by Pennie Sempell
The tissue box is empty again. Michael has had a runny nose all morning. You are feeling a sinus headache coming on. The acacia trees are in full bloom, along with many other flowers and grasses. You chalk your symptoms up to “allergies” and pop a pill. But you are not feeling so comfortable having your child start on allergy meds.
I find that many clients who come to my office for mind-body approaches to reducing allergy symptoms do not actually know what an “allergy” is. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says “An allergy is an exaggerated immune response or reaction to substances that are not generally harmful.” In other words, the immune system is over-reacting or overly sensitive. Can one help it “calm down”?
There is a surprisingly wide range of things in the environment that can trigger allergies – pollen, mold, pet dander, dust, certain foods, cosmetics, insect bites, are examples. Avoiding what causes allergies is the best way to reduce symptoms. Your doctor can assist in understanding what triggers the allergic response in the first place by performing allergy tests.
Here are two tips that I have found particularly helpful for my family:
1. Dust-Busters: Dust is in all our homes, and you can do something about it. Get rid of old pillows, or put them in a dust-proof pillowcase. Enlist the kids in dusting and vacuuming their room each week. Put mattresses in dust-proof sacks.
2. Stress-Busters: Learn how to relax at will. When the mind and body are more relaxed, at a deep physiological level, it is my observation that the immune system is less reactive and allergy symptoms are eased. Children and adults can learn how to relax.
Learning how to relax is comparable to learning how to ride a bike. (a) You need an experienced person to teach you (Ask your pediatrician for stress management programs in your areas; or check our website for resource); and (b) You will get better with practice.
Working with physicians and psychologists at a major medical center, former teacher and mediator, Pennie Sempell, JD, ACMT specializes in integrative healing arts and mind-body therapies. She has written, performed and produced award-winning programs for children with a focus on health literacy. www.HealthierHappierLife.com.
The tissue box is empty again. Michael has had a runny nose all morning. You are feeling a sinus headache coming on. The acacia trees are in full bloom, along with many other flowers and grasses. You chalk your symptoms up to “allergies” and pop a pill. But you are not feeling so comfortable having your child start on allergy meds.
I find that many clients who come to my office for mind-body approaches to reducing allergy symptoms do not actually know what an “allergy” is. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says “An allergy is an exaggerated immune response or reaction to substances that are not generally harmful.” In other words, the immune system is over-reacting or overly sensitive. Can one help it “calm down”?
There is a surprisingly wide range of things in the environment that can trigger allergies – pollen, mold, pet dander, dust, certain foods, cosmetics, insect bites, are examples. Avoiding what causes allergies is the best way to reduce symptoms. Your doctor can assist in understanding what triggers the allergic response in the first place by performing allergy tests.
Here are two tips that I have found particularly helpful for my family:
1. Dust-Busters: Dust is in all our homes, and you can do something about it. Get rid of old pillows, or put them in a dust-proof pillowcase. Enlist the kids in dusting and vacuuming their room each week. Put mattresses in dust-proof sacks.
2. Stress-Busters: Learn how to relax at will. When the mind and body are more relaxed, at a deep physiological level, it is my observation that the immune system is less reactive and allergy symptoms are eased. Children and adults can learn how to relax.
Learning how to relax is comparable to learning how to ride a bike. (a) You need an experienced person to teach you (Ask your pediatrician for stress management programs in your areas; or check our website for resource); and (b) You will get better with practice.
Working with physicians and psychologists at a major medical center, former teacher and mediator, Pennie Sempell, JD, ACMT specializes in integrative healing arts and mind-body therapies. She has written, performed and produced award-winning programs for children with a focus on health literacy. www.HealthierHappierLife.com.
