Sneezing, Itching, and Being Stuffy
Posted by terrepruitt on November 16, 2013
I have allergies, hay fever some people call it. It is there all year round, but worse or “more active” during specific times of the year. Spring is a really sneezy time of year. Also anytime it rains and then there is sun right after. Also when it first starts to rain in the winter. And for about 10 years, during the month of March and the month of October, I can barely be around my cat. Just 30 seconds in her vicinity will set me off on a sneezing jag. The months that I am hyper sensitive to her have fluctuated the past three years. At this time, mid-November, I am having some lengthy sessions of sneezing after I get my snuggles in. As far as I know I have always been sensitive to cats and dogs, but that doesn’t stop me from having one and wanting one. It is just something I deal with. I used to take a combination decongestant-antihistamine every night, but now it is so difficult to get one. I feel as if I am a criminal by having to go to the pharmacist and be registered. Forget that. After they made it annoyingly difficult I would just purchase the antihistamines and for a long time I took that every night. Then I stopped. Now I just take it when my nose is so raw from rubbing it and sneezing that it hurts when I touch it. A few months ago I had a thought during one of my multi-sneeze sneezing jags. I thought I would ask you guys about it. Can a gluten sensitivity present as hay fever?
I have been resistant to jumping on the band wagon and claiming I have a sensitivity to gluten. I know many people who have obvious and more annoying symptoms. I know that a sensitivity and actually being allergic to gluten/Celiac Disease is very serious so I never really thought that my sneezing, congestion, itchiness, and inflammation could be because of a gluten sensitivity. But now I am thinking about it. Could it be?
If the wheat that is in our food supply and food “stuffs” is something that is barely related to the wheat of the past and it it being blamed for all types of health issues and primarily inflammation in the body it would make sense that gluten or wheat is causing allergy symptoms. Could it be the gluten is causing the allergy symptoms?
Or maybe the gluten is causing other “issues” (such as inflammation) in my body that does not allow my body to fight off the offending pollens so I end up having allergy attacks. Hmmmm . . . .That could be it.
But . . . . one of the reasons I had not linked it to gluten is I usually am ok in air conditioning. Hmmm . . . I just thought of that . . . . I have not been in air conditioning that much lately. When I am teaching a Nia class and I can turn the air on, it seems better. See, it is really difficult to pinpoint.
What do you think? Do any of you have issues with “hay fever”? Do you think it is tied to gluten? Have you don’t any type of experimentation? Does anyone have this issue?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
niachick said
Gluten is the reason for many of the illnesses present today in the U.S. Allergies (hay fever) is only one of them. Arthritis is actually relieved by avoiding gluten. “Jumping on the bandwagon” makes it sound like avoiding gluten is merely a fad that one can choose to participate in or not. It’s really a verious serious health issue. Do your research, as I know you always do and you are so very good at, and make an enlightened and intelligent choice. Avoiding gluten can be the end to many an illness/symptom. Avoiding sugar can have the same result. It is important these days especially with so many GMO products around. Thanks Terre!
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terrepruitt said
Well, yes, jumping on the bandwagon is EXACTLY following a fad. Which is why I did not want to do it. I believe and understand gluten sensitivities and Celiac Disease are a serious issues, but for me to do it just because others are doing it would be following it fad-like. But for me to do it because I have a BELIEF that it would be beneficial is different. So, as I said in my post I didn’t want to just jump on because that is the “in” thing. I have seen surveys and things where people are asked if they think “gluten free” means “healthy” and that is not accurate. As with many things when they become the “in” thing to do the real reasons and “issues” that they are being done get blurred/missed or forgotten entirely. So for me to just go “gluten free” because others are is “jumping on the bandwagon” but now if I think it might curb my hay fever, that is different. So the “bandwagon” is more of the reason it is being done and not the act of doing it — in this case . . . .
I am thinking that hay fever is not the only difficult thing to “test” a sensitivity to. It is difficult to know if it is the gluten or the wind. It has been so windy here and the wind always aggravates the allergies.
Oh, and sugar. Yeah.
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