Sustainable Health Acupuncture

     If you're anything like me, you have started feeling the effects of spring - the sneezing, itchy eyes, drippy nose, and sinus pressure all too familiar to those of us who suffer from allergies.  Today's topic is how to strengthen your system, so allergies are not as big of a deal.  (I'll be heeding my own advice from this post as well.)  The areas I will be discussing are:  Diet, Supplements, Acupuncture, and Lifestyle Modifications.  This blog will be about Diet.
    

     But first, a quick lesson in how allergies work.  An allergic reaction occurs when our immune systems make a mistake and react toward something that is not otherwise harmful - like pollen, for example.  Your B-cells (which are white blood cells) are responsible for creating antibodies to threats.  This is great when we need to fight an infection.  But sometimes the B-cells are not able to tell that the allergen in question is not invading the body, so it launches an attack.  The B-cells cause a huge release of IgE antibodies which attach themselves to basophils and mast cells.  Mast cells and basophils both contain histamine, a word any allergy sufferer is all too familiar with.  Histamine is wonderful - when released in the right amounts for an appropriate attack (like the aforementioned infection).  Histamine is not great when it is released in huge amounts against pollen or grass!

     In the example above, the person becomes "sensitized" to an allergen.  The IgE/mast cell combo are primed and ready to go, so the next time the person is exposed to the allergen, the histamines inside are released, leading to an allergic reaction.

     So what's a person to do if they are sensitive to particular allergens?  Here we go :

Diet:

     Certain foods create histamine reactions in the body or contain histamines.  Here is the list:

 * Histamine-containing foods:
     Alcohol, anchovies, avocados, cheeses (especially if aged), dried fruits, eggplant, fermented food, mackerel, mushrooms, smoked fish & meats, processed meats, sour cream & yogurt, breads/treats with a lot of yeast, spinach, tomatoes, and foods with vinegar.

 * Histamine-releasing foods:
     Alcohol, bananas, chocolate, eggs, fish, milk, papayas, pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes.

     Avoidance of these foods will help reduce the body's histamine levels.  I understand that complete avoidance may not be possible - this is fine.  Chinese Medicine is all about moderation.  But I think it is helpful to at least be informed that eating certain foods may exacerbate allergies.

Other Foods to Avoid:
 * Mucus-producing foods:
     Many people's allergies manifest as a runny nose.  Eating foods that produce mucus will worsen this condition.  Also, in Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is responsible for digestion and also for much of our immunity.  The Lung is our first defense against foreign invaders.  Both of these organs are very much affected by phlegmy foods.

     Everyone knows that dairy is a huge phlegm-producer.  Also high on the list are:  meat, tofu, eggs, pineapple, salt, and sugars.  In fact, a study published in 2008 found that sugar consumption increases susceptibility to allergic airway inflammation.  Sugar has also been shown to have a detrimental effect on immune system function - even in small amounts!

     Did you know that raw vegetables and fruits can contribute to phlegm?  , Many of my patients are surprised to hear that these foods may not be good for them.  Think of the process of digestion like a fire under a pot - if you put cold foods in the pot, the fire has to work extra hard to heat them up.  If your digestive system is less than optimal, these cold foods can hinder the Spleen's digestive capabilities, leading to dampness/phlegm/mucus.  Try lightly steaming, roasting, or sauteing your veggies!

 * Common Food Allergens:
     Many people these days have food allergies - be they diagnosed or undiagnosed.  There are 8 foods that account for 90% of food allergies: 
Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, soy, and wheat.  People's reactions to food allergies vary.  Some people have anaphylactic reactions, which can be deadly.  Others have gastrointestinal reactions - wheat and soy being 2 common ones for this type of reaction.  But many people also react in the same way they would to an environmental allergen.  I feel that this type of reaction is often overlooked.  Yet I can say from personal experience that foods can definitely trigger sneezing and congestion - wheat gluten does it for me.

     If you suspect that one of these foods may be the culprit that's making you feel lousy, avoid it for a couple of weeks.  Pay attention to how you feel.  Are you less congested?  Is your brain less foggy?  Is your digestion better?  Do you just feel better in general?  If so, that food was probably an allergen.  Do you have to avoid it forever?  No, but it does help to be aware that if you eat a certain food, you know that you will pay for it.  It helps to know what to expect.

     And that brings our discussion of diet & allergies to a close.  Stay tuned for Part II and in the mean time, be well!

    Hello and welcome to Sustainable Health's very first blog!  I wanted to have a forum to share information with all of you.  Please remember that information is shared in all directions - I would love to hear your thoughts and responses to my posts. 
     I will be sharing information and ideas such as articles on Chinese Medicine, tasty recipes, happenings around Asheville, health news, and anything I think is noteworthy and worth sharing!

     For my first post I will be sharing a recipe.  I should start off by saying that I love trail mix.  Let me repeat myself:  I LOVE TRAIL MIX!!!  Yes, I love it so much that I will shout it out in this blog to the entire world.  That being said, I am usually not a fan of pre-made bulk bin trail mix.  It's either bland or has one ingredient I don't like in it.  (As an aside, those of us with a gluten intolerance need to be careful with trail mixes and bulk bins in general.  Trail mixes with tamari in them can have wheat, especially if the ingredients don't specify that it's a wheat-free tamari.)
     So what's a person to do?  Make her own trail mix of course!  The following recipe has been my favorite mix for the last month.  I have been getting the ingredients at Earth Fare, but I suspect Greenlife should have most of them as well.
     You can buy as much or as little of each ingredient as you want.  I usually buy equal amounts because I don't like any one ingredient to be the dominant taste.  You might prefer it otherwise.  And now for the ingredients....

  * Brazil Nuts
  * Macadamia Nuts
  * Pecans
  * Dried Tart Cherries
  * Shredded Coconut    (I like the large unsweetened chunks from Earth Fare - they are meatier and more tasty than their smaller counterparts)
  * Almonds   (Lately I have been using the blanched, slivered almonds, even though these are not as nutritious as their unblanched counterparts)

     Mix the ingredients in a large bag (after you've paid for them separately!) by shaking well.  Your trail mix is done.  This is my favorite mid-afternoon snack.  The fat & protein in the mix really fill me up and give me sustained energy.  Plus trail mix is easily portable - perfect to grab on the go - and requires no clean-up.  My kind of snack!  This mix is also delicious added to plain yogurt or to (gluten-free) oatmeal.

     Since I am a health practitioner, this blog would not be complete without speaking of the health benefits of this yummy snack.  I will be discussing both the western health benefits and benefits according to Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) theory.  All nuts contain fiber and protein.  Individual nut information to follow...
 
  * Brazil Nuts:  Amazingly high in selenium.  Selenium is an anti-oxidant that is essential for thyroid health.  Brazil nuts are also rich in magnesium, phosphorous, copper, and manganese.  They further benefit our health with fiber, iron, thiamin, calcium, and potassium.  Lack of selenium may be linked to loss of cognitive function later in life.  In TCM, brazil nuts nourish the Liver. 

  * Macadamia Nuts have the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fats of any nut.  Monounsaturated fats have been shown to help lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and raise HDL, the beneficial form of cholesterol.  They are also high in manganese and have smaller amounts of copper, magnesium, phosphorous

  * Pecans contain good amounts of manganese, copper, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorous.  They are also higher in fiber than most nuts.

  * Dried Tart Cherries are a great source of beta-carotene.  They also contain Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and fiber.  They also contain melatonin, the body's natural sleep hormone.  In TCM, cherries nourish the heart.

  * Shredded Coconut contains manganese, protein, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, selenium, potassium.  Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids , which may help increase insulin production and utilize blood glucose (aka lower blood sugar).  In TCM terms, coconut nourishes the Heart, extinguishes wind, and is an all-around tonic.

  * Almonds are very high in Vitamin E and riboflavin, and also contain folate, thiamin, and niacin.  Almonds, like coconut, may help increase insulin production and lower blood sugar.  Almonds are used in TCM to move Lung Qi, stop coughing, transform phlegm, and moisten the intestines to help with constipation. 

     A TCM note: Please bear in mind that nuts can exacerbate Dampness in someone who has Dampness or Spleen Qi Vacuity.  If this is part of your Chinese Medical diagnosis, please eat sparingly.
     I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.  Enjoy your trail mix!
In health and healing,
Liz