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submissions to | Home > Newsletters > June 2009 > Allergies: Spring Root & Branch |
Allergies: Spring Root & Branch |
 By Edsel Tan, L.Ac. In spring, the axis of the Earth is tilted toward the sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the hemisphere closest to the sun. During this increase in daylight, trees and grass spring forth by dispersing pollen through the air currents. A person’s immune system may be hyperactive and may identify pollen as something harmful. From this moment on, the immune system will produce proteins called antibodies that will identify pollen as a pathogen. Pathogen-fighting chemicals such as histamine will be released into the blood stream. Increasing the permeability of the capillaries to white blood cells and other proteins, histamine allows an engagement with foreign invaders, i.e. pollen, in the affected tissues. The result is the annoying symptoms of pollen allergy: runny nose, nasal congestion, watery/itchy eyes, sneezing, cough, itchy nose, itchy mouth, itchy throat, sinus pressure, a decreased sense of smell and taste, insomnia, fatigue, and irritability. Decongestant drops, antihistamine drugs, and corticosteroid drugs are often used to relieve the most severe superficial symptoms temporarily. But what about the root cause? Have you ever seen someone overreact to the pettiest issues? At first, the aggression and hostility is intimidating. But if you explore more deeply, you may find an underlying weakness. This also holds true for the human immune system. At first, it appears to be hyperactive, maybe overly efficient in fighting foreign invaders. But there is, in fact, an underlying weakness. Since pollen is harmless to the human body, the fact that the immune system acts so aggressively to destroy pollen is an indication that the immune system is acting inappropriately. This inappropriate hypersensitivity indicates that the immune system is weak. Its overreaction to pollen is counterproductive to overall harmony and homeostasis, weakening the body. Factors such as genetic predisposition, diet, mental stress, and consistent exposure to environmental toxins should be taken into consideration when seeking a cause and a cure. One way to get to the root weakness is through Traditional Chinese Medicine which entails comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, a treatment plan, acupuncture, a custom herbal formula, nutritional modification, and lifestyle counseling. Through this healthcare modality, we are able to relieve the excessive symptoms while strengthening the underlying deficiency. We call this treating the root and branch. |
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