A combination of genetic and environmental factors can cause a wide range of allergic responses. Allergies can lead to or stem from from an imbalance in one or more of your body’s systems and can appear at any stage in your life.  Wholistic chiropractic care offers a variety of diagnosis and treatment options.

Stress, Antibiotics, Poor Diet

Common triggers that can set off an imbalance that may lead to the development of allergies include stress, antibiotic use or a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates. These factors share certain characteristic effects that initiate a process known as leaky gut syndrome. One of these effects is chronic inflammation throughout the body. This type of low-level Inflammation may not be as noticeable as that of a bee sting but it causes the lining of the digestive tract to stretch and become permeable. Instead of functioning as a selective filter that absorbs digested food, the permeable intestinal lining allows undigested food particles to leak into the bloodstream. Too large for your cells to absorb and use, these undigested food particles fall under attack by your immune system, which sees them as potentially dangerous foreign objects and a food allergy is born.

Once inflammation sets in, the intestinal tract attempts to rid itself of whatever may be causing the irritation by increasing levels of mucous formation. Mucous occurs in both the digestive and respiratory tracts and provides a place for molds and fungi to take hold and grow, further draining the immune system, crowding out beneficial bacteria and setting the stage for food allergies, respiratory allergies and opportunistic infections.

In the case of poor diet or chronic stress, you may not make the connection between with allergy symptoms until considerable damage is done. Antibiotic use is normally discontinued after three to ten days, only to reoccur at the next sign of infection. Repeated courses of antibiotics can damage the intestinal lining in ways that persist for years.

Decreased nutrient absorption leads to further digestive and immune complications because unabsorbed nutrients are not available for production of the enzymes, stomach acid and other components necessary to digest food.

Endocrine Imbalance

Stress increases levels of the hormone cortisol which decreases inflammation. However, chronic stress results in cortisol depletion and elevated inflammation and associated digestive and immune system effects, such as allergies. Altered thyroid function may also impair immune function and make you more susceptible to developing allergies.

Left/Right Brain Imbalance

Your allergies may also stem from an imbalance in communication between the two hemispheres of your brain. The left brain typically activates the immune system while the right brain has the responsibility of suppressing the immune response. An overactive left brain or underactive right brain may result in an overly enthusiastic immune response that, unchecked, can snowball into allergies and autoimmune conditions. Studies show that lower right brain function is associated with increased levels of certain antibodies. Also, there seems to be a higher prevalence of allergies, asthma and autoimmune conditions in left-handed families and women with asthma, a condition that often is accompanied by allergies, are more likely to have left-handed children.

Wholistic Chiropractic Treatment Approach

Finding and healing digestive components of allergies is a key piece of the puzzle for many allergy sufferers. Lab testing for food intolerances and digestive function can reveal important information. Appropriate dietary modifications, cleansing and detoxification procedures restore healthy digestive and immune function.  Applied kinesiology techniques help to find and fix particularly subtle or hidden allergies. Where brain and central nervous system imbalance is a contributing factor, chiropractic functional neurology can help detect and balance brain function so that your immune system is expressed in a healthy way.