Treating Allergies with Naturopathic Medicine
By Helene Pulnik | Published on August 12, 2010 | 0 Comments
If you wait until your allergy symptoms go completely haywire during the height of the allergy season, they can be incredibly difficult to treat. That’s why Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc, a naturopathic physician who owns Glastonbury Naturopathic Center and Wholistic Spa in Glastonbury, CT, starts working on the symptoms before they even show up, as she discusses here.
Treating allergies with naturopathic medicine is very effective because we use a preventive approach, instead of just treating the symptoms when they develop. It’s an approach that works, and one that has the added benefit of making the allergy sufferer a whole lot happy from the very beginning of the allergy season.
What I do with my allergy patients – and this has been a very bad year for allergies here in the Northeast- is that I start them on their allergy programs in February, before the pollen hits in March and April. I find that this is a very effective approach. Once my allergy patients have been on the program for some time, they find they don’t need their usual prescription antihistamines anymore.
Using a Multi-Pronged Approach
How I approach allergies is a multi-pronged approach. It involves identifying what people are allergic to, making environmental recommendations to decrease their exposure to those specific allergens, and then using homeopathic remedies to desensitize them to their allergies.
I also use different vitamins and plant extracts that are powerful natural antihistamines, such as Vitamin C; quercetin, which is a naturally occurring flavonoid; curcumin, which is a member of the ginger family; and nettles and boswellia, which reduce inflammation. What these natural remedies do is decrease the histamine release in the body and also decrease the inflammatory symptoms that come with allergies.
No Side-Effects with Homeopathic Remedies
The nice thing about using these homeopathic remedies is that they all work without any drowsiness or any other side effects like you would get when you take conventional antihistamines. So people are very appreciative of the natural anti-allergy treatments that we use here.
I also use acupuncture for allergy treatments, as it can be a very helpful therapy used in conjunction with the homeopathic remedies. And I work with my patients’ diets, as eliminating allergens from their diets can also help to improve seasonal or environmental allergies. So everybody with environmental allergies who comes to our Spa receives an individualised hypoallergenic diet as well, and it does make a huge difference.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.