What is Allergy Therapy?

Allergy therapy distinguishes itself from more traditional forms of medicine by taking a proactive role in not only determining the cause of an allergic reaction, but also preventing (if possible) that particular allergen from coming into future contact with the sufferer.

Allergy therapy attempts to  pinpoint the offending allergen in the sufferer’s life using natural approaches – such as the tedious (but rewarding) process of elimination diets. Once the likely allergens have been identified, allergy therapist then strive to implement ways of preventing this allergen from causing more havoc to a sufferer.

Types of Allergies

The most identifiable and prevalent allergy recognised in allergy therapy are food allergies – which tend to affect people from a wide demographic. The most common food allergies are:

• Peanuts

• Dairy Products – especially Milk

• Shellfish

• Coffee

• Wheat

• Alcohol

• Berries

Another type of allergy, though not as identifiable as food allergies, is environmental allergies.When we discuss environmental allergies we are taking into consideration external elements which may be triggering an allergic reaction. The most common environment allergies are:

• Pollen

• Dust-mites

• Fur

• Chemicals

• Light

• Mould

Are you allergic to something?

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Symptoms of Allergies

Remember, not all people will exhibit allergic reactions instantly – some may take years to develop any sign of an allergic reaction at all, and when they do they are likely to misinterpret the symptoms and assume it is an “instant” reaction to something they may have touched or eaten when in reality it could be something they have been in contact with for many years without any reaction until now.

The symptoms of an allergy will oftentimes be distressing for a sufferer. Symptoms of an allergic reaction (assuming there is no pathological cause) can be indicated by:

• Lethargy or fatigue, unrelieved by rest

• Fluctuating weight with no apparent cause

• Swellings in areas such as the hand, feet or abdomen

• Heart irregularities, such as palpitations

• Prolific sweating

• Rashes or hives on skin, particularly around the face, arms or legs

• Shaking, especially in the hands

• Digestive disturbances, such as diarrhoea or constipation

• Certain food cravings or bingeing

Treating Allergies

If the sufferer is unaware of what triggered the allergic reaction, the thought of treating the symptoms by medication, and not investigating the cause, may cause frustration as they are vulnerable to suffering another allergic reaction.

A more worthwhile approach would include identifying possible food allergens. One way to do so is for the sufferer to engage in an elimination diet. This natural therapeutic process works by eliminating certain “common” food allergens from a diet for a set period of time (usually between two weeks and a month) and then monitoring any reactions or symptoms over that period.

Once it has been determined that a specific food, or food group, causes no allergic reaction then these foods can be considered “safe” and reintroduced into the regular diet. If a specific food, or food group, does cause an allergic reaction then these foods need to be considered “allergy foods” and eliminated from the diet altogether.

Realistically, elimination diets can be arduous for a sufferer, with results that are rarely quick or clear, but over the long-term these elimination diets can provide insight into food allergies that a sufferer may not have been aware of, and by eliminating the allergen they can restore their good health and wellbeing.<

Elimination Diet Tips

Understanding Allergies

If you have a few minutes to spare, why not watch some of the videos below. I have found them very helpful in understanding the cause of allergies, and how we can work around them.

To browse the full playlist for each section, press the  button in the bottom tool bar.