| Allergies: The Ayurvedic Answer | | | | and then gets put back in the refrigerator it |
| In a healthy body, the allergic response serves to | | | | becomes hard to digest and very clogging in |
| protect against invasion by harmful agents. | | | | nature. |
| Secretions and inflammation help our immune cells | | | | 5. Avoid excessively hot spices, sour and acidic |
| get into the affected tissue, dilute the toxic agent | | | | foods. These foods are irritating to the body and |
| and help wash it away. "Allergies" become a health | | | | promote inflammation, according to Ayurveda. |
| problem when an excessive and unwanted allergic | | | | Many people experience their allergies become |
| response occurs to particles that are part of our | | | | worse when they eat foods with chilis, tomato |
| normal environment and are not actually | | | | sauces, hard or aged cheeses, refined sugar and |
| dangerous to the body. | | | | sweets, and acidic foods. Bell pepper, eggplant and |
| Some individuals are born with allergies, and have | | | | potato should also be avoided due to their |
| a genetic susceptibility to them. However, most | | | | channel-clogging effects. |
| allergies are acquired after birth. While inborn | | | | 6. Do include detoxifying spices in your daily diet. |
| allergies can often be helped by the measures | | | | Turmeric in particular has anti-allergy, |
| discussed in this article, acquired allergies are | | | | immune-balancing effects. Coriander helps to |
| generally more responsive to such behavioral | | | | detoxify on a cellular level; fennel cools and |
| approaches, and are the main focus of this article. | | | | balances; ginger helps the digestion and dissolves |
| The Main Cause of Allergies | | | | ama, and black pepper clears the channels and |
| Although pollen, dust, dander, trees and other | | | | increases bioavailability of nutrients. Make a spice |
| allergens are the trigger for allergies in susceptible | | | | mixture of 6 parts fennel, cumin and coriander, 4 |
| people, they are not the underlying cause. Many | | | | parts turmeric and 1 part each of ginger and black |
| people are exposed to these substances every | | | | pepper. Freshly grind the spices, sauté |
| day without developing allergic reactions. Rather, it | | | | them in a pan without oil until lightly browned, and |
| is the inner condition of the body that determines | | | | put in a small airtight container. Carry them with |
| whether an allergic response results from | | | | you and sprinkle _ to 1 tsp. on your food at each |
| exposure to an allergen. | | | | meal, and cook with them when at home. |
| According to Maharishi Ayurveda, allergies result | | | | 7. Do sip boiled warm or hot water about every |
| when the body has accumulated excess wastes, | | | | half hour during the day around the change of |
| toxins and impurities. How does this happen? | | | | seasons, to help your body purify and to support |
| According to Ayurvedic theory, improperly | | | | good digestion. |
| digested foods (called ama), and impurities, such | | | | Behavioral Approaches to Reducing Allergies |
| as chemical additives, are absorbed into the body, | | | | Diet is not the only consideration in allergies. |
| travel through the circulation and lodge in the | | | | Ayurvedic theory also recommends the following |
| respiratory tissues, skin and other tissues prone | | | | behavioral changes to help tone down the allergic |
| to allergy. These accumulated wastes and toxins | | | | response. |
| block the channels, trapping the toxins inside the | | | | 1. Go to bed by 10:00 P.M. Between 10 PM and 2 |
| tissues, and activating the immune system. When | | | | AM, the body performs a natural cycle of internal |
| additional allergens such as pollen or dust arrive on | | | | cleansing. If we stay up after 10 PM, we interfere |
| the scene, the already irritated immune system | | | | with this metabolic "house cleaning" and toxins and |
| goes into "high gear," creating the symptoms of | | | | impurities begin to accumulate. Worse yet, the |
| an allergy attack. | | | | metabolic activity of cleansing tends to trigger |
| Symptoms will vary depending on the tissue that | | | | hunger, and we may be tempted to indulge in the |
| has accumulated the toxic waste (ama visha.). If | | | | proverbial "midnight snack." Unfortunately, eating |
| the tissue involved is the digestive tract, diarrhea | | | | after 10 PM further compromises the cleansing |
| can result. If in the skin, a rash or hives may | | | | process and leads to even more waste |
| occur. And if the respiratory tract is involved, | | | | accumulation, and more allergy tendency. On the |
| sneezing, inflammation and mucous drainage will | | | | other hand, going to bed by 10 PM improves the |
| occur. | | | | overall rejuvenative quality of sleep. You will find |
| Since the source of allergies lies with our diet and | | | | that your early bedtime habit helps not only your |
| digestion, adopting a proper diet and improving | | | | allergies, but your energy and complexion as well! |
| digestion are "job one" in the fight against allergies. | | | | 2. Cleanse the body before the allergy season. |
| Next, it is valuable to use internal cleansing | | | | The traditional Ayurvedic answer to allergies |
| regimens to reduce the clogging and accumulated | | | | includes purifying the body of ama and toxins |
| impurities. | | | | before allergy season begins to prevent |
| Recommended Diet for Allergies | | | | symptoms from arising at all. This internal |
| The main dietary and eating guidelines for allergies | | | | cleansing may be done at home or, more |
| are as follows. | | | | thoroughly, through in-residence cleansing |
| 1. Eat the largest meal of the day at lunch, | | | | treatments called panchakarma or Maharishi |
| between 12:00 and 1:00 PM, when your digestion | | | | Rejuvenation Therapy. |
| is strongest. The sun-- the heat element in | | | | 3. Have a regular routine of life. Eating, sleeping, |
| nature-- enlivens agni, the fire of digestion and | | | | working and exercising at about the same time |
| metabolism, making our digestion strongest at the | | | | each day is very balancing and stabilizing to the |
| height of the day. Ayurveda recommends eating | | | | immune system and to the body as a whole. |
| the largest meal when you are most capable of | | | | Allergies tend to be aggravated when routine of |
| digesting it. | | | | life is hectic and scattered. |
| 2. Avoid eating heavy meals in the evening. The | | | | 4. Practice Yoga asanas and meditation. Yogas |
| single biggest contribution to toxins and clogging in | | | | asanas and meditation are very balancing to all |
| the body comes from eating heavy evening | | | | aspects of mind and body and have been used |
| meals, particularly after 7 PM. Since digestion is | | | | by many people to reduce allergy symptoms. For |
| much weaker in the evening, it is vital to eat | | | | meditation, I suggest the TM technique because |
| lighter, more easily digested meals at that time. | | | | of its ease of practice and scientific verification. |
| Eat a warm, freshly cooked vegetarian evening | | | | Summary |
| meal without fried foods, desserts, cheese, | | | | The best approach to allergies is to focus on good |
| yogurt or other curdled products, since these are | | | | eating habits, practice stress reduction and do |
| heavy for digestion and cause more blockage, | | | | natural cleansing before the allergy season. |
| congestion and mucous. | | | | Note: This article is for educational purposes only |
| 3. Eat warm food. Warm food is much easier to | | | | and is not meant to diagnose or treat disease. |
| digest than cold food. Ayurveda recommends we | | | | Please consult your physician regarding any |
| eat fresh warm food, freshly prepared. Avoid | | | | symptoms you have or before you make |
| micro-waving, which has been shown to destroy | | | | changes in lifestyle and diet. |
| over 90% of the protective antioxidants in the | | | | Statements in this article have not been evaluated |
| food. Also, avoid cold drinks, ice cream, frozen | | | | by the FDA and are not intended for the |
| yogurt and other cold foods. | | | | prevention, diagnosis or treatment of disease. |
| 4. Avoid leftovers. Once food has been heated | | | | |