When we were first married, my second wife complained that every spring she was like Yoda, with large red eyes, runny nose and a raspy, nasally voice. This lasted for 7-9 weeks each spring and 5-6 weeks each fall. I thought she was kidding until the first spring arrived and I saw for myself that she could not go outside even though she was taking 3 prescriptions and several over the counter medications including daily Benadryl just trying to survive. She claims getting her vitamin D levels up worked miracles and I agree it helped an amazing amount, but there were other things we did which were also helpful.

In understanding what we did and how it worked, it helps to know the immune system begins in the intestine and it is not all human. The human part of the immune system is helped by countless bacteria that live inside the body. There is a ‘hygiene hypothesis’ for autoimmune and allergic diseases which observes that people who are exposed to more bacteria as children are less likely to have allergies later in life. This has been observed the world over and leads to the conclusion that if we were to correct the gut bacteria, the allergies would go away. That is the premise for much of what we did to conquer her allergies. Here is a rather lengthy discussion for those interested. (1)

Since the action of the human part of the immune system is supported by Vitamin D, my first suggestion was to get her vitamin D levels checked. After some prodding, the doctor ordered a 1-25 hydroxy vitamin D blood test. The normal range at the time was 20-35 ng/mL, her measured level was 12 ng/mL. Clearly this was a problem, especially since I knew the normal range was low because nearly everyone tested was low thus low was considered normal. At the time research showed the optimal range was 60 – 80 ng/mL.

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The so called normal range for all blood test are determined the same way. A sample of apparently healthy people are tested for the specific chemical in the blood. In this case it was the 25 hydroxy Vitamin D3 molecule. The average of this meaure is presumed to be normal and the statistical measure called one standard deviation above and below the average form the normal range. While this method is reliable, it provides an erroneus result if the entire populaiton is deficcient or has an excess of the measured chemical. In the case of vitamin D, the entire population was determined to be low so the range was low. This has now been corrected. The range is now usually quoted as extending to 50 ng/ml whle the research shown a more optimal range of 60- 80 ng/ml.

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Reader Note: The US measure for Vitamin D is NanoGram/MiliLiter (ng/nL) while the European measure for vitamin D is NanoMole per Liter (nmol/L). This means the range in European measurement is 150 – 200 nmol/L. Here is a converter for those interested. (2)

She started on 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and it took 0ver 3 months to get her levels into the optimal range. She is now taking 7,000-10,000 IU per day to maintain the optimal level. She used a prescription product initially, but knowing what we now know she would have done just as well taking 8 soft gels per day of the Life Extension (LEF) 7000 IU Vitamin D3 product she takes today. (3)

We could have saved the cost of the two doctors’ visits by ordering the blood test from LEF as well. Here is the link. (4)

Since there are many other vitamins and minerals needed for vitamin D to work its miracles, she started on a multivitamin. She used the LEF Two Per Day product since she was not willing to take the 8 pills per day for the LEF MIX as I take. (5)

Note: These are larger tablets, for slightly more money they offer the same product in a capsule which some find easier to take.

To be sure she was getting enough magnesium, she added magnesium capsules. Magnesium is important because it is a key material the body needs to convert 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D (the storage form) into 1-25 dihydroxy vitamin D (the active form). The one problem with magnesium is that if you overdose it can cause diarrhea. If this happens then stop until the bowell normalizes then try again at a lower dose.

We purchased the magnesium from a local store, but have recently learned that what we purchased was not the best. She now takes LEF Magnesium because it contains multiple form of magnesium thus makes it easier for the body to process. (6)

Next we obtained full blood work including hormones similar to this one: (7)

From this we discovered her hormones were out of balance. Her cortisol was too high, estrogen and testosterone too low. Her DHEA was low as was her T3 and T4. We worked with an A4M doctor to restore her hormones to youthful levels with bio identical hormones. You can find an A4M doctor here: (8) Or check you local phone book. Ask for a doctor that will prescribe bio-identical hormones.   She had high homocysteine levels and C-Reactive protein levels so she started a Vitamin B6, B12, Folate regime. Since she started, LEF has combined these into one capsule. (9)

With the human portion of the immune system getting corrected we began working on the bacterial portion.

She stopped drinking pasteurized processed milk and began drinking raw milk. The raw milk contains bacteria the gut needs to restore the immune function while those benefits are removed in pasteurized processed milk. Pasteurized processed milk has also damaged proteins which the body detects as foreign invaders and mounts a histamine reaction. One glass will cause a runny nose for several days in many people, including her. You can read about the safety of raw milk and locate a source here (10)

She was then introduced to fermented foods. Unfortunately, like many people, to this day she does not like many of them, but will eat them occasionally. I had to resort to probiotics to further help build her gut bacteria. At the time, the Epicor product had not been invented so we encapsulated Diamond V XPC horse food and she took 4 capsules per day. The company has since created a human version. You can read the amazing path from horse food to law suit to a new human probiotic here: (11)

All the while we were working on her diet. She greatly reduced her intake of sugar and carbohydrates while eating more whole foods and good fats like coconut oil, lard, tallow, and olive oil while avoiding other plant-based oil. We switched to food we grew and canned or organic food when that ran out. We found several farmers we knew and visited the farms to see the farming practices before we began to purchase.

Finally, she began to help raise the chickens and play in the dirt. She cut trees, ran the stump grinder, plowed and planted a garden, and worked in the sun. Her lifestyle changed from a city girl/office worker to a farmer, gardener and canner. This exposed her to all the bacteria in the soil and increased her exercise.

Somewhere along the way, her allergies mostly went away. She now needs help a few days per year.

In working on skin allergies, we have used raw milk baths, like Cleopatra and reduced her baths/showers from daily to 2-3 weekly while getting rid of the fancy body washes and focused instead on natural cleaning products.

When she moved into my house, we threw away several banker’s boxes of creams, lotions and potions, both over the counter and prescription, she was using to cover and control her cracking, itchy, scaly skin. She now makes her own body lotion with natural ingredients and her skin is getting soft and smooth. We still need to work on her hands and feet, but even they are much better.

Epilog - This article was originally written almost 10 yeara ago. My wife lost over 50 pounds on her new eating plan, her skin healed, but everyone, her, me, three doctors including one very good heart doctor, all missed a small blockage forming in the artery feeding the left side of her brain. This blockage closed in Mar of 2021 so she is no longer with us. I still miss her, but I published her story anyway so perhaps others can benefit from what she did. She saw and approved the original article and I know she is pleased that you have read this version.