Stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, sometimes a rash or hives, and the fatigue that follows a week of broken sleep. Almost everyone has met allergy misery at some point.
At Natural Medical Solutions we read allergy symptoms as evidence of hormonal imbalance rather than the whole problem. The triggers vary: food sensitivities, environmental toxins, pets, lotions, chemicals, medications, even ordinary natural substances.
“Generally, we begin with a blood test to detect food allergies or intolerances,” explained Dr. Gail Ravello, PhD-IMD, ND, MH, CNC, medical director. “The test shows what needs adjusting in the diet, and we work on the liver at the same time. Toxins drive inflammation, and inflammation gets in the way of the immune system doing its job. Allergies are usually just one way that hormonal imbalance shows itself.”
Because naturopathic physicians address whole-body health, they routinely resolve several complaints at once, the ones sharing a root cause.
The integrative application of holistic treatment will likely also include use of the hyperbaric chamber along with Omega 3 and Vitamin C supplementation, and doesn’t necessarily rule out temporary use of antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, anti-inflammatory medical or corticosteroids, the common remedies of conventional medicine.
“When symptoms are acute, we may need the immediate relief conventional treatment supplies,” said Dr. Ravello. “But that is putting out a fire you know will start again, unless the root cause gets dealt with.”
“It takes time for the body to heal, but the payoff for patience is often needing less of the medication that only manages symptoms.”
The most common signs of a food allergy or sensitivity include:
What you eat shows up in how you feel, and not always quickly. Foods your body does not tolerate create inflammation, and sustained inflammation is the soil that disease grows in. Chronic constipation, colitis and Crohn's disease all sit somewhere on that path. Your immune system is what holds the line against illness and everything else that threatens your health, and roughly eighty percent of it lives in the gut. That is why digestion is not a side issue. Feed it well and the effects reach your mind as much as your body.
Getting a food allergy test done matters, simply because you cannot avoid what you have not identified. At Natural Medical Solutions, Dr. Gail Ravello runs an extensive Food Allergy test as part of a broader lifestyle plan rather than as a standalone result. She works through which foods to drop and, more usefully, which ones to build the rest of your eating around. A healthy gut and a clear picture of your own sensitivities are what keep the immune system working properly.
Natural Medical Solutions works from an integrative holistic philosophy, which means supporting the person as a whole. Each client is unique and arrives with individual needs. We would rather build a real relationship with you and support you through the work toward Optimal Health and Wellness than hand over a protocol and wish you luck.
Book Appointment TodayMost people get through adolescence with the usual crop of pimples, zits, boils, cysts and blackheads. Eczema is a harder problem. Scratching until the skin breaks, then living with the blisters and scars that follow, wears people down in a way ordinary skin trouble does not. So what causes it, and what actually helps?
Eczema leaves the skin inflamed or irritated, and it usually looks dry, thickened or scaly. Wherever it turns up, it itches, and the itch often arrives before anything is visible. When the rash does appear, it tends to settle on the face, knees, wrists, hands or feet.
Eczema affects around 10 percent of adults in the U.S. and as many as 20 percent of children. Most infants who develop it have grown out of it by their 10th birthday, though some people keep getting flares on and off for life. The common form is atopic dermatitis, also called atopic eczema. Atopic describes a cluster of conditions that tend to travel together, asthma and hay fever among them.
On fair skin the affected areas often look reddish at first and then turn brown. On darker skin, eczema tends to change pigmentation instead, leaving patches lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. In infants the rash can ooze and crust, usually across the face and scalp, though it can show up anywhere. Treated properly, it can be brought under control in most people.
A conventional assessment usually starts with looking at the rash and asking questions, about stress, diet, any drugs you take, and the chemicals or materials you handle at work, all to trace where the rash is coming from. From there the usual prescription is a topical corticosteroid to settle the itching and redness. Used for long stretches, though, cortisone creams thin the skin, and that matters most on the delicate skin of a baby.
Naturopathic assessment asks a different question: what is getting in the way of the body working normally? At Natural Medical Solutions & Naturally Ageless Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Gail Ravello looks for that root cause and then treats it with naturopathic therapies alongside changes to nutrition, diet and daily habits, with supplements where they are needed. Depending on your symptoms she may add acupuncture. At the first consultation she may also recommend food or environmental allergy and intolerance testing, plus any other test likely to sharpen the picture.
A few natural approaches we suggest for eczema and the allergies behind it:
Stress and anxiety make eczema worse, so meditation, tai chi, yoga and general stress management are worth the effort as prevention. Starch, oatmeal and similar baths can take the edge off a flare while it lasts.
Preventing eczema from coming back is mostly a matter of how you live. Whatever aggravates it has to go, and that includes food allergens. Which foods those are is genuinely individual, but wheat, corn, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, beef and lamb come up often enough to be worth ruling out first.
A few changes to your diet that can genuinely cut down the flare-ups that come with eczema:
Traditional Chinese Medicine works well for eczema and allergic skin conditions. At the naturopathic clinic we generally combine acupuncture with herbal therapy for skin disorders, eczema included. Acupuncture means placing sterilized fine steel needles at specific points on the body to stimulate how the internal organs function.
Three body meridians matter most in treating eczema, the lung, spleen and liver, because those three organs bear directly on the skin. Blood does defensive work here, carrying nutrients in and clearing metabolic waste, toxins and pathogens out. Once the preliminary diagnosis is done, our naturopath may suggest acupuncture as part of the plan, usually once a week for an hour, and the sessions are relaxing rather than painful. The aim of naturopathic eczema treatment at our clinic is to clear the root cause rather than quiet the surface. At Natural Medical Solutions we also make an organic eczema cream, available at the clinic. Call (770) 674-6311 to schedule an appointment. We would be glad to hear from you.
Book Appointment Today
Natural Medical Solutions Wellness Center
1130 Upper Hembree Rd
Roswell, GA 30076
Phone:
(770) 674-6311
Educational resources from trusted medical organizations. This information does not replace personalized medical advice.
Start your personalized naturopathic, functional & holistic care plan in Roswell, GA, proudly serving Alpharetta, Atlanta & the greater Fulton County area.
