A lot of people with CFS suffer from miserable allergy symptoms because of their immune system dysfunction. I'm one of them! Yesterday I went on my 3.5 mile walk at the lake. I really love this walk it’s energizing, it’s tranquil, its also my sanctuary. But it’s also a major source of pollen causing me to feel terrible later on.
Half way through the walk my eyes started to burn, water, and hurt. And my the time I got home the pain in my eyes and sinuses was nearly unbearable. I came home and irrigated my sinuses, put antihistamine drops in my eyes and took a shower. But the pain was there to stay along with the coughing and feelings of distress.
I put some eye ointment in before bed and today I woke up without the eye pain and happy that I don’t have the painful cotton fatigue head. But I do have a sore throat, and tons of junk dripping down my throat.
Because I don’t want to stop walking I’m going to ratchet up my Quercetin dose and make sure I take it right. Here’s some interesting informative stuff on allergies and quercetin.
Quercetin is THE Anti-Allergy Bioflavonoid Allergies like asthma is an inflammatory condition that’s typically triggered by air- or food-borne "allergens" from pollens and chemicals. When allergens enter the body of allergy-sufferers through the lungs, skin, or intestines and then go into the circulation, they cause the B cells (white blood cells) to produce the allergic antibody IgE. These IgE molecules circulate through the body and combine with mast cells or basophils. Mast cells and basophils are storage sites for histamine and serotonin. The IgE allergic antibody then causes the cell membranes these cells to become leaky allowing histamine and serotonin to pour into the surrounding blood and tissues. It’s this histamine and serotonin that causes the allergic symptoms of runny, swollen nose; blocked painful sinuses; burning, itchy eyes; skin blotches; coughing and wheezing; and so on.
Bioflavonoids give you antioxidant protection against environmental stresses. If you eat a real whole food diet with the majority of your food coming from vegetables, fruit, sprouts, and whole grains you can get 1,000 to 2,000 mg. a day of a broad range of flavonoids.
The bioflavaonoid quercetin has a strong attraction for mast cells and basophils. It works to stabilize their cell membranes, preventing them from releasing the allergy-symptom-causing histamine and serotonin into the surrounding blood and tissue. No release, no symptoms--even though you've been in contact with the pollen or whatever normally triggers your allergy attacks.
Quercetin is a safe, nontoxic substance. BUT quercetin is barely soluble in water, so it may not be absorbed in your GI tract. That’s why its suggested to take quercetin in combination with bromelain to improve its absorption. Bromelain is a natural, protein-digesting enzyme derived from pineapples that’s used to increase absorption of compounds (including antibiotics). Bromelain also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that work synergistically with quercetin. Bromelain inhibits several other common inflammatory mediators (bradykinin, fibrin, and others). In fact it’s used in sports medicine to reduce the pain and swelling of bruises, sprains, muscle tears.
Vitamin C, ascorbate (or ASC) is a natural antihistamine. It also prevents histamine release while increasing the detoxification of histamine with regular ongoing use. ASC inhibits the oxidative degradation of quercetin.
So what’s the dose? It depends on one's allergy situation. Look for a formula that contains both QRC and Bromelian; and some of them also contain magnesium and Vitamin C. I’ve looked all over online and no one recommends the same dose so it stands to reason that the high quality supplement makers have figured this out.
Until I can get to the store I'm going to down the Quercitin and Vitamin C I have right now and then I'm really going to get serious. I'll let you know if I truly have great relief. If I can walk at the lake without becoming destroyed that will really be the acid test.....!
A lot of people with CFS suffer from miserable allergy symptoms because of their immune system dysfunction. I'm one of them! Yesterday I went on my 3.5 mile walk at the lake. I really love this walk it’s energizing, it’s tranquil, its also my sanctuary. But it’s also a major source of pollen causing me to feel terrible later on.
Half way through the walk my eyes started to burn, water, and hurt. And my the time I got home the pain in my eyes and sinuses was nearly unbearable. I came home and irrigated my sinuses, put antihistamine drops in my eyes and took a shower. But the pain was there to stay along with the coughing and feelings of distress.
I put some eye ointment in before bed and today I woke up without the eye pain and happy that I don’t have the painful cotton fatigue head. But I do have a sore throat, and tons of junk dripping down my throat.
Because I don’t want to stop walking I’m going to ratchet up my Quercetin dose and make sure I take it right. Here’s some interesting informative stuff on allergies and quercetin.
Quercetin is THE Anti-Allergy Bioflavonoid
Allergies like asthma is an inflammatory condition that’s typically triggered by air- or food-borne "allergens" from pollens and chemicals. When allergens enter the body of allergy-sufferers through the lungs, skin, or intestines and then go into the circulation, they cause the B cells (white blood cells) to produce the allergic antibody IgE. These IgE molecules circulate through the body and combine with mast cells or basophils. Mast cells and basophils are storage sites for histamine and serotonin. The IgE allergic antibody then causes the cell membranes these cells to become leaky allowing histamine and serotonin to pour into the surrounding blood and tissues. It’s this histamine and serotonin that causes the allergic symptoms of runny, swollen nose; blocked painful sinuses; burning, itchy eyes; skin blotches; coughing and wheezing; and so on.
Bioflavonoids give you antioxidant protection against environmental stresses. If you eat a real whole food diet with the majority of your food coming from vegetables, fruit, sprouts, and whole grains you can get 1,000 to 2,000 mg. a day of a broad range of flavonoids.
The bioflavaonoid quercetin has a strong attraction for mast cells and basophils. It works to stabilize their cell membranes, preventing them from releasing the allergy-symptom-causing histamine and serotonin into the surrounding blood and tissue. No release, no symptoms--even though you've been in contact with the pollen or whatever normally triggers your allergy attacks.
Quercetin is a safe, nontoxic substance. BUT quercetin is barely soluble in water, so it may not be absorbed in your GI tract. That’s why its suggested to take quercetin in combination with bromelain to improve its absorption. Bromelain is a natural, protein-digesting enzyme derived from pineapples that’s used to increase absorption of compounds (including antibiotics). Bromelain also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that work synergistically with quercetin. Bromelain inhibits several other common inflammatory mediators (bradykinin, fibrin, and others). In fact it’s used in sports medicine to reduce the pain and swelling of bruises, sprains, muscle tears.
Vitamin C, ascorbate (or ASC) is a natural antihistamine. It also prevents histamine release while increasing the detoxification of histamine with regular ongoing use. ASC inhibits the oxidative degradation of quercetin.
So what’s the dose?
It depends on one's allergy situation. Look for a formula that contains both QRC and Bromelian; and some of them also contain magnesium and Vitamin C. I’ve looked all over online and no one recommends the same dose so it stands to reason that the high quality supplement makers have figured this out.
Until I can get to the store I'm going to down the Quercitin and Vitamin C I have right now and then I'm really going to get serious. I'll let you know if I truly have great relief. If I can walk at the lake without becoming destroyed that will really be the acid test.....!