Happy Friday!!
It’s almost the weekend. Woot Woot!!
It’s beginning to be that time of year again, when our eyes get itchy, dry, and red, our nose gets stuffy or runny, it’s hard to breathe, headaches strikes, and coughing fits become our best friend. It’s allergy season!!
Some of us suffer much more severe symptoms when our allergies kick in, while others only experience the annoying runny, stuffy nose. Whatever your symptoms, I have compiled a list of common remedies that help keep our allergies from ruining our outdoor fun.
I have a bad cotton allergy, but ever since I have changed my diet my allergies don’t bug me as much. When I was younger, my allergies were way worse, and the smallest of things bugged me. Now it’s just cotton, and it’s not near as severe as it used to be. You’ll be amazed how much your diet can affect your health. In fact, just some simple diet changes can change how you feel dramatically (but more on that another time).
Want to kick allergies in the butt?? Try these tips/remedies:
- Quercetin: Increases immunity and decreases reactions to certain foods, pollens, and other allergens. It acts as an antihistamine. It is a flavonoid found in apples, berries, grapefruit, onions, cabbage, tea, and red wine. So eat up!! Try to buy these fruits and veggies are your local farmers market, as they are more nutritious. Quercetin is best taken with bromelain, as bromelain helps with absorption of quercein. Bromelain is found in pineapples, so make a great fruit salad with the above fruits!! It’s suggested to take 500 mg of Quercetin a day with 100 mg of Bromelain.
- Vitamin C with bioflavonoids: Protects body from allergens and moderates inflammatory response. Make oranges, berries, and grapefruits apart of your diet.
- Boswelia: This is a herb that is used to reduce inflammatory and allergic responses. Can take it in tea form or in capsule form.
- Nettle: Another herb that reduces inflammation in the sinus cavities. It’s an antioxidant that prevents free radical damage and aids in preventing allergy attacks. It acts as an antihistamine. Stinging Nettle is the common name for this herb, and the tea doesn’t taste that bad, or capsules are available.
- Yerba Mate: Interestingly enough this great herb (which makes a delicious tea) relieves allergic symptoms. Just steep yerba mate in hot water (and then cool if you want) and drink up to 16 ounces a day.
- Honey w/ cinnamon: Honey is a common among those with allergies. Taking a spoonful of honey with cinnamon sprinkled on top helps allergies. Local honey is the best, as the bees in eat the pollen in your area, then produce honey which you consume. It builds your immunity to local allergens.
- Omega 3’s: Studies have shown the benefits of eating a diet high in omega 3’s in treating allergies, as omega 3’s help fight inflammation. Eat more walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, and fish.
- Acupressure and acupuncture: These have both been shown to be effective in relieving allergy symptoms. So if you’re not afraid of needles go for it. Acupuncture has many other benefits as well.
- Netti Pot: Yes this works!! It will clean out your sinuses, flushing out allergens. It’s simple and easy, all you need is warm water and salt (which you can buy at any natural market with your netti pot).
- Eat more fruits and veggies: Not only do some vegetables and fruits supply quercetin, they are great antioxidants. Antioxidants help to keep our immune system strong, thus we don’t experience as many ailments.
Also, add some plants to your home. Plants are great at purifying the air and removing pollutants. Some great plants that are best at purifying the air are:
- bamboo palm
- Boston fern
- lady palm
- English ivy
- peace lily
- spider plant
- rubber plant
- dwarf date palm
- Aloe vera (this is a great plant to keep on hand for burns, cuts, and soothing dry skin as well)
For more information on treating allergies click here. Also, this is a great book that provides lots of information on natural remedies for almost any ailment: Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch. This helped to supply much of the information above.
Does anyone have any other suggestions for treating allergies?
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