75. OVERCOME ALLERGIES AND ASTHMA

Dear Grandma Donna: Mark has a severe case of asthma. Because of difficulty in breathing, he recently made two trips to the emergency room. What could he do to overcome this serious illness? Love, Savan   

Dear Savana: Since allergies are a sign of a weakened immune system, the first step in overcoming is to strengthen immunity. By following some simple rules, I believe Mark can become allergy free.

One necessary step to conquer allergies is to drink plenty of water, which works wonders to strengthen immunity. I know a young woman who completely overcame allergies by drinking a lot of water. The usual formula for needed water is one-half body weight in ounces of water. If Mark weighs 140 pounds, he needs 70 ounces of water each day. That would be nine eight-ounce glasses, which sounds like a lot, but bear in mind that water is a wonderful healer. It could be that dehydration is the major cause of Mark’s asthma. If he will omit all drinks except water, I think he will experience a miracle of healing. Water cleanses the body of toxins that may be causing the allergies and asthma.

The second step is to omit foods that are notorious for causing allergies. Number one on the list is cow’s milk, which includes all dairy products (cheese, ice cream, yogurt). It is also important to omit refined food, junk food, meat and eggs, all of which often bring on allergies. The diet now becomes all natural with whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. It can become a fun project to search the internet for favorite foods vegan style—for instance, vegan burgers in place of hamburgers, vegan loaves in place of meat loaf, vegan spaghetti in place of meat spaghetti. Many vegan recipes can be found on the Internet.

Mark must thoroughly chew his food. Digestion begins in the mouth, and when we eat too fast, food comes to the stomach in a manner that cannot be handled, causing allergies.

Also, Mark needs to add exercise in the fresh air and sunshine to the daily schedule. The sun is a great healer. He must stand straight and tall at all times, then practice a breathing exercise while exercising. Take a slow deep breath, pause three seconds, exhale slowly, pause another three seconds, and repeat. Most guys like to work out at a gym, and this would also be valuable to build good health.  

A daily brush massage using a stiff bristle brush can be helpful both to the adrenals and to general circulation. Begin at the fingertips and brush to the shoulders with long strokes always brushing toward the heart. Massage for three minutes then take a lukewarm shower ending with a cold spray to the midback. This can be quite useful during an acute attack.            

These guidelines may seem difficult, but they promise to bring success. The result will be a new friend—A FRIEND WHO CAN BREATHE! Love, Grandma Donna

EASY VEGAN PIZZA

4 mini-wheat thin buns or English muffins

2 c Classico sweet basil pasta sauce                                     

2 small zucchini thinly sliced                 

2 c fresh spinach

1 green or red pepper chopped                                   

1 medium onion chopped                      

1/2 t oregano

1 t basil

3 garlic cloves minced                          

1/2 c black olives sliced

Steam spinach, zucchini, onion, garlic and green pepper in small amount of water until crisp-tender. (Substitute other vegetables if desired.) Add to pasta sauce and stir in basil and oregano. Spoon onto buns or muffin halves. Add black olives. Bake at 400 until crust is lightly browned (about 15 minutes).