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Asthma, Chronic cough, Post nasal drip, allergies

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Allergies
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Posted 7/7/2014 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning everyone,

I am a strong female and have competed in sports all my life, however I have suffered greatly at the hands of allergies and asthma.
Bronchitis, pneumonia, wheezing, light headedness due to bouts of breathlessness, chronic cough, shooting pains near lungs, post nasal drip and allergies are all things I have experienced throughout my lifetime.
Post nasal drip was so bad I had to take a Kleenex to the back of my throat to pull out and remove the phlegm.

The experience and knowledge of doctors only goes so far, but what I've discovered through trial and error is that these factors bring about OR enhance my episodes:

-Certain foods and drinks, too much sugar or salt
-hairspray, cleaning products and certain perfume ingredients
-being around smoke, a campfire
-dust, dander, mold, pets, animals
-filthy homes, homes that have poor ventilation systems
-lack of exercise
-Dairy
- Flonase and Montelukast works wonders but it's only a temporary fix, and your symptoms will gradually return once you stop taking those medications or any medication for that matter.
-stress

What works for me:
-Exercising AND lifting heavy weights
-Following a strict diet (Veggies, protein, carbs). (Avoid: soda, refined sugars, caffeine, dairy, eating out a lot) I rarely drink alcohol, and I repeat 60 day cycles throughout the year of not eating chocolate).
-Socializing
- Stay positive, be spiritual and thank God for your blessings.

What tends to cause your asthma and allergies to flare up?
What seems to work for you?
Please share. I'd love to hear your personal experience.
Posted 7/8/2014 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum, Monica.

It sounds like thick secretions are one of the things bothering you. I sometimes get this in dry weather. Mucinex 12-hour helps me. It thins the secretions so the cilia can push it out.

Since I had my allergies tested and started injections I don't have symptoms from the ones that have shots available. My food intolerances are mostly easy to avoid.

Keeping a good food and medication journal has helped me identify my intolerances. Several times I've looked back at foods and medicines I've taken in the past which helped me identify the culprits.

I don't have a strict diet except avoiding processed foods. I recently did challenge testing for wheat, which was positive, and oatmeal, which was negative. I figured out the problem with oatmeal was I was putting a lot of sugar on it. Sugar has significant sulfite content. Oatmeal is not a problem is I only put some fruit on it. Better to avoid the excess sugar than to run around all day with nausea and feeling exhausted. Not all sugar is the same. Sugar substitutes are just as bad because they all have dextrose, which has sulfite, for bulk. Stevia too. That tastes bitter to me anyway. Refining sugar just takes out the impurities. It makes a difference if it is cane or beet sugar - less sulfite in cane. I don't tolerate brown sugar (contains molasses) at all - very high sulfite.

Dairy is only a problem for me because of lactose. It tastes a lot better than calcium pills. I use lactose-free skim milk in my coffee, 1/3 to 1/2 cup heated in the microwave. I like 1/2 cup hot milk in my tea too. It works pretty well keeping me out of osteoporosis too. I've been up and down on testing. There are some new studies showing it works for that.
Posted 7/8/2014 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Alcie,

Thank you very much for sharing this with me =) I found your paragraph on sugar to be very helpful! I do find that when I overly indulge in sweets after my 60 day strict diet, I can feel a horrible shift in my mental and physical state. The sugar spike in my body over the course of 3 days causes me to feel fatigued, depressed, weak and sick. Also, I definitely experience breathlessness, chronic cough and mucous.

I tend to take Vitamin D pills because whey protein, and even using coconut/almond milk in my cereal has a negative reaction in my body. I never had a reaction to milk when I was younger, I feel that all the hormones they pump into cows now-a-days is causing this. Did you feel that you developed a milk intolerance over the past few years too?

You are wonderful! Thank you =)
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