We are talking about something very topical today - it is the season, maybe you’re dealing with it right now, maybe you have the itchy eyes, or the scratchy throat, or you’ve gone through 10 sneezes in row and you’re friends looking at you and says in sheer awe slash disgust - are you OKAY?? Whatever the reason - if you have seasonal allergies, you know they suck, and that they can feel like CRAP. so naturally, we’re gonna try to make them good. As always, feelgoodery is recorded in front of a live studio dog, my name is Kyle Buchanan, here we go.
Heyyyy my friend. I hope you’re having a good day so far and are treating yourself with kindness and compassion, and are treating others the same way too and on that note, I want to take a second to say thank you for writing into this show, whether that’s to send in questions or just to say a kind word, or leave a kind review on the podcast page - because even though I know it’s easy to think that those words don’t make a difference, they really do. And your kindness does make a difference, and I see and I feel it, so just thank you. The kindness and the goodness really does help, and on an honest level - it can help counteract some of the more hurtful stuff that finds its way in.
Because for whatever reason, I don’t know, lately these past couple of weeks I’ve gotten a few nastier emails. Little spicey ones. And normally I don’t care - but you know those days where, for whatever reason - things just get to you more than you know they should. So I wont spend too long on this, and of course feel free to skip ahead to the allergy stuff if you want to get into it because the sneezes need to stop.. But last week I was having a really good morning. I did a virtual talk - it went really well it was well received people were kind, and I was feeling good. And then I got an email from someone who had seen me on television that basically was just unnecessarily cruel, I won’t go into it but it was full of sarcasm and digs at what I do in my work and for whatever reason - it got to me. I did this big swing from feeling SO GOOD - to feeling just SO LOW. And how dare I give this person any power I know, but I’m human and some times that negativity can get the better of us.
So anyways - I just felt like crap and wallowed a bit. So then went for a walk with sam, and was throwing the ball around in this park near where we live. Still in a funk. And then there was this woman who walked by with her dog, who asked about Sam and we just chatted for a bit. But she had this smile to her as she talked - this calm, gentle kind smile that JUST made me feel better. She didn’t say anything in particular – it was really just her genuine kindness that made me feel better after she left. And it was just that corny moment for me, just that reminder that kindness IS a form of medicine.
So if you do nothing else but be kind to someone, you’ve done your job for the day, and of course that can include being kind to yourseld. ANYWAYS I digress, but I just wanted to take the time to say thank you. And if YOU are the one who wrote the nasty letter yet ALSO listening to this show - you are a puzzlement and I wish you nothing but the best.
Okay lets talk allergies.
What are allergies, and why do they happen
In very simple terms, allergies happen because our immune system is being a little overdramatic, moreover when our immune system overreacts to an otherwise harmless substance. In the springtime, we’re talking about pollen. In response to pollen, our immune system mounts a defense against it – releasing compounds like histamine, which have an inflammatory response in the body. It’s this response that’s responsible for all of the unpleasant symptoms including sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, coughing, hives, runny nose and a scratchy throat.
A tricky thing that can happen is NOT knowing whether you’re dealing with allergies, or with a cold.But with a cold, you might have things like body aches and a fever that wouldn't happen with allergies. And on the other side, with allergies you might experience itchy or watery eyes, which generally wouldn’t happen with a cold. And a big difference is in the duration of time. With a cold, you’re normally in and out in 10 days, but allergy symptoms can last up to 6 weeks which isn’t fun.
Who’s at risk to suffer from allergies?
Symptoms and severity do vary from person to person, and allergies can manifest at any age. With that said, risk factors include genetic predisposition 2, being born during pollen season, having repeated antibiotic use as an infant and the air quality and environment in which we live. The hygiene hypothesis has also been supported in scientific literature as a theory regarding possible reasons allergies has increased over the past few decades, with many of us (especially in recent years), sanitizing everything and being less exposed to dirt and other microbes than in years past.3
OKAY Let’s go over ___ Tips to Consider
Consideration #1: STAY HYDRATED
When the body is in a dehydrated state, it’s more likely to produce additional histamine, which is the compound in your body that is responsible for all those allergy symptoms.4 So from a foundational level, a proactive strategy is to stay hydrated this allergy season. Aim for 2 to 3 L per day, or more if you’re physically active.
CONSIDERATION #2: Try Netttle Tea
Nettle (or stinging nettle) is one of my go-tos for allergy season. It does have natural antihistamine properties and it can also help reduce some of the inflammation in the body that can contribute to symptoms. And there are a lot of ways to incorporate it. YOU can get it as a tea and sip on it, you can get it as a tincture and add it to your water bottle or you can also get it in supplemental form as well. And it’s also really great for the skin, especially if you deal with conditions like eczema and dry skin, which can also be an issue this time of year. I normally use this in conjunction with my next consideration which is
QUERCETIN
Quercetin is a flavonoid (plant pigment) that has incredible antioxidant qualities, and has been shown to act as a natural antihistamine! 6 Try to add in more foods rich in quercetin during allergy season as additional support. As a bonus – most quercetin-rich foods are also rich in Vitamin C, which also has natural antihistamine properties. It’s a win win! Food rich in quercetin include:
- Raspberries
- Broccoli & other cruciferous veggies
- Red onions
- Parsley
- Sage
- Citrus
- Apples
You CAN also get quercetin as a stand alone supplement, which some people find very useful this time of year. BUT you can also consider just taking some extra VITAMIN C first, if you happen to have vitamin c in the cupboard. As Vitamin C does have some natural antihistamine qualities to it as well.
Consideration #4: Spirulina
Spirulina, which is a blue-green algae and a double blind study found that people who consumed spirulina had fewer allergy symptoms like sneezing, congestion, and itching compared to those who didn't. And the thinking is that spirulina has certain anti-inflammatory properties that help calm down allergic reactions, in addition to having a modulating or balancing effect on the immune system. Does it taste the best? NO. But you can just mask it in a smoothie. A teaspoon a day during allergy season can go a long way.
Consideration #5 Homeopathics
Homeopathic and homeopathics can actually be a really effective and a really gentle way to manage allergy symptoms, without the drowsy side effects that can sometimes happen with traditional allergy meds. You can go a couple of different routs. You can get individual remedies, which can be of use if they are the right for you and your symptom. For example - if you deal with a lot of sneezes, Sabadillla is a really useful remedy. ANd in fact sabadilla can be a REALLY effective go to for a lot of people. You place a few pellets under the tongue when symptoms hit, and then again as needed every hour or two.
The other option is getting a homeopthi combination formula that can over a few basis. For example, another go to of mine is something called RhinAllergy by Boiron. This is a combination formula and can be useful if you’re dealing with symptoms like sneezing or a runny nose, scratchy throat or itchy or watery eyes. It’s a great remedy if you’re looking to try something new.
Consideration #6: PHYSICALLY REMOVE ALLERGENS OFF OF YOU
Throughout the day, if you go outside, you most likely are going to get allergens liek pollen ON you, So getting them OFF of you when you come inside can make a big impact. So ONE - change your clothes when you get home, AND TWO - during allergy season - get into the habit of taking a shower RIGHT before you go to bed. This way, you remove the allergens from your hair and skin, so you’re not bringing them into bed with you.
CONSIDERATION #7:BURST EXERCISE helps
I know - not another reason to recommend exercise BUTTT it can help with allergy symptoms. But a little goes a long way. Short little bursts like Running on the spot, jumping jacks, 20 pushups - when you get the heart pumping even just a bit - it increases blood flow in the body, promoting the removal of the allergens so they don’t stagnate as much. The adrenaline boost also helps clear things out.
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That sound means its time for todays feelgood thing which are little weird things that help us feel good that deserve a bigger spot in our brains.
Today’s feel good thing . . . is that feeling you get when you stay OFF of social media for 24 hours. Which for some of us can be sort of difficult, especially if you run a business, but really for all of us - we are SO used to going on instagram or tiktok, it’s like a reflex for a lot of us as soon as we open our phones, and myself included. But it’s very easy to go on it multiple times a day and at this poitn we know - it’s not so great for our brains, and can increase feelings of anxiety, depression and of course - comparison. BUT you dont realize how draining it can actually be until you take a proper break from it. AND it REALLY is a feel good thing, you just feel lighter - or I do, anyways. And then we say WHY DONT WE DO MORE OF THIS.. and then instantly refresh and check your feed. But when you succeed, once in a while, at staying off of your phone off of social media - it truly is a feel good thing. And then you HAVE to be the annoying person that talks about it and recommends a digital detox. Because those are the sacred rules of our time.
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Alright with that, of course if you got something out of todays episode please feel free to share this episode to someone who might find it useful and as always, I so appreciate all of teh 5 star ratings, and reviews.
If you deal with allergies, you know it’s not fun. The congestion, the tears, the snots and the sneezes - it’s a lot of crappy feelings that we just don’t have the time for - luckily though, there are things we can do to take back control, move the snot out and clear our heads. Here’s to the good stuff being able to able to crowd out the bad - from allergies to bad moods, from natural antihistamines to gentle, kind smiles. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead, and I will see you next time on feelgoodery.
And now for the legal stuff. The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please alwasy consult with your healthcare provider.