Allergy occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are harmless for most people. These substances are known as allergens and are found in house dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, moulds, foods and some medicines.

Atopy is the genetic (inherited) tendency to develop allergic diseases. People with atopy are said to be atopic.

When atopic people are exposed to allergens they can develop an immune reaction that leads to allergic inflammation (redness and swelling).

This can then cause symptoms in the:

• nose and/or eyes – hay fever (allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis)
• skin – eczema, hives (urticaria)
• lungs – asthma

A substance that is an allergen for one person may not be for another – everyone reacts differently. The likelihood (or risk) of developing allergies is increased if other family members suffer from allergy or asthma.

Asthma is a lung condition that affects the airways (bronchial tubes) of your lungs, causing the tissues lining the airways to swell and become narrow. This makes it difficult to breathe. The symptoms associated with asthma (coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath) are the result of this narrowing of the airways. The major factors contributing to asthma are inflammation of the airway lining, tightening of the muscles that wrap around the airways (bronchoconstriction), or both.

Inflammation of the airways may also be accompanied by an increase in mucous production, which also worsens the blockage of the airways. Inflammation makes the airways highly sensitive to irritants in the air such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, or animal dander.

Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause inflammation of the skin. Eczema is not caused by an infection. The condition may be temporary or chronic, mild or, in rare instances, very serious.

Serious cases usually occur when:

• it is severe enough to cause complications, such as skin infections
• an affected person also contracts the herpes simplex virus
• an affected person has a violent allergic reaction caused by contact dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is the prevalent form of chronic eczema. It is a genetically inherited condition that tends to run in families who also suffer from hay fever and asthma. Atopic dermatitis will affect about 10% to 20% of people at some point in their lives.

A big portion of my clinical practice is diagnosis and treatment of  chronic and complicated conditions. Throughout the 20+ years of practicing, I found that conditions such as asthma, severe rhinitis or sinusitis, eczema, bronchitis, even autoimmune conditions often have similar underlying causes: from food reactions,  intestinal permeability, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances, and toxic bioaccumulation. As with conventional medicine, treatment will only be effective once we know which mechanisms are working properly and which aren’t.

Typically if a person is allergic or sensitive to certain foods or chemicals then elimination type diet and removing contact (as much as possible) with certain chemicals will be recommended. Furthermore, specific nutraceuticals will be prescribed in order to supplement for certain foods deficiencies, address Histamine intolerance (Potentially DAO deficiency) and to allow proper balance of assimilation from other foods.  In addition, the patient might be a good candidate for a medical detoxification program (after years of chronic exposure to either environmental pollutants or toxic chemicals).