Supporting an on going in depth look into a variety of health concerns.
Health Views No. 2
Causes of allergies
If you understand what an allergy really is, you will be in a much better position to make an informed choice about the various methods of treatment. An allergy is an abnormal physiological reaction to a specific substance that is normally harmless to others.
The white blood cells in your body protect you from harmful substances such as bacteria and viruses, known as antigens. They do this by producing proteins known as antibodies. In an allergic individual, the immune system becomes confused and produces antibodies against harmless substances such as pollens, molds, dust, or foods. These antibodies travel by way of the bloodstream to all parts of the body. When they reach their destination, usually an area containing mucus deposits, they attach to mast cells. The next time one of the allergens enter the bloodstream from the digestive system, the lungs, the skin, or even by injection, the sensitized mast cells release a substance called histamine.
Histamine and histamine-related substances cause the typical allergic reactions—inflammation, swelling, and smooth muscle contractions. In the case of asthma, the smooth circular muscles of the bronchial tubes constrict. In hives, the swelling and inflammation of the skin occurs, and in hay fever, the blood vessels dilate or enlarge in the nasal passages. Allergic reactions can cause a congested or runny nose, itching, breathing difficulties, sneezing, skin wheals, or even more serious complaints such as headaches, diarrhea, nausea, and even death. What is considered an antigen in the healthy person could be an allergen to the allergic individual. Remember Lucretius' statement that "One man's meat is another man's poison." Regardless of what you may have been told, keep in mind that the allergen (pollen, dust, mold, food, etc.) is not the culprit. It is the exact same substance that exists in harmony with most people. The real problem is how your body reacts to it. An allergic reaction indicates that your body is out of balance with nature. Let's now take a look at how the current allergy treatments completely avoid this basic principle.
You can spend literally thousands of dollars on elaborate testing to determine what specific substances "you are allergic to." The substances are then treated as the problem. Accordingly, the allergen must then be avoided at all costs. Changing occupations or even moving to a different part of the country are common recommendations. Completely eliminating hundreds of different foods from the diet is also not unheard of. Entire volumes have been written to assist you in detecting and avoiding certain foods or products. Any one of these volumes can practically turn the average citizen into a full-time detective. Also, we can't forget the steroid-type drugs that round out these treatment programs. In an effort to ease the symptoms of an allergic response, drugs that suppress the entire immune system are widely used. Other treatment programs involve desensitization injections. Gradually increased, minute dosages of the allergens are injected into the body. Desensitization usually offers some temporary relief, and has been shown to be about 20 to 25 percent effective in treating all types of allergies. Rarely are any food allergies permanently cured with this method. The treatments are very expensive ($1,500 to $2,500) and may last for years. Even if these approaches were less expensive or achieved better results, the underlying cause of the allergy had not been addressed. Again, the allergen is not the problem. If it were, everyone exposed to it would develop an allergic reaction. The allergen is not abnormal; the response generated by the immune system is abnormal.
To be continued...
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