Please note: A number of other websites refer to using bentonite clay. Please DO NOT substitute their guidelines or product for ours. Our clay is stronger in its action than a lot of other clays, different in its texture and the way it behaves. Our guidelines are designed to work with our products.

This guideline has been written by our practitioner Sarah Beesley (MHD Hons) to provide a comprehensive approach. The best result is gained when the whole guideline is followed. The best result is gained when the whole guideline is followed. Please be aware that results may vary and that if you have any pre-exisiting conditions, we advise working with a trained practitioner. 

The following information is not intended to diagnose any condition or to replace the advice of your doctor.  

An Introduction

Reactions to foods, chemicals and environmental substances can show in many different ways. In one person they may show as hayfever, repeat ear infections, a tingly mouth, mucous in the throat, asthma or eczema. In someone else they may present as irritable bowel, constipation, reflux, a mood disorder, headaches, stomach migraine, fatigue, low immunity or a skin breakout of some sort. The symptoms will vary depending on whether the reaction is an allergy (a histamine based IgE antibody reaction), or an intolerance or sensitivity (generally IgG or IgM antibody based).

Most adult or childhood allergy problems are due to the digestive system being weakened through poor eating habits and unwise food choices, a lack of essential nutrients, chemical exposure, antibiotics or a gut infection of some sort. Those that are present from birth may also be due to a lack of enzymes required to break certain foods or substances down or the presence of an auto-immune condition such as Coeliac Disease as well as a lack of nutrients or a lack of the right bugs in the gut. Any of these issues may lead to ingested items not being digested correctly, which may result in the gut environment becoming unhealthy and the immune system getting the wrong information from the bowel. This can in turn can affect the whole body.

Most people are unaware that their immune system comprises of their liver, spleen and gut as well as the white blood cells they are familiar with. The liver is equipped with enzymes which are designed to digest any food particles that leak through the gut lining before they have been digested properly in the gut. This is like a “safety net” secondary digestion process. If the liver is overloaded with other tasks or is undernourished, this job is carried out less efficiently and the clean up job then falls to the immune system, resulting in an immune response.

In our experience if you want to treat allergies, you have to consider the whole body picture. Where there are allergies there will commonly be a weak digestive function and an overloaded, undernourished liver. In addition stress can serve to make allergies worse by scrambling the normal immune control systems, making the immune system more “touchy”.

A food or chemical allergy is usually:

  • A fast reaction occurring within 30 minutes.
  • People with this type of allergy usually know they have them and they often appear at an early age.
  • The immune reaction involves an immune cell protein called IgE.
  • Symptoms can include swelling of lips/throat/eyes, hives, an asthma attack or fast appearance of a rash.
  • The allergic food may need to be avoided for life as reactions can be life-threatening.
  • Babies can be affected by substances coming through their mother’s breast milk.

A food intolerance is usually:

  • A slower reaction, taking up to 48 hours or longer to show any symptoms.
  • Can be difficult to determine which foods/substances are causing the problem.
  • Usually involves IgG or IgM antibodies.
  • Is related to how much of a food is eaten and/or how often.
  • Symptoms can include bloating and wind, bowel upsets, fatigue, headaches, urinary irritation, mood swings, skin reactions.
  • Babies can be affected by substances coming through their mother’s breast milk.

A food sensitivity is usually:

  • A physiological response that can occur to foods or additives producing a metabolic or drug-like effect. This is due to the activation or release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine, serotonin or prostaglandins. Symptoms may include ADHD type behaviour, depression or feeling “wired”, brain fog and fatigue.
  • Symptoms may be caused by foods that contain naturally occurring chemicals such as salicylates, histamine, tyramines etc…
  • There is often an addictive response in the body, resulting in cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

The guideline below gives you some tools to start addressing allergies by treating the root of the problem.

Removing the Inflammatory Triggers

  • In our experience, this is an essential first step. Use our Food and Chemical Sensitivity Test to help with identifying and removing inflammatory foods and substances. Leaving inflammatory foods in the diet will continue to inflame the gut and hinder the immune system recovery, preventing the immune system from coming back into line.
  • For chemical reactions, use clay baths and/or clay packing on the affected areas using Purely Earth clay to assist in removing the histamine and chemical load from the body.

Supporting the Digestion

  • We recommend the use of Purely Earth Essential Detox Minerals. We have found these to be invaluable in treating allergies.They are a unique ionic mineral formulation which provides all of the most commonly deficient minerals required to run the digestive enzymes and liver enzymes in a highly bio-available form. Use 2 ml of the liquid per day for adults and 1 drop per kilo of body weight for children under 10.  Put into water or diluted juice.
  • Include our Iodine at 1 -2 drops daily for adults. Iodine is essential for the detoxification pathways as well as supporting the thyroid gland.
  • Use 1500 – 2000 mg of Vitamin C daily.
  • Use small bowel digestive enzymes, especially if there is gas and bloating with starchy foods. For those with digestive issues that do not resolve, we recommend an appointment with our practitioner Sarah.  For more details about working with Sarah, go to www.selfhealclinic.co.nz.
  • Eat lots of green and colourful vegetables and a good quality protein at least 2 times a day.
  • Avoid food that comes in packets. Eat food that is as close to its natural form as possible. This means it contains more nutrients and less added toxins and a better resource base for your body to use.
  • Make sure you drink adequate water. Your body needs this to make digestive juices and to clear acidic wastes.
  • Include a small amount of Celtic salt as part of your diet. Your body needs the chloride it provides to make digestive juices. Do not use table salt – it is high in aluminium and is lacking in trace minerals.
  • With children, do not introduce solids too quickly. Their digestive systems are not equipped to handle solid foods properly until they are at least 18 months old. Any solids given before then should be given with the digestive enzymes, and Essential Detox Minerals are recommended daily to provide the required minerals for the digestive system.

Restoring the Immune System Balance

  • Use a 50/50 mix of Purely Earth Diatomaceous Earth and Purely Earth Clay internally to help clean up the gut. Shake the 2 powders together and store in an airtight container. Hydrate some of the powder with water to form a runny yoghurty-like mixture. Start with 1 Tbsp of the hydrated mixture daily, taken on an empty stomach taken with water. You can lift gradually up to 3 Tbsp daily, either as one lot or in 2-3 separate doses. Make the “yoghurt” in bulk and store in the fridge for ease.
  • Use Dr. Wilson’s Squeaky Clean to restore the balance of gut flora and assist with improving the gut environment. Take 1-2 caps 2 x daily with food and water.

Where There are Secondary Yeast Infections Present

  • Our  Food and Chemical Sensitivity Test will show whether there is a yeast overgrowth present. In these cases, the yeast must be treated thoroughly and systemically. The best thing to kill the yeast and fungus is a removal of the fungus-feeding foods and the use of a chitin inhibitor such as Fungal Stop.We advise you do this under the guidance of an experienced practitioner who is familiar with the use of chitin inhibitors.
  • Bacteria, yeasts and fungi generally form sticky “bio-films” in the body which serve as part of their protection mechanism. Breaking the bio-films is essential because this is where the bacteria, yeasts and fungi will hide and breed and their waste products place more stress on the clean up organs in the body. The  mixture of clay and Diatomaceous Earth outlined above will assist with breaking down the biofilms.

Stress

Do not underestimate the effects of stress on your body. This can be stress due to a chronic inflammatory condition (think pain, tenderness, redness, swelling or aching), being over-busy, not breathing properly, eating foods that cause you problems, a lack of sleep, dehydration, infection, loneliness, or feeling emotionally vulnerable or unsupported.

Take Steps to Nourish Yourself

  • Assess what must stay in your life and what can go.
  • Assess whether the things that you think must stay, nourish you or deplete you and reassess if necessary.
  • Provide a quiet space in every day that does not involve electrical devices. This allows your nervous system time to unwind.
  • Seek out things, animals or people that make you laugh.
  • Eat mainly food that does not come in a packet. Nature knows best how to provide balance; manufactured food does not.
  • Eat regularly through the day and make good food a priority, not an inconvenience to be squeezed in amongst other activities.
  • Avoid inflammatory foods – things you know you are intolerant to, or which make you feel sluggish, moody, affect your bowel or cause flare-ups of a health condition.
  • Move your body without the exercise stressing it further. Exercise in a way that makes you feel good, not tired. Increase the exercise level gradually as your energy level builds.
  • BREATHE DEEP. Breathing deep sends a signal to your body that you are safe. Shallow or fast breathing does the opposite. Your stress glands and nervous system will respond accordingly.
  • Go to sleep before 10pm and get up before 7am. Your body clock requires this of you even if your head says otherwise. 1 hour of sleep prior to 12am is worth 2 hours after 12am in terms of the rest it provides. Avoid interaction with electrical devices (phones, computers, TV, play station, X Box, iPad, iPod and the like) for 1 hour prior to sleep and remove as many electrical devices from your bedroom as you can. DO NOT sleep with a light on and cover all digital light displays in your room, or even better, remove them.

Note:

Using the above information may result in a reduced need for medication due to improved nutrition. We advise that appropriate monitoring be put in place. For example: If you have high blood pressure which is being controlled through mediation, get a cheap blood pressure cuff and monitor any changes at home. If your blood pressure drops, ask your doctor to reduce your medication accordingly. If you are on thyroid medication or cholesterol lowering medication, get your blood levels tested regularly.

© Purely Earth Ltd. This document may be copied and used as a patient handout in its entirety but is not to be replicated on any other websites or publishing media either in full or part without our permission.