Whether your head feels congested for weeks straight during allergy season or you have a severe anaphylactic reaction to a certain trigger, allergies are the worst. Allergic reactions of any level place your immune system under duress and increase inflammation, which can lead to other chronic illnesses.
In many cases, lifestyle changes can be incredibly effective at promoting proper functioning in our bodies and dramatically improve the body’s reaction to ‘unwanted foreign invaders.’ While there are many different types of allergies, we often see a connection to digestive dysfunction. The gut is our second brain, after all!
If you are curious about the crucial factor linked to the rise of allergic diseases and how we can restore functionality in the body, keep reading for Seed and Soil’s approach to treating allergies.
What Causes Allergies?
It’s all too common for adults to experience new food sensitivities and allergies out of nowhere, but when they visit their doctor, they are told they are fine and that there are no underlying causes. However, our biochemistry is not random, and I believe we can always find a source of an issue if we look hard enough.
Allergic diseases have been studied for decades as they’ve been on the rise, but research has only recently revealed a common crucial factor – the composition of our gut biome.
The microbiota in our gut is responsible for training the immune system, so when there is dysfunction in the gut, the rest of the body will likely follow. What is still being studied is how exactly this occurs and specific consequences arise.
The Link Between the Gut and Allergies
A team of researchers in Spain wanted to better understand this relationship, so they compiled a scientific literature review of all studies published between 1989 and 2017 that examined the association between the gut and allergies. Here is what they found:
1. Mode of Delivery
One of the most interesting findings of the research was that the method of delivery at birth produces significant differences in the microbiome communities. The babies born from a C-section had lower levels of certain bacteria species than those born vaginally. These differences have been linked to having a higher risk of developing allergies and asthma.
2. Diet
Diet from a young age is incredibly important to create the proper ecosystem of bacteria in your gut. Breastfeeding increases the colonization of certain beneficial organisms such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in babies. Oligosaccharides, a type of complex carbs, is the main food for gut bacteria to develop a balanced and diverse ‘society’ to train the immune system. And guess what? They are found in breast milk.
After infancy when the baby starts eating other kinds of food, the gut biome changes and diversifies, so it is important to follow a fiber-rich, pre-biotic diet to nourish beneficial bacteria.
3. Antibiotics
One of the leading causes of gut imbalance is exposure to antibiotics. These medications can have serious consequences on the body if prescribed and taken irresponsibly.
Solid evidence supports that a mother taking antibiotics while pregnant significantly increases the risk of allergies in newborns. Although antibiotics are sometimes unavoidable, it’s crucial that you take the necessary combination of prebiotics and probiotics to restore your gut and help your immune system.
An Integrative Alternative to Allergy Treatment
There are ways doctors have tried to heal the immune system’s response to allergens, such as immunotherapy, but these treatments can be dangerous and stressful. Plus, it’s not always effective. Best case scenario, it will save you a trip to the emergency room, but you still might have uncomfortable symptoms. Worst case scenario, you might not survive.
Allergies are no joke. One bite off the wrong plate or even a speck drifting onto your skin can be a life-threatening situation. This can leave you in a chronically stressed state and wreak further havoc on your gut and immune health.
Hope isn’t lost though! Researchers are seeking out ways to treat allergies more effectively. Studies are showing that supplying specific bacteria to the gut can teach the body how to respond to certain triggers.
Research is still advancing to become more fine-tuned, but one thing is for certain: healing your gut can help you heal your allergies. At Seed and Soil, we believe the best ways to heal are with the medicine given to us by the planet.
If you’re suffering from allergies, implement these lifestyle changes and then book your appointment with me, Dr. Damon at Seed and Soil Wellness.
Eat slowly – with friends and family ideally
Quality hydration (water is a living substance filled with energy & minerals)
Eat plenty of prebiotic foods – caution if you have SIBO
Cut out ultra-processed foods
Find ways to maximize nutrient absorption & mineral status
Learn More > The Brain in the Gut
Take Back Your Power with Seed & Soil Wellness
Healing your gut is one of the most powerful things you can do to help your immune system properly respond to allergens. By giving your gut the proper support that it needs, you can correct and prevent countless other chronic symptoms and diseases.
You don’t have to live in fear of your allergy. At Seed and Soil Wellness, we can help you create a plan to combat your allergies and heal your gut. Schedule your appointment today to visit our functional medicine provider.
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