A New Way to View Allergies
When people ask me what I do, I tell them I treat allergies. Many of them say “I know I don’t have any allergies” and then proceed to tell me about how they swell up if they eat wheat, get horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea if they eat meat, or how tired they are all the time. They tell me their nose is always runny when they drink milk, that they are unusually fatigued when exposed to gasoline fumes, or that they get headaches when they are around perfume. If I ask them what they consider the cause of these reactions, often they will tell me that it is ‘just a sensitivity.’ They also tell me that their ‘sensitivities’ are getting worse as they get older. If this sounds a bit like you, then maybe its time to look at those sensitivities in a new way, and to know there are ways to eliminate them and to start feeling better again.
Most people have a general idea of what we accept as an allergy. This is based on the modern definition of allergies as defined below. Prior to 1920 the definition of an allergy was any adverse reaction to a substance that would not normally affect the majority of the population. If this definition was still used today, then all of the above reactions would be defined as allergies. However, modern medicine has narrowed the definition so much that the above reactions are no longer called allergies. Let's take a look at the definition used today.
The Modern Definition of Allergies
After 1925 and continuing to today, the definition of an allergy included these criteria:
- Only specific areas of the body are affected by allergies, such as the eyes, lungs, intestines or skin
- There are only certain items that can cause allergic reactions, such as dust, pollens, animal dander, or certain foods such as peanuts
- Allergies can only be confirmed by specific immunological tests, such as the skin scratch test or a blood test.
Only certain reactions are recognized by conventional medicine as allergy related. Hives, asthma, eczema, hay fever, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and nausea are all accepted allergic reactions. Extreme fatigue, poor mental function, emotional reactions (such as rage or depression), chronic or recurring infections, pain, sleep problems, colic, diaper rash, hyperactivity and many, many more symptoms are not recognized as allergic reactions.
Many people today who experience reactions to items are told that they do not have allergies and, unfortunately, they are at a loss as to how to relieve or eliminate their symptoms. What can you do if you experience, for example, severe exhaustion when exposed to gasoline? Do you hope that someone else is always there to fill up the car when it reaches empty, and that they don’t think you are crazy? Let's look at another definition of allergies, and a highly effective method of eliminating them.
The Energetic Definition of Allergies
I remember when I first learned about molecules in school. It was so hard for my 6 year old brain to comprehend that the world was made up of these incredibly small particles. I remember asking my teacher “Are they in our food,” and she replied, “Of course”. When I ate my soup for lunch that day, I just kept thinking, “This is made up of all these little things I can't see. Wow!” Now, after many years of science courses, I find it funny that my initial reaction to the idea of molecules was one of amazement verging on disbelief. I sometimes think that this is how people learning about energetic medicine feel at first. For some, it is a totally new and exciting way of viewing the body and how it works.
We all have a pretty good idea about the meaning of energy. Heat, movement, electrical transmission, the warmth of the sun, a child playing; these are all forms of energy. The body is composed of energy and also uses energy for all the metabolic processes required to continue life. This energy flows through the body in specific pathways called meridians or channels. Every channel connects to an organ. For example, the lung channel connects to the lungs and provides a flow of energy to that organ. When our energy is abundant and flows smoothly throughout the body, we are healthy. If the energy becomes depleted or blocked, then the body cannot function properly and diseases can develop. This is the basic philosophy underlying acupuncture.
We can now take this a step further and view the energy in the world around us. Everything has energy, and that energy is distinct for each item. Think of colors. We know that each color has a distinct wavelength of light (a type of energy), making it unique. Red had a different wavelength than purple or orange. The same works for everything else. Carrots have a different energy than beans or horses. These energies can have a positive effect on your own body energy, a neutral effect, or a negative effect. The items that have a negative effect on your body will block energy in one or more of your energy pathways, causing you to experience an adverse reaction. This is what we call an allergy.
For example, being exposed to pollens can block the lung channel, causing the nose (which is related to the lungs) to become itchy, runny or stuffed up. This is the well known and much despised seasonal allergy we call hay fever. Not everyone gets the same reaction, though. Some people may get depressed, fatigued, or any number of other reactions when exposed to pollens. At this point, if you are thinking that anything can cause allergies, you are right! That neck pain you get from sleeping on a cotton pillowcase could be an allergy instead of just a bad pillow. Your child's sudden inability to concentrate at school might be caused by a new floor polish he has been exposed to.
Some reactions you are experiencing will now start to make sense. You can now start observing if you have any reactions to the things around you. For example:
- Are you weaker one day at yoga when there is a person next to you wearing perfume?
- Do your ears burn after having a glass of wine?
- Does your throat itch when you eat asparagus?
- Does your husband/wife’s sciatic pain flare up after eating tomatoes?
- Did you develop a cough after starting that new antioxidant mix?
You may be surprised at what you find out about yourself and others.
Allergy Elimination and NAET
At this point you are probably thinking, “So I have allergies - now what? Am I left with just having to avoid everything?” No, because not only does energetic medicine have a new way to define allergies, but we also have a way to help eliminate them. NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique) is a safe, gentle and noninvasive method to unblock the meridians and eliminate the adverse reactions permanently. The great thing about NAET is that it eliminates both conventional and unconventional allergies.
If you wish to learn more about the NAET method, visit the Forever Healthy Inc. website at www.foreverhealthyinc.com. Or, read the article entitled “What is NAET?” on this website.
