So many of today's maladies are caused because people just don't listen to their bodies. They have headaches or joint pains or they're tired all the time - and they look to a doctor to "cure" it without stopping to consult with the one who really knows what's going on - their own bodies!
Some alternative health experts say that EVERY illness is caused by an allergy, and while I don't have any documentation to prove it, I tend to believe it. If your body is continuously irritated by something, it's going to react in some way. Just think about the warnings on pharmaceuticals - telling you that you should take this, "but oh by the way, it could cause cancer, or maybe death."
The truth is, these drugs might well help one person and kill another - because one body was allergic and the other was not. We're all different.
Several years ago we started seeing an excellent acupuncturist who practiced NAET - Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique. Through him we learned to do muscle testing on ourselves, so that if someone didn't feel very well after a meal or after being exposed to some environmental substance, we could figure out what it was and treat it.
After a while, we became so in tune with paying attention to our body's signals that we could "know" when taking the first bite of a food we should avoid.
And anyone can do that!
Just think how much happier you could be if you knew ahead of time that the fancy dessert in front of you was going to give you a splitting headache. Or if you knew that the orange juice was about to make you have a pain in your knee.
A Google search for Muscle Testing yielded plenty of results, including some from people who don't believe in it. That's fine - they have a right to keep their headaches!
Meanwhile, this site has a good explanation of how it works, and gives a method of testing: http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/BasicsofHealth/muscle_testing.htm
This site has videos you can watch to learn more.
What bothers me is that since this is so easy to do - and free - that more doctors don't use it. A simple test in the office could tell them if you should or should not take a certain prescription drug. But, it isn't something they can test and measure, so too many consider it unreliable.
I knew a woman once who decided to have an elective surgery. She was allergic to the anesthetic and she died on the operating table. I think her family would have been a lot happier if her doctor had done a test ahead of time and learned that she had that allergy. It was small comfort to them for him to say "I'm sorry - she was allergic."
Even if you don't try muscle testing - pay attention to your body. If you have a headache or start feeling "yucky," stop and think about it. Write down what you ate, smelled, touched, and breathed in the hour or so before you started feeling bad. Then the next time it happens, do it again.
You'll probably find a pattern and learn what you should avoid. And if you really pay attention, after a while you'll be able to "hear" your body saying "Oh oh, stay away from this or you'll be sorry..."
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Childhood eczema
Pediatricians estimate that today nearly one in ten babies has eczema - a definite increase from years past.
Some doctors attribute the rise to allergies - created in part because we're keeping our homes - and our babies - cleaner. Kids don't get a chance to build any resistance in their immune systems. That makes sense when I think about children I've known who lived in what most people would term a "sty," but who never got sick.
My suspicion is that children are also exposed to many more environmental toxins today - As an example: Once upon a time a baby crawled on a wood or linoleum floor - where dust, dirt, and pet hair were the biggest hazards. Now they're crawling on chemical-laden carpet.
Their food is different, too. Baby food used to be pure food. Now they get formula and prepared food that contains preservatives. And what about those plastic baby bottles?
We've all been cautioned about drinking water from bottles that have been in the car and gotten warm, because heat makes toxins in the plastic leach out into the water.
Just a few days ago I read that manufacturers are NOW working on changing the plastic in baby bottles to get away from that problem. Meanwhile, how many baby bottles have been warmed and the contents feed to infants?
Eczema is treated with use of hypoallergenic soaps, antihistamines, daily moisturizing, oatmeal baths, and occasional use of steroid creams and/or antibiotics. But these are just treatments to reduce the redness and itching. There is no "cure" for childhood eczema.
The good news, according to physicians, is that most children outgrow it by the time they reach their teens.
Some doctors attribute the rise to allergies - created in part because we're keeping our homes - and our babies - cleaner. Kids don't get a chance to build any resistance in their immune systems. That makes sense when I think about children I've known who lived in what most people would term a "sty," but who never got sick.
My suspicion is that children are also exposed to many more environmental toxins today - As an example: Once upon a time a baby crawled on a wood or linoleum floor - where dust, dirt, and pet hair were the biggest hazards. Now they're crawling on chemical-laden carpet.
Their food is different, too. Baby food used to be pure food. Now they get formula and prepared food that contains preservatives. And what about those plastic baby bottles?
We've all been cautioned about drinking water from bottles that have been in the car and gotten warm, because heat makes toxins in the plastic leach out into the water.
Just a few days ago I read that manufacturers are NOW working on changing the plastic in baby bottles to get away from that problem. Meanwhile, how many baby bottles have been warmed and the contents feed to infants?
Eczema is treated with use of hypoallergenic soaps, antihistamines, daily moisturizing, oatmeal baths, and occasional use of steroid creams and/or antibiotics. But these are just treatments to reduce the redness and itching. There is no "cure" for childhood eczema.
The good news, according to physicians, is that most children outgrow it by the time they reach their teens.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Selenium is good - in moderation
Benjamin Franklin cautioned "All things in moderation," and vitamin and mineral intake is one of the things you should do in moderation.
While selenium is necessary, too much (over 400 micrograms daily) can cause selenium toxicity. Symptoms are hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, rash, digestive upset, irritability and garlic odor on the breath. In addition, some individuals report muscle cramping.
For nut lovers, this can become a problem. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, and just a half dozen contain more than 500 micrograms.
Some vitamins, such as vitamin C, will flush out of your body if you get too much. Others, such as D & E can build up, causing a vitamin "overdose." So pay attention to the labels. Take the recommended daily requirement and don't double it for good measure!
If you begin having odd symptoms - such as headaches, muscle cramping, aching joints, etc. take a look at your diet. If you've been eating anything in excess - or anything not in your usual diet - do some research and see if you've been over dosing yourself on any vitamin or mineral.
In addition to overdose, don't rule out allergies. Since we're all different and since our bodies are continually changing, you could have an allergy you don't know about.
One clue is a sudden food craving - When your body develops an allergy and is no longer using a food properly, it can become "hungry" for the nutrients in that food - and that hunger will trigger cravings.
Our bodies are complex - but if we pay attention to the warning signs they give us we can often avoid unpleasant symptoms and ward off illness.
While selenium is necessary, too much (over 400 micrograms daily) can cause selenium toxicity. Symptoms are hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, rash, digestive upset, irritability and garlic odor on the breath. In addition, some individuals report muscle cramping.
For nut lovers, this can become a problem. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, and just a half dozen contain more than 500 micrograms.
Some vitamins, such as vitamin C, will flush out of your body if you get too much. Others, such as D & E can build up, causing a vitamin "overdose." So pay attention to the labels. Take the recommended daily requirement and don't double it for good measure!
If you begin having odd symptoms - such as headaches, muscle cramping, aching joints, etc. take a look at your diet. If you've been eating anything in excess - or anything not in your usual diet - do some research and see if you've been over dosing yourself on any vitamin or mineral.
In addition to overdose, don't rule out allergies. Since we're all different and since our bodies are continually changing, you could have an allergy you don't know about.
One clue is a sudden food craving - When your body develops an allergy and is no longer using a food properly, it can become "hungry" for the nutrients in that food - and that hunger will trigger cravings.
Our bodies are complex - but if we pay attention to the warning signs they give us we can often avoid unpleasant symptoms and ward off illness.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Dental health important to overall health
Who wants to go to the dentist? Surely not me. I've canceled more dental appointments in the last 20 years than I've kept. They terrify me.
And that's a very good reason to do my best to take care of my teeth.
Studies are showing that failure to brush and floss can bring on all sorts of other problems - such as diabetes, kidney disease, pre-term labor, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain types of cancer.
Seems like the bacteria in your mouth can release toxins into your body that do pretty serious damage. Ditto for the infections in your mouth.
Until recently, doctors ignored the importance of dental health, and dentists behaved as if the mouth was separate from the rest of the body. Now they are finally beginning to realize that the mouth IS part of the body and that the two disciplines should work together.
I love what what Vincent J. Iancono, president of the American Academy of Periodontology said about the dangers of dental disease: "It is like setting up a garbage dump on the edge of a river. You wouldn't be surprised if the lake downstream ended up polluted with the garbage from the dump."
I doubt that anything could completely remove my fear of dentists - I spent too many terrifying hours in their chairs as a small child. So now, even though I know it doesn't hurt like it did then, and even though my own children laugh at me for being a sissy, I still don't want to go. Just thinking of the smell of a dental office kind of squeezes at my insides.
Another reason I used to have for my excessive fear was the headaches I'd have for a week after each visit. Finally one day I mentioned this to my acupuncture doctor and he tested me for allergies to the materials used in dental offices. Once he treated me for those allergies, post-dental headaches were eliminated.
If you suffer from post-dental headaches, find the nearest NAET practitioner and get your allergies eliminated. Then, if you have any dental problems, get yourself to the dentist and get them fixed before they poison your entire body.
Yours for good health,
Marte
And that's a very good reason to do my best to take care of my teeth.
Studies are showing that failure to brush and floss can bring on all sorts of other problems - such as diabetes, kidney disease, pre-term labor, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain types of cancer.
Seems like the bacteria in your mouth can release toxins into your body that do pretty serious damage. Ditto for the infections in your mouth.
Until recently, doctors ignored the importance of dental health, and dentists behaved as if the mouth was separate from the rest of the body. Now they are finally beginning to realize that the mouth IS part of the body and that the two disciplines should work together.
I love what what Vincent J. Iancono, president of the American Academy of Periodontology said about the dangers of dental disease: "It is like setting up a garbage dump on the edge of a river. You wouldn't be surprised if the lake downstream ended up polluted with the garbage from the dump."
I doubt that anything could completely remove my fear of dentists - I spent too many terrifying hours in their chairs as a small child. So now, even though I know it doesn't hurt like it did then, and even though my own children laugh at me for being a sissy, I still don't want to go. Just thinking of the smell of a dental office kind of squeezes at my insides.
Another reason I used to have for my excessive fear was the headaches I'd have for a week after each visit. Finally one day I mentioned this to my acupuncture doctor and he tested me for allergies to the materials used in dental offices. Once he treated me for those allergies, post-dental headaches were eliminated.
If you suffer from post-dental headaches, find the nearest NAET practitioner and get your allergies eliminated. Then, if you have any dental problems, get yourself to the dentist and get them fixed before they poison your entire body.
Yours for good health,
Marte
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Allergies and your medications
Every time I read the doctor's column in our local newspaper I marvel at the fact that doctors don't seem to realize that all bodies are not alike!
A medication that may be fine for one person can be deadly for another, and yet they tell patients "It can't be your medication" when they complain of the very real side effects.
Today a lady wrote about using erythromycin for an infection and immediately starting to have heart palpitations and shortness of breath. The doctor didn't believe the medication had anything to do with it.
The newspaper doctor said that yes, some people do die as a reaction. It has to do with having "long QT intervals." You can only know if you have that by having an electrocardiogram, and there is a list of drugs that might be dangerous for you posted at www.qtdrugs.org.
Meanwhile, if you take a drug and experience bad effects, it seems to me that you should stop it immediately, even if the doctor doesn't believe the drug can cause problems.
Each of us has an individual body with individual reactions. "One size fits all" just doesn't apply to our good health.
Seems like they could figure this out, considering that some people can eat gallons of peanuts and others can die from just one.
If you have allergies, consider treatment by a qualified NAET acupuncture practitioner. Those treatments have made a beautiful difference in my life, and the lives of many of my friends and family. If you Google NAET you can learn all about it - and ignore the ones who say it's all nonsense. Because it definitely isn't nonsense.
Yours for good health,
Marte
A medication that may be fine for one person can be deadly for another, and yet they tell patients "It can't be your medication" when they complain of the very real side effects.
Today a lady wrote about using erythromycin for an infection and immediately starting to have heart palpitations and shortness of breath. The doctor didn't believe the medication had anything to do with it.
The newspaper doctor said that yes, some people do die as a reaction. It has to do with having "long QT intervals." You can only know if you have that by having an electrocardiogram, and there is a list of drugs that might be dangerous for you posted at www.qtdrugs.org.
Meanwhile, if you take a drug and experience bad effects, it seems to me that you should stop it immediately, even if the doctor doesn't believe the drug can cause problems.
Each of us has an individual body with individual reactions. "One size fits all" just doesn't apply to our good health.
Seems like they could figure this out, considering that some people can eat gallons of peanuts and others can die from just one.
If you have allergies, consider treatment by a qualified NAET acupuncture practitioner. Those treatments have made a beautiful difference in my life, and the lives of many of my friends and family. If you Google NAET you can learn all about it - and ignore the ones who say it's all nonsense. Because it definitely isn't nonsense.
Yours for good health,
Marte
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Are you allergic to oranges? Try buying organic oranges instead.
If you have frequent cold sores, citric acid may be the culprit - and it's difficult to trace because it's found in so many products.
An easy way to tell is by muscle testing, or taking yourself to a good NAET acupuncturist and letting him or her test. If citric acid is the problem, a few acupuncture treatments should end it.
One caution: If you choose to test at home, be careful that you aren't testing for the wrong thing. Allergies are such elusive little monsters, that you never know what symptom will manifest, and the citric acid may be completely innocent.
Years ago we took a vacation to Mexico during the dead of winter. My husband had a cold, so started drinking plenty of orange juice to help himself get well. His cold got better, but his knees hurt so bad that he could hardly walk around sight-seeing. And my dreams of going dancing crashed on the rocks below our hotel.
When we got home he visited our acupuncturist - and found that it was the orange juice that ruined my plans for evenings on the town. BUT - it wasn't the oranges themselves. It was the pesticides used on the oranges.
Our doc said that eliminating the allergy was almost impossible, because growers use so many different poisons, and combinations of poisons.
The solution: when my husband gets a craving for oranges I make a trip to the health food store and buy organic.
Yours for good health,
Marte
Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com
An easy way to tell is by muscle testing, or taking yourself to a good NAET acupuncturist and letting him or her test. If citric acid is the problem, a few acupuncture treatments should end it.
One caution: If you choose to test at home, be careful that you aren't testing for the wrong thing. Allergies are such elusive little monsters, that you never know what symptom will manifest, and the citric acid may be completely innocent.
Years ago we took a vacation to Mexico during the dead of winter. My husband had a cold, so started drinking plenty of orange juice to help himself get well. His cold got better, but his knees hurt so bad that he could hardly walk around sight-seeing. And my dreams of going dancing crashed on the rocks below our hotel.
When we got home he visited our acupuncturist - and found that it was the orange juice that ruined my plans for evenings on the town. BUT - it wasn't the oranges themselves. It was the pesticides used on the oranges.
Our doc said that eliminating the allergy was almost impossible, because growers use so many different poisons, and combinations of poisons.
The solution: when my husband gets a craving for oranges I make a trip to the health food store and buy organic.
Yours for good health,
Marte
Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com
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