Allergies - is your gut the problem?
ALLERGY AND REACTIVITY, IMMUNE, IMMUNITY, MICROBIOME, PROBIOTICS, WELLNESS
Has your struggle with allergies hit an all-time high? If stepping outside on a sunny, spring day makes your eyeballs feel like they are on fire, it’s time to heal your gut… wait, what?
Let me explain…
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to something normally harmless, such as pollen or dust mites, triggering inflammation and producing allergic symptoms. These range from hay fever (allergic rhinitis), digestive discomfort, eczema and asthma, to life-threatening anaphylaxis.
While quick-fix medications, such as antihistamines, provide symptomatic relief, targeting the underlying drivers of allergy, particularly your gut health and function, can provide long-term benefits.
So before you pack up your life and prepare to live in a bubble because you’re allergic to planet Earth, why not try improving your gut health to increase your tolerance to allergic triggers? This can help you overcome your allergies and enable you to leave the house again without fiery eyeballs.
Allergies Run Gut-deep
Your microbiome (gut bacteria) is a foundation of good health, especially when it comes to regulating your immune system and reducing its reactivity. In fact, dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria) has been identified as a characteristic feature of allergy, with research identifying differences in microbiome composition between people with allergies and those without. Dysbiosis has been shown to promote gut inflammation, stimulating inflammation in other areas of the body. This includes the release of histamine causing many of the symptoms associated with allergy..
The good news is, you can reduce dysbiosis and improve the composition of your gut bacteria through use of specific probiotic strains (types of bacteria), which modulate your immune function to prevent and reduce allergic symptoms. For instance, the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG®) has been shown to increase the production of anti-inflammatory immune cells, which counter allergy-associated inflammation and support healthy immunity. Optimising your gut bacteria composition has also been shown to suppress histamine release. Collectively, these benefits may reduce immune over-reactivity and lessen allergy symptoms.
I’m Leaking!!
Gut inflammation, caused by dysbiosis, has also been shown to trigger intestinal permeability (sometimes called leaky gut), which occurs when your gut barrier (cells that form a physical barrier between your digestive tract and the rest of your body) becomes permeable or ‘leaky’. When the gut barrier is breached, food particles, bacteria and toxins may be able to enter your bloodstream, exacerbating inflammation and triggering an immune response that worsens allergy symptoms.
Leaky gut may seem confronting, however specific nutrients can help to restore a leaky gut barrier. These include:
Glutamine: an amino acid that reinforces the integrity of the gut barrier and reduces the passage of contents between your gut and bloodstream.
Vitamin A: is essential for optimal cell growth and maintenance of the gut barrier, with deficiency of this key nutrient preventing the regeneration of gut barrier cells.
Zinc: another essential nutrient that supports the integrity of gut barrier cells, with deficiency increasing the likelihood of leaky gut developing.
Shiitake mushroom: a medicinal mushroom that regulates immune function and reduces inflammation.
“Aller-geez, give me a break!”
Given the strong connection between the health of the gut and immune reactivity, supporting good digestive system function can address some of the underlying factors that cause your immune system to be over-reactive.
A care plan specially designed to repair your gut and improve your immune tolerance, thereby decreasing allergy symptoms, can help you gain control of your allergies and reactivity, so you can once more indulge in the activities that you enjoy.
Overcoming Allergies
If your nose has done more running during springtime than you have, perhaps it’s time you considered a different approach with long-term health benefits. Maintaining a healthy gut is key to supporting your immune function and building tolerance to allergic triggers, and is therefore central to providing a lasting solution to allergic conditions. For guidance around how best to improve your allergies and gut function, click the button below.