Top Questions to Ask Yourself-Migraine, Cold or Allergies?
Inside find great holistic techniques and tips on how to stay ahead and recover quickly
Does your head feel like it weighs a ton the same time each year (or after certain foods) with migraines, colds or sinus infections? Does it keep you from family functions, work and keep you from being YOU?
Are you getting 'sick' the same time each year?
Are you getting sick after eating at a certain location or certain foods?
Just a few things that can be signs...
If you're consistently getting sinus infections the same time each year or from doing the same thing?
Do you get 'sausage fingers', swelling or bloating?
Do you get headaches fairly consistently?
Do you feel achy like you might be getting the flu?
This didn't start for me until I was 30, chances are, you have allergies. It’s your body communicating that something is triggering it to ‘reject’ something. After searching through several doctors, I found one that helped explain to me that my stressful life caused me to become allergic to everyday things I was doing regularly. It happens because your body is stressed and it is trying to 'fix/heal' you. Your body will find items in your system that may not belong (you're eating more ice cream than normal-lactose intolerance). It could be seasonal, dietary or exposure (chemicals or natural things-such as-beauty products, cleaning products, dust mites, etc.).
There are things you can do to take charge and learn to be an advocate for yourself.
This is where if you do some journaling, you can really learn quite a bit... Do some journaling...
Take note and record to help you see patterns:
1) Does it happen almost the same time each year? There can be something that blooms that time that causes it... for me, the Spring was trees, Summer was grass, Fall was ragweed, Winter was the dust mites, cats and pine trees (live Christmas tree in the house caused polka dots on me from hanging ornaments!!! Crazy, right? ), from being indoors more.
2) Did you change to a new food, new product, house cleaning agent, detergent, new car, new carpet, new place you're going or new pet? Sometimes we start something new and don't think about being sensitive to it. Make a log to see what it may be.
3) Is it happening the same time each day? Are you in a certain location at a certain time, is it a certain persons perfume, is it something you're eating each day at a certain time?
4) Is it happening after a certain food or exposure? Mine would happen after dairy, breads and mangoes. Then it became even more! I would be allergic to almonds, shrimp, tomatoes and even strawberries from time to time, not all the time just occasionally or when I had a really long workout or was really emotionally stressed!!! I was in and out of the doctors office all of the time for sinus infections and testing. I was even triggered by certain cleaning products or smells. Turns out now, it's even chemicals in processed foods and produce pesticides! Some people will make comments that you should use 'natural' things to avoid allergic reactions. Well, even bees are nature (I'm allergic to bees, lavender, grass etc). Besides, I saw this recently regarding our food and the FDA's definition of the word natural, "this policy was not intended to address food production methods, such as the use of pesticides... " see even more on this link. Also cutting out sugar, learn where there are hidden sugars, this will take down inflammation in your body overall and lessen allergens affects.
What I learned over the years from my experience with the doctors and trial an error (both of my kids started showing symptoms too but different from mine).
One of the doctors explained to me that as we are going through life and we are stressing out, our bodies don't understand how to differentiate between physical and emotional stress. Our bodies start to do a self check! Here's your bodies self talk "What is happening physically that could make me suffering like this?" so our bodies find that we increased dairy intake (ex. eating ice cream while being depressed over a death etc) or being indoors more can start a dust mite reaction or the season that you're in (Spring is for trees blooming, Summer is grass, Fall is ragweed, winter can be mold in a mild climate or dust mites if you're indoors more).
The way the doctor described it to me as "view your body as a bucket". As your bucket gets filled with each allergen, your body fills little by little with symptoms. You don't feel most of those symptoms, until your bucket begins to overflow. When your body/ bucket starts to overflow, at first you can use a sponge for the little seepage (a sinus spray), then a mop (sinus spray and allergy pill), the more it overflows, your bucket is still full and now overflowing and it is harder and takes longer to clean it up (to get ahead of the symptoms and they are now almost debilitating). It's easier to slow the water before the bucket overflows. Not only that, but think about it, you have symptoms before you even notice it. These symptoms can be harmful to your body, quality of life and longevity. They affect the way your body is performing, taxing organs etc that you don't even know about. It compromises your immune system (leading to heart disease, diabetes and even dementia). The bucket explanation and the information the allergist provided helped me visualize what was going on in my body and learn to say ahead of the triggers before my body showed the signs.
How do you get rid of stress that is out of your control?
Personally for me, I had too much stress in my life ( I hadn't learned how to 'handle' the stress, I was constantly bombarded with normal life issues, you know what I mean!) I would get 'stress induced allergic reactions" (idiopathic stress induced allergies). My life was crazy stressful at times, several close deaths in the family, an injury at work, left me making little to no money, my ex wasn't paying support but was taking me to court to create drama and avoid paying. (You know, LIFE!). I turned to meditation, yoga, chiropractic and therapeutic massage/bodywork. This helped my mind, body and soul. It allowed my body to realign, so that my nervous system, craniosacral fluid and immune system could work properly. See other blogs on helping to reduce stress, learn to meditate, boosting your immune system.
What can I do control of my allergens?
If I used prevention, then I would need less medicine or none. Less medicine means less side effects, also less symptoms in general and less money and a longer life because less wear and tear on your body!
Here is a small sample of things that were affecting me, my carpet, my sofas, my CAREER ( I was a fire fighter allergic to smoke, in my gear on the vehicles we washed, even on my brothers and sisters that I would ride with if our gear wasn't cleaned after EACH call!) allergens and dust mites in my BED and our new kittens (I just bought three sweet kitties for my young children). Then, there was the change of seasons, I live in Maryland, maybe we could get a break at wintertime, nope, the leaves get moldy since we don't often get a break from cold to warm and then it switches again, so never a real long freeze and if I stay indoors, dust mites.
If you know the triggers and timing of the triggers you can slow or even stop the bucket from getting to the 'overflow" mark, hence, eliminating symptoms from occurring or getting worse.
List of symptoms you may experience:
These are the most common symptoms you will read about or see on tv commercials
-Nasal congestion
-Sneezing
-Stuffy or runny nose
-Feeling swollen in sinus' (you may or may not have mucous issues but feel strained air passages)
-Itchy and watery eyes
-Scratchy sore throat
-Cough from post nasal drip
-Rash or hives
-eczema or cracks/tears around your nails
Here are some less commonly known symptoms
-Chronic fatigue
-Snoring
-Asthma
-Upper respiratory infection
-Bronchitis
-Sinus infections (especially chronic and with the same triggers same time of year, ex."summer cold")
-Ear infections (especially in children since their sinus' don't form until around the age of 5 years old
-Depression
-Sleeping problems-waking in the middle of the night, as well
-Drinking a lot and feeling thirsty (it helps the body to dilute the allergens so we crave water, also helps your sore throat so the craving is a justified)
-Head aches (starting but not limited to the front of your head)
-Neck & shoulder pain (from lack of sleep & clenching teeth due to swelling of skull from sinus')
-Difficulty concentrating
-Lack of exercise endurance
-Bloating
-Diarrhea
-Bruxism
-Dry Mouth and Dehydration
-Feeling of swelling and edema in your body, swollen joints ( I used to call it 'sausage fingers')
*If you have a cold that last more than a week, do you often say "Oh no, here it comes again, I always get sick this time of year"These are some I've had and still don't see listed often yet my doctor confirmed
-Dark circles around eyes ('allergy shiners')
-Flu like symptoms of pain in my spine
-Achy joints from swelling (our body retains fluid to dilute the allergens to try and get your better)
-Weight gain from inflammation
-Sore tongue on the back, sides and biting your tongue (your tongue swells from the allergies and you clench your teeth overnight causing you to bite your tongue making it extremely sensitive)
-Stomach aches (can be from food allergies but can also come from other allergies since your body will build on symptoms)
-Overeating- I was constantly hungry, it seemed to help soothe my stomach discomfort and the post nasal drip would make my pancreas to increase insulin levels making my stomach stir)
-Craving sweets or unhealthy carbs (breads and pastries etc) to get over the fatigue and from the overproduction of insulin
Here are some risks not treating allergies (even minor symptoms)
Your body will be taxed by having allergy issues. Antibodies are constantly working to keep allergens from invading your body, to help them slow down to make you better. If you do not remove yourself from the exposure, your immune system will eventually wear down and the allergy will become worsened to an even higher level. Your glial cells start to multiply to try and get rid of the allergens, hence multiplying causing swelling/inflammation and not allowing your body to filter and flow properly. Your nervous system, lymphatic, etc. cannot function through a coffee straw or smaller opening, keeping your organs from getting the proper nutrients and oxygen that it needs to survive. If you're living with only a percentage of the daily requirement, then chances are, the longevity will not last as long as average. Your level of functioning will be greatly affected. I was in fire school when this happened to me. Everyday I went to training, I thought 'I will not be taken by the medic today", I was on antibiotics for the duration of fire school because I wasn't allowed time off for my regular doctor. I was going to urgent care centers, on and off and new antibiotics each time. Thus, allowing the allergens to continue and the antibiotics weren't having an effect on my symptoms. When I put on my breathing apparatus (SCBA) I would feel great, when I took it off, I would struggle to breathe while exerting myself (allergies at the time, smoke, grass, trees, ragweed).
A. Chronic sleep issues-sleep apnea-this will put undue stress on your heart and decrease oxygen to your whole body
B.Infection and inflammation-such as eczema, sinusitis, asthma, ear infections, chronic migraines and head aches, achy joints from inflammation, chronic sprains and strains from the fluid not being able to flow naturally through your muscles and other tissues. This can cause diabetes, heart disease and now they are finding this inflammation then goes to the brain and can lead to alzheimers.
C. Decreased brain function-when your symptoms are affecting you with chronic fatigue, it can also affect, memory, cognitive skills, concentration due to inflammation (glial cells multiplying to fight the 'allergens/foreign objects'). This can cause issues with work and school so think about what that can do for hazardous occupations and driving
D. Mood disorders-lack of sleep can even start up symptoms such as anxiety, depression-affecting your social life, daily functions, relationships and overall health.
Here's the main article for this list and other information
KEEP THAT BUCKET AT HALF FULL OR LESS (your body being the bucket and allergens being the fluid)
Here are some tricks to keep you going and keep your allergies to a minimum.
Let's start with the cheapest and easiest first. Even that can help you start to normalize a little and learn some triggers. If you're not sure what your triggers are but just want to start then do as many as you can right away. As you start to learn your triggers, as soon as you get the first signs symptoms, start on the ones that make the most sense for your triggers.
-Saline sinus rinses once a day-along with a Himalayan Salt Inhaler, if you are starting off with severe sinus issues, you may want to do twice a day for a day or two (no more due to the lining of your sinus' getting sensitive). These not only get the mucous cleared out of your sinus' but the salt neutralizes the passageway.
-Himalayan Salt Inhaler-Click here is a link for an amazing product, cheap and affective. It will assist your respiratory, digestive and neurological systems get the minerals and vitamins they need and neutralize the respiratory airway. The minerals will help relax the muscles as well as, help them receive better neurological communication.
-Shower before bed or right when you get home and/or epsom salt baths (or magnesium flakes (In our www.vitalfitnessholisticcenter.com/preferred-products list). It keeps the allergens out of your bed and bedroom. The salt in the bathtub will neutralize the allergens. You can always take your shoes and jacket off before you enter the house too.
-Keep your windows closed in the house. I love to have my windows open, I love to sleep with them open in fact but that had to stop. Especially in the bedroom. If your bedroom is free of allergens you can cut back for 8 hours or so that your body is exposed to allergens and empty the bucket while you sleep.
-Hopefully you can get a loved one to help you with vacuuming, dusting and laundry if it's allergens and dust mites. (See it does have it's benefits! I got out of all of those and cat litter for about two years, then learned if I do them all at once, shower right afterward and do a sinus rinse, I was able to help out!)
-Avoid going outside between 5am-10am when pollen is at its worst.
-Have an regular exercise plan-A lack of exercise result in a sluggish blood flow. Stagnant allergens gather in a fixed position, which begins to destroy the tissues around them. Constant movement of the allergens through the blood stream prevents these delicate tissues from becoming inflamed.
-Read food labels if you suspect you have a food allergy (ex. soy, milk, aspartame). (you could react to Casein the way you react to milk or it could be another issue with milk).
-Salt room or inhale salt steam (I'm sure you've heard of them). The magnesium in the salt helps to relax your muscles (including your sinus' and the tissue in your nasal passage) as well as astringent to purify the air going in and neutralizes the allergens that are already resting on your sinus lining when the moisture and salt mix. For unlimited time in a salt room/jewel/charcoal room this is a great place to go. They are in a mall, you will need to follow the signs once inside.
-Change your furnace filters often, it may need to be more often that you are directed by the companies
-Chiropractic care and Craniosacral Therapy (11th testimonial)-By reducing stress in the body and easing blocks of the nervous system, the immune system will boost and the stress on the body eases. You can get immediate relief from sinus and other symptoms with these therapies yet removing and learning the allergen is best for long term care.
-Allergy proof pillow covers (invest in good ones so you're sleeping comfortably). These are more important to get a better quality and cheaper to invest than the mattress covers but both will be a good investment since you want good sleep. I'm not able to just take pillow case covers with me when I travel ( I used to take the pillow covers, mattress covers and the air purifier even when flying, it was a lot of work, I hope that isn't the case for you). (theallergystore.com isn't the only place to shop but it is what I ended up using and I do like their products and they have comparable product prices)
-Allergen pet wash (I washed my cats, YES MY CATS, twice a month, anymore would cause the dander to increase) Pets are our family, if your allergies are not going to put you in the hospital or cause death, start with washing, after all, they are family and we want to work on other ways beside just getting rid of them if you an control other aspects and just a simple bath will help.
-Treat your carpets with allergen spray (DO NOT USE POWDER!! I learned the hard way with a new vacuum cleaner and an almost completely clean home! My house (and myself!!!) was covered in the powder and I got even more sick. The kittens weren't too happy either! lol) (theallergystore.com isn't the only place to shop but it is what I ended up using and I do like their products and they have comparable product prices)or do carpet free if you can.
-Allergy proof the bed with an allergy proof mattress cover (boxspring too if you're really bad). Wash your sheets often and even more if you suspect an allergen being brought in if you suffer from seasonal allergies. Invest in the better priced ones so you don't feel like your on a diaper or a hospital bed. (theallergystore.com isn't the only place to shop but it is what I ended up using and I do like their products and they have comparable product prices)
-Get a HEPA filter air purifier for your bedroom, by creating a "bubble" for yourself overnight (for as many hours as possible) your bucket will begin to empty allowing you some relief. It will also let you start over and get exposures that you cannot control. The bonus to this is that it cuts down on the dust in your home so you don't have to clean as much!!! Get one for the whole house if you can, you can get a few smaller ones for each level or a whole house purifier (much more pricey).
-Hiring a cleaning person-hear me out first, they don't have to come that often, just to do a major overhaul or even regular (if you can). The ways this will help, you have them come when you are going to be gone so the dust and allergens settle in the house while you're away (make it work for you). Have them use your cleaning products that work best for you and their HEPA filter vacuum (saves you a little for a short time). It also can help you get over a hump of exposure and then you can cut back on services once you get rid of some symptoms. The cleaning products that worked best for me have been Melalueca. I still use them, feel free to contact me if you'd like a link.
-Getting a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner, not a canister, one that is easy to dump out without you coming in contact with the debris.
-Getting rid of carpeting and furniture that traps allergens.If it is a chronic issue and you're having the issues all the time a few tricks that worked great for me, including the ones above. These were my first steps in order for financial reasons. It also let me see small improvements and allow me to see that these were working. Some I did buy all at once but I also cut back on these in the reverse order when I started feeling better. I found that all of these weren't needed as much anymore.
Here are some cranialsacral therapy techniques that can help IMMEDIATELY-Here are some videos from Vital Fitness Holistic Center for self care techniques. Michelle will guide you through these two videos starting with the trigeminal nerve and following up with a gentle ‘ear pull’ video. These techniques will help you long term (when doing daily) to assist in making room and letting fluids flow throughout your brain and sinus’. They can help reduce inflammation and build up that will cause infections in the tissues and in the sinus’. For a free telehealth consult with Michelle to learn more about CST click here.
Having a professional that is trained in craniosacral therapy will give you the best results but it’s important to be able to have tricks of the trade for when you don’t feel well and are not able to get an appointment.
*Note these methods will not work instantly. It will take time for the bucket to empty. Be patient, stick with it as long as your symptoms don't worsen. For best results start before you get too many symptoms. That's why keeping the journal is important.
** Going to a good allergist will really help you! There are times you will need medication, allergies are no joke and you need to get doctors care but these things can be used while you're on medication. After a while you may learn you can lower dosages but be sure you are consulting a physician to be sure you're getting the guidance you need. This blog is not to replace a physicians advice or diagnose.
**When using medications, aromatherapy etc you are masking your symptoms, that is why prevention is the best way. Some may be able to transfer to just prevention, others may still need medication and prevention for best results.
****This is NOT information for anaphylactic shock allergies. This is not in replace of seeing a professional. Seek professional help.
In Health and Wellness,
-Michelle S Krause LMT
National and MD State Licensed
President of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce Severna Park/Baltimore
https://www.vitalfitnessholisticcenter.com
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Webmd.com Casein Allergy Overview
Robert Pedowitz, DO. Everydayhealth.com 9 Allergy Signs You May Be Overlooking
FDA.gov "Natural" on Food Labeling 11/11/17
University Park Chiropractic "Can Allergies Be Treated With Chiropractic"
Upledger Institute, 11th Testimonial and several others in this section
Exercise and Wellness News, Exercise Control of Your Allergies by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner
Updated February 21 2022
Could it just be dehydration? Do you know how to get the best hydration? A dry mouth is one of the last signs that you are dehydrated.