| I was an allergy sufferer for many years. Over | | | | has a negative impact on practically every aspect |
| those years of trying anything I could get my | | | | of our lives. Stress increases cortisol levels in our |
| hands on to find some relief, I noticed that there | | | | blood. In fact, cortisol is sometimes known as the |
| were two key things I had to do if I was to | | | | stress hormone and it is produced in our adrenal |
| make myself feel better. | | | | glands, two small glands right beside the kidneys. |
| Firstly, I had to reduce the amount of | | | | The effect of increased cortisol on allergies is that |
| inflammation in my body. I had to change my diet | | | | cortisol decreases immune function while at the |
| and I knew it. I was eating too many foods high | | | | same time increasing inflammation. Exactly the |
| in omega six fatty acids, like junk foods, seed oils | | | | opposite of what allergy sufferers need! |
| and low quality meat. The solution to this was to | | | | Prolonged stress can cause and a condition known |
| stop eating the bad foods and at the same time | | | | as adrenal fatigue, in which the adrenal glands |
| start taking molecularly distilled fish oil capsules | | | | can't cope with the extra weight placed on the |
| high in DHA and EPA. This helps the body | | | | immune system by things such as pollen allergies |
| rebalance its fatty acid profile, decreasing | | | | or even the common cold. |
| inflammation and strengthening the immune | | | | I have found, in my life, that the combination of a |
| system. | | | | diet high in concentrated fish oil, including large |
| DHA and EPA, also known as polyunsaturated | | | | amounts of DHA and EPA, combined with stress |
| fatty acids, or omega 3 fatty acids, play a crucial | | | | reducing techniques such as tai chi, chi kung or |
| role in decreasing inflammation in the body, which | | | | yoga, had a profound impact on how I felt during |
| in turn strengthens the immune system and helps | | | | the pollen season. And although it took about six |
| keep allergy symptoms under control. | | | | months to be completely free, the effort was |
| Secondly, I had to look at stress-reduction. Stress | | | | definitely worth it! |