Allergies

Allergies are hyperactive immune responses that occur when the immune system determines a substance to be a foreign invader. Known as allergens, these potentially harmful substances can range from food to pollen to chemicals to dust. Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) differs from allergies in that the body cannot defend itself from the neurotoxic chemicals present within our environment. It’s an illness that affects over 16% of the American population.

An allergy is an overactive response by the immune system to various substances that are not harmful in-and-of themselves. As opposed to allergies, chemical sensitivities prevent the body from reacting effectively to potentially harmful chemicals.

Traditional medicine tries to block or suppress the immune response for allergies, but is frequently seen as only a temporary symptom fix for a systemic weakness. Unfortunately, prescribed medications may cause side effects, as well as progressively weaken the immune system with prolonged use. Just as for allergies, medications may be prescribed to lessen MCS symptoms; however, there is no proven medical treatment to benefit its sufferers. Understanding allergies and MCS from a larger perspective will help in minimizing the impact of these conditions.

Allergies are often the result of an overloaded toxic state within the liver. As the primary human organ responsible for processing everything we come in contact with, the liver filters out any toxic components introduced into the body. If the quantity of a substance entering the bloodstream is too great for the liver to process quickly, the immune system recognizes the molecules as being an allergen and produces antibodies against them. Through the filtering process, the liver plays a substantial role in reducing the effect an established or potential allergen will have on the body.

An overexposure to chemicals typically causes Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, which ultimately results in an immune system malfunction. Chemical overexposure damages the liver’s ability to process toxins, rendering the person more susceptible to previously benign chemicals. In addition to chemical overexposure, viruses, severe emotional or physical trauma, liver disease and metabolic disorders are all capable of impairing the liver’s ability to process environmental toxins. When the liver is unable to process chemicals they enter the body and are foreign substance that the body creates antibodies to and attacks each time it encounters that substance.

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Lastly we spend so much of our lives sleeping that it only makes sense to consider the impact our sleeping environments have on allergies or MCS. The most frequently advice given to a person with either of these conditions is to avoid the offending substance. As it relates to their sleeping environments, individuals with extreme allergy or chemical sensitivities should evaluate the surface they sleep on. The two primary environmental issues affecting a person while asleep, include:

• Dust Mites – People sleeping on mattresses containing dust mites are prime candidates for allergic reactions. However, a non-porous mattress covering will help facilitate sleep for those who are allergic to the common dust mite.

• Chemicals – For MCS sufferers, the chemicals contained in and released from mattresses can trigger severe toxic reactions. Mattress foam is treated with fire-retardants, which pose a great health risk.

Mattress foam poses a great health risk because it is treated with fire-retardants. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), one class of fire-retardants, present the most dangerous health risk of all. PBDEs are similar in makeup to PCBs; they are chemical cousins that have been banned for nearly three decades because they cause immune suppression, endocrine disruption, cancer, behavioral problems and other undesirable effects. In lieu of sleeping on a chemical-free mattress, frequent vacuuming, ventilation at night and running a HEPA air filter will significantly lower the level of exposure of any dangerous chemicals.

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