Get ready, Hay Fever Season is here!
Written by Rochelle Wickramaratchi
When I mean get ready, I don’t necessarily mean stock up on antihistamines. If antihistamines are your usual go-to for hay-fever, then I’m writing this for you.
Allergies are a very complex process that goes beyond itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose and congestion. It may surprise you to know that the root cause may stem from a multitude of body systems.
Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is often thought of as genetic in origin. Whilst this is true for many, it is often not as simple as that.
Other non-pollen Allergens & Toxins:
If you suffer from other allergies / sensitivities such as food based (gluten, lactose, fructose, nuts etc.) or exposed to environmental toxins (nicotine, exhaust fumes, mold, pesticides and other chemicals; you are more likely to develop seasonal allergic rhinitis
(Al-Abri et al. 2018). This is due to your immune system being in a state of chronic hypervigilance, with high levels cytokines and histamines elevated in your body. You could view hay fever as clue that there may be other underlying long term allergen exposures. It might be time to take a good look at your diet and environment.
Leaky Gut or GIT inflammation and GIT barrier dysfunction
Leaky gut has been linked to increased incidences of allergic rhinitis (Akdis 2021). If your gut lining is inflamed and barrier function is impaired; it allows for endotoxins to leach into systemic circulation setting off an inflammatory cascade. Furthermore, when our gut lining is inflamed, an enzyme called the DAO enzyme that helps excrete histamines from the body, is impaired. This results in histamine accumulation making your hay fever symptoms worse. Gut health is crucial step in addressing your hay fever.
Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, Liver steatosis)
Research shows that people with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) have increased susceptibility to allergic rhinitis (Lee et al. 2017). MetS causes Liver congestion and impairs its function. The Liver is the body’s detoxification powerhouse. When its impaired, toxins begin to accumulate which in turn causes systemic inflammation and immune system dysregulation which can lead to increased symptoms of hay fever.
Nervous System Dysregulation – Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia.
People experiencing these neurological conditions, also become more susceptible to hayfever. Acute stress is an evolutionary adaptive mechanism designed to protect us. Chronic stress prevalent in modern times; causes the Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation resulting in elevated cortisol, which in turn causes mast cell activation and increase in histamine release. Whilst stress does not cause allergies, it can make symptoms worse (Lee et al. 2017).
If this resonates with you, look into resolving seasonal allergies in a holistic natural way that addresses the root cause and goes beyond symptom suppression.
Book now for a consultation to help you on your path to optimal health.
References:
Akdis, Cezmi A. 2021. “Does the Epithelial Barrier Hypothesis Explain the Increase in Allergy, Autoimmunity and Other Chronic Conditions?” Nature Reviews Immunology 21(11):739–51. doi: 10.1038/s41577-021-00538-7.
Al-Abri, Rashid, Asdaf S. Al-Amri, Zaina Al-Dhahli, and Ajoy M. Varghese. 2018. “Allergic Rhinitis in Relation to Food Allergies: Pointers to Future Research.” Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [SQUMJ] 18(1):30. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2018.18.01.005.
Dave, Ninabahen D., Lianbin Xiang, Kristina E. Rehm, and Gailen D. Marshall. 2011. “Stress and Allergic Diseases.” Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America 31(1):55–68. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2010.09.009.
Gotovina, Jelena, Christina L. Pranger, Annika N. Jensen, Stefanie Wagner, Oswald D. Kothgassner, Nadine Mothes-Luksch, Rupert Palme, Desirée Larenas-Linnemann, Jaswinder Singh, Ralph Mösges, Anna Felnhofer, Lisa-Maria Glenk, and Erika Jensen-Jarolim. 2018. “Elevated Oxytocin and Noradrenaline Indicate Higher Stress Levels in Allergic Rhinitis Patients: Implications for the Skin Prick Diagnosis in a Pilot Study” edited by M. Milanese. PLOS ONE 13(5):e0196879. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196879.
Lee, Eun Jung, Hye Jin Hwang, Chan Min Jung, Min Ki Kim, Min Seok Kang, and Kyung-Su Kim. 2017. “The Relationship between Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Metabolic Syndrome.” American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy 31(4):222–27. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2017.31.4445.