By: Janet Co, L.Ac., Dipl. OM, MS
Diwa ~ Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine
870 Market Street, Suite 809, San Francisco, CA 94102
415.891.7244
Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States and cost the health care system about $18 billion annually. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is the reason for over 15 million doctor office visits each year. Food allergy occurs in approximately 6 to 8 percent of children under the age of 4 and approximately 4 percent of adults.
Currently, the primary treatment for allergies is to avoid the allergen, whether it is food, animal, chemical, or drug. However, there are many complementary approaches to treating allergies, such as herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, and body-mind treatments such as NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques).
Herbal Medicine
There are a number of herbs and formulas that can help eliminate allergies. Some herbs include cinnamon (gui zhi) and xanthium (cang er zi), to help elevate serum IgG to neutralize allergens and increase the T-cell ratio. Other herbs such as scute (huang qin) work to inhibit the release of histamines. Other herbs such as forsythia (lian qiao) and perilla (zi su ye) work to eliminate antigens.
Acupuncture
The human body is made up bones, flesh, nerves and blood vessels which can only function in the presence of vital energy (or “Qi”). Without this energy, the body cannot function. When the body is alive, vital energy moves freely through meridians and blood circulates through blood vessels distributing essential nutrients to various parts of the body. Acupuncture helps to restore this flow of energy and blood, and thus, the boosting the immune system and overall health of the patient.
Nutrition
- Increase water intake (at least 5-8 glasses of water daily). Water helps to move the vital energy throughout the body.
- Bioflavonoids and carotenoids, found in many plants, especially fruits and vegetables, are powerful antioxidants. Some include quercetin, parsley, carrots, yams, pumpkins, and greens help reduce allergic reactivity.
- Additional antioxidants such as vitamin C, garlic, zinc, and vitamin A can also help. Vitamin C is a powerful antihistamine that also suppresses broncho-constriction, which is important for those suffering from allergic symptoms.
- Other herbs include German chamomile, thyme, borage, nettles, and licorice root.
NAET
NAET is a non-invasive, drug free, natural solution to eliminate allergies. An allergy is defined as “an adverse physical, physiological, and/or psychological response of an individual towards one or more substances also known as allergens”. Selective testing and treatment are used to balance the body bioenergetically with various unsuitable electromagnetic energies, such as allergens (i.e. food, chemicals, natural environmental resources such as grass, trees, dust, etc.). NAET works to intercept and stop the immune response, change the characteristics of the previous stimulus into a new one with a different signal, with the result that the anticipated allergic reaction no longer takes place. NAET helps reprogram the brain by erasing the previous harmful memory of the allergen and imprinting a new, useful memory in place, thus enhancing immunity of the body naturally.
Questions? Call Diwa ~ Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine today at 415.891.7244.
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