I found it rather appropriate to be sitting on my couch here in Southwest Florida in the early spring writing an article on allergies. As an allergy sufferer and a diabetic I know oh too well just how debilitating the effects are. My nemesis happens to come in two guises … plant pollen and black mold. I have found certain nutrients added to my diet greatly contribute towards managing the allergen's ill-effects.

An allergy is the body overreacting to a substance that normally is not harmful. Quite literally the body's immune system is duped into identifying a non-toxic substance as an invader, causing the white blood cells to overreact, and do more damage to the body than the invasive substance. The allergic response itself becomes a disease. Common responses are asthma, eczema, and hay fever.

The substances that create all this trouble are called allergens. For every known substance there is a possibility one person is allergic to it, but the most common allergens are grass pollen, dust, certain molds, some metals, some cosmetics, animal dander, insect bites and stings, some drugs (e.g., penicillin), some foods (e.g., eggs, shellfish), and some chemicals found in every day cleaning products.

Why some people react to certain substance no one knows. It is believed allergies run in families. Emotional factors may cause the problem as well; stress and anger are contributing factors.

Some nutrients that I use daily during the allergy season that may be beneficial in reducing the effects of allergies include:

• Bee pollen

• Calcium to help reduce stress.

• Vitamin B-complex

• Multienzymes

• Multivitamins

• Extra Vitamin C stimulates immune function

• Beta Carotene is a free radical scavenger that stimulates the immune response

• Extra Vitamin E is another free radical destroyer

• Protein supplement

Please keep in mind that these nutrients are in no way to be substituted for proper medical care. They are suggested as additional tools to fight the effects of allergies.