Allergies Getting you Down?
If you or your child is suffering from seasonal allergies (also known as “hay fever”), there IS something you can do about it without making a visit to the doctor and utilizing prescription drugs. Here is what you need to know:
Is it allergies?
If your child constantly has a runny nose, don’t assume it’s allergies. This is a HUGE mistake parents make. Considering the “typical” child has 8-10 colds a year, and a cold will last 10-14 days or longer, you might find your toddler or child with a constant runny nose. If your child is well nutriented, well rested, and doesn’t spend all day with other snotty kids, he will probably not be “typical.” But when your friend’s snotty toddler is pawing all over your child and his mom says, “it’s allergies,” -it probably isn’t. But how do you know? Common symptoms you can look for in your child include:
· Runny nose
· Itchy eyes
· Sneezing
· Red or dark, puffy circles under the eyes
· Itchy throat and neck
· General fussiness
· Congestion and coughing
· The symptoms occur during “allergy season” or when he gets near a specific stimulant (a certain moldy house, a certain part of the country, dust, certain animals, etc.)
· Itchy eyes
· Sneezing
· Red or dark, puffy circles under the eyes
· Itchy throat and neck
· General fussiness
· Congestion and coughing
· The symptoms occur during “allergy season” or when he gets near a specific stimulant (a certain moldy house, a certain part of the country, dust, certain animals, etc.)
What will the doctor do?
If the doctor does agree it’s allergies, she will likely prescribe allergy medicines, or possibly suggest allergy shots if the symptoms are constant and severe enough. We do not suggest either of these options until you try others first. We believe mainstream therapies should only be utilized in life threatening situations, or when natural remedies fail. For instance, children with food allergies should always carry an “epi-pen.” Children with asthma should keep an inhaler on hand (although we do have help for asthma sufferers as well- follow the same advice below). But when it comes to preventing itching eyes and runny noses, there is no medical intervention necessary in most cases.
How to prevent seasonal allergies:
The first thing you need to do is examine your child’s diet. Most of us follow the SAD (Standard American Diet) full of processed chicken nuggets, French fries, Pop-Tarts, breads, sugary drinks- you get the picture. Improve your child’s diet by providing fresh fruits and vegetables, and simply stop buying the things you know are bad for him. Make waffles or pancakes from scratch (they will keep a few days in the fridge/freezer and you can just re-heat for rushed mornings). Eliminate as much sugar, refined flour, trans-fats (margarine, chips, dough-nuts, etc.), and corn syrup as possible.
Next, you need to provide your child with a full spectrum, high quality nutritional supplement. Do not expect vitamins like “Flinstones” to do what high quality vitamins will do. It’s just not going to happen. You may even find after adding the right vitamins to your child’s diet that her appetite grows and improves to the point where she ASKS for healthier food. In our case, the addition of a high quality children’s vitamin was enough to solve our allergies and asthma.Finally, place an air purifier in your child’s room at night. Our bodies recuperate while we sleep, and if your child is exposed to an allergen while she is sleeping, she will not get the rest she needs, and she will be even more likely to suffer from allergies while awake. It is a vicious cycle that you CAN prevent.
You can read a little more about Natural Seasonal Allergy Remedies and why this subject is so important to me. It has been three years since I found relief for myself and my son. Our lives have been impacted in such a dramatic way by making these lifestyle choices and diet improvements. I wish that doctors would learn themselves and educate more parents about natural prevention strategies. Drugs are never the best answer, and only a last resort when prevention strategies fail. We know numerous people- including adults- who have found relief from MANY ailments, including allergies and asthma, by doing the above. Try it yourself, and don’t let those allergies get you down!
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