Healthy You Naturally Monthly Newsletter

Welcome and thank you for allowing me to share my passion, training and experiences in natural nutrition, holistic health and wellness with you. 

This month I want to talk to you about allergies and why you do not have to suffer another season of misery.

I also want to extend a special welcome to everyone at General Electric who visited my Introduction To Iridology.

As always, I welcome your comments and inquiries.  
Healthy regards,   Diane McLaren (905) 855-3000

This newsletter is dedicated to helping you develop informed habits of health!

In Loving Remembrance

• With great sadness, I want to acknowledge the passing of my husband's mother, a grand lady who passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 30th 2009, just shy of her 93rd year. Erma McLaren was an extraordinary woman who retained a daily passion for living and optimism of life throughout her many years. Full of gratitude, she always saw the glass half full. 
  
  She taught us to keep going even when we felt like giving up.  She also taught us that it was more important to love than to be loved and all of our best qualities are because of her. 
  
  I am confident heaven welcomed her with open arms as she began the next part of her journey!
  
  You can read the full text of Bill's dedication here ...

This month's feature article ...

How To Avoid Allergies

Uncovering The Root Causes And Solutions For Those Miserable Allergies!

Atchouu…” Gesundheit - A tes souhaits - Bless you!

Spring and here we go again!  While some people do not experience allergies at all, for others, allergies last from a few weeks in the spring or fall to symptoms that last from early spring to the first fall frosts.  Some experience allergies all the time due to their exposure to substances the body was never meant to tolerate.

No matter when or how long they last, symptoms of allergies affect you, they make life difficult and quite simply uncomfortable.  But I want you to know that suffering from allergies whether it's due to the environment around you or the foods you consume is totally unnecessary and I am not talking about using man-made products that temporarily mask the symptoms of allergies either!

You read that correctly! 

Most people do not know that they need not suffer through those unpleasant symptoms so let's find out what I mean by that statement and in doing so, get to the root causes of allergies so you will know why and how you will never have to suffer through another allergy season again.

Begin By Understanding Why Allergies Exist!

What follows is my understanding and interpretation from over two decades of study, research and successfully working with clients who got rid of their allergies. 

For those who know me, they know that I ask a lot of questions and those questions always follow a logical e.g. rational approach.  Many years ago I remember wondering …

• How can something that is normally so inoffensive and even beneficial in some cases cause severe allergy symptoms in some people, and nothing in others?  Examples include dog or cat hair where it has been shown that people who own dogs or cats live longer or what about a beautiful tree or flower which scrubs the air of hazardous carbon dioxide while providing us with essential oxygen as well as visual pleasure.
• Why do so some people suddenly develop allergies such as hay fever?
• Why so some people grow out of their allergies?

What Is An Allergy?

An allergy is an inappropriate response by the body’s immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful.  Allergic reactions are often a result of malfunctioning of the immune system.

Some people have an extremely strong reaction to certain substances that could be food or environmentally related.  When the reaction is not too strong, often it is called a “sensitivity” and that should be our first clue to do something.  Remember that not all allergies produce strange behavior.

Some allergy symptoms include:

• Hives
  
• Swelling
  
• Feeling of unease
  
• Flushing
  
• Runny nose
  
• Mucus & sore throats
  
• Recurring headaches
  
• General aches and pain
  

In more severe allergenic reactions, airway obstruction can occur from the swelling and thickening of the linings of nose, mouth and throat.

Understanding Allergenic Symptoms

When your body is reacting to allergy symptoms from what in most cases is normally an inoffensive substance such as cat hair, it is an indication that the immune system is “weakened or impaired”.  

What I mean by that is the immune system is so weak, injured or confused that it cannot do the original job it was supposed to do, keep the “bad guys out”, and leave the “good guys in”.

You can think of the immune system as the body’s bouncer similar to a bouncer at the front doors of a night club.  If the bouncer is not sharp or had a few drinks, he might let the wrong people into the club thus inviting potential trouble.  In a similar way, if the immune system in a weakened state cannot recognize who is really a good guy or bad guy, it can allow some bad guys to enter the body or reject some good guys which translates to different allergies for people.

That simple analogy explains why people develop allergies given that most are not born with them. In other words, “people grow into their allergies” when their immune system is weakened.

This also explains why some people grow out of their allergies e.g. when their immune system gets stronger.

Allergies And Our Toxin Exposure Overload

The other part of the allergy puzzle is our almost constant exposure to an overload of toxins.  We are bombarded with so many extra toxins found in our food (over 10,000 chemicals are used in our food industry), in our water, the air we breathe, the environment, toxins produced by our excessive stress levels and even by our activity levels.

We cannot escape our exposure to toxins

Toxin exposure is a fact of life in North America in the 21st century and while we can do a lot to decrease our exposure, we cannot escape it.  There is no shortage of studies in Canada and the USA validating this.

The result for many people is that the human body simply cannot cope with these extra toxins.  The results of this constant barrage of toxins on our body make it even more difficult for a weakened immune system to do its job properly!  When there are so many toxins, the immune system gets overwhelmed and either stops working and lets everything in or at best works at random picking up a few, not necessarily the real bad guys because its judgment is distorted!

So What Can You Do To Alleviate The Symptoms Of Allergies? 

• The answer is quite simple, extremely effective and it works!

1. Bring and then maintain the immune system at absolute optimum levels of efficiency
2. Keep internal body systems clean so toxins won’t remain in the organs and tissues.  This allows every cell to be more efficient. Think of your furnace at home, when the return air filter is dirty; the house gets dusty much faster.  
3. Strengthen the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems as necessary.  In bodily terms, having 2-3 bowel movements a day keeps our systems working at their best.  Remember good nutrition is a two-part process;  one in putting good nutrients in, and the other is taking wastes out.

Exactly how can we do that?

1. Drink water, water, water  - I cannot stress enough the importance of adequate clean hydration – see my July 2008 newsletter for more on body hydration and water.
   Dr. Bernard Jensen (one of my instructors) used to say:  "You are not allergic, you are thirsty; You do not have asthma, you are thirsty” – It is crucial to keep the body liquids flowing and water is the first step.
2.  Consume whole natural foods - Eat fresh, whole natural foods that are as free of chemicals as possible.  I have said this often, shop the perimeter of the grocery Store and try to avoid the isles where the processed foods are found.
3. Avoid highly processed foods - Many food alle - Many food allergies are the result of constantly consuming highly processed foods (packaged products) which are really not suitable for healthy human consumption in the first place, and this include all genetically modified products or organisms (GMO). 

Common highly processed and GMO products to avoid include dairy, wheat, corn, fats, sodium and sugar.  As a nutritionist, I do not consider allergic reactions to those products as food allergies. We should largely avoid these products as the human body was not designed to efficiently process them in the first place and the allergic responses we experience are our body’s complains and warnings to stay away from them.

Test Yourself For Food Allergies At Home

If you suspect food allergies, you can do an easy test at home:

Take your pulse for 60 seconds before eating the offending food, eat the offending food, wait about 20-30 minutes and take your pulse again after.  If your pulse rate increased more than ten beats per minute, it is likely that you have an intolerance or allergy to that food.

Consider Muscle Testing As An Alternative To Self-testing:

Muscle Testing, (also known as biokinesiology or applied kinesiology) is another fast and effective way to find out your current intolerances, allergies and needs.  Muscle Testing uses the body’s own computer (the brain) and its circuits of interaction with organs, muscles and diverse tissues (nervous system) to determine the internal integrity of the body.

Testing for food intolerances, food allergies and body requirements will help you actually feel the difference because the results are specific to your own body conditions and requirements. 

Not Sure what you need? 

Call me to book a Muscle Test for just $45 (about 20-25 minutes) and get clear on your actual body needs.  Stop wasting money on products you do not need and call 905-855-3000!

Supplementing When You Body Systems Need A Little Assistance

Supplementing a nutritionally strong whole foods diet with 100% whole/natural supplements to nourish, strengthen and bring balance back to the body is the fastest and most effective means of naturally eliminating the symptoms of allergies. 

Supplements are typically used during the strengthening and healing process then consumption can decline to a maintenance level once the body is operating efficiently and your consumption of processed and GMO foods does not exceed more than 20% of your daily diet. (That still leaves lots of the fun food on the table!)

The following natural herbal products are found on my Build & Strengthen The Immune System page ...

AL-J cap#778-8 or liquid #3166-5: natural anti-hi: natural anti-histamine (with no harmful effects) It supports and strengthens the respiratory system; removes allergens and other toxins; soothes inflamed tissues and also helps with asthma, bronchitis, coughs, nasal drainage and lymphatic function. 

Histablock #776-1: is also a natural anti-histamine (with no harmful effects); this formula provides antioxidant strength to maintain stable mast cells and support the body’s efforts in maintaining normal mucous membranes, keeping nasal passages open; the anti-inflammatory helps to reduce swelling and acts as a natural decongestant.

Tiao He Pak #4005-7:  Great way to gently cleanse and detoxify the body.  It cleans the blood, liver, colon and cells plus it strengthens the immune system.

Protease Plus #1841-7:  Provides a full spectrum of plant-derived trace minerals which help activate enzymes; break down protein compounds, ensure proper digestion of nutrients (especially of proteins) that results in less undigested by-product creating toxins.  Supports optimal immunity through improved digestion.

FYI - mucus, which is one of the symptoms produced by allergies, is partly made of proteins therefore the better the digestion of proteins, the less allergies (foods or environmental).

HRP-C cap #937-7 or liquid #3167-6: Strengthens, builds and supports the immune system; helps the liver gets rid of toxins; enhances the body’s response to stress; purifies blood and flushes toxins; it contains herbs which provide powerful antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, and antiviral activity against numerous pathogenic organisms.

You can order any/all of these products with your NSP account or by visiting my Boost & Strengthen The Immune System page (no account required) ...  (If you want your own free NSP account, use my sponsor # 342288-7 and visit www.naturessunshine.com in the USA or www.naturessunshine.ca in Canada or call me to find out how!)

Got Questions About Developing Your Own Habits Of Health?

Complementary consultations to full counselling programs, you are invited to discover for yourself just how effective and rewarding a natural approach to health can be.  Isn't it time to stop guessing and find out where you stand on your own nutrient needs!

If would like to learn more, it is very simple – just call me at (905) 855-3000.  

To your good health and happiness,

Diane McLaren

Holistic Health Practitioner, Wellness Coach & Trainer 

Understanding - Guidance - Coaching - Motivation - Success