For three years, Jennifer Ferguson’s body was covered with hives. She had suffered severe allergies for her entire life, often experiencing a painful rash when she came in contact with animals, pollen, or dust. She took antihistamines to treat the symptoms of these allergies, but gradually became immune to them. When she was twenty-eight, Jennifer experienced the first signs of urticaria, or chronic hives. She recalls, "the first time I got one it felt like a bug bite on my ankle. Later I was sitting on the couch one night and felt my eyes swelling up."

Jennifer and her husband Farren went to the emergency room at the hospital. The doctors had no idea what could have caused the hives, and the outbreaks continued. Jennifer’s family doctor prescribed Prednisone, a drug used to treat severe allergic reactions. The Prednisone eliminated Jennifer’s hives, but produced many side effects. Jennifer says, "I was nervous. I had anxiety. I didn’t sleep right." She also discovered that Prednisone weakens bone mass, increasing the risk of injury. Still, no one could tell Jennifer what caused her hives or how long she would have to take the drug. Unsatisfied with simply treating the symptoms, Jennifer decided to search for the cause of her illness.

A friend recommended that Jennifer visit naturopath Dr. Paulette Roscoe. Dr. Roscoe suspected that Jennifer had an allergy that showed symptoms on her skin, in her respiratory tract and in her gastrointestinal tract. After testing, Dr. Roscoe concluded that Jennifer had a candida yeast overgrowth in her body. Jennifer spent three weeks on a "candida diet" designed to starve the yeast growing in her system. Dr. Roscoe explains, "the diet consists of no sugar, no yeast, so getting yeast free breads, no fermented which is vinegar and alcohol, and no fungus which is mushrooms and peanuts.

After Jennifer completed the candida diet, she continued to exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, and take vitamin and mineral supplements. She also stopped taking antihistamines. Dr. Roscoe explains, "antihistamines are only a stopgap measure. They are only treating the symptom of the allergen, they’re not going for the cause." Eliminating allergenic substances from Jennifer’s diet and environment did address the cause of her allergies. Today her hives have disappeared and she’s much healthier. She and Farren are also able to pursue the active lifestyle they have always enjoyed.

Antihistamines are only a stopgap measure. They are only treating the symptom of the allergen, they’re not going for the cause.
– Dr. Paulette Roscoe