With the burst of flowers and sunshine come the allergies! Like spring, the biggest summer allergy trigger is pollen. Summer air pollution can make allergy symptoms worse. Since 3 people in my family including myself suffer from seasonal allergies I’ve resorted to natural methods to minimize symptoms etc. Although I pop the occasional pill when my allergies get really bad, I’ve found these natural allergy cures seems to alleviate symptoms and make me feel better. These natural allergy remedies help especially on those days when the pollen count is higher than usual.
Natural allergy remedies:
Local Honey: Science behind this is that the pollen collected by bees that is made into honey provides natural immunity from allergies. Eating local honey may work like an allergy shot, exposing you to small amounts of allergens and helping your body build immunity towards environmental triggers. Since seasonal allergies are different from area to area, honey must be locally made too to give you the immunity benefits you need. Check with your local farm to see if they sell local honey.
Tea: Nettle tea has antihistamine properties and can prevent allergy attacks from happening. It also relieves annoying allergy symptoms like stuffy nose, sneezing and itchy eyes. Find it at most health food stores on online. Mint tea is also good for clearing out nostrils and stuffy noses. I find myself addicted to mint tea all year round and my allergies have been lot less severe since I last started drinking it.
Bee pollen: Known as the food of the queen bee this potent nutrient can help the body build up a resistance to allergens by lowering the body’s sensitivity to pollen. It is like vaccination of some sort. You can get bee pollen at most health food stores. It’s easy to incorporate into smoothies and warm teas.
Omega 3: Omega 3 oils found in fish oil or cod liver oil and flax oil can be extremely helpful for reducing allergies because of their potent anti-inflammatory effect. Omega 3 oils have a systemic effect on the body and can reduce both allergic and cardiovascular inflammation.
Quercetin: Powerful bioflavonoid found in fruits and veggies which reduces inflammation and acts as an antihistamine. The best fruit sources of quercetin are the deep, dark red and purple fruits. Red grapes, blueberries, red apples, red cherries and blackberries are all great sources. Wine is a good source too. Load up on these red and purple goodies to arm yourself.
Eucalyptus oil: Helps to relive chest congestion and throat irritation. It also clears nasal passages and improves breathing. Dab a little on your throat, under your nose and on your chest. You can also use a few drops in your steam pot and breathe it in. Alternatively you can dab it on your chest before a hot shower.
Neti pots: To soothe allergy attacks, consider using neti pots. They are a mild and effective way to treat seasonal allergies. They provide effective nasal irrigation. They clears the throat, nose and can alleviate congestion. A neti pot thins mucus and helps flush it out of the nasal passages.
Water therapy: Plain water will flush allergens out of your system and is often the most effective therapy for seasonal allergies. The more water you drink, the quicker you get relief from symptoms. Increase water input to at-least 10 glasses/day. Having a shower and washing away outdoor allergens as soon as you get indoors can be effective in minimizing symptoms.
Commonsense therapy: Staying indoors as far as possible on high pollen count days, washing bed linen in hot water often, wearing a mask while mowing the lawn or vacuuming the home, cleaning air filters and parts of home where pollen can collect are some methods that can be taken to minimize and alleviate symptoms.
Please note that these natural allergy remedies are not meant to replace any medication you may be on, but more to help alleviate and decrease dependency on medications. If you have natural allergy remedies that you use, please share ! I would love to hear from you.
Honey helps prevent cancer, ageing and heart disease. Glucose in honey diffuses quickly into the bloodstream giving an instant boost to energy and it can also act as an immune buster against allergies.Thanks for bringing out this information in your post!!
I just bought a large jar of honey at the Amish market over the weekend. I love using it as a sweetener over anything else. Thanks for reading !
My allergies are terrible every year, Sue. Thanks for posting this list – I need to try these and see if they offer any relief. I hate taking allergy medication like Claritin and Benadryl so usually just suffer until allergy season passes. I hear the Nettie Pot does wonders but it freaks me out, lol!
I developed allergies too in the last 3 years and I’ve found these natural aids do help so I ‘ve cut down meds ( used to take zertec)! Try the nettie pot Nancy ! It really helped me. Once you try it once you’ll be fine 🙂 ! All the best with your allergies !
Thanks for a great post! I too love using honey and nettle tea for allergies. I also have my friends who suffer from allergies use lemon, peppermint and lavender essential oils to ease their symptoms.
These are amazing therapies that most people are not aware of. The best part is that all these are readily available and do not required additional effort. I did not know the advantages of eucalyptus oil. Thanks for the share.
Thanks for sharing such helpful remedies. I have a friend who is really troubled with allergy, I will surely share this post with her. 🙂