Allergies are very common and affect about one in three at some time in their lives. There are many different causes of allergy, and symptoms range from very mild to potentially life threatening. Allergy is one of the major factors associated with the cause of and persistence of asthma.

An allergy occurs when a person’s immune system over-reacts to substances — called an allergen — in the environment. These allergens are found in house dust mites, pets, pollen, foods, drugs, insect stings, latex and moulds. An allergen for one person may not be a problem for another person, and everyone reacts differently.

Medical professionals are not sure why some people develop allergies and others do not, but they found that the environment and both genes play a role in the development of certain allergies.

According to the NLM and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Allergies occur as "false alarms" in the natural defense system of the body.

What happens when you have an allergic reaction?
Antibodies are supposed to protect our bodies against viruses, parasites and infections. But for people with an allergy, their immune system mistakenly identifies the particular allergen as an invader and begins to create antibodies against it. These antibodies, called IgE, attach themselves to mast cells, which are abundant under the surface of the skin and in the nose, eyes, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. When the allergen is encountered, the IgE antibodies grab it, triggering the mast cells to release powerful chemicals, including histamine. This causes the allergic reaction. A reaction often occurs within minutes or up to a few hours after contact and may lead to many different symptoms.

A rough explanation of allergies is that any substance in the air, water, food, or through physical contact can act as a 'foreign object' in the body. The body then produces anti-bodies to neutralize or help rid the body of the foreign substance. In the process, histamine and other chemicals are released which cause allergic symptoms.

Often allergic symptoms are good in that the body seeks to expel the offending substance. Sneezing or coughing when you breathe dust, for example, is a normal reaction of the body. If, however, the normal defense mechanisms malfunction or become extra-sensitive, the reaction can become prolonged or excessive.

"What is food for one, is to others bitter poison" Lucretius

The causes of allergies involve one or more of the following mechanisms in most cases:

· Weak adrenal glands and low cortisol and cortisone production. Cortisol, cortisone and adrenalin stop allergic reactions.
· Excessive cell permeability, mostly in fast oxidizers.
· Fatigue or stress from any causes, which affect many systems of the body, notably the adrenal glands.
· Weakened capillaries leading to capillary fragility. This has to do with copper imbalance, vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin C, and a need for substances such as bioflavinoids.
· Impaired quality of certain mucus membranes, which opens the body to penetration by foreign proteins.
· Other nutrient deficiencies or toxic metals such as mercury, lead and others.
· Food allergies are often due to the presence of candida albicans

or other infections that cause “leaky gut syndrome”. Chemicals in foods and improper diet also commonly cause food reactions and can damage the intestines.

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Toxins
Most people today have excess accumulation of toxins and waste material in their bodies causing their body to be acidic and adding stress to their immune system function.When toxins are allowed to accumulate, they cause the immune system to be suppressed, and the body becomes acidic. Accumulated toxins that have not been flushed out or eliminated allow the body to create an environment where illness and disease can flourish.

Dehydration causes a weak immune system
Dehydration means the cells just simply do not have enough fluid. Dehydration cause medical problems including pain, arthritis, asthma, and allergies, among other medical issues. It can affect your energy and your sleep, and the ability to get toxins/waste material out of the body.

Emotions have powerful effects on glandular activity. Fear, worry, anger and other negative emotions add stress to the body. Positive, inspiring, uplifting thoughts reduce stress.

Chronic infections such as candida albicans, infected teeth, ear or sinus infections weaken the body and must be eliminated to stop some allergies. Fungi/Parsite protocol

Detoxification. This is often a key aspect of a complete healing program. Ionic Detox Units

Stress Reduction.Unfortunately, stress is common place in many peoples lives and responding wrongly to chronic (long term) stress will suppress your immune system. Reducing stress usually helps allergies a lot. Stress may come from many sources from within and without the body. When it reaches a certain level, the adrenals can no longer respond properly and allergies result. For this reason, any therapy or activity that reduces stress from any source may reduce allergies. Here are some Suggestions for Reducing Stress

Obesity can lead to a weak immune system. It can affect the ability of white blood cells to multiply, produce antibodies, and rush to the site of an infection.

Excess alcohol produce a weak immune system
Excessive alcohol intake can harm the body's immune system in two ways. First, it produces an overall nutritional deficiency, depriving the body of valuable immune- boosting nutrients. Second, alcohol, like sugar, consumed in excess can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply, inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells, and lessen the ability of macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factors. One drink (the equivalent of 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounces of hard liquor) does not appear to bother the immune system, but three or more drinks do. Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts of alcohol that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress immunity.Stop Drugs

"Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine by thy food" Hippocrates

GENERAL INFORMATION
Most people who have true allergies know it – their eyes itch, they sneeze, or break out in a rash. Sensitivities or intolerances can be more difficult to detect as the symptoms are less obvious and sometimes don’t appear until a while after exposure. Allergies and chronic sensitivities can be the cause of many illnesses, including headaches, digestive disorders, PMS, respiratory and skin problems, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, and mood disorders.

Food intolerance or sensitivity is more widespread and it is estimated that up to 20% of the population are affected, many who have no idea that food is the underlying cause of their illness. It is a digestive system response, and does not involve the immune system. An example would be lactose intolerance - this is when your body lacks the enzymes needed to digest products which contain lactose, as in milk, which can cause uncomfortable symtoms such as bloating, gas, etc. General symptoms of food sensitivities can range from cramps, bloating and nausea or diarrhea, to headaches or general malaise.

TESTING FOR ALLERGIES

Applied kinesiology (AK) is the term most commonly used to identify a system of muscle-testing and therapy. It was initiated in 1964 by George J. Goodheart, Jr., D.C. (1918-2008) and has become quite elaborate. Its basic notion is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a specific muscle weakness, which enables diseases to be diagnosed through muscle-testing procedures. Most practitioners are chiropractors, but naturopaths, medical doctors, dentists, nutritionists, physical therapists, massage therapists,and nurse practitioners, . In 1991, 37% of 4,835 full-time American chiropractors who responded to a survey by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) said they used Applied kinesiology in their practice [1]. Subsequent NBCE surveys found percentages of 31% in Canada (1992) [2], 60% in Australia (1993) [3], 72% in New Zealand (1993) [3], 43% in the United States (1998) [4], and 37.6% in 2003 [5].

Dr George Goodheart, a Chiropractor from Michigan, USA, developed manual muscle testing further in the 1960s by elucidating the relationship between specific muscles and organs, glands and meridians. The system of diagnosis and correction he developed based on muscle testing he called Applied Kinesiology (A.K.). Indeed, it was from A.K. that all other types of Kinesiology developed. Since John Thie developed Touch for Health in the early 1970s (2), the art of muscle testing has been taught to thousands of lay people. Several of these people then went on to develop various other forms of Kinesiology (One Brain Kinesiology, Educational Kinesiology, Biokinesiology and Applied Physiology to name but a few) (3).

What is muscle testing? Sounds a simple enough question that I'm sure most of you have heard before. You may have found, however, that the answer was not so easy to come up with! You may answer that a positive muscle test is one in which the muscle being tested is "strong" and a negative muscle test is one in which the muscle being tested is "weak". But what does a muscle being strong or weak mean? Below is an explanation of muscle testing and how much information just testing a single muscle can give.

Muscle testing as employed in Touch for Health (TFH) and other types of Kinesiology originated with Kendall and Kendall, two academic kinesiologists in the late 1940s (1). They developed test positions for a number of muscles of the limbs and trunk that isolated, as much as possible, the action of one muscle in contraction as "prime mover" - the muscle with the optimal mechanical advantage in that position. By applying manual pressure to the limb or other body part in that test position, the integrity of response of that "prime mover" could be evaluated. If the muscle could not resist the pressure, indicating loss of full neurological integrity, they developed a relative scale from 0, or no resistance (flaccid paralysis) to 5+, or full lock.

Are you Allergic to your pets?

On the Reliability and Validity of Manual Muscle Testing:

Muscle Testing is a simple process that can be helpful in identifying foods which do not agree with your body. Any food or supplement can be easily tested to ensure that it is something that will strengthen and is compatible with your body...and help you to know which foods are weakening you and that you should avoid. The Muscle Testing link above will bring you very good information, but essentially muscle testing works by holding the food/item close to the body (chest area) and testing the impact this has on your overall muscle strenth. When something is compatible your muscles remain strong, when it does not agree with you it will be very apparent because you will experience muscle weakness.

Applied kinesiology proponents claim that nutritional deficiencies, allergies, and other adverse reactions to foods or nutrients can be detected by having the patient chew or suck on these items or by placing them on the tongue so that the patient salivates. Some practitioners advise that the test material merely be held in the patient's hand or placed on another part of the body. According to a 1987 book for the general public written with help from two leading chiropractic AK practitioners:

Many muscle-testing proponents assert that nutrients tested in these various ways will have an immediate effect: "good" substances will make specific muscles stronger, whereas "bad" substances will cause weaknesses that "indicate trouble with the organ or other tissue on the same nerve, vascular, nutrition, etc., grouping." A leading AK text, for example, states:

If a patient is diagnosed as having a liver disturbance and the associated pectoralis major [chest muscle] tests weak, have the patient chew a substance that may help the liver, such as vitamin A. If . . . the vitamin A is appropriate treatment, the muscle will test strong

On the Reliability and Validity of Manual Muscle Testing:

Finding a "weak" muscle " Some practitioners contend that muscle-testing can also help diagnose allergies and other adverse reactions to foods. According to this theory, when a muscle tests "weak," the provocative substance is bad for the patient. Applied kinesiology"treatment" may include special diets, food supplements, acupressure (finger pressure on various parts of the body), and spinal manipulation

Goodheart states that Applied kinesiology techniques can also be used to evaluate nerve, vascular, and lymphatic systems; the body's nutritional state; the flow of "energy" along "acupuncture meridians"; and "cerebro spinal fluid function." The 70-page chapter on "meridian therapy" in a leading Applied kinesiology textbook advises that subluxations influence the status of meridian system and vice versa =

Applied Kinesiology

Some of the most common symptoms of a food allergy include a constantly runny nose, fluid retention, weight gain, headaches, skin complaints, arthritis, asthma, gastrointestinal complaints, menstrual disorders, hypoglycaemia, muscle weakness,and behavioural problems.More

Many muscle-testing proponents assert that nutrients tested in these ways will have an immediate effect: "good" substances will make specific muscles stronger, whereas "bad" substances will cause weaknesses that "indicate trouble with the organ or other tissue on the same nerve, vascular, nutrition, etc., grouping."

As you become faster with your testing, you can use it for deciding what you choose and use during your day. Your clothes, your foods and beverages, any purchase you are considering, any choice can be checked to see if the body is enhanced or diminished energy-wise by a certain selection.

ALLERGY FREE

On the Reliability and Validity of Manual Muscle Testing:

It has been well established that allergies foods and toxins cause muscle weekness,,,The basic principle of muscle testing is" muscle weak" or "muscle strong",,,now you can test the foods you use and the toxins in your enviroment by using this muscle strength./weakness principle...

MSM