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allergens

Natural Allergy Remedies

If you have seasonal allergies, you know what it’s like to suffer from sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, and sinus pressure. None of these symptoms are pleasant and interfere with enjoying your day. I am sure everyone has tried every over-the-counter solution to make these seasonal symptoms go away. Did you know there are completely natural solutions that can ease your symptoms too?

 

Probiotics 
You probably associate probiotics with digestion and your gut health, but they also play a role in keeping your immune system well balanced. Keeping the gut healthy, makes the immune system stronger which should not allow so many allergens to affect you each season.

 

Natural Antihistamines 
Your allergies are an immune response to an otherwise harmless substance. This substance — whether it’s pollen or dust — comes into contact with cells in the mucus membranes of your nose, mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, and intestines. (another reason to keep the gut healthy with probiotics). This triggers the release of histamine. Histamine is a protein that causes all of the symptoms you associate with allergies, like sneezing and cold-like symptoms that drive us crazy. Antihistamines block histamine activity, stopping the allergic reaction.

Allergy medications you buy at the store work as antihistamines. But there are also certain foods and plant extracts that can have similar effects on histamine production. For example quercetin, bromelain, and vitamin C, can all work as natural antihistamines. Talk to your doctor about these alternatives before using.

 

Honey 
Eating local honey (produced near where you live) really works. The bees eat the pollen that’s in your region of the country, then they produce the honey and you consume that, so it’s kind of like a mini allergy shot. This is a remedy we use year around. Honey in general just has so many health benefits, you can use it in place of refined processed sugar any time you can!

 

Air Purifier with a HEPA Filter 
The best way to remove spores and pollen from the air is to use a HEPA filter. I find that using a HEPA filter at night helps me wake up with clear sinuses. But if your home air system can accommodate a HEPA filter for the whole house, 24-hrs a day, this is a great way to get relief.

 

Saline Nasal Rinse
I have never personally tried this remedy, but have many friends who swear by it! Basically all you’re doing is flushing out your sinuses with a saltwater solution, in a Neti Pot, which can help wash away the things you inhale that irritate your sinuses…you allergens. To mix a solution yourself, combine 1 quart of distilled or boiled (then cooled) water with 2 tsp non-iodized salt (kosher, pickling, canning or sea salt) and 1 tsp baking soda. Pour about 8 oz of the solution into the Neti Pot and tilt your head forward over the sink while you pour the solution in one nostril. The solution and irritants will drain out the other side of the nose into the sink.

 

Posted in Environment, Health & Wellness | April 10 th , 2016 | 0 Comments



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