By Dr. Victoria Nelson
This beautiful weather is making us want to be outside as much as we can! That can be difficult and frustrating if you suffer from seasonal allergies at this time of year. Your watery and itchy eyes, running nose, and sneezing is your immune system being hyperactive towards an allergen you have encountered, such as tree pollen. Many of us head to the medicine cabinet and reach for an anti-histamine for relief. Conventional anti-histamine medications work by shutting your immune system down, often leading to unwanted side effects such as drowsiness or sleepiness. No one wants to feel drowsy while enjoying the great Minnesota outdoors! But, there is a supplement that can help the allergy sufferers, without shutting off your body’s natural immune system function.
This supplement is called D-Hist. Unlike anti-histamines, D-Hist balances your immune system and therefore, its responses to common environmental allergens. This means it works with your body to regulate your immune system, without shutting it down. This also means no side effects of drowsiness or sleepiness. There is also a D-Hist Jr. formula for the kids in your life who struggle with seasonal allergies!
If you are extra curious about how this supplement can help modulate your immune system, and help with the symptoms of allergies, here is a list of the main ingredients and how they work with your body
D-Hist Ingredients (from the Ortho Molecular Products website):
Quercetin
Quercetin has strong antioxidant activity and has been shown to support immune health by mediating the release of inflammatory compounds including leukotrienes and prostaglandins. Quercetin is known for its ability to stabilize mast cells, diminishing the release of histamine, the compound known to cause hypersensitivity reactions during seasonal changes.
Stinging Nettles Leaf Extract
Stinging nettles leaf is a plant that has been shown to balance immune response, specifically in the airways and nasal passages. Studies have shown that the extract of stinging nettles leaf balances a variety of inflammatory activities that affect respiratory health.
Bromelain
Bromelain is a plant enzyme naturally found on the stem and fruit of the pineapple plant. Bromelain is a proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme that aids in in the breakdown of large protein complexes, including antigenic compounds, and has been shown to enhance the absorption of quercetin. Bromelain has been shown to reduce circulating allergenic protein complexes associated with hyper-immune sensitivity and seasonal discomfort.
N-Acetyl Cysteine
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an amino acid precursor to one of the most important antioxidants in the body, glutathione. Both glutathione and NAC help reduce the viscosity of the mucus allowing for clearing of the airways and improved respiratory health.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C cannot be synthesized by humans and is therefore an essential nutrient that must be consumed in the diet. Among its numerous health-promoting properties, vitamin C is an essential vitamin that supports the immune system and is also a potent antioxidant. When the body is under a significant amount of stress, vitamin C is excreted rapidly. Vitamin C has many immune boosting properties, but is distinctively beneficial for individuals with seasonal discomfort because of its ability to deactivate histamine.
(http://www.orthomolecularproducts.com/natural-d-hist/)
