Allergy & Intolerance Symptoms

Written by Bren Olson

Messages of Discord for You and Your Four-Legged Friends

We are all relational beings, meaning we are communicating and responding to everything in our presence, even those energies that are not perceived by our five basic senses. The physical body is a unique expression of an individual’s energy and boundaries, as a channel of thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. It holds the tone of our musical note in the symphony of life. Sometimes we resonate with others and sometimes we don’t; this is called dissonance or discord. Harmony is the balance found in the co-existence of resonance and dissonance within our existence.

This includes all our four-legged friends too!

For example, have you ever been on a walk with your pup when you had an unexpected urge to go right instead of your normal left? Or maybe you’re on a new route and your furry friend starts growling at an approaching pedestrian or pulling you to a different path where you both get to meet a pleasant new acquaintance? This is the cosmic dance of energetic communication in action, and we get to choose our moves. When we choose to partake in specific energy, consciously or unconsciously, our body helps us understand the messages received as a result of our choices, through a variety of expressions. Whether it be in the form of food, words, or experiences, those items that resonate will integrate with ease, and those that do not will result in physiological and psychological symptoms of dis-ease. This is the body’s way of communicating a boundary or limit has been crossed, and the degree of discomfort is dependent on the level of conflict (i.e., intolerant/frustration) or perceived threat (i.e., allergic/aggression). The same goes for our animal companions.

So now what?

Embrace the Gift of Awareness

We can begin to fine-tune our communication tools to become secure and empowered in our choices, for ourselves and our companions, with the knowledge of nutrition and the wisdom of intuition. Nutrition is the practice of nourishment.

Nutrition: the act or process of nourishing or being nourished
Merriam-Webster Definition (1)

This act is greatly impacted by our ability to assimilate that which we choose as nourishment which is correlated to the physical, emotional, and mental manifestations after consumption. One way to increase knowledge in this area is to understand the difference between an intolerance response and an allergic reaction. While the results are going to be unique to an individual, both manifestations are messages from the body saying no to an ingested, inhaled, or absorbed item. An intolerance is often a more subtle response to an irritant in the moment. It can result in mild to moderate symptoms, which can develop and/or change over time depending on you or your pup’s current state. If we do not listen to the body, the continuous exposure to irritants results in an amplified expression via the development of chronic dis-ease. An example of this is when an intolerance moves beyond a sensitivity to a hypersensitivity and a condition develops where the body will overreact with an uncommon and defensive response referred to as an allergic reaction. This response includes the activation of the body’s internal protection mechanism known as the immune system, often resulting in immediate and severe symptoms. It is important to note that while an intolerance can weaken the immune system, it does not activate an immunological response. In both cases, the exposure can impact all systems of the body making it hard to discern if an item is an intolerance or an allergy.

What can you look for?

Onset and Severity

These can be key indicators to identify immune system activation. If the symptoms are quick and severe there is a strong likelihood that you or your animal companion have been exposed to an allergen and seeking medical or veterinary assistance is imperative. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, symptoms vary widely with some resulting in life-threatening reactions (2). (see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. Allergy symptoms [Internet]. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. 2022 [cited 2023 Jan
5]. Available from: https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-symptoms/

While the list above references mostly physical symptoms, the last point noting “impending doom,” calls attention to the importance of the mental and emotional manifestations of an allergy. According to Louise Hay, author of Heal Your Body, allergies such as hay fever point to emotional congestion, fear, guilt, and denial of one’s power (3). If you or your animal companion do have allergies, observing mental and emotional responses can give you an indication of the root cause.

Questions to consider:

• How safe do you feel in the world?
• How safe does your animal companion feel at home and outside of the home?
• What relationships make you and your animal companion feel safe?
• How can you bring a sense of safety and peace into your life?

Once you have gained self-awareness and a deeper understanding of the underlying cause of the physical symptoms, you can start to make empowered choices to support your individual journey. This is where intuition, your innate wisdom, comes in.

Intuition: the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference
Merriam-Webster Definition (4)

As you attune to your body’s communication styles, you begin to sensitize yourself to your personal power that is there just waiting to guide your way to well-being.

What might that look like?

Elimination, Moderation, and Diversification is my Motto

• Eliminate any items, including people, environments, and thoughts, that result in an unhealthy response or reaction.
• Enjoy all of life in Moderation. Overconsumption or overexposure can lead to an imbalance and result in the development of a sensitivity or hypersensitivity. Even a healthy action can turn into an unhealthy habit fueled by attachment.
• Replace eliminated items with a variety of safe and healthy alternatives to Diversify your intake. Have fun with the process! Get curious and creative with your routine and see where it takes you.

As you follow the steps above, it is recommended to take a holistic approach supporting the wholeness of your being. Stress and fear impede on the efficacy of the digestive system and immune system which are the key responders to an intolerance or allergen. Getting to know your body, as well as your pets, will help you respond accordingly. Incorporating tools to reduce stress and increase mindfulness can help reduce the risk of the development of sensitivities and dis-ease. Louise Hay recommends the following affirmations to support your mental and emotional body when experiencing the physical symptom of an allergy (3).

“I AM ONE WITH ALL OF LIFE. I AM SAFE AT ALL TIMES”
“THE WORLD IS SAFE AND FRIENDLY. I AM SAFE. I AM AT PEACE WITH LIFE.”

I recommend finding an affirmation that feels good to you based on your individual experience using the knowledge you have gained and the wisdom that you have activated to honor your body and your journey.

References
1. Definition of NUTRITION [Internet]. Merriam-webster.com. [cited 2023 Jan 23]. Available from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nutrition
2. Allergy symptoms [Internet]. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. 2022 [cited 2023 Jan 5]. Available from: https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-symptoms/
3. TheFlowGuy. ❤️ Louise Hay List of Symptoms and Affirmations to cure [Internet]. The Flow Guy. 2021 [cited 2023 Jan 23]. Available from: https://theflowguy.com/louise-hay-list-of-symptoms/
4. Definition of INTUITION. [Internet]. 1882 [cited 2023 Jan 31]. Available from:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intuition