Allergies / Sensitivities

An allergy or sensitivity can be described as the body’s immune system overreacting to a certain substance that is harmless to most people. Some examples of allergies include food allergies (shellfish, peanuts, dairy), environmental allergies (pollen, dust, pollution, animals/insects) and medicinal allergies. Allergies and sensitivities can be mild with the symptoms including itching, runny eyes/nose and minor swelling or life-threatening in the case of anaphylactic reactions. Treatments include avoiding the allergen altogether (particularly important in food allergies), medication, desensitization (also known as immunotherapy), acupressure, acupuncture, reflexology, and herbal medicine.

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