Allergies are nothing to sneeze at!

It's no coincidence that with the introduction of modern agriculture along came allergies. Not only are many people allergic to the synthetic chemicals used in farming today, but many believe that these are the root to the shocking number of food aversions found in western society. Today people suffer unpleasant reactions when exposed to certain foods ranging from hives and eczema to serious illness-but it doesn't have to be that way.

Allergies are a hypersensitive reaction in a person to an exposure that does not affect most people. While some might be born with a genetic predisposition to specific allergies, most will develop them in childhood after exposure to certain irritants. When it comes to food items, there are a number that consistently become toxic to allergy suffers, and Mátyás, the organic farmer behind the Éminence farms and other experts around the world, believe that pesticides are the reason why.

Studies have shown that applying pesticides to plants forces them to produce enzymes and antibodies to survive. These antibodies are produced in abundance to fight the toxins found in chemicals, and are then absorbed by your body when you eat the produce or apply it to your skin, causing a physical reaction.

Some people develop a reaction after being exposed to a certain pesticide, a process known as sensitisation, which can result in side effects that can include asthma, or skin, eye and nose irritation. Quite often, what one might think is an allergy to a specific fruit is actually a reaction to the pesticide sprayed on the skin or rind. They can also exacerbate already existing allergies, causing an increase in the severity of the reaction.

By choosing organic food and skin care, we avoid the interference of these hasardous pesticides. Additionally, ingredients grown in their natural state offer more nutrients, vitamins and health benefits than their sprayed counterparts. If people knew then what they now know about second hand smoke, would they smoke around their children? By choosing organics, we chose health-and isn't that what matters most?

Nasal Dryness
Nasal dryness can develop due to dry weather and dry conditions in buildings. It occurs during winter, for instance, when the outside air is low in humidity and the inside air is made even drier by heat from furnaces and wood stoves. Nasal dryness also can occur with a broader group of symptoms defined as rhinitis, or inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Other symptoms of this condition include congestion, runny nose, and postnasal drip, coughing and sneezing.

Saline Solution vs. Sesame Oil
The authors of the 2001 study, which was published in the "Archives of Otolaryngology," compared the effectiveness of saline and pure sesame oil for relieving nasal dryness. The saline solution was an isotonic sodium chloride solution, which has the same salt concentration as normal body cells do. The outdoor environment was a low-humidity winter climate in Sweden. Pure sesame oil proved significantly better at relieving nasal dryness than the saline solution. Sesame oil also had better results at improving nasal congestion.

Ayurvedic tip.Before leaving your home every day apply a little organic sesame oil around the inside of each nostril.