Allergies are a result of both genetic and environmental factors. You can protect yourself from environmental factors such as pollen, dust, and smoke, but what can you do about the genetic factor? Dr. J. Dunn explains how genetics impacts your allergies and what you can do to get relief. Here is an excerpt from her book, My Happy Genes:
Allergies
When methylation is impaired, it can result in abnormally high levels of histamine. In addition to the effect of methylation on histamine levels, the effect of methyl groups on the TH1/TH2 balance maybe a second mechanism by which decreased methylation may increase allergies. There are two sets of T helper cells in the immune system, TH1 and TH2 cells. While TH1 cells are involved in cell-mediated immune responses and toning down or regulating TH2 activity, the TH2 cells have been associated with humoral or B cell-mediated responses and allergic responses. TH2 cells trigger the activation and recruitment of IgE antibody-producing B cells, mast cells, and eosinophils that are involved in allergic inflammation. Studies show that decreased methylation of CpG regions in these genes may influence the balance of TH1 and TH2 cells.
Dr. J. Dunn explains how her research was motivated because of her personal struggles to feel healthy. She had a case of mono when she was sixteen years old and suffered from lifelong depression. Since then she has battled chronic fatigue syndrome caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Looking into the history of the virus she found that 90 percent or more people have antibodies to the virus and yet don’t necessarily have an issue with it for the rest of their lives. She was also looking for true answers to her own depression. These were missing pieces in the puzzle of health, and she began her quest to search for why and how to fix them. She approached her research with a compassionate point of view, knowing that some types of behavior and health problems are caused by inherited biochemical imbalances and are not personal failings. Things such as:
Weight
Depression
Anxiety
Focusing Issues such as ADD and ADHD
Addictions
Chronic Fatigue
Genetic testing can identify potential health problems and give you another tool to make informed decisions about managing your health care. Dr. J. Dunn explores how to obtain correct results and what to do with the results. She also talks about compassion for yourself and others when it comes to problems beyond our control. Her book – Genetic Compassion – will help you to understand how genes play a very important role in how we feel.