means for some people who are allergic to peanuts, consuming soybeans may trigger a reaction. While it is certainly possible that the unpredicted side effects from genetic engineered soybeans might increase the incidence of this crossreactivity, it is unlikely that any research has been conducted to investigate this. GM soy was introduced into the U.S. food supply in late 1996. We are left only to wonder whether this had an influence on the doubling of U.S. peanut allergies from 1997 to 2002.

Eating GM foods is gambling with our health
The introduction of genetically engineered foods into our diet was done quietly and without the mandatory labeling that is required in most other industrialized countries. Without knowing that GM foods might increase the risk of allergies, and without knowing which foods contain GM ingredients, the biotech industry is gambling with our health for their profit. This risk is not lost on everyone. In fact, millions of shoppers are now seeking foods that are free from any GM ingredients. Ohio-based allergy specialist John Boyles, M.D., says, “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it—unless it says organic.”

Organic foods are not allowed to contain GM ingredients. Buying products that are certified organic or that say non- GMO are two ways to limit your family’s risk from GM foods. Another is to avoid products containing any ingredients from the seven food crops that have been genetically engineered: soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, Hawaiian papaya and a little bit of zucchini and crook neck squash. This means avoiding soy lecithin in chocolate, corn syrup in candies, and cottonseed or canola oil in snack foods.

Fortunately, the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America will soon make your shopping easier. This Consumer Non-GMO Education Campaign is orchestrating the clean out of GM ingredients from foods and the natural products industry. The campaign will circulate helpful non-GMO shopping guides to organic and natural food stores nationwide. The Campaign will provide consumers with regular GM food safety updates that explain the latest discoveries about why, Healthy Eating Means No GMOs.

Safe eating.

Author’s note: This article is limited to the discussion of allergic reactions from GM soybeans. The evidence that GM corn is triggering allergies is far more extensive and will be covered in part 2 of this series.

There is a definite substantiated connection between allergies and asthma. Studies indicate their underlying mechanisms may even cause each other. Up to 38 percent of patients with allergies have been diagnosed with asthma, and 78 percent of those diagnosed with asthma have allergies. Both as a physician and as a former allergy and asthma sufferer myself, I’ve witnessed the tie between the two conditions.

I have believed for years they are all related to an overgrowth of a very common organism found in every one of us in our digestive tracts: Candida albicans. In my practice, I routinely and successfully guide allergy and asthma patients through a nutrition plan that dramatically reduce or completely eliminate their symptoms. I’ll touch on highlights of that plan, but first a few words on the individual conditions.

Types of Allergies
During an allergic reaction, your immune system is doing its job, but it’s overreacting. Typically, allergic individuals have developed an excess of the antibody IgE when exposed to a certain allergen. This ultimately results in the release of histamines and leukotrienes, causing the annoying allergy symptoms.

Thirty percent of all adults and 40 percent of children suffer from hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, which is characterized by nasal congestion and itchy eyes. Alternatively, or additionally, an allergic reaction can involve rashes and other skin conditions and, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock. Reactions can occur due to allergen exposure via inhalation, injection, ingestion, or through skin contact. The symptoms can be very diverse, but usually involve the nose, eyes, lungs, and skin.

If you have a diagnosed allergy, you’ve probably heard it categorized as an inhalant, infectious (gets worse when you’re sick), insect, drug, physical agent (such as cold, heat, or exercise), contact, or food allergy. A food allergy is different from a food sensitivity; the allergy is usually severe and causes a very noticeable reaction. Both the allergy and the sensitivity can respond well to complementary treatments though.

Understanding Asthma
Characterized by shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing, asthma involves the combined effects of inflammation and muscle dysfunction in the airway. The inflammation cascade creates mucus, which worsens the obstruction, resulting in more inflammation—resulting in a vicious cycle. Asthma can be allergy-induced, but it is not always an allergic condition. Regardless, it is related to allergies in that both are the result of an over-reactive inflammation process.

Asthma can be mild (about 50 percent of cases) which may require medication only as needed, moderate (40 percent of cases) sometimes requiring daily medication, or severe which involves frequent daily symptoms that need to be controlled carefully through daily medication. Severe asthma is the most life-threatening, however, all types can result in a lifethreatening attack and ought to be taken seriously.

In the past, people usually were diagnosed with asthma as children and so understood the condition well by the time they were adults. But, increasingly, there are more cases newly diagnosed in adults.

Where is this all coming from?
Chances are your physician has discussed allergens or key irritants that you need to avoid or manage to help prevent your allergy or asthma from flaring up. Triggers are wide-ranged and can include: aerosol, pollution, dander, certain medications, estrogen, extreme temperatures, dust mites, smoke, pollens, molds, sulfites, specific foods, heartburn, chemicals and strong emotions. Other less avoidable triggers include your own heredity, viruses, and exercise.

Managing triggers can be exhausting. Ultimately, it doesn’t do anything to actually remedy your condition. The trigger isn’t really the cause either. The cause is an over-reaction in the immune response. Remember the earlier comment about gut health? Let’s come back to that concept.

There are more than 250 species of yeast—they are found in almost every baked good and we eat them all the time. More than 150 of these species are harmless parasites in our bodies. We all have Candida in our bodies; it normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract, the mouth, and the vagina as a part of the normal flora in the body.

The trouble begins when there is an overgrowth of Candida. It lacks chlorophyll and is not able to produce its own food, so it acts like a parasite. This is usually kept under control by probiotics, the friendly bacteria in the body. Probiotics use yeast as food. As long as there is a good balance of the two, there is no problem. Candida overgrowth can occur due to dietary issues, chemical exposure, stress, or antibiotic use— Candida is a fungus; antibiotics do not kill it, but they can kill probiotics.

Similar factors can also cause a condition called leaky gut. Imagine the cells of the gut, lining the interior in a honeycomb pattern. With leaky gut, there are gaps in the honeycomb where cells have broken down. Poorly digested food particles, pathogens, and yeast can now pass through into the body. Candida may wander to other parts of the body where it should not be, such as the lungs and sinuses. It causes inflammation and can result in chronic stuffy nose, sinus headaches, difficulty breathing, wheezing, and even muscle aches.

With patients who struggle with allergies and asthma, and those who test positive for more than 10 food sensitivities, I can almost always assume the presence of leaky gut and treat for it accordingly. A Healing Phase Diet, which permits the gut to totally mend itself and rules out sources of yeast and foods that feed yeast, will last three months as long as you keep to the requirements. Straying even a little can draw out the healing period to six months or more.

Similar to other cleansing diets you may know about, the basics of this nutritional approach are a little more intensive and involve:

Ruling out sugar in all its forms. These are food sources for yeast, which includes all syrups, honey, molasses, chemical sweeteners, and fruit. Tomatoes, commonly mistook as vegetables, are fruits that need to be avoided too. Sushi rice usually contains sugar to make it sticky. Skip the lunch meats and processed foods—almost all have sweeteners in them; read labels.

Ruling out all yeast and fungus sources. Refrain from consuming mushrooms and yeast-containing baked goods (if it rises, it contains yeast). Avoid vinegar and condiments containing vinegar; try using olive oil and lemon or lime juice to make your own salad dressing. Avoid all fermented foods, alcohol, dairy products (especially cheeses), and smoked and processed meats.

Opening your mind to all the things you CAN eat! Most of the foods you’re avoiding are ingredients in highly processed foods. You’ll find yourself cooking healthier wholefood meals by default once you rule out the ingredients that have been keeping you in a state of inflammation and Candida overgrowth. (See the article “What CAN I Eat?” on page 12 to learn more)

Supplementing with multivitamins, natural anti-candida herbals, and probiotics. In my practice, I recommend Alphabetic as a multi and build my patients’ vitamin program from there. Grapeseed extract, Caprylic acid, and garlic are effective anti-candida supplements. For establishing healthy probiotics, I use Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS, a vegetarian probiotic blend that has extensive research supporting it.

Sometimes, major lifestyle changes like this seem overwhelming. But when compared to juggling medications and constantly avoiding triggers, most allergy and asthma sufferers are excited at the opportunity to breathe free naturally and bring their immune system back into a state of equilibrium. After the Healing Phase Diet it is also possible to go through a four-month careful reintroduction of many of the foods you’ve been avoiding.

Dr. Fred Pescatore’s book, The Allergy and Asthma Cure provides in-depth description of the Healing Phase Diet and helpful recipes and menu plans. His book, Thin for Good, contains more cooking tips along with insight into the connection between yeast-overgrowth and weight management.

In 2012 I was a mess. Same with the year before. And the year before that. Truth be told, my body has been a mess in multiple ways for most of my life.

No more.

I am asthmatic, and have suffered a lifetime of severe allergies and sensitivities. During an annual physical, I watched my doctor's alarm when I told him I was using my asthma inhaler five to six times daily without getting relief. I soon found myself on a somewhat helpful but horribly dehydrating daily cocktail of two Benadryl, one 24-hour Claritin D, 10 mg of Singulair, and my asthma inhaler as needed. On one of my trips to the E.R. with an especially severe asthma attack, I was stunned to learn that I had developed a life-threatening allergy to steroids. What followed that E.R. trip was three and a half weeks missed from work, as my asthma attack blossomed into severe bronchitis, and I could no longer take steroids to reduce bronchial inflammation.

I eventually got better. But despite my medications, I was still drippy, wheezy, and generally miserable every day. And that was just one of my serious health conditions.

Eventually, I had an epiphany.

In May 2013, I met with a colleague who happens to be vegan. Clutching my box of tissues and blowing my nose, I observed her radiant skin and boundless energy in stark contrast to the perma-mess that I had become, and had to ask myself what I was waiting for.

I knew I needed to get off dairy for good and I had also read Dr. Richard Firschein, DO's theory in his book Reversing Asthma (Warner Books, 1996) that asthmatics have no business eating eggs, as the albumin is phlegm-producing. But egg and dairy are in so many dishes, and I anticipated that being vegan would be difficult and unpleasantly restrictive for me. So I stubbornly continued to resist change—eating my eggs and dairy, and feeling generally awful. Observing my colleague in that meeting, I decided I had had enough self-inflicted suffering. On that day I vowed to say goodbye to dairy and eggs. As I was already a vegetarian of 25 years, this meant I was essentially going 99 percent vegan (I still eat local raw honey to manage seasonal allergy symptoms). I also pumped up my leafy greens intake, and eliminated most processed foods.

It was almost immediately apparent how beneficial this decision was for me. Within a mere three days I was mostly free of symptoms that necessitated taking those daily asthma and allergy meds. So on that fourth day, I stopped taking them. With each passing month, I have felt increasingly stronger as my body continues to detox. When pollen counts are high, I just eat raw, local honey and that manages my sniffles.

But that huge benefit was only the beginning. In 1999, I had been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (P.C.O.S.), a hormonal imbalance that includes ovarian cysts and unpleasant, painful symptoms for which I was prescribed birth control pills (despite having my tubes tied in 1995 - how ironic). I had tried going off the Pill several years after my diagnosis, only to have my symptoms re-awaken with a fury. Since eating cleaner, I was curious to try again and see what would happen.

According to the Harvard Gazette's interview of Dr. Ganmaa Davaasambuu, a scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, cows are milked approximately 300 days a year, and are pregnant for most of that time. When a cow is pregnant, her hormone levels are significantly higher, and those hormones are in her milk. When we eat dairy, we ingest a lot of extra hormones, presenting a variety of potential health consequences. As the Gazette article reports, "Dairy…accounts for 60 to 80 percent of estrogens consumed."

Realizing that I had rid myself of unwanted excess hormones once I stopped eating cheese, I decided to really walk on the wild side and go off the Pill. And would you believe that not only was I P.C.O.S. symptom-free, but I also had regular periods for the first time ever? One month later, when my body was behaving like one in hormonal balance, I realized that my mood was much improved. Consequently, I was ready to try the final step of my experiment: going off my antidepressant. I suffered from depression since age five, and had been medicated for the past twenty years. But, I had also eaten lots of eggs and dairy for most of my life. I had tried going off my medication once before - it was a disaster, and I went right back on it. But not this time. Now, as I decreased my dose to zero, I noticed that I felt…FINE, for the first time in my memory. Talk about liberating. I was shaken to my foundation, in a good way.

After reporting this story to my amazed and supportive doctor last July at my annual physical, I couldn't help sharing with him how moved I was by the experience I never dreamed would be mine: walking out of his office empty-handed, with no prescriptions.

Ironically, the healing power of food is hardly news. In the late 5th Century, B.C.E., Hippocrates, widely regarded as the father of Western medicine, said, "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food." Even Hippocrates and his contemporaries understood that the effects of food can range from toxic to healing.

Now, bio-individuality is surely real, and everyone is different. But what my body clearly needed was to get off the eggs and dairy. All it cost me to free myself from five daily medications that I evidently did not necessarily require was my willingness to forego eating the foods that made me sick and to add in a whole variety of new delicious foods that supported my health. Did I miss my cheese? For the first week, I absolutely did. But after that, I must confess that I no longer wanted to eat the way I used to, as nothing tasted better than feeling my new clarity and vibrancy!

I had such a life-changing improvement in my health, made possible not by some modern miracle drug, but by thoughtful food choices. I hope that others who are suffering like I was can consult with their health professionals and embark on a similar healing journey.

In future, I will be writing about the health benefits of whole foods, and I will share easy-to-prepare, delicious recipes to make your path to feeling great simple and enjoyable. Eating well doesn't have to be difficult, and it's my pleasure to share in your journey to optimal health.

Marney White is a Holistic Health Coach living on Long Island, NY. She helps empower her clients to reach their wellness goals through an education in whole foods, including guided tours of the health food store and in-home cooking classes. You can read more about her and her programs at www.BeNourishedNow.com, and follow her on Facebook at Be Nourished Now, Inc., and on Twitter @Marneycakes.

Face it. Life is a balancing act. Between work, relationships, parental duties, staying fit, academic efforts, maintaining friendships, community involvement and personal fulfillment, it’s a wonder most of us can even find time to catch our breath. Yet we soldier forward with all our obligations and commitments because we have to, and in most cases, we want to. But when life gets so hectic the stress of it all impacts our mental and physical well-being, it’s time to take action.

Becoming familiar with the ways different types of stress can affect our minds and bodies, specifically our immune system, as well as learning about the available tools that have been clinically proven to manage the impact of stress on the immune system, are proactive steps toward keeping healthy. Lessening the impact of harmful invaders on our immune system entails not just strengthening it to combat the bacteria and viruses that cause common illnesses, but also ensuring that our immune system’s response to such external stimuli as allergens is not too strong—as asthma and other long-term health implications can result. In short, keeping our immune systems in check, but more importantly, in balance, is imperative to our overall health.

How Stress Affects the Immune System
While many aspects of our daily lives can negatively impact our immune systems—a less-than-optimal diet, travel, pollution, changing seasons, overexertion during exercise, lack of sleep and even the normal aging process—stress can also interfere with a healthy immune system.

Certain physiological changes occur to help an individual cope with stress. Chronic activation of the neurological pathways associated with stress result in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters/ chemicals, which then alter the function of certain cells of the immune system. These altered cells cause the immune system to respond improperly, either by over-responding or under-responding, to bacteria, viruses, allergens, fungi and parasites.

In addition to impacting the human immune system, stress that is mismanaged and remains too high for prolonged periods of time can lead to a variety of symptoms associated with very serious illnesses, including heart disease, anxiety disorders, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, respiratory disorders, accidental injuries and cirrhosis of the liver. Stress has been linked to all of these illnesses, all of which are leading causes of death in the United States.

Types of Stress
There are certain types of stressful events and situations called “stressors” that our bodies react to in different ways. Surprisingly, not all types of stressors negatively affect us. “Acute stressors” are time-limited and temporary. Public speaking and academic testing are examples of short-term stressors that temporarily boost, or over-stimulate, the immune system. The body quickly adapts itself to respond to short-term stressors through the “fight or flight” response by releasing such chemicals as adrenaline that enable our pupils to dilate, our awareness to intensify, our sight to sharpen, our impulses to quicken and our immune system to mobilize and increase activation. Much of the time increased immune system activity is a benefit to us, as it helps to ready the body for challenges, but in some cases an over-reactive immune system can result in allergies, asthma, chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

“Sequential stressors” include major events that give rise to a series of related challenges, such as the loss of a spouse or a natural disaster. “Chronic stressors” are ongoing, persuasive demands that force people to restructure their identity or social roles and have no end in sight. Examples of such stressors include caring for an aging spouse or elderly parent, being victim of an event that leads to a permanent disability or fleeing a third-world country because of violence or war.

Both sequential and chronic stressors suppress, or under-stimulate, the immune system, leaving the body open for attack and more vulnerable to illness. Other manifestations of these types of stress include: fatigue and exhaustion; headaches or migraines; neck and back pain or stiffness; gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhea, constipation or colitis); chest pains or palpitations; sleep disturbances; family conflicts; job tensions; and a change in sexual energy.

A Tool for a Balanced Immune System: EpiCor
While we may be able to employ various proven tactics to reduce our stress level, such as exercise, meditation, acupuncture and/ or massage therapy, the fact remains that certain amounts of stress will be present in our lives; especially in today’s increasingly over-scheduled society. So, if escaping our stressors is not an option—and for most of us it’s not—we may need some extra help in keeping our immune system in balance while we deal with daily stress.

One such all-natural tool that can be used in this capacity is a product called EpiCor™, which is comprised of metabolites that nourish and balance the body’s immune system. EpiCor strengthens resistance and maintains wellness before immune health issues develop by helping the body modulate its immune response.

Just like the medical breakthroughs penicillin and X-rays, EpiCor was discovered by accident! When the parent company experienced minimal health insurance premium rate increases several years in a row and the incidences of employees using sick days were rare, a series of scientific studies were conducted. Findings confirmed that production workers who had been exposed to the ingredient experienced significantly higher immune activity than those workers who had not been exposed. EpiCor is unique in that just one 500 milligram capsule per day helps the immune system stay strong and healthy through balance. A strong immune system is not one that has only been stimulated or boosted. Those actions can certainly be helpful at specific times, but as we have just learned, there are times that the immune system can over-respond, leading to health issues. A strong immune system is one that is balanced and can respond appropriately, depending on the situation at hand. These two actions—boosting and suppressing—constitute EpiCor’s proven methodology known as “immune balance.”

Research on EpiCor and What it Means to Us
Unlike so many other immune health supplements, a bevy of scientific research supports EpiCor’s effects on the immune system. Favorable efficacy profiles have been observed for Epi- Cor in clinical trials, and studies at the cellular (in vitro) level have suggested its mechanisms of action. Multiple toxicological studies have been performed that prove the safety of EpiCor. In addition to finding that EpiCor has no contraindications, ongoing research has also confirmed EpiCor fights free radicals through its high antioxidant activity and helps to manage inflammation.

Most recently, a published study found that EpiCor has a significant impact on the incidence and duration of the common cold and flu. Specifically, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that taken once a day, a 500 milligram EpiCor capsule significantly decreased the incidences of cold and flu symptoms as well as observable symptom duration. These results translate into fewer sick days for people taking EpiCor, which is of great importance to American businesses dealing with health care costs, employee sick days and lost revenue.

Now think of what this research on EpiCor means for our personal overall health which, as we have learned, is directly affected by our stress levels. If we are healthy, we are not staying home sick from work and falling behind. If we are healthy, we are more likely to be fully engaged when interacting with our partners, children and friends, thus strengthening those relationships instead of aggravating them by being over-stressed and irritable. If we are healthy, we have more physical energy to participate in personal fulfillment activities that interest us and allow us to decompress, such as gardening, cooking, exercising and reading. And finally, if we are healthy, we are not spending money on medial deductibles, treatments or unnecessary prescriptions, which is a major concern according to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) recent national survey reporting that money is the leading cause of stress for 75 percent of all Americans. The APA also found that 77 percent of people suffering from stress reported physical symptoms including fatigue, headache, upset stomach, muscle tension, change in appetite, teeth grinding, change in sex drive and feeling dizzy.

Sound familiar?

Isn’t it time we broke this vicious stress-illness cycle? Keeping our immune system balanced is the first step. In addition to giving our immune system the very basic things that help to keep it healthy—good nutrition and plenty of sleep—there are other things we can do to support it as well. One such thing is EpiCor. As an all-natural, safe and economical way of supporting the immune system, EpiCor just may be the key to a balanced and healthy life.

• Jensen, G, et al. An anti-inflammatory immunogen from yeast culture induces activation and alters chemokine receptor expression on human natural killer cells and B lymphocytes in vitro. Nutrition Research (2007), 27:6, 327–335.
• Moyad, M, et al. Effects of a modified yeast supplement on cold/flu symptoms. Urologic Nursing (2008), 28:1, 50–5.
• Padgett, DA, et al. How stress influences the immune response.
• TRENDS in Immunology (2003), 24:8, 444–8. Segerstrom SC, et al. Psychological stress and the human immune system: a meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry. Psychological Bulletin (2004), 130, 601–30.

Your lungs flank your heart like two guardians, delivering life-giving oxygen to your cells and expelling carbon dioxide, the waste product of energy production.

The journey of inhaled air starts in the nose or mouth. From there, it flows into the windpipe and then enters the tubes of the bronchi — the muscular, branching structures in the lungs. Those branches narrow into hollow twigs called bronchioles.

Each bronchiole ends in an alveoli, a two-way, microscopic air sac that absorbs oxygen and sends it into the bloodstream, and picks up carbon dioxide for disposal.

Ahh . . . a breath of fresh air! Or maybe it’s aaah-choo. Because our respiratory system doesn’t always work like it’s supposed to. We can get upper respiratory infections, like colds, flu or pneumonia. The bronchi can become inflamed, clogged with mucus and go into spasm, triggering asthma.

Asthma afflicts an estimated 27 million American adults and children, resulting in 500,000 yearly hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths from severe asthma attacks. And the problem is getting steadily worse. Over the last 25 years, the number of people with asthma has quadrupled and the numbers of deaths from asthma has doubled.

Another respiratory problem is chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), which is usually caused by smoking. It has two main forms:

1. Emphysema, in which the walls of the alveoli are injured and you’re constantly short of breath.
2. Chronic bronchitis, in which you’re mucus-ridden, cough constantly, and breathe with difficulty.

And there are many other acute and chronic problems that can bedevil the lungs, like acute bronchitis (a bacterial infection of the bronchi, usually occurring after a cold), or worse yet lung cancer.

Fortunately, there are easy, natural ways to optimize lung function and help you breathe easier. Ways to thwart chronic respiratory infections, decrease inflammation, keep excess mucus in check, and relax the airways.

In this article, I discuss a dozen, simple, lung-loving strategies, each of which is like a breath of fresh air.

Optimizing Lung Function

It’s important to know which area of lung function is associated with which specific lung health condition, and then take measures to optimize the functionality of that specific area.

For those with asthma:
Asthma represents a mix of spasm of the muscular airways combined with inflammation and increased mucus production. Allergies can aggravate both of these. Because of this, when optimizing lung health, it is especially important to focus on areas that calm muscles that are in spasm while balancing immune function. Things that help these include (the first two are most important):

1. Take boswellia (1,000 mg daily). This herb helps balance the immune system. BosCur one cap 1–2 times a day can be especially helpful, as it has only the helpful components of the boswellia and has a form of curcumin which is highly absorbed. Both of these are very powerful immune balancers.

2. Optimize vitamins and minerals. Many nutrients can optimize the health of your airways. They include vitamins B6 and B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and beta-carotene, along with the minerals magnesium, selenium and molybdenum — all of which you can find in the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder. Instead of writing 3,000 words on why each of these can help and having you take 6–8 tablets a day, let’s keep it simple. Take the one drink a day of the vitamin powder for overall health.

3. Support Adrenal Function. Just as prednisone (a synthetic cortisol steroid) helps asthma (with a slew of side effects), supporting your own natural adrenal cortisol production can help your breathing — but safely! A mix of licorice, vitamin B5, vitamin C, and adrenal glandulars will help support adrenal function and can be found in combination in Adrenal Stress End.

4. Oil your alveoli. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish can cool down an overactive immune system and help the airways in your lungs stay relaxed. Tuna, salmon, sardines and other fatty fish are good sources of omega-3s. For a lungoptimizing fish oil supplement, I recommend Vectomega, which has a bioidentical structure identical to that found in salmon (it surprised me to realize that most fish oils are not bioidentical), dramatically increasing absorption. 1–2 tablets a day are all you need, instead of 8–16 of most fish oil capsules.

5. Take lycopene (30 –45 mg daily). This powerful antioxidant from tomatoes is most important for those with exerciseinduced asthma. In one placebo-controlled study, it was significantly protective after one week’s use in 55 percent of people with exercise-induced asthma. Why not just eat tomatoes? You’d have to eat a pound a day to get an optimal dose! Vitamin C 500 mg a day also helps exercise-induced asthma.

6. Settle your allergies. Have asthma triggered by allergies?

These tips can help:

• Consider NAET. A special acupressure technique called NAET can make your lungs less sensitive to possible negative influences, like foods that injure your immune system. To find a practitioner, visit the NAET website. NAET knocked out my lifelong hay fever in one 20-minute treatment!
• Add an electrostatic air cleaner to your furnace. As I wrote in my book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2012), this device pulls allergens out of the air, a big help if your lungs aren’t functioning optimally. Doing this in our home knocked out my daughter’s asthma almost overnight. Your heating and cooling service company can guide you in picking and installing a unit, which costs about $800. Smart tip: Be sure the air cleaner filters can fit in your dishwasher, and wash them the first of each month. If you can’t install an in-furnace air filter, an alternative is a HEPA air filter in your bedroom. It’s not as thorough, but it’s extremely helpful.
• Take measures in your home to decrease allergen load. This can include treating for dust mites (any allergist can guide you on this) while also considering special plastic wraps that go around the mattresses to collect the dust.

For people with emphysema and chronic bronchitis:
Emphysema represents severe lung damage, most often from smoking, toxic chemical/substance exposures, or chronic bronchitis. It can cause significant shortness of breath, wheezing, and limitations in activity. In the past, emphysema was felt to represent almost entirely irreversible lung damage and chronic bronchitis was the step before emphysema. Fortunately, there does appear to be a significant reversible component to both these conditions, and at these levels of lung damage even small increases in lung function can translate into large increases in your being able to function. This means aggressively going after the inflammation and airways spasm as discussed above for asthma (especially optimizing lung function using treatments one to three above).

Interestingly, optimizing the levels of a key antioxidant called glutathione has been especially helpful.

Moducare® is a patented blend of plant sterols and sterolins, and the only sterol/sterolin product clinically proven to be effective in immune modulation. Moducare can be considered an adjunct to help shift immune responses to a more balanced state. It enhances the activity of various immune cells and increases the killing ability of specialized cells, called Natural Killer cells, responsible for immune surveillance. Moducare also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the effects of stress on the immune system by managing the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Moducare is well-tolerated, with no known interactions with either prescribed medications or natural supplements. Plus, long-term studies have found that it has no significant negative side effects.

Human Research Proves Plant Sterols Action
We call sterols the forgotten nutrient because although thousands of research studies have been preformed on this nutrient, it has not been given the recognition it deserves.

Over 4,000 published studies to date have examined phytosterols and 140 of these studies are double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials. Rheumatoid arthritis, cervical cancer, diabetes, immune function, prostate problems, HI V, herpes, hepatitis C, allergies, stress-induced immune suppression, chronic fatigue, tuberculosis, breast cancer, and high cholesterol are only some of the diseases where sterols and sterolins have been shown to be extremely effective.

Plant sterols and sterolins are essential for modulating (balancing) the immune system, enhancing it if it is under active, and reducing it when it is over stimulated. They perform the balancing act very effectively. Patrick J.D. Bouic, Ph.D., has shown in his research that plant sterols and sterolins are effective in enhancing an under active immune system and/or decreasing an overactive one. This happens without the side effects associated with pharmaceutical substances such as interferon, prednisone or methotrexate. Sterols and sterolins have been evaluated in a 25,000-person safety study and found to have no side effects, no drug interactions, and no toxicity. It is safe for children, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers. Only those who have had an organ transplant cannot take plant sterols because they may stimulate rejection.

Plant sterols and sterolins also increase the number and action of natural killer cells (our cancer fighters) and increase our DHE A levels naturally. They are also able to reduce the stress hormone cortisol and the proinflammatory immune factor, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TN F-a). Interleukin-6 and (TN F-a) are increased in autoimmune disorders, osteoporosis, over exercising, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis. Reduction of this inflammatory agent is the key to halting symptoms and pain. This is exactly what plant sterols and sterolins do.

Sterols—Great Stress Busters
Chronic stress is so negative that it can promote and exacerbate most disease. Numerous studies have linked our ability to deal with stress to our susceptibility to the common cold as well as more serious diseases such as cancer. Adults who have recently lost a loved one or have been divorced or separated tend to have the highest cancer rates. Unrelieved stress gradually weakens and suppresses our immune system, causing disease. Stressful situations promote the release of cortisol, the stress hormone which in turn causes the secretion of a negative immune factor interleukin-6. Abnormal levels of IL-6 are associated with osteoporosis, autoimmune disease, asthma, inflammatory diseases including arthritis, and more. We know that phytosterols are effective in reducing IL-6, cortisol and other negative immune factors. They also improve DHEA, a hormone known to help fight the effects of stress.

An overview follows of a few of the outstanding studies published.

Sterols Lower Cholesterol
The rapid cholesterol-lowering effects of phytosterols have been reported in over 400 studies. Beta-sitosterol is very similar in structure to cholesterol except that it has an extra ethyl group on the side chain. Due to this similarity, it interferes with the absorption of the cholesterol found in our foods as well as the cholesterol produced by the body. By including phytosterol-rich foods or supplements containing sterols, we can normalize cholesterol much faster than with the common cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Sterols Halt Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is now occurring in epidemic proportions. Over four million North Americans are infected with hepatitis C. Liver specialists are overwhelmed as they struggle to deal with the increase in the incidence of this disease. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in North America. Physicians using sterols and sterolins to treat hepatitis C have already shown that with 90 days of the sterols and sterolins treatment liver enzymes and viral load normalize.

Sterols, Heart Disease and DHEA
A team of Canadian researchers discovered that an error in the regulation of certain immune cells that fight bacterial infections may be implicated in heart attacks and strokes. In a study published in the International Journal of Immunopharmacology, plant sterols and sterolins are shown to improve the ability of the immune system to fight bacterial infections. Sterols and sterolins, not antibiotics, may be the way to treat bacterial-induced heart disease.

Prostate Problems Eliminated
Urologists in Germany have been using plant sterols and sterolins for over two decades for the treatment of enlarged prostate. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 200 patients with an average age of 65 and with BPH, subjects were given sterols and sterolins for six months. The treatment group showed a rapid reduction of the symptoms mentioned above and an increase in peak urinary flow and a decrease in inflammation. When does a health food product become mainstream? Do 4,000 medical studies constitute good scientific evidence of a nutrient’s effectiveness? We believe plant sterols and sterolins will change the way we treat disease in the future. Instead of treating symptoms, we will get directly to the source of the symptoms and repair the cause of the disease.

When I moved into my current home in Pacific Palisades, California, nearly 20 years ago, I was searching for nontoxic resources: paints, carpeting, and other furnishings. My search was mostly met with odd looks and raised eyebrows (ah, the olden days!). So I was overjoyed to find Mary Cordaro, just starting out on her path as a consultant on healthy, green home building and remodeling. She spoke my language! She became my non-toxic home guide to whom I referred friends and patients over the years: those with allergies, or simply, interested in green, non-toxic living. Mold, volatile chemicals, indoor and outdoor pollution—you name it, she’d have a resource.

My latest concern, likely in response to those incessant commercials, is the existence of disgusting invisible dust mites that camp out in our mattresses, living off our skin flakes (yuck!). I asked Mary what she does for that and she referred me to this article of hers, which follows in its entirety.

Written by Mary Cordaro

The most common home allergens are particulates and chemicals. Particulates include seasonal pollen, mold, dust, dust mites and animal dander. Indoor chemicals associated with allergies include formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (chemicals that outgas from products such as plywood and fiberboard), conventional paint and finishes, and permanent fabric treatments. By improving air flow and reducing sources of particulates, chemicals and moisture, we can reduce our homes’ levels of typical airborne allergens. Here are some strategies.

Particle Matters
Many of the chemicals in our homes are tracked in from our shoes and pets’ feet. One of the easiest ways to reduce our homes’ chemical loads is to remove shoes upon entering the house. We can also reduce exposure to tracked-in grime by making bedrooms off-limits to pets.

To control allergens that do get in, vacuum frequently, including upholstered furniture, with a HEPA vacuum independently certified to capture at least 99 percent of particulates. This is especially important if you have wall-to-wall carpet or pets. If you don’t have a HEPA vacuum, open windows while vacuuming and for 30 minutes afterward, as non-HEPA vacuums can stir up allergens. You might also invest in a HEPA air cleaner that filters particulates such as dust, pollen, dander and mold. The best HEPA cleaners contain carbon for chemical filtering.

Moisture Patrol
Moisture helps create an ideal environment for mold and other allergens. One of the most common sources of indoor moisture is condensation from bathing and cooking. Run exhaust fans when cooking and for 30 minutes after bathing, even if your bathroom has a window. (Make sure exhaust fans vent to the outdoors.) While fans are running, it’s wise to crack a nearby window to provide a source of makeup air (see “This House Doesn’t Suck” below). Outdoor moisture may also lead to indoor mold. Make sure your home’s drainage directs water away from foundation walls.

In basements, avoid materials mold thrives on such as drywall and carpet. Instead, choose hard materials such as concrete, ceramic, tile and stone. Keep moist basement air out of living spaces by installing an airtight seal around the basement door and caulking holes where plumbing and electrical wires pass from the basement to the ground floor. Also install weatherproofing around attic doors.

Carpet cleaning and humidifying increase indoor moisture. If carpet doesn't dry quickly after cleaning, you may end up with low levels of mold you canft see or smell. Use chemicalfree cleaning methods that require the least water, and only clean carpets when humidity is low and you can open windows. If you hire professionals, ask them to extract as much moisture as possible. If you use a humidifier, use filtered water and clean the reservoir with three percent hydrogen peroxide before refilling to prevent mold and bacteria.

Death to Dust Mites
The average bed is home to 100,000 to 10 million dust mites. Along with their favorite food.our skin particles. mites thrive on warmth, moisture and darkness. Before making the bed, pull back covers and air bedding, reducing moisture. When itfs sunny, air bedding outdoors. Wash sheets in hot water weekly if you are dust mite-sensitive. Unless they are filled with organic or chemical-free wool, which is naturally mite-resistant, encase mattresses, pillows and comforters with nontoxic dust mite barrier covers tightly woven to at least 4.91 microns. Seek barrier covers that are free of PVC and antimicrobial, stain- or wrinkle-resistant treatments (see Resources).

Increase Air Flow
Unless you have seasonal pollen allergies or live in a highly polluted area, open windows whenever weather allows. Fresh air and sunlight are great remedies for high levels of particulates, mites, moisture and chemicals. For fast relief, open windows and turn on all exhaust fans. Whole-house fans ventilate your entire home. If you install one, make certain its exhaust is mechanically vented to the outdoors, not into the attic.

This House Doesn't Suck
When you turn on your furnace, air conditioner or exhaust fans, your home may become gnegatively pressurized,h an effect that causes indoor air to gsuck inh pollutants from basements, wall cavities, attics and crawl spaces. To prevent this effect, keep all interior doors open and crack one window on each floor when furnace or fans are running. Change furnace filters when you see grime buildup, or once every six months. 

http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/health/allergens-indoor-allergies.aspx

Mary Cordaro is president of Mary Cordaro Inc, where she works as a healthy home consultant and certified Bau-biologist. She lectures around the country.

Resources
Mary's company has grown along with the entire green industry and she remains my top resource here:

A few weeks ago, I shared my general concepts of Green Medicine involving three components: the use of dietary, nutritional and natural substances (what I call our personal green), living in a clean home and office (our local green) and working to keep the greater world in which we all must live clean for the health of us all (our global green). In this article I take a look at asthma—a specific, epidemic and potentially dangerous problem, particularly as the disease occurs in children, the most vulnerable of us all, and walk you though my “Green Medicine” approach to this disease.

ASTHMA 101
First, some basics. Asthma is a major health problem in the U.S., its incidence increasing yearly and with cases up a whooping 75 percent since 1980. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reports the disease afflicts 20 million Americans, and is responsible for nearly one fourth of all emergency room visits. Some nine million children under age 18 suffer from asthma, with some four million of these victims of serious attacks last year. The costs, in terms of missed time from school, are staggering; in 2002 for example, the disease accounted for over 14 million lost school days.

To understand asthma, we need at least a basic primer in lung physiology. To live, we need to breathe, and with each inspiration, fresh air, and with it life sustaining oxygen, travels into the lungs within the bronchi and bronchioles, tubelike structures that reach into the furthest recesses of the lungs, the small alveoli. Here, our red blood cells absorb much needed oxygen and release carbon dioxide, good old CO2, a by-product of normal metabolism, which we then breathe out of our lungs with expiration.

Now smooth muscle cells line all these air passages along what anatomists call the bronchial tree. These cells, when contracting, can actually reduce the diameter of the bronchi and bronchioles. Such activity can be of benefit, for example when we are exposed to severe pollution, or say smoke from a fire; with reduced air intake, we actually lessen our exposure to potentially dangerous materials.

We also lose considerable water through breathing; just think of a cold day, and the white vapor that follows each expiration. That white smoke is water vapor, exhaled with each breath day and night. If we’re dehydrated—during a hike on a hot summer day, for example—we can lose a fair amount of water this way. So it makes sense that our lungs might slow down a bit to reduce the losses, and help keep our fluids in balance until we re-hydrate as needed.

Asthma occurs when our bronchi and bronchioles overreact to irritating exposures in the air, or dehydration, shutting down air flow to the point we find ourselves struggling and fighting for each breath, sometimes, ironically, fighting even for our lives. Scientists recognize a variety of substances that commonly provoke asthma in susceptible people, including pollens in spring and animal dander, as well as a myriad of pollutants. These irritants can lead to an inflammatory reaction in the immune cells lining the bronchi, which in response release histamine and leukotrienes. It’s these molecules that then set off the smooth muscle contractions that can, if excessive, lead to asthma.

Asthma’s Connection to the Environment
Scientists aren’t sure why in so many people the bronchi overreact, but some suspect our constant exposure to increasing amounts of toxic materials in our air must be at least partially to blame. After all, our poor lungs must deal with a constant barrage of noxious materials in the air, literally thousands of different compounds, many of which are irritating to the lungs.

Infection, which creates inflammation, cold air, even exercise can provoke attacks in asthma prone children and adults. Since we tend to lose considerable water vapor via breathing both when it’s cold outside, and when we’re breathing heavily during exercise, I suspect these situations result when we’re just not adequately hydrated, and our lungs desperately try to conserve water—perhaps too desperately.

Standard treatments for asthma include steroids, which reduce inflammation along the bronchi, and bronchodilators, which relax the smooth muscle. In our office, we have some simple approaches to the problem that often help enormously, though I must advise any patient with asthma to follow strictly their doctor’s advice, and never change or stop medications without their doctor’s approval.

Green Medicine Asthma Solutions
First, as a simple intervention, I always make sure any patient with asthma understands the need to drink plenty of fluids. Considerable debate rages about the amount of water humans need, and a recent study just last week said we should only drink when we feel thirsty. But with asthma, often our thirst centers in the brain seem a little slow to react, so patients end up chronically dehydrated, even though they don’t feel thirsty. In my office, we advice anyone with asthma to drink at least 6–8 glasses of water daily.

I have also had a number of patients who improved substantially with the addition of simple apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons in a glass of water 2–3 times daily. Apple cider vinegar contains ample quantities of acetic acid, which we quickly absorb and which quickly acidifies the blood stream. We find that with the blood slightly on the acid side, the inflammatory responses tend to subside, and broncho constriction lessens. And though much nutrition advice these days promotes low fat diets, we find many of our asthma patients do better with a fairly regular intake of, yes, red meat. There’s a reason, biochemically speaking, why red meat might help. Red meat contains nutrients called phosphates and sulfates that our bodies quickly convert to acid in the blood. Once again, a slightly more acidic blood seems to blunt the exaggerated inflammatory response so typical of asthma.

But, whatever diet an asthmatic chooses to follow, the cleaner the food the better, and that means organic. Fortunately, we live in a time when few doubt that organic food, be it plant or animal, not only provides more nutrients than conventional, but is cleaner. For an asthmatic, I believe organic is the only way to go.

In terms of our local environment, we always encourage our patients to think green. The fewer toxins in the environment, at home, in the office, and at school, the better an asthmatic patient will do. Use non-toxic cleaning agents, and if your house needs painting, use the gentler, greener low VOC paint readily available today. Patients often ask me to recommend air filters, but frankly, we find the best air filter to be plants—but of course, only those that won’t lead to an allergic asthmatic response! Scientists now know that plants very efficiently remove pollutants, even the nastiest, from the air around us. One article on reported that spider plants remove 96 percent of carbon monoxide, and 99 percent of nitric oxide, both noxious gases, after only 24 hours. Spider plants, philodendron, and aloe plants are among the most powerful pollution fights around. Plants also give off oxygen, as an added benefit for all of us. In my home and office, we have plants everywhere, and for good reason—not only do they bring a bit of nature to my city life, but they keep the air around me, my wife, and my patients clean.