Seasonal Allergies, Get Rid of Them for Good

There are several big reasons why I left a career in the pharmaceutical industry to become a Naturopathic Doctor and one of them was severe, debilitating seasonal allergies.

I had itchy eyes to the point I wanted to tear them out, a nose that dripped endlessly and was raw from blowing it constantly, a throat that was so inflamed it hurt to swallow, and I had little energy to drag me through the work day. I would sleep 14-16 hours a night and wake completely exhausted, feeling as though I had not slept at all. These were the main symptoms of my 8 week debilitating seasonal allergies. At the time, I used antihistamines like Claritin and eventually I sought out stronger intervention, an adrenalin shot at the doctor’s office.

None of these treatments really worked. Sure my symptoms were addressed, but only for a short period of time and then I had to take the medications over and over again. Worse yet, the following season the symptoms were back with increase vengeance. Dismayed and frustrated with the lack of results, I sought help elsewhere. This was my first exposure to Naturopathic Medicine.

A Naturopathic Doctor took the time to sit down with me and explain the process of how seasonal allergies develop and then what we could do about it. In summary, all seasonal allergies are due to one thing, poor lifestyle namely diet. Our digestion system, when healthy, is a barrier to prevent unwanted material getting into our body. When it is not healthy, things get past our digestive barrier and meet the next defender, our immune system.

With overwhelming amounts of garbage getting in, our immune system identifies it as an invader and goes wild releasing enormous amounts of histamines. As a result, allergy symptoms develop. Hence, anti-histamine medications like Claritin are used for allergy symptoms. The problem is not the histamines themselves, but rather the toxic garbage overloading our immune system causing the release of large amounts of histamines in the first place. My Naturopathic Doctor explained this important fact and began to treat me accordingly.

Through a comprehensive program focused on supporting my body to prevent the toxic garbage entering my body in the first place, my allergies that season began to lessen immediately. I continued the therapy and by the next season my symptoms where virtually gone for the first time in over 4 years. The next year, all my symptoms had disappeared. It has now been more than 7 years and counting since I have had any seasonal allergies.

From this experience I learned that the body’s symptoms are not the real problem but are message to us that something is wrong. This understanding of addressing the underlying cause led me to a career I can be excited and passionate about in helping others, and empowered me to attain a high quality of life.



Dr. Derek Cook