Natural Ways to Treat Seasonal Allergies
Helpful allergy info, including allergy symptoms, allergy treatment, & more.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, an estimated 50 million Americans, or one in every five people suffer from some type of allergy. Most people who suffer from allergies take over-the-counter-medications or go to the doctor to be treated and are given pharmaceuticals from acetaminophens to antihistamines. Unfortunately, those medications can aggravate the allergy symptoms they are attempting to treat.
It is important to understand that when the body is working to combat an allergic reaction, from a skin allergy like eczema to something more complex like a food allergy, it is due to something not being right in your body. So your body can’t fight off the allergen with its own defenses, which triggers allergy symptoms.
When we take prescribed medications for allergies, they upset the natural process and PH balance of our immune system. So we will always have to take a drug to alleviate the symptoms from whatever allergy we suffer from. Unfortunately, with all of these allergy medications and creams, all they do is treat the symptoms. But the actual problem in our body that caused the allergic reaction still exists.
That is why it is so important to give your body a break from the toxic pharmaceuticals and instead use natural remedies to relieve allergies. We should watch what we eat, get plenty of pure water and take the natural route to allergy relief. This will provide our body with what it needs to repair itself, to bring it back into balance and fight off the allergy we are suffering from.
1. RAW LOCAL HONEY
Raw honey contains bee pollen, which wards off infections, allergies and boosts our immunity. The bees in your neighborhood are going from flower to flower collecting pollen. By eating local raw honey, we build up our immunity to the pollen allergies where we live. A couple of tablespoons each day can relieve your itchy watery eyes, congestion and the general hay fever symptoms. In a study by the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, patients who consumed honey had better control of their allergy symptoms than people on conventional allergy medications.
2. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple cider vinegar helps to boost the immune system, helps to break up mucus and supports lymphatic drainage. Three times per day, mix one tablespoon of ACV with one tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and a half-tablespoon of local raw honey and drink.
3. ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential Oils – Diffusing essential oils including menthol, eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint oil helps to open up the nasal passages and lungs, improves circulation and relieves stress. Try a Homemade Vapor Rub when you have excess congestion and mucus.(Homemade Vapor Rub for Children)
4. PROBIOTICS
The immune system starts in the gut. More than 80% of your immune function is stored in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. So it shouldn’t be surprising that research keeps surfacing that links probiotic use to reduced risk of allergies. In the Journal of Pediatrics, they discovered that women who regularly take probiotics during pregnancy significantly reduce their child’s risk of developing allergies.
Probiotics are a natural way to treat your seasonal allergy symptoms and they have these positive effects on your body:
- Improve function of mucosal lining of the intestines
- Hinder growth of pathogenic (bad) bacteria
- Stimulate production of immune enhancing substances
- Direct influence on immune response
If you populate your gut with probiotics, it could be the ticket to easing your allergy symptoms.
