Living with Celiac Disease

Living with Celiac disease doesn’t have to be a pain in the gut.

When a person develops Celiac disease, gluten can become their worst nightmare, from flattened intestinal villi and nutrient deficiencies to a compromised immune system, no energy, and loss of serotonin.  The damage that gluten causes our bodies is down right scary and, in most cases, painful. 

Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start consuming anything that contains gluten. Once you have been diagnosed with Celiac, taking the right precautions, in addition to changing your diet, can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

#1. Using your phone or table, visit the app store to download gluten-free apps.  These apps will help you research foods that are verified gluten-free and the stores that specialize in gluten-free products.  They will also supply you with menu options.  Most restaurants offer gluten-free meals so don’t feel like you can never go out to eat again.

#2. Celiac disease is genetic so have your children tested.  Let other people in your immediate family know as well.  If any of them have Hashimoto’s disease or type 1 diabetes, they have an increased risk of developing Celiac disease.   The earlier it is detected the better the chances for totally healing the intestines.

    

#3. Get a bone scan to check for osteoporosis.  If your Celiac disease has gone undiagnosed for any length of time there is a good chance that your body has not been getting the calcium to keep your bones strong.  If the scan reveals no sign of breakdown or thinning of the bones, it will be one less thing for you to think about.  It will also give you a baseline measurement for future scans. If the scan does show signs of osteoporosis your doctor and you can begin a treatment plan.

#4. Most doctors will recommend that people with celiac disease get annual blood screenings.  The screenings will show levels for folate, TSH (a hormone that stimulates your thyroid), ferritin (to show the amount of iron stored in the body) and vitamin B12.  Another test administered is the 24-hour urine catch.  This test will show how much calcium is being absorbed and it is precisely what it sounds like.  You pee into a container during a 24 hour time table.  These tests will determine how well your intestines are healing. 

#5. To help heal your intestines you might want to start taking supplements, including digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, betaine HCl and probiotics.

There is no cure for Celiac disease.  But there are steps that you can take to heal your gut and maintain an active gluten-free diet.

Allergies - Are we too clean?

Allergies - Are we too clean for our immune system to do the job it was intended to do?

A good romp in the mud could be the best medicine to help kids fight allergies.  Remember when we were growing up?  We didn’t have hand sanitizers or anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners.  When we came in from playing outside and were asked to wash our hands before we ate it wasn’t because of germs.  It was because we were dirty! 

Research has shown that yes, a good washing with soap can help stop the spread of infection but going overboard can also cause us to be sick more often and increase our chances of allergies, especially among children.

Why? Because of our cleanlier habits our immune system no longer needs to fight germs as much as it once did, causing our bodies to shift away from fighting infections to developing more allergic reactions.  

According to the National Allergy Bureau, more than 50 percent of Americans ages 5 to 60 years old are sensitive to at least one allergen. That's almost five times higher than rates found in a previous survey in the late 1970s.

Scientists are calling it the “Hygiene Hypothesis” to explain how sterile environments can lead to higher percentages of illness.  One example is a study done in Germany.  Scientists found that children who were exposed to farm animals, and all the microbes and bacteria associated with farm life, were about half as likely as other children to develop Crohn’s disease.

Scientist believe when your immune system has rarely encountered an allergen, it can go haywire when it finally does come in contact with pollens, molds, and other foreign bodies.

Most people live in a house of anti-bacterial soaps and air-tight seals around windows and doors.   Add antibiotics and vaccinations to the equation and the body's immune system gets a phony pardon from nature.

We’re not saying the crusade against germs has to stop, but building a house as a shrine to hygiene is not necessarily the answer.  Let’s not put our kids in a bubble.  Let them be kids!

Remember, there is no cure for allergies once they have developed.  The best way to deal with them is to build your immune system up and expose yourself to allergens in small doses.  And make mud castles!

To ensure you are taking the best allergy remedy money can buy visit allergena.com or download this product information sheet on our latest product, Season Allergy Tabs! 

Allergy Season

Foods Not to Sneeze At During Allergy Season

Oh joy, you survived cold and flu season only to get knocked on your fanny by seasonal allergies. Spring started with tree pollen and mold and is joyfully rolling into summer with grass and ragweed allergens.

Most of us turn to our medicine cabinets to help alleviate those runny noses, red, itchy eyes and sneezing.  Who would have thought turning to the kitchen might be beneficial as well?  There may not be a cure for your allergies but these simple foods might just bring you some added relief.

An apple a day…

Yup, not only does it keep the doctor away but it also works to relieve your allergy symptoms.  The peel, which is rich in quercetin, works as both an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory.   Allergies occur when our bodies mistake the protein from pollens and molds as bad guys and our immune system gets trigger happy, shooting off histamines.  This natural compound causes in increase in mucus to help flush out the unwanted attackers.  Quercetin stops the immune cells from releasing histamines, which in turns helps to reduce allergy symptoms.

Other fruits and vegetables with high levels of quercetin are leafy greens, tomatoes, berries and broccoli.

Go fishing…

Allergies bring about inflammation in the sinus cavity, throat and eyes.  Making sure you get a lot of omega-3 fatty acids will go a long way toward controlling the inflammation.  Unfortunately, most of our diets are rich in omega-6 fatty acids that are found in mayo, corn oil, certain nuts, fried foods and bakery cakes.  All of these foods have been known to cause systemic inflammation.   If you suffer from allergies that is the last thing you want!

Two of the best fish to eat are albacore tuna and salmon.  Work these fish into your diet two to three times a week.   You will notice a difference in your allergy symptoms.

Ah, nuts…

Nuts like flax seeds, hemp seeds, butternuts, walnuts and macadamia are packed with allergy fighting, immune boosting power.  These nuts and seeds are high in antioxidants and super foods for tackling seasonal allergies.

Studies have found that people who practice the Mediterranean diet of fish, fresh produce, olive oil and nuts are less likely to suffer allergies.  Other benefits from eating this type of diet are an empowered immune systems and protection against free radicals. 

Oh say can you C…

Vitamin C is another great way to treat allergy symptoms.  Foods rich in vitamin C like bell peppers, red peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwi and citrus are natural anti-histamines that can reduce swelling and inflammation.  Vitamin C is also another optimal way to boost your immune system. 

Finding relief from seasonal allergies can be the difference between enjoying the warmer weather and dreading the changing seasons, so try one of these remedies today!

Allergies 101

Allergies 101 - all you need to know.

As a child, during the summer we played outside from dusk until dinner was announce and boy, you had better high-tail it for home when you heard the clanging of the bell.  Now a days, you never see kids outside riding bikes or playing ball in the empty lot or for that matter, adults.  Our parents were always on the front porch or working on outdoor projects. 

Are allergies to blame?  It is reported that more than 50 million people suffer from pollen and mold.

Why so many people?

Allergies are the result of your immune system thinking the harmless proteins found in mold and pollen are the bad guys.  While the immune system’s job is to track down and defend our bodies from harmful substances, it gets a little mixed up where pollen is concerned.  When the immune system is triggered by outside allergens, it releases antibodies which move through the blood.  These antibodies tell our cells to release chemicals into the bloodstream, including histamine.  Histamine is what causes your worst allergy symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing.

Scientist are still trying to work out why some of us react this way to allergens and why some of us don’t.  But whatever the reason, allergies are on the rise. 

What triggers common allergies?

Not the pollen.  It is one or more of the proteins in the pollen.  Just like when people say that they are allergic to cats, that’s not really true.  What is setting off your sneezing and swollen eyes is the protein in the cat’s saliva.  When the cat cleans its fur it transfer the protein to its hair and dander.  It is the same thing for the proteins found in molds and dust mites.

Are there other things I could be allergic too?

Absolutely, the list is endless from latex to leather to perfumes to cleaning chemicals. 

If you think you have allergies your best course of action is to get tested by a doctor.

And the doctor will find a cure?

No, there is no cure for allergies.  But…there are ways to help alleviate your symptoms. 

For keeping the pollen down in your house read this past blog post.  

Here is another idea for you. Instead of trotting down to your local drug store for over the counter medicines or an allergy shot from your doctor, stay home and simply put allergy drops under your tongue!

Sublingual Immunotherapy is a big phrase that simply means:“Sublingual” – Drops under the tongue

“Immunotherapy” – Uses the body’s natural abilities to stimulate or restore a healthy immune system response to fight infection and disease, similar to the way allergy shots work.

It used to be that allergy shots were the best available treatments for hay fever, other allergies, and asthma, but they’re literally a pain to get! Not to mention the cost and inconvenience of traveling to to and from your health care clinic.

A fairly recent review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says allergy drops are fairly effective in reducing asthma symptoms. The evidence was even stronger in studies with children.

The studies concluded drops were effective in reducing stuffy noses and itchy eyes of seasonal allergies, with 9 out of 36 studies showing a greater than 40 percent improvement. 

Congratulations, you have just graduated from Allergies 101.  Now, go outside and play!