Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

Spring means flowers, blooming trees, sunshine and also if you're one of the millions of people who have spring time allergies, it means sneezing, congestion, runny nose and a whole host of miserable symptoms.  Before you go and cruise the overflowing allergy-medication aisle at the local pharmacy try some of these natural remedies.  It's important to remember that many of these remedies have been used for decades and sometimes centuries.

1. Begin with a non-allergenic diet:  Although allergens* are external, it is actually our body's response to them that is the cause of the allergy — it is an allergic reaction. If your body is already inundated with food allergy triggers, your immune system will be hyper-wired to react to external allergens.  Eliminate wheat, dairy, and excess sugar,  the most common allergens.

2. Try a spoonful of honey: Choose local honey produced by bees that live in your area. The theory is that consuming honey may be much like immunotherapy,  in the same way that allergists introduce tiny doses of an allergen to reduce sensitivity. As bees collect nectar from flowers,  they inadvertently pick up pollen grains,  which get into the honey,  creating homeopathic immunotherapy*.

Using honey as a preventive works best with a daily dose several weeks or months before allergy season. Check out your town's farmers market for some local honey.

3. Take vitamin C : Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and also a mast cell “stabilizer.” Mast cells are tiny cells that line the mucous membranes, which when exposed to an allergen, release histamine.

Histamine in the bloodstream is the cause of symptoms such as, eye irritation, sneezing, and a runny nose. Vitamin C makes mast cells less reactive, thus reducing allergy symptom.

4. Drink stinging nettle leaf tea: If you have come in contact with this perennial, you probably remember the sting. But it’s safe and healthy in drink form. Steep the tea for 10 to 15 minutes to obtain the full benefits of the medicinal oils.

5. Sooth your nose with a neti pot: Seasonal allergies are usually due to pollen from flowering plants, grasses, and trees that become stuck in the nasal passages. Pollen triggers the inflammatory process that we call allergies. One way to reduce symptoms is to wash the allergens out with salt-water.

Neti pots have been used since ancient India to clear nasal passages. Using a neti pot or a saline nasal rinse, such as Sinucleanse,  is a great way to help reduce allergy symptoms.

6. Inhale steam with essential oils: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and then turn off the heat. Place 4 drops eucalyptus oil, 1 to 2 drops tea tree oil, and 3 drops rosemary essential oil.  Drape a large towel over your head and inhale deeply for 5 to 10 minutes.

7.  According to "The American Chiropractor", chiropractic care is not a direct form of treatment for allergies.  However, regular adjustments help boost your immune system.  A better- functioning immune system decreases your chance of allergy-related illnesses such as sinus infections.  Overall, chiropractic adjustments for allergies help reduce symptoms.

So there you have it, you don't need to pack your bags and head for the desert or finally make that seasonal move to Hawaii.  Well you can still do that if you like, but if you need to stick around town try out some of the simple allergy remedies that are simple and inexpensive.

*An allergen is any substance that can cause an allergy.

*immunotherapy is a medical term defines as "treatment of disease by inducing, enhancing or supressing an immune response."