Increasing numbers of people are suffering from allergies due to the thousands of potential triggers including food additives, preservatives, chemicals, pollution, cigarette smoke and pollen.

The body can only cope with so many potential allergens and when the body has exceeded its ability to cope symptoms begin to appear. This is why it is possible to develop problems like hay fever and food sensitivity at any age.

There are now more than 3,500 food additives in use and an average person ingests 4.5kg of these a year, ten times the amount we ate thirty years ago.

A further 3,000 chemicals such as lead and cadmium are in the air that we breathe. Our bodies were never designed to deal with this quantity of chemicals and for those who suffer allergies, the body is simply saying that it has had enough.

Diet

Eat a natural wholefood diet, whilst avoiding any foods to which you know you are sensitive. The common culprits are wheat, dairy produce made from cows milk, yeast, eggs and oranges.

It is worth noting that the foods you crave the most and eat a lot of (such as bread) are the most likely trigger for your problem! Most cravings take about a month to break so be patient with yourself.

Supplements That May Help

HEP194 containing the herb silymarin, the enzyme lipase, the amino acid methionine and B vitamins that help cleanse the liver.

Two acidophilus capsules daily for six weeks to replace the good bacteria in the gut and aid digestion. A multi-vitamin plus three grams of vitamin C daily.

Two mega GLA capsules (gamma linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid) to help heal the leaky gut. All above available from BioCare on 0121-433 3727.

The amino acid glutamine helps to heal the gut and reduce allergic responses especially when a food allergy is suspected, take one capsule thirty minutes before each main meal.

Cabbage is rich in Glutamine, so make sure you eat plenty of cabbage and make vegetable juices that include raw cabbage.

Aloe vera juice can help reduce allergic tendencies, take three tablespoons daily in juice or water. Available from Higher Nature on 01435 882880.

Suggested Reading

Hints

Fresh cabbage juice is high in L Glutamine which is known to help to heal a leaky gut. Many allergy sufferers can benefit enormously by switching from tap water to mineral or filtered water instead. Tests in America found that 98% of environmentally ill patients improved just by eliminating tap water.

An excellent water filter is Fresh Water 1000 costing £250 from The Fresh Water Filter Company, for further details call 0208 558 7495.

There is an allergy blood test called the Immuno Test, which although expensive at £295 is thought to be accurate. It reveals all the allergies, and makes all the difference to a full recovery.

A free allergy fact sheet plus details of the allergy test are available by sending a large SAE to Higher Nature, The Nutrition Centre, Burwash Common, East Sussex TN19 7LX.

To test if you have a food allergy, firstly take your resting pulse rate. Then eat a food to which you think you may be sensitive like bread or milk. Wait fifteen to thirty minutes and take your pulse again. If your pulse has increased by more than ten beats a minute, it is likely that you have a sensitivity to the test food.

Medivac Health Care make a range of vacuum cleaners for asthmatics and allergy prone people, they cost from £159.95 and are effective high powered vacuums which do not give out dust in its exhaust.
Further details call 01625 539401.

Honeywell make a variety of room air filter called Hepa air cleaners, which remove all known airborne allergens from the room. For details call 0800 521 121

Breakspear Hospital, Hemel Hempstead specialises in the treatment of all types of allergies.
For further information call 01442 261 333.

Hazel Courteney is one of Britain's foremost experts in alternative health care - check out his columns in www.Channelhealth.tv for more information..