A personal experience with “allergies”

by Katherine Willow, ND

I’ve just had the most interesting experience.

For the last two weeks I had the novel and unpleasant occurrence of typical seasonal allergy symptoms.  I assumed that it was because I hadn’t eaten as well this summer during our move and because I was tired from staying up late on the phone with friends and family members.  Maybe also because I had moved from the city to the country with all the pollens and fall mold being more accessible.

For whatever reasons, my eyes itched, my nose ran constantly in the mornings and evenings, my energy was low, my body was achey, sleep poor, digestion bloated (one of my least favourite feelings!) — even my hair became as dry as straw and lost its shine.  I felt ten years older!

At first I did what I usually do: put up with the symptoms hoping they would go away on their own without any effort on my part.  No change.  Then I eliminated the little dairy and wheat that I do eat and added some more veggies.  No change.  I moved up into a seasonal cleanse–the symptoms escalated and a week later were even worse!  I fell into negative self-talk: you’re getting old, taking care of Felix is too much, (it was even getting hard to pick him up), you can’t really run this centre, your life is going to be miserable from here on, you’re going to die at a young age. . .  . In other words, a total loss of faith in myself and the healing process.

Then I had a conversation with a close friend wherein I realized that I was anxious about a sexual issue (one of my ongoing stories).  I got off the phone, ran to the bathroom and passed about a gallon of urine, a classic German New Medicine sign that there has been a significant resolution.  Well that’s good, I thought, and went to bed.  And had a great sleep.  And then woke up without any allergy symptoms whatsoever, NONE.  And then peed another gallon, which took care of any bloat.

As the morning went on, I didn’t touch a single hankie or sneeze once.  The air, which the day before felt irritating to my throat and full of pollen and mold, felt clean and soft.  I even did my yoga outside so I could watch Felix (who planted a maple leaf in my mouth during the corpse pose) and simply enjoyed breathing fully, stretching without pain and feeling creative and energetic.  I have to admit a certain amount of awe as well as embarrassment for losing faith — again.

It happens much too often that I go through classic “healing” symptoms and get frightened that “everything” is going downhill.  Flooded with emotions, as Stephen would tell me, losing all perspective and forgoing intelligent reason.  It also happens too often that I am not in touch with the emotional issues that drive me.  Too busy.  So this has been a great reminder to pay attention and keep the faith.

I share this in case anyone else sometimes feels the same way. . .

And just to clarify, the symptoms could have been purely physical — in which case they would have gone away with the cleanse.

Have yourself a productive fall, consider coming to our Open House with a talk on preventing and treating the flu and may your growing pains be gentle!

~Katherine