22/04/2024
Allergy & exam anxiety - Wiebke Ivens' experience
This year's World Health Day focuses on the right to health, which is also very important to me. In order to live in health, we need clean drinking water, clean air, clean nutrition and healthy living - topics that have accompanied me since I was a child.
How important However, I only really understood all of this when I worked at hypo-A. Of course I grew up with this basic knowledge, but to be honest, children sometimes want to snack and buy a sandwich, an ice cream or a cola in the city. Nowadays, not necessarily because it's particularly tasty, but simply because everyone does it and eating and drinking together brings us together.
It was a little different for my brothers and me. 30 years ago, not all organic foods tasted so good. There was little choice, e.g. no white flour rolls, cold cuts that tasted more healthy than tasty and no delicious sweets. Back then, consuming organic food was a way of life and not a real pleasure. Fortunately, things are different today.
Living with hay fever & Exam anxiety
Until after my studies I mainly ate organically, but by no means completely. We had two really good organic stores in Göttingen, where I also shopped, but of course I also went out to eat with friends, we cooked together, went to the cafeteria... When we studied in the library, we usually had “nerve food”. In the form of gummy bears or something similar on the tables and during study breaks we went to the gas station and bought ourselves some ice cream. Nothing organic and, from today's perspective, more of a neurotoxin. At least for me, because during this time I developed a fear of exams that no one could quite pinpoint where it came from.That's when my hay fever got worse. My eyes and ears itched and I sometimes had to sneeze every second. This was not only incredibly stressful for me, but also grueling.
Things got better quite quickly after completing my studies working on an organic farm - with good organic food, lots of exercise in the fresh air and daily contact with cattle, chickens and sheep. The animals were kept outside on nature conservation areas all year round - no problem for robust breeds such as highland cattle and the Coburg fox sheep. That doesn't sound very heavenly for allergy sufferers. But I quickly noticed that all the exercise and physical exertion in the fresh air was incredibly good for me and that my body was much more forgiving of my small sins than it was during my studies. Because of course there were also cakes from the conventional baker in the neighboring village and my boss's brother-in-law often had sweets for the team in the car...
Change came with hypo-A
Since I've been working at hypo-A, I've eaten purely organically, regularly take nutritional supplements and spend a lot of time outdoors with my dog. Here I observe the opposite phenomenon: My body only forgives me for sitting in front of the computer a lot if I eat particularly cleanly and eat a lot Drink water (at least 2 liters/day). I actually can't allow myself any additives, so I get the receipt straight away. My insight from the last 20 years: If I exercise a lot in the fresh air (easily 8 hours a day) my body has the ability to deal with small sins like a cake from the bakery or a chocolate bar. When I sit at the computer a lot and don't move much (1-2 hours/day), my body demands very clean food and lots of water.
Unfortunately, caution now also applies to organic food, because more and more is being processed industrially and the tricks of the food industry are unfortunately finding their way here too. This is bad news for us allergy sufferers. This makes it all the more important for us to know our body's signals.
Be careful with additives
Another note on the subject of additives: Individual food colorings are suspected of triggering pseudoallergies and promoting ADHD in children. (1, 2) In retrospect, this is my explanation for my exam anxiety, because I have noticed several times in the meantime that I experience anxiety after consuming gummy bears. Unfortunately, this also applies to individual varieties with the EU organic seal. Unfortunately, I can't say exactly which substances trigger this physical reaction in me, and I don't know anyone who could investigate it.
It took me years to realize the connection. To me, this is an indication that certain ingredients such as colors or flavorings can affect our brain function and just as every body is different, the effects of additives can also vary from person to person.
Learn from experience
I would like to expressly emphasize that these are not study results, but rather the ideas are based purely on my personal experiences. However, through many conversations, not least with our customers - be they specialist customers or end customers - I have learned that sharing your own story can help others look at their challenges from a different perspective. This way we are more likely to be able to put our personal health puzzle together. I, too, have often benefited from the experiences of others. I would like to pass on some of this, so I'm sharing my experience here.
Embrace the hay fever
With these findings and my lifestyle adapted to them, I now feel very well positioned - and my hay fever has also noticeably improved. By the way, I don't feel restricted, which many people assume. If you know your body, you can look for solutions and there are so many that make you curious to find out more! You should be open and flexible. I no longer see my allergies and intolerances as a burden.
Valuable helpers during pollen season
When my hay fever is at its peak, I like to take Klosterfrau's allergin drops. Even if they burn a bit due to their alcohol content, for me they are a much better choice than tablets because they contain neither magnesium stearate Contain lactose. When it comes to nutrition, I'm also trying to relieve my body's burden during this time by avoiding foods that I'm sometimes sensitive to.
My body still needs special support during the hay fever season. While my father Peter-Hansen Volkmann mostly goes to Acerola Zink* advises, I have had the experience that in this sensitive phase 3-Symbiose plus, Vitamin B complex plus and Salmon oil with omega-3 fatty acids is particularly good. Every body reacts a little differently.
Personal conclusion
It doesn't matter whether I don't drink enough still water or don't pay close attention to my diet: my body gives me feedback very quickly if I don't act according to its wishes. Today I see this as an opportunity. My body has taught me the importance of clean drinking water, fresh organic food, clean air and a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise. I can therefore now consciously control my eating habits. And because my body reacts so sensitively, I can provide advice to people who have similar problems and are looking for an honest solution.
We wish you all the best on your own journey to health. Your Wiebke Ivens
PS: On World Health Day, I would like to finally point out that we in Germany are very lucky to be able to actively choose healthy food, clean drinking water and fresh forest air. In any case, this applies to a large part of our population. This is an incredible privilege that we all too often don't realize, but which we should use consciously and gratefully, because very many people in this world are not granted this!
Literature
(1) https://www.lebenmittelklarheit.de/informationen/azofarbstoffe-warnschein-fuer-bunte-lebensmittel
(2) https://www.verbraucherservice-bayern.de/themen/ernaehrung/kuenstliche-farbstoffe-in-lebensmittel< /p>
*Zinc and vitamin C contribute to the normal function of the immune system.