Allergies

The problem with leaky gut syndrome is that it isn’t one of those conditions that is self-limiting. Self-limiting means that over time it will correct itself. An example of a self-limiting problem is a cut on your lip. Even if you need a stitch or two it tends to heal up very quickly without any special measures. Once the zonulin production pathway is activated and fragments of food or other particles find their way to the blood stream, they start an antibody cascade that further increases zonulin production and activation. Some of these products will also find their way to your brain and attach to opiate receptors and increase your cravings for the very foods that are causing you problems.

How are you going to fix leaky gut syndrome? The first steps are discovering and eliminating the foods that are causing the problem. Several labs have antibody panels for this, including Alcat and Cyrex. We also like the Cyrex Labs Array 2 that checks for zonulin and related gut permeability molecules. Common offender foods are gluten-containing grains, dairy, soy and sugar.

Supplements can speed the healing process. The key with your supplement program is to be very patient. We recommend starting with the NeuroScience NEI Barrier Repair Kit. We recommend this because it is gentle as well as effective. The NEI Barrier Repair Kit consists of a bottle of Barrier Repair herbal formula and probiotics. We recommend using this starter kit for a few months. Many people find that this approach is so effective that they just stay on it. NeuroScience: NEI GI Repair Kit has been excellent.

Other complementary factors such as turmeric, glutathione, vitamin D and fish oil will help provide an environment favorable for healthy changes. Health Resources: Probiotic Basics.

Once the barrier begins to repair, other factors that have been known to help barrier repair might be appropriate. This would include things like L-glutamine, Proper fish hydrolyzed proteins, NAG (N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine, gamma-linolenic acid, gamma-oryzanol and maybe some phosphatidylcholine. I don’t recommend starting here, however. Use the prickly pear, guar gum seed and marshmallow root formula from the NEI product first.

How do you deal with leaky gut syndrome? Share your story with us in the comments!

Sinuplex

At OVitaminPro.com, we’re always looking to keep our customers informed of natural remedies that can aid in achieving a higher level of wellness. Antioxidants have been getting a lot of mainstream attention lately and there’s one antioxidant that we want you to know about: quercetin.

Quercetin is a type of flavonoid that is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Research tells us that flavonoids, like quercetin, have been shown to aid in the treatment of allergies, respiratory illnesses, inflammation, microbial imbalances, and even cancer. The research is still developing, but so far, it looks promising.

Looking to add more of this antioxidant to your diet? Want to boost your levels naturally? Consider taking a quercetin supplement or add more quercetin-rich foods to your diet. Tomatoes, red grapes, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, apples, berries, buckwheat, citrus fruits, onions, and black and green tea contain quercetin levels to help you boost your immunity as well as your antioxidant intake.

At OVitaminPro.com, we offer quercetin in the form of a supplement called Sinuplex by Metagenics. This powerful supplement can support your immune and respiratory systems with a powerful combination of Vitamin C, nettle root extract, N-acetylcysteine, and of course, quercetin.

ACHOO!

*sniff*

As we mentioned in one of our recent posts, allergy season is here and can be helped by taking an allergy supplement from OVitaminPro.com, but that’s not the only thing you can do. If you want to cut back on the itchy eyes, sneezing, redness, sniffles, and irritation, there are several steps that you can take to ease allergies and keep them from getting worse.

The first tip is to avoid alcohol. According to a Swedish study, histamine in beer, wine, and liquor created in the fermentation process can cause or worsen certain allergy symptoms, especially in women. Red and white wine are common triggers for making allergies worse, so avoid them when yours start to flare up.

Reducing stress can also help you get a handle on your allergies. An Ohio State University study showed that stress hormones can boost blood proteins that cause allergic reactions. Staying calm can ease allergies, as well as reduce the other negative effects. Give yourself time to calm down and relax if you start to feel tense. It’ll help in the long run! Also you want to make sure you get enough sleep. Sleep lowers stress, keeps you feeling better overall, and can actually improve your body’s ability to deal with allergy symptoms.

Finally, you can take some extra measures to reduce the amount of allergens you come in contact with regularly. Be sure to vacuum your home regularly and make sure to wash your sheets and clothing to get off any pollen. Try taking a bath or shower before you go to sleep to keep any pollen out of your bedding.

How do you keep allergens at a minimum in your home?