A Few More Thoughts about Allergies

This is my third post in a series about allergies. (If you missed them, you can go back and read the first and second posts.) I hope this information has been helpful for you. 

Delayed reactions vs immediate ones:

Some people have symptoms immediately when they have an allergic reaction. This was mostly how I was. I knew within seconds of entering a building or eating a food, if I was allergic to it. This can be very annoying as it limits you from doing things. However, it's also a blessing because you can quickly identify the source of the reaction.

Other people however, can have delayed reactions. They may not show any symptoms for hours or days after they've been exposed to an allergen. While these people can often continue functioning, it's much harder for them to figure out what exactly they are allergic to. Again, the best way is to pay attention and watch for patterns. 

Stop, avoid and be proactive:

The nature of allergic reactions is that they tend to get worse by the minute. So, as soon as you realize you're having an allergic reaction, stop what you're doing and if possible get away from the source of the allergy (such as leaving a moldy building, stop eating a food if you're reacting to it, etc.). Then immediately take action to control the reaction. 

I recommend taking tri-salts right away. It's a simple powder that you put in a little water and drink. I carry it in my purse so I always have it. Tri-salts help neutralize the reaction before it can get worse. (You can read more about tri-salts here.) If you need something stronger, then maybe consider benedryl. It's not a natural product, but it is effective when you need strong help for a reaction. Before I learned about the CBT allergy treatment, I carried benedryl with me everywhere because I couldn't risk a serious reaction without something to stop it. Some people also carry an epi-pen, for those life-threatening kinds of allergic reactions.

Whatever you do, when you're having a reaction, don't tell yourself to "tough it out." That's the worst thing you can do. Also, if necessary have someone in your life who can tell you to take your tri-salts or benedryl! Sometimes in the midst of an allergic reaction, people cannot think clearly and need someone else to help them get away from the allergen and take proactive measures. (My mom had to do this for me for many years.) 

Increasing severity: 

Certain allergic reactions can get worse with each exposure. For example, the first time a person eats a mushroom they might get a headache, and not even realize what was the cause. The next time they eat mushrooms they could break out in hives. By the third time they might have a swollen tongue or trouble breathing, etc. Because of this, it's important to recognize allergies quickly and then either avoid or treat the allergy with CBT or some effective method.

Allergy shots:

In general, I don't recommend allergy shots. I know many doctors use them, and some people are helped by them. From my observations and my own experience of using allergy shots for years, I believe that in many cases they do more harm than good. 

If you are currently taking allergy shots, be sure to talk with your doctor about how long you should use them. I know some doctors say to keep taking them all your life. However, I think that's not the best way to use the shots. They should be able to wean you off the shots at some point. 

Of course, as I've already shared, I believe that the CBT allergy treatment is more effective and completely natural and safe, not stressing the body. It's also true that as you do things to improve your health and build up your immune system, your allergies should lessen. 

Well, that's a lot of information about allergies. =) Do you have any other questions I haven't addressed?