Beyond drug treatments

Some sufferers find allergy relief through naturopathic remedies or by fighting dust mites

May 03, 2007 04:30 AM

Linda Nguyen
Staff Reporter

Shawna Minarsky always worried about her son's difficulty sleeping.

It was the same ritual night after night: Michael, now 13, would lie with eyes wide open, tossing and turning before eventually dozing off.

Minarsky was surprised to learn what was causing Michael's problems."I didn't think that having some allergy would cause him not to sleep, but obviously it does. I just thought it was stress," says the Mississauga mother.

Michael uses a puffer for his asthma, and both he and his father, Larry, get seasonal allergies.

"They really suffer. They'd have a running nose and Michael's eyes would get very itchy," she says, noting their conditions didn't improve after multiple visits to the allergist.

So Minarsky decided to try something different.

Now she gets her carpet cleaned and treated for dust mites every six months by Mississauga-based Allergy Relief Cleaning (allergyreliefcleaning.com).

Owner David Doyle says most people don't realize their allergies don't stop at the front door.

He advised Minarsky to vacuum mattresses, and to use pillow protectors that are plastic on the inside and cloth on the outside.

"Most dust mites are in the mattress, about 5 million of them," he says.

Even the stuffed animal Michael held every night had to go into the wash.

"Within two days of listening to him, my son began sleeping well again," Minarsky says. "My son takes his puffer a lot less now. Do it; it's worth it."

Doyle's company cleans carpets, mattresses and furniture before treating them with an odourless solution made from fruit and vegetable seeds. The cleaning and treatment lasts six months and starts at $400 for 850 square feet.

Tracey Taylor tried a different approach to treat her 6-month-old daughter, Talise. The girl had a rash caused by an allergic reaction to Taylor's breast milk. Two pediatricians, a family doctor and dermatologist all recommended applying cortisone cream to the baby's face, back and chest, but Taylor was against the idea.

"By putting on the cream, you're not curing what's causing it, but just covering it up," she says.

Tracy Pan, a naturopathic doctor at the Naturopathic Allergy Clinic in Toronto's west end, says patients like Taylor are looking for more than short-term solutions.

"People who come here don't want to keep taking their allergy shots but really want to get to the root of their problems."

"We don't work miracles but, over time, they will see that their allergies aren't as bad as previous years. They'll eventually stop. We emphasize to the clients that it's their responsibility to change their lifestyle."

Taylor has eliminated soy and legumes from her diet and Talise's eczema has gradually lessened with the aid of naturopathic remedies.

"Vitamins, nutrients and a healthy diet are good for prolonging health," Taylor says. "It's a journey that I've taken and I want my baby to take. My life has become that much better."