What is allergy?
An allergy is a hypersensitive reaction of the body when it comes into contact with a substance that is actually harmless. An allergy has specific causes, develops suddenly, and is predictable. The hypersensitive reaction originates from the body's natural immune system and ranges from mild discomfort to fatal anaphylaxis.
Types of allergies
Mild allergies are part of everyday life. Common allergies include runny noses, hay fever, and others. They are often characterized by a runny nose, red eyes, and itching. Other common manifestations of allergies include eczema, hives, and asthma attacks. Allergies resulting from an anaphylactic reaction to penicillin-containing medications are very serious and require immediate medical treatment. If left untreated, this type of allergy can be life-threatening. Food allergies cause vomiting, loose stools, rashes, itching, and hives. Common allergy-causing substances include proteins in foods such as milk, wheat, beef, eggs, peanuts, and so on. Insect bites can also trigger allergic reactions. Various tests are available to diagnose allergies, such as blood tests and skin tests. However, all these tests must be carefully analyzed, as a positive result does not always clinically indicate an actual allergy.
The causes of allergies
The substances in your environment that cause allergies are called allergens. The most common allergens are dust particles, pollen, food proteins, certain medications, cosmetics, latex, etc. Skin contact with allergens causes skin allergies. When allergens are inhaled, they cause excessive secretions in the respiratory tract, narrowing of the bronchi (branches of the windpipe), asthma attacks, and more. When the body absorbs allergenic foods, symptoms similar to food intolerance develop. How the immune system reacts to allergens varies considerably from person to person. Not everyone experiences them, but those who are sensitive to certain allergens develop allergies. An allergy is a disorder of the body's own immune system. Although allergic reactions often occur acutely and suddenly, Ayurveda explains how the condition gradually develops. What happens in the body during this process is crucial. Every bodily reaction has a cause.
Ayurvedic explanation of allergic diseases
Ayurveda considers allergic reactions as malfunctioning of the body's humors(Dosha), particularly Vata. A weakened Vata disrupts the other humorsKapha, Pitta, and Rakta. This leads to a number of local and systemic (body-wide) symptoms. Weakened Vata and Pitta cause rashes, burning sensations, watery stools, and fever. Weakened Vata, Kapha, and Pitta cause itching, dizziness, and hives. Weakened Vata and Kapha cause bronchial congestion, excessive secretions, and asthma attacks. The main cause of disturbances in these humors is our diet and lifestyle.
The prevention of allergies
According to Ayurveda, every person has a unique physical constitution. This is called "Prakriti." Because we all differ greatly in this respect, a specific type of food and lifestyle suits each person. Furthermore, each person varies in their susceptibility to certain conditions and diseases. The classical Ayurvedic texts describe how certain diets, lifestyle patterns, and risk factors correlate with the various types of Prakriti. Furthermore, Ayurveda also provides advice regarding the season and daily habits and lifestyle. This allows one to avoid the diseases to which one is susceptible and live a long, happy, and healthy life. By following the correct lifestyle rules and avoiding an unhealthy diet or lifestyle, one can learn to avoid allergies and learn to manage them effectively. Avoiding an unhealthy lifestyle doesn't mean making your environment sterile and completely dust-free. In fact, eliminating all exposure to allergens actually weakens your immune system. Recent research suggests that people living in highly sterile and clean environments lack essential immune substances to combat everyday allergens. This makes them much more susceptible to allergic conditions.1Furthermore, children who are overexposed to allergens at a young age also develop hypersensitivity to these substances. It is very difficult to avoid contact with airborne allergens such as pollen and dust, especially outdoors. Therefore, developing a well-functioning immune system is the best way to live an allergy-free life. The paragraphs below offer some general advice for allergy prevention. You can discover which lifestyle and diet are best for you by visiting a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner to have your physical constitution (Prakriti) examined.
Allergenic foods
Some foods cause adverse or toxic reactions that are detrimental to health. This often manifests as an allergy or illness, which lasts for a certain period of time. For people with certain physical constitutions, certain foods can trigger a reaction. However, certain other food combinations or certain methods of preparing food can also lead to negative reactions in everyone. If someone is sensitive to foods that cannot be avoided, there are ways to learn to manage them better. Most allergenic foods cause a reaction because they contain components that do not interact well. They clog the body's biochannels and thus weaken the dosha. In this case, just a small exposure to an unhealthy diet, lifestyle, or allergens is enough to trigger a sudden negative reaction in the dosha. This is how allergies and skin conditions develop. It is best to avoid the following food combinations.
- Milk + sour foods, Milk + fruit, Milk + fish
- Excessive intake of acidic foods
- Cooking with honey or reheated honey, consuming honey in combination with hot drinks
- Combination of honey and alcohol
- Cottage cheese, eating yogurt late at night and reheated cottage cheese
- Combination of hot and cold food at the same time (e.g. coffee with ice)
- Consuming chilled, cold and dry foods during the winter months
- Semi-cooked or undercooked food, especially non-vegetarian food.
Prevention is always better than cure. You can do this by avoiding the aforementioned causes and following the seasonal advice described in Ayurveda. This advice relates to diet and lifestyle and helps you better manage seasonal irritations of the dosha. Undergoing an Ayurvedic detoxification therapy once a year can be very beneficial. Furthermore, a daily Nasya treatment (treatment of the nose with medicinal oils) also improves respiratory resistance to allergies. Also, take the following precautions:
- Take one teaspoon of sesame oil in your mouth daily as a rinse, keep it in your mouth for 5 to 10 minutes (after brushing your teeth).
- Eat fresh seasonal fruits for your daily dose of antioxidants against the damaging effects of weather, pollution and to prevent allergies
- Before you eat, always ask yourself: Am I hungry?
Avoid fasting, overeating, or eating only one particular type of food.
- Always eat fresh foods and avoid foods prepared with preservatives, colorings, or other chemical additives.
- A short walk in the fresh air combined with breathing exercises helps prevent allergies. Yoga and pranayama strengthen the immune system.
- Avoid exposure to cold wind, wet clothing and sudden changes in ambient temperature (e.g., going straight from an air-conditioned office into a warm outdoor environment).
- Avoid fermented foods and don't eat heavy meals late at night. Dinner should be easily digestible.
- Very important! Avoid sleeping during the day. Sleeping during the day narrows the biochannels, causing blockages in the metabolic process (burning process).
- Breastfeeding mothers should avoid unhealthy diets and lifestyles. These can significantly impact the breastfeeding children receive, and therefore the children themselves.
How to deal with allergies
As mentioned earlier, an allergic reaction is an unjustified attack by our immune system. The best way to deal with it is to eliminate the root cause. Or more precisely, by calming the irritations in the dosha and avoiding an unhealthy lifestyle. These two factors trigger irritations in the dosha. Visit your Ayurvedic doctor for comprehensive information on what you should and shouldn't do. Skin rashes, hives, and asthma are excellently treated with Ayurvedic herbs and detoxification therapies. Such supplements remove toxins, cleanse the biochannels, calm the dosha, and strengthen the immune system. With medications containing antihistamines, you essentially only suppress the irritated dosha. While this provides temporary relief, harmful toxins are created and accumulate in your body. As mentioned earlier, our environment contains thousands of allergens. Only a few of these trigger a reaction in people. Suppressing our immune system to alleviate allergy symptoms actually makes someone more susceptible to other illnesses and allergies. According to Ayurveda, food allergies, such as lactose and gluten intolerance, and intolerance to other proteins and foods, are due to a malfunctioning digestive system (Agni). A properly functioning Agni ensures proper digestion, absorption, and elimination. A recommended way to prevent and cure food allergies is to improve digestion (Agni) with specific supplements. This can be achieved in an Ayurvedic way by detoxifying and cleansing the body's biochannels. This treatment is better known as Shodhana therapy. In addition, there are various other nutritional supplements and herbs that help reduce sensitivity to certain foods and allergens. Furthermore, the rejuvenation therapy Rasayana is also very beneficial and strengthens general immunity. Rasayana therapy specifically targeted at certain parts of the body can also reduce hypersensitivity to allergic substances. Before undergoing treatment, you should first consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. This assessment is essential, as everyone needs a specific treatment plan tailored to their individual symptoms. Taking supplements or herbs on your own, or visiting therapists in your area, won't solve your problems. In fact, it can unnecessarily complicate them.
Dr. Pranit Ambulkar