Frieda Schweky
The Nut Job Mom, Paulette Cohen, has been studying allergies for several years. When she learned that her daughter had food allergies, she decided to educate herself on the topic to keep her daughter safe. She has since become an advocate for the cause and the go-to person in the community for anything from snack suggestions, to school advocacy, to travel advice, all things allergy friendly. We’ve done several articles together in past years, and I’m excited to share with you her new approach to caring for individuals who live with allergies. Here is what the Nut Job Mom has to say:
The last two years have changed many of us. Covid has turned our lives upside down. It’s changed the way people are living their day-to-day life. I, too, have changed; my medical perspective and approach are drastically different than ever before. I find myself using a more natural approach to medical issues and trying to exhaust all options before turning to medication. Of course, I believe in medicine, but what I have noticed is that there are natural ways to treat and even prevent issues such as allergies, asthma, and skin conditions.
The Allergy-Friendly Diet
For allergy sufferers, the first thing I recommend is making sure you keep a low histamine diet. Examples of foods low in histamine are fresh meats and fish, non-citrus fruits, eggs, sweet potatoes, broccoli and grains, to name a few. The things you want to stay away from, or limit, are alcohol, dairy products, dried fruits, smoked meats, and processed foods. A common cause of histamine intolerance can be a shortage of DAO (Diamine Oxidase) enzyme. If your body has a shortage of DAO enzyme, this can cause histamine buildup in the body. Talk to your doctor about incorporating Zinc, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C into your diet to increase DAO enzymes, which can help relieve symptoms of histamine intolerance.
Additionally, Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine by reducing the amount of histamine your body produces in response to an allergen. It might help reduce mild symptoms like congestion, runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. Probiotics can help balance your good bacteria and produce a stronger immune response to common allergens. Ginger is a natural antihistamine, antiviral, and immune booster. Apple cider vinegar can help break down mucus in the body and in nasal passages. Nasal rinses can help remove and thin out excessive mucus, and remove allergens from the nostrils and sinuses.
A Long-Term Solution?
Allergies can bring on asthma. They often occur together. For some, allergies to food and other things can cause asthma symptoms, a phenomenon known as allergy-induced asthma. This happens when the reaction affects the lungs and airways.
This is why allergy shots can be especially helpful. They can decrease the dependency on oral allergy medication and provide a long-term solution by treating the underlying cause of allergies, not just the symptoms. And, allergy shots can treat multiple allergies at once. Bear in mind, however, that this requires a commitment to take the shots regularly over an extended period of time.
I advise always keeping your skin hydrated and being careful about what products you use. The skin is the largest organ of the body. Natural products like manuka honey can help combat itchy dry skin. I recommend the brand Eczema Honey Co. Using a humidifier can help with congestion, asthma, and dry, chapped skin. Make sure you’re drinking enough water daily. Use natural laundry detergents with no added dyes or fragrances, and body wash products that are as natural as possible. You can visit my Amazon store to find these products as well as allergy-friendly foods.
We will leave you with the Nut Job Mom’s concluding remarks:
“I want to stress again that I am a firm believer in medication when necessary. But, there are so many natural remedies that I have personally seen help people, sometimes the same, if not more. If there’s anything I hope you take away from this article it is that now more than ever, we need to care for our bodies and focus on boosting our immune systems.”
Paulette’s Immune-Boosting Tea Recipe
In a 6-qt pot, boil water and add the following ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of raw organic honey
- One tablespoon of organic cinnamon
- One tablespoon of organic turmeric
- One tablespoon of fresh ginger or organic ground ginger
- Two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
- Two fresh lemons
Let it all meld together and put in mason jars.
Skin Tips
Part of what I do is dig deep into a client’s past medical history and put all the puzzle pieces together to find the root of the problem. I don’t believe in putting band-aids on a situation. We work together to get to the root cause of the skin issue. For example, hormonal fluctuations can play a role in affecting eczema conditions. Of course, stress is also a factor. Stress can cause a variety of symptoms, including eczema symptoms. Be mindful of your stress levels – which is easier said than done, but it’s important as part of your self-care. Sometimes, the cause of eczema is a reaction to a specific food you’re eating. Common trigger foods are eggs, dairy products, gluten and soy. I help my clients slowly remove trigger foods from their diet and keep track of their progress.
Homemade All-Natural Eczema Cream
Recipe by beautymunsta
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup shea butter
- 2 tsp manuka honey
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 vitamin E capsule
- Double boiler
- Hand mixer
- Storage jar
Directions:
- Gently melt down the coconut oil and shea butter in a double boiler. This will make both ingredients easy to work with, as they are solid in their natural state.
- Once you’re done melting them, let the mixture cool down a bit, then stir in the manuka honey.
- Carefully prick a vitamin E capsule with a safety pin, then squeeze out the oil into the mixture.
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This will make it partially solidify which facilitates easy whipping of the mixture into a lotion.
- Once the time is up, get it out and start whipping with a hand mixer until it turns white and creamy.
- Add lavender essential oil and whip again until everything is well incorporated.
- Your DIY manuka honey lotion is ready! Scoop it up into sterilized glass jars and store in a cool dry place. It can last more than six months without going bad, provided you keep it away from water/dirt/other contaminants.
- To use, take a suitable amount with clean fingers and rub it onto the affected area. Make sure the region where you’re going to be applying the lotion is clean. You can also apply it on wet skin to seal in moisture.
