Shannon Camarta, student massage therapist

Spring is a time of new beginnings. It is a season of rebirth, leaving behind the stagnation of winter. This can be a good time to bring some awareness towards cleansing the energetic body to promote balance. Spending time outside is a good way to get some movement back to the physical body and to ground oneself, which can promote the flow of energy and release stagnated energy.

Besides the energetic benefits, spending time outdoors in the spring can feel so refreshing and rejuvenating. However, many people find it uncomfortable to spend too much time outside around this time of year due to seasonal allergies, which have gotten progressively worse over the years, affecting more people and causing symptoms to worsen. This is in large part due to climate change which has caused pollen levels to gradually increase every year, with milder winters triggering early pollen release, and warmer weather causing longer allergy seasons.

Common spring allergens include tree pollen, grass, mold, and ragweed. When we are exposed to an allergen, our body’s immune system goes into overdrive in an attempt to eliminate it. This causes symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, coughing, itchy & watery eyes, brain fog, and fatigue. There is also an increase of systemic inflammation in the body, which can worsen existing inflammatory conditions like arthritis, and mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression. Over time, systemic inflammation can contribute to the other inflammatory conditions, which is why it is important for us to be aware of the body’s response to allergies and to learn how we can best support it.

Luckily, there are many options to reduce allergy symptoms. Anything that reduces overall inflammation will be helpful, such as reducing stress and focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet, incorporating more nutrients such as antioxidants, as well as avoiding processed foods that cause inflammation. Here is a list that may serve as a guideline of foods to avoid:

• Refined carbohydrates
• Sugar
• highly processed foods
• Fast foods
• Vegetable & canola oil

Some examples of nutrient-rich foods to include:

• Antioxidant-rich fruit (berries, red grapes, oranges)
• Leafy greens
• Fatty fish
• Nuts and seeds
• Olive oil

There are several other services and supplements we offer at our clinic that can help to support your body in this change of seasons and keep you feeling your best. Services such as acupuncture can help the body to trigger an anti-inflammatory response, utilizing various acupoints. Massage can help to promote relaxation, and lymphatic drainage can help reduce allergy symptoms. Reiki can help to balance energy. Nutrition and homeopathy services can give you the information needed to support your body in whatever way it needs. The clinic can help you decide which service may be the best choice for you. We also offer supplements for sale to help reduce allergy symptoms, such as Quercetin, which is a naturally-occurring flavonoid found in various plants/foods that acts as an antihistamine, or the Allergy Ease tincture by Harmonic Arts. Whichever way you choose to keep your body feeling it’s best during this transition into spring, I hope you enjoy the self care practices and embrace the beautiful weather!