Coping with Ragweed Allergy

From late summer until the onset of cold weather, millions of people in the northern hemisphere wage a small, but miserable, battle with a tiny airborne enemy: ragweed pollen. Ragweed allergy, sometimes called simply "hay fever" (though the term "hay fever" applies to allergies to any pollen, rather than just ragweed in particular), impacts quality of life through many months of the year.

You may wonder what, exactly, causes allergic reactions to ragweed pollen. Some of us simply have melodramatic immune systems. When our sensitive immune systems detect the protein in a ragweed pollen grain, the systems sound an "all hands on deck" alarm. Histamines and other chemicals are released to get rid of the intruder. When the immune system sees ragweed, or any other substance, as a dangerous intruder and wages a large-scale war against the substance, it is this war that causes the miserable (and sometimes dangerous) symptoms.

What histamines do:

You've heard of anti-histamines, but what exactly are histamines and why do they make us feel so miserable? Here is a look at what goes on in an allergy sufferer's body during an allergy attack:

Histamines are chemicals found in some immune system cells--mast cells -- and are released when the body is alerted that it has been invaded by a foreign substance such as bad bacteria, or an allergen (such as the proteins released from pollen). Once released, histamines go to fight the invader--whether the invader is bacteria, pollen, or another substance--by causing changes in the body. Histamines dilate blood vessels (and cause the leaking of fluid which leads to swelling) and prompt the nose and eyes to run. The purpose of the histamine response is to rid the body of intruding agents, but the side-effects of the response make a person feel miserable, at the very least.

More severe histamine reactions lead to asthma attacks, by constricting the smooth muscle of the bronchi, and other dangerous conditions. Histamine also plays an important role in anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock is caused by the sudden release of large amounts of histamines and other chemicals--this release, the action of these chemicals upon the body, causes an immediate drop in blood pressure and constriction of the bronchi, which can be fatal.

Histamines do have important roles in the body; for instance, studies performed by the Veterans Affairs' Neurobiology Research Laboratory and UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute have shown that histamines play an important part in the waking process.

But when the body produces too many histamines, or when the body has a severe reaction to histamines, or encounters too many histamines in foods -- for instance in foods such as fish, red wine, and aged cheese-- then an antihistamine may be necessary in order to mitigate the unpleasant, or even dangerous, reaction.

How to cope with ragweed allergy and other seasonal allergies:

Antihistamines help by blocking the histamines and, therefore, by reducing the swelling and much of the congestion associated with the histamine response. There are a variety of antihistamines available on the market. You should consult with your physician to find out what antihistamine, if any, is appropriate for you. In severe cases, allergy shots may be recommended.

There are other ways allergy sufferers can cope with ragweed pollen problems and other allergies. The following are some natural approaches to coping with seasonal allergies:

Vitamin C and magnesium are widely believed to be natural antihistamines.

Most allergy sufferers would benefit from taking extra vitamin C and magnesium (please consult with your physician first).

Reduce your stress.

Many studies indicate that stress can make the immune system over-reactive, which eventually tires and weakens the immune system. Anyone with an allergy to ragweed or other substances should try to reduce and manage their stress levels--especially during allergy season. Relaxation exercises, yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation all can help you cope with stress.

Take care of your liver.

The liver removes excess histamine from the body. Weakened livers will not perform this function properly and histamine will build up in the body.

Eat more vegetarian meals, less meat, during allergy season. Vegetables contain little or no histamine.

Hay fever cannot be cured, but sufferers can take the measures mentioned here to insure that the histamine war is a quiet, less violent, battle.