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Small amounts of this same pollen
(and other possible local allergens associated with flowers)
will be found in the honey these bees make.
Allergy therapy is roughly based
on three concepts:
Avoidance…avoid what is
triggering your own allergies…hence the prime importance
of allergy-free gardening. It makes NO sense to plant highly
allergenic plants in your own yard; doing so will just over-load
your immune system with allergens.
Immunotherapy…very small
amounts of the allergens are taken over a long period of time,
allowing the body to build up resistance to the allergens. This
is the same thing an allergist does when they give someone "allergy
shots." This is also the same thing that can happen when
local honey is used over a prolonged period of time.
Antihistamines, drugs: This,
unfortunately, is the most common way of dealing with the problem
of pollen allergies. Doctors prescribe billions of dollars worth
of prescription drugs to stifle the effects of the allergies.
Many millions of dollars worth of other similar non-prescription
drugs are simply bought over the counter, again to damper down
the hyper immune system, to get relief from the allergies.
Let’s take a quick look
at the three concepts of how to deal with pollen allergies, at
the good and bad points of all three.
Avoidance is the best, by far.
There are no negative side effects from simply avoiding whatever
it is that makes one feel bad; it is the utmost of common sense.
Many city streets and a multitude of city parks, schools, commercial
landscapes, and especially front and backyards of homes, worldwide,
have been landscaped with plants that will over-produce very
large amounts of highly allergenic pollen each year…and
they will trigger allergic reactions. Over time, the allergies
to these allergenic local plants will get worse, not better…unless
changes are made in the local environment…unless the most
allergenic plants are replaced with allergy-free plant choices.
Immunotherapy is often very
effective, but it is typically quite expensive and many insurance
policies do not cover the expenses…then too, over time,
the effects of the "allergy shots" tend to wear off,
and they need to be repeated. Nonetheless, if one can afford
these shots, I do recommend them. Local honey does much the same
thing, but it costs much less, and also has other health benefits
from the raw honey itself.
Antihistamines, drugs: When
an allergic response is triggered, the body’s immune system
goes into overdrive, attacking the pollen as though it were a
more dangerous substance than it actually is. The physical result
of all this over-action on the part of the immune system results
in itching, runny and sneezy noses, and of course, more mucus
production. The allergy drugs put a damper on the immune system
and thus reduce these symptoms caused by this hyper-activity.
But, at what cost? It has been
long known, and well documented, that allergies are protective
against cancer. Yes, having allergies protects against cancer,
as does having asthma. Why would this be?
At any given time any one of
us may have cancer of some form or another somewhere in our bodies,
but most of the time our own immune system will attack the cancer
and kill it off long before it ever gets out of control. When
someone with allergies comes in contact with allergenic pollen
and their immune system is kicked into gear, the immune system
is not just fighting the allergens, it is also attacking any
cancer cells they may have, realized or not. Thus, an occasional
over-active immune system is actually a blessing…even if
it may not feel like it at the time.
Now, consider the allergy drugs,
and the effect they have: these drugs are designed to shut down
this same protective immune system. I would advise anyone fighting
cancer of any kind, to avoid taking any kind of allergy medicine.
Furthermore, I would advise any one taking allergy medicine on
a regular basis, to try and find a way to stop their dependence
on these drugs. From my research I am increasingly led to believe
that antihistamines can open the body up more to attack from
cancer cells.
So, what is a person with severe
pollen allergies to do? For starters, if you are taking Allegra,
Claritin or similar drugs on a daily basis during pollen season,
I would advise that you skip several days each week to let your
immune system do it’s work. I would also advise that, if
possible, you see an allergist and get the allergy shots.
I would strongly advise going
to the closest farmers’ market and buying some local raw
honey, and then to use it daily, in small amounts. ** Please
note, that those individuals with the most severe allergies can
get an allergic response (including anaphylaxis) from the local
honey itself. Because of this I advise people to start out with
very small amounts of the local honey…perhaps as little
as a quarter of a teaspoon a day or less. If this triggers an
allergic response, such as itching in the back of the throat,
then you will need to take an even smaller initial dose. Over
time the amount of local honey taken daily can, and should be,
increased…but it makes sense to be cautious in the beginning,
and to carefully monitor your own progress.
Lastly, and perhaps this should
be first, and not last, you should allergy-free your own yards,
and try and get your neighbors to do the same. Likewise, people
should demand that their own cities pay attention to the allergy
potential of the street trees they plant. It makes no sense at
all for a city to plant trees that will cause allergies (often
male clones) when they could instead plant trees that are every
bit as beautiful, but that do not produce allergenic pollen.
For almost a decade now I have
answered many thousands of emails about local honey and allergies,
even though it has taken up a great deal of time on my part.
I have kept my own email address freely available to the public.
My email address is: tloallergyfree@earthlink.net
Over and over I am asked about scientific studies on the subject;
people want to know, where can they find and read these studies.
I have added to this article, a recent and very typical email,
and then my own response to it. Have a look:
Subject: Question
Mr. Ogren,
I am a paramedic and nursing
student. Recently a fellow nurse asked me to do some research
on whether or not eating honey really could cure allergies.
After looking around a few books
on natural health and surfing the internet I discovered two things:
1) most people seem to agree that this method works (though
there were a few who didn't) and 2) no one ever sited any research
of any kind to back up their belief in this method.
In my research I came across
an article you had written in which you said this method worked
well. So, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction.
What is the best evidence that taking honey to cure/help allergies
works?
Craig
My reply:
Craig,
I have answered this exact question so many times now...that
I should probably write it up and publish it. With way too many
things.... follow the money. There is no big money to be made
from local honey...there is money to be made from honey, from
bee pollen, etc....but not from local honey...because it has
to be local to be effective, hence it is all very small scale.
Small, local beekeepers are
not in any way organized; they have no real money and very little
political clout. In order to have studies done, some group must
put up the considerable money involved. Usually drug companies
that hope to profit from the results of the studies provide this
money. With local honey, this money is not there, hence the lack
of the studies.
What there has been in allergy
science in the last 6-7 years or so though, is a good deal of
actual testing of allergens given orally, often sublingually
(under the tongue).... and in most cases with very good results.
This is pretty much the exact same way a local honey would work,
too.... small amounts of the local allergens given in some kind
of medium.
So, yes, there are NO decent studies on local honey...and that
is a shame, as it is often very effective, and certainly much
cheaper than shots from an allergist, or than taking Allegra
or Claritin for years.
Tom
Ps. I have never written that local honey will "cure"
allergies; instead what they may well do is alleviate the worst
symptoms, making one feel better.
Read more from Tom Ogren --
Local
Honey and Allergies |
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