Environmental allergies are an immune system response that can range from mild to oppressive. Allergies are a result of the immune system processing an exterior substance as harmful. The immune system reacts to intercept and kill things like fungus, bacteria and viruses. Points of contact are your orifices, digestive tract and skin. This results in expulsion and defensive reflexes like cough, constriction, mucus, salivation etc. These responses can make underlying conditions like asthma more serious or create new, acute conditions like a sinus infection. The immune system is not always right in discerning whether something is harmful or not to the body. When something isn’t actually harmful but causes an immune response, it's allergies.

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The body overreacts or wrongly labels substances as harmful because it is not functioning properly. In Chinese medicine one main reason the body doesn’t function properly is because of “deficiency.” Deficiency is defined as a system that is not functioning to its highest potential and/or in harmony with other systems.  Therefore, the best way to treat allergies is to rid the body of any deficiencies. This brings to light the importance of overall wellness and keeping the body in harmony.

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The first point of contact any substance has with the body is with the body’s exterior layer. The exterior layer of the body in Chinese medicine is wei qi. Wei qi can be affected because of interior deficiencies or exterior attacks. Interior systems that can be weak and affect wei qi are the skin which is controlled by the arm tai yin (Lung) meridian, the leg tai yin (Spleen) meridian which is paired with the arm tai yin meridian, and the leg shaoyin (Kidney) meridian which is taxed any time the body is overworked or stressed. Whenever treating allergies wei, lung, spleen, and kidney qi should all be checked for weakness and strengthened.