Allergies, Asthma and Skin Disorders

The primary cause of these conditions along with many other chronic and auto-immune diseases stem from a weakened immune system and digestive disorders such as leaky gut, impaired digestion, intestinal toxemia, imbalance of intestinal flora, intestinal inflammation and mal-absorption of nutrients.

Leaky gut is caused when the mucosal lining becomes irritated and porous or hyperpermeable allowing larger than average particles (undigested foods, intestinal toxins, candida, parasites, etc…) to seep through the lining and into the body and spreading throughout the system. The body recognizes that these particles are foreign invaders and inturn forms antibodies (a protein) to attack them. It is here at this stage that food allergies and chemical sensitivities are developed. Leaky gut is not only the culprit that can lead to allergies, asthma and skin disorders but also other debilitating diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, joint pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyagia, crohns disease, celiac sprue, diabetes, colitis, multiple sclerosis, depression, lupus, chronic sinus infections and other auto-immune diseases which will be the focus of future topics in theDISCOVERING WELLNESS column. Just a thought! Isn’t it puzzling that 20 years ago many of these illnesses mentioned were unheard of? Why is that? Could it be the toxic foods and chemicals we subject ourselves to this day in age?

ALLERGIES are caused by an imbalance in the immune system. The immune system wrongly identifies a non-toxic substance as an invader to the system, causing the white blood cells to over react, doing more harm to the body then the substance itself would do. When this happens, an allergic response becomes the disease in itself. Common
Allergens include: additives, animals, chemicals, cosmetics, detergents, drugs, dust, foods, metals, pollen, stress, and emotional factors such as anger, depression, etc…These being even more prevalent when the immune system is especially weak.

ASTHMA is a condition in which breathing becomes difficult. The individual generally suffers from periodic attacks. The attacks are usually brought on by a trigger factor such as, respiratory infection, allergies or emotional stress. The asthmatics constitution is usually out of balance in some way.

Asthma occurs when the airways become blocked, and the muscles go into spasms due to an over-production of phlegm or weak lungs caused by prior infections or the echo pattern disease. This is when there has been repeated respiratory infections but the phlegm never clears up completely, or phlegm may accumulate from sluggish digestion. Thus, mucus builds up due to liver congestion. The echo disease is the major cause of long-term ill-health. Also, If the body’s overall energy is low, the individual is more prone to infections, the tissues are softer, and the airways are more likely to collapse.

DERMATITIS is an inflammation of the skin that produces scaling, flaking, thickening, color changes, and, often, itching. There are several forms of dermatitis. They are as listed:

Allergic or Contact Dermatitis, this type is usually caused by an irritant or allergen. Stress or tension can worsen the effects.

Atopic Dermatitis is a hereditary form of the condition and usually manifests in infancy. This type appears on the face, in the bends of the elbows, and behind the knees.

Nummular Dermatitis is coined-shaped. It is a chronic condition, appearing on the limbs. This type may be caused by an allergy to nickel, and is often associated with dry skin.

Dermatitis Herpetiformis is very itchy and usually associated with intestinal and immune disorders. This type can be triggered by dairy products and, or, gluten found in wheat and grains.

ECZEMA is a form of dermatitis but in a category of its own. This skin disease usually has fluid filled blisters that weep, ooze, and crust over due to a malfunctioning digestive disorder, which leads to liver congestion. Eczema occurs mainly behind the ears, in the creases of the elbows, and behind the knees, but can manifest on other parts of the body also. It commonly appears at the age of three to six months old when the infants digestive system is under great stress. Eczema and asthma are very closely related. The skin is known to be the third lung. In individuals who have weak lungs, eczema may easily develop into asthma. On a physical level, toxins that rise to the skins surface can also go inwards to the lungs. And on an emotional level, the restrained feelings that can cause eczema can also cause asthma. Emotional factors such as stress, hidden feelings, etc… are usually the major cause in individuals over seven years of age developing these diseases. There are three types of eczema: wet, dry, and itching. The differences depending on the constitution of the individual. They are as follows:

Wet: Oozing when scratched. Bubbles of fluid form under the surface of the skin. An imbalance of the digestive system leads to accumulation of water in the tissues. Wet eczema is usually accompanied by loose stools or diarrhea.

Dry: Dry skin with bran like scales, the underneath skin is red and sometimes bleeding due to mucus accumulating under the skin. Digestive imbalances produces accumulation of thick mucus in the tissues due to an echo disease.

Itching: Itching eczema is red and itches intensely. The individual usually scratches until the skin is broken and bleeding. This type is due to toxins and impurities under the skin. Often the individual is constipated.

Eczema usually worsens before it gets better, so do not be discouraged. Often flatulence and foul smelling stools with mucus will occur as the toxins are being expelled from the body.

SEBORRHEA is a form a dermatitis in the category of eczema that usually affects the scalp and, or, the face. It is often referred to as cradle cap in infants.

It is wise not to use any types of cortisone creams or treatments. This makes the skin more sensitive and pushes the toxins back into the body. Suppressed toxins weaken the lungs and will make the individual more susceptible to asthma. Cortisone only makes the symptoms seem to disappear briefly but never heals the root cause of the disease. The only way to provide long-lasting relief in any disease is to reverse the basic cause of the disease. Therefore, diet, lifestyle, environmental, and emotional factors will all need to be considered.

ALWAYS, read the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference) when taking any prescription drug, cream, inhaler, etc…I cannot stress this enough. You will find that the majority of the time you will end up taking other medications to relieve, or I should say, to mask new symptoms directly caused by your initial medication. I find it absolutely appalling that almost every medication in the PDR can cause in some people exactly what it was prescribed for. This is quite unsettling to me. Before you know it you can be on several different medication when the initial problem could have been easily rectified. Example: Would you rather be on high blood pressure medication for the rest of your life or would you rather regulate the fluids in your body by flushing out and healing the kidneys? You will also find that almost always you will have to stay on the medication for the duration of your life because prescription medications very often DO NOT heal your body, they only help in alleviating (hiding) your symptoms. If you stop your medications, your symptoms will return. If you heal your body, they will not! Your symptoms should NEVER be masked or covered up. This is your body’s own response signaling you that something needs your attention, just as the check light in your car warns you when there is about to be engine trouble. Do we ignore that? No! Just think about how much garbage we run through our filter (the liver) on a daily basis yet we continuously keep good clean fuel and oil and change the filter in our cars. It is truly sad that we keep our cars in better running condition than we do our owns bodies. You can trade in your car when it dies out, you cannot get another body.

A simple test: When given any prescription medication, ask your doctor if he or she will take the exact same dosage of that particular medication, chemotherapy or radiation treatment right along with you, dose after dose, treatment after treatment, for the duration that they recommend you to take it. Probably not! Then ask me if I will take the natural therapies and treatments that I recommend to my patients. Folks, even if I don’t need them, I will take them and they will not hurt me. Infact, I will go further to say that they will give my body extra nutritional support. That is the difference! My intentions are not to dog the medical system (especially critical care surgeons) but I do think that more time should be spent with a patient and other alternatives should be discussed before writing out a prescription for a toxic chemical. You sit in the waiting room for a longer period of time than you talk to the physician nowadays. The body has amazing capabilities to heal if given the right tools. God knew what he was doing when mankind was created and he did not intend for us to suffer needlessly. He also did not intend for us to eat synthetic foods and live in a toxic world. We created disease and ill health all by ourselves.
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If you are suffering needlessly due to any chronic illness, I urge you to take responsibility for your own well-being and search out natural alternatives. If you have been suffering for years with the same illness and continue taking prescription medication after prescription medication to no avail and are getting little or no relief and are sick and tired of being sick and tired then it is time to stop masking your symptoms and start healing your body no matter what your age or state of health. Only you can make the choice for you to be healthy. As a naturopathic doctor it is my life’s work and my passion to guide, educate and support my patients so that you may reclaim your health, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, as I believe that all of these aspects must be balanced and thriving in order to bring about healing. Choose today to begin your journey into DISCOVERING WELLNESS.