Do you have the flu or is it an allergic reaction?

Sometimes that question is difficult to answer. Have you had an irritated throat, runny eyes, skin rashes and irritated lungs lately? Well it could be allergies and it could all be due to global warming.  Allergies don’t only happen in spring you know. Older people are even getting asthma for the first time in their lives.

Experts say that it could be due to global warming due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air caused by loss of forests and the burning of fossil fuels. This is changing the climate and pollen is stronger with more of it about. Warmer temperatures means there is a longer growing season and carbon dioxide helps with plant growth which may be cooking up a storm where allergies are concerned.

With Spring just around the corner those of us that do get allergies need to start thinking how we can protect ourselves so we don’t have a miserable, sneezy, irritated few months. Also its time to look at natural ways to handle it rather than perhaps stick to medications when there may be a natural alternative.

Experiments have been down around the world on the effects of global warming on plants and it has been found that the more Carbon Dioxide there is the more pollen they produce and that is bad news for allergy sufferers. It is predicted the levels of Carbon Dioxide will double by the end of the century which is not good news for people with pollen allergies. Other researchers have conducted studies that show that some trees already produce three times more pollen than they used to and in fact all plants are growing larger – plants like poison ivy which also have their itching qualities getting stronger due to the carbon dioxide.

The burning of fuels such as diesel and its impact on asthma is also a problem which has doubled in the last 25 years or so. Pollen binds with diesel particles in the air and goes deep into the lungs. Nitrates in diesel aggravate the cells and cause an allergic reaction especially as people get older and their lung function decreases due to smoking or other pollutants.

The rise in temperature is also allowing many poisonous insects to live longer and produce stronger poisons meaning that there are more out there to sting us and when they do the allergies to that stinging and side effects need us to find stronger treatments.

As people age they often have heart and lung problems already so it makes it even worse when they are affected by the pollutants in our atmosphere. It means they could go into anaphylaxis if affected. This is a life-threatening allergic reaction which causes a swelling in the throat and breathing problems. It needs emergency medical treatment.  One reason for this could be that many older people take beta-blockers as part of their daily medication and these already increase the risk of anaphylaxis. Also the medication used to control anaphylaxis does not work as well with beta-blockers in your system.

What this means is that our denatured society is causing many potential hazards for us that could seriously affect our health. It becomes the responsibility of us all to try and counteract what is happening out there regarding our world. Whilst it is easier sometimes to say ‘what can I do, I am only one person’ we need to remember that one plus one equals two and if we all band together and refuse to contribute to the things that will harm us and our children in the long term then companies producing and responsible for this stuff will have to change.

So especially with Spring on its way if you have the symptoms of the flu and don’t know why, then look at the factor that it could be an allergy, and if it is see your natural practitioner for some natural ways to treat it. In the short term some antihistamines may assist but it is by no means a long term solution.

Remember Zinc will raise your immunity, Echinacea is great for the flu and immunity, Vitamin B is great for infections, Vitamin C is good for the flu and in general to keep you healthy and a multi vitamin makes up for all those days when you don’t eat all the right foods…now how many days a week is that?

If you take the right natural supplements to kick start your health in the right direction you will find you will get healthy and stay healthy for the most part. Remember though that there is no quick fix and nothing compensates for the standard good health eating plan of 3 vegetables of different colours, 3 fruits, one serve of protein minimum daily, up to 2 litres of water, exercise at least 3 times a week for one hour, sleep 7 hours a night and lots of rest and relaxation with family and friends on the weekend.

The above combination will get you well on the way to being healthy and having a healthier lifestyle.