CCH Health Review
Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
April 2006
At Home with Dogs, Cats and Other Allergens
Not willing to give up your beloved pet, even though your experience uncomfortable and chronic allergic reactions to it? If so, we can help in a variety of ways.
We are reminded of Marilyn, a 36 year old woman with a history of mild seasonal allergies that turned into a chronic severely uncomfortable respiratory issue after she brought two cats into her home. By the time she realized that the cats were aggravating the condition, her attachment was stronger than the discomfort of allergic rhinitis.
We have most likely seen this in other situations when a mild sensitivity is completely blown out of control with an added offending factor. It is the proverbial “rain barrel effect”. With each drop of rain, the barrel fills slowly, until that one drop adds just enough to create the spillover.
Taking control of the more modifiable offenders makes a huge impact even in the face of a stronger allergen.
Start with the cleaning chemicals, which have their hazards. Most people use several, if not dozens of cleaning agents containing phenols, chlorine, artificial scents, etc. Not only are these singly dangerous, but also we have no idea what combined and chronic use will do.
There are several good books that we suggest in your quest for a clean but green home: The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Maier and The Complete Guide to Nontoxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping by Annie Berthold-Bond.
Both these books offer easy, affordable and effective alternatives to cleaning chemicals. Reducing this burden of daily assault on the immune system by itself has proven to reduce allergy symptoms in many of my patients and they coincidentally feel a relief at knowing they are protecting themselves, their families and their pets from unnecessary toxins.
A more difficult and costly way to reduce this rain barrel effect is to take a more aggressive stance on the actual materials in the home. Can you get rid of carpeting? Pillow and mattress covers offer easy protection. Are the heating vents clean? Is there mold in the house? Mold detection kits can be purchased at Home Depot and similar stores, making it easy for you to get fast and affordable information. Is the water supply clean? Filters for showers and faucets are easily installed.
Two other books that help sort out this quandary are: Home Enlightenment by Annie Bond and Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd.
Nutrients have a huge impact at not only reducing the symptoms of allergens, but also of strengthening the immune system and lowering the production of body chemicals released in the allergic response like histamine or leukotrienes.
Marilyn immediately took on the mission of finding healthy cleaning solutions and modified her home with water filters and bedding protectors.
We started her on the following supplements:
- AllerC - 2 capsules 2 to 3 times daily between meals
- MultiNutrients no Iron or Iodine - 2 capsules two times daily with food
- Vitamin A-10,000 i.u. - 1 cap daily with food
- Ultra Pure Liquid Fish Oil high potency - 1 teaspoon daily with food
- Immune Support - 1 capsule two times daily between meals.
Within a few days of starting her supplements, Marilyn noticed an improvement in energy and a significant lessening of nasal congestion. After a month’s time, she has remained virtually symptom free and shares her allergen-reduced home with Max and Penelope, the felines who roam the house, but also stay out of the bedroom.
Flax Seeds Help Fight Breast Cancer
A new study has shown that the role of flax lignans as a treatment for breast cancer offers promising hope. Canadian scientists, following up on previous studies conducted in mice, enrolled woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer as volunteers to study the effect of flaxseed on the progression of breast cancer.
The pre-lignans found in flax seeds convert in the intestines by bacteria into powerful anti-cancer lignans that actually killed breast cancer cells. Grouppe Kurosawa, an organization dedicated to developing treatment protocols for acute and chronic diseases using only natural medicines has compiled the information on lignans and cancer at www.grouppekurosawa.com/nutrition.htm
We can add this regimen for patients unwilling or unable to undergo standard breast cancer treatments. We have many patients who have had breast cancer. Some have undergone the accepted treatments including radiation, chemotherapy or surgery.
Secondary prevention is a crucial factor in continued treatment for these women. Tamoxifen and similar drugs are usually prescribed. When these women either finish their Tamoxifen regimen, stop it because of serious side effects, or refuse to take it, they want other options.
Our typical supplement program for these women includes:
- Multi Nutrients V- 2 capsules two times daily with food
- COQ10- 100 mg daily with food
- Green Tea Extract 80% 275mg- 1 cap two times daily between meals
- Curcumin Extract 80-90% 500mg with Bioperine, 1 capsule two times daily, and
- Melatonin 10mg each evening.
Adding the Flax seed lignan as 2.5 tablespoons (approximately 25 grams) of fresh and finely ground flaxseed daily is just another way to complement a successful natural program for breast cancer.
Gritty, Dry Eyes?
We have seen an increasing number of patients complain of scratchy eyes, dry eyes, gritty eyes, and sensitivity to light.
Often they blame computer eye strain or allergies for these bothersome symptoms, but “Dry Eye Syndrome” affects millions of Americans and is most likely due to an imbalance in or deficiency of essential fatty acids.
We need both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but the typical American diet is overloaded with omega-6 because of its preponderance in refined foods made with vegetable oils like corn, cottonseed, soybean or sunflower. Ideally, the correct ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet should be 5 (or less) to 1.
A recent study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that women eating a diet high in omega-3 fats or who supplemented with omega-3 fats were 17% less likely to have Dry Eye Syndrome. The participants with the highest ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in their diets showed the highest risk.
We recommend Ultra Pure Fish Oil 2 capsules twice daily for those experiencing Dry Eye Syndrome. They should see rapid improvement in their irritating symptoms. The omega-3 benefit of lowering risk for diabetes, arthritis and aiding in risk reduction for cardiovascular disease makes fish oil a highly recommended supplement for all of our patients.
