Immunological Barrier Disorders

Your body has barriers in place to screen everything that enters the body. The skin, gut, and respiratory systems are the main routes of exposure, so they have barriers (epithelium) to keep pathogens out. Healthy barriers are noninflamed and functional; so when there is inflammation and dysfunction of these barriers, that is what we call an immunological barrier disorder. These disorders lead to symptoms that can worsen after exposure to allergens, causing dysfunction in the affected system and great discomfort.

Allergic Asthma²⁴

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway that leads to shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness.

The primary factor of asthma is an IgE-mediated response, triggered by an allergen or environmental agent (such as air pollutants). This response increases the presence of immune cells, such as mast cells and eosinophils, that cause inflammation and damage the airway.

Triggers of asthma flare-ups:

• Inhaled allergens: pollens, dust mites, pets, mold
• Irritant chemicals and fumes: chlorine, exhaust fumes, fragrances
• Sulfite chemicals added to foods: sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite²⁵

Eczema²⁶

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin that leads to itchy, dry skin that is dysfunctional as a barrier. This dysfunction allows foreign substances such as allergens to penetrate the skin, which leads to inflammation. Scratching the itchy skin leads to further inflammation and itchiness, resulting in a snowball effect of discomfort.

Triggers of eczema flare-ups:

• Eating certain foods²⁷
• Exposure to environmental allergens
• Environmental factors (cold and dry air)
• Soaps and detergents
• Fragrances
• Rough or non-breathable fabrics

Allergic Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)²⁸

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal system that leads to recurrent and intermittent abdominal pain or discomfort that is associated with irregular bowel habits.

In people with allergic IBS, food and environmental allergens that make their way to the gut cause inflammation, thus triggering the symptoms of IBS. It's obvious how food ends up in the gut, but how do airborne allergens get there? Well, any airborne allergen that ends up in your mouth or throat is swallowed; allergens in your nose are transported to your throat by the mucociliary apparatus (mucus escalator). Additionally, airborne allergens can easily contaminate the food that you eat.

Triggers of IBS flare-ups: ²⁹

• Exposure to food or environmental allergens
• Caffeine
• Stress
• Carbonated drinks
• Artificial sugars