Relieving Seasonal Allergies

People who suffer from seasonal allergies would likely have a different response to the subtle changes between seasons. Instead of the usual happy anticipation, they would likely be tensed up and gearing for a whole new round of seasonal allergies, whether it’s that time when winter turns into spring or the cooling weather as summer turns into fall.

Seasonal allergies, faced by over 35 million Americans each year, are typically linked to pollen that makes their way from trees, flowers, grass, and plants, populating the air no matter where a person goes. Symptoms are fairly simple but hardly comfortable for the allergic person: wheezing, sneezing, runny nose, and red, itchy, and watery eyes are hardly welcome incidences on a daily basis.

Many allergy sufferers find relief only from over-the-counter drugs. However, more and more people are becoming more conscious about home remedies and would prefer natural ways of dealing with their symptoms. After all, drugs are known for having side effects, many of which may not yet have been studied adequately.

Doctors agree that nature-based remedies are a useful way of handling mild allergies, and may even be useful for more significant allergies. While some doctors may be more conservative, others believe that there are many possible treatments that are safe to try.

The following home remedies are recently causing a stir in terms of treating seasonal allergies:

1. Butterbur – This European herb has been shown to give impressive results in clinical tests. For example, one group of Swiss researchers tested one tablet of butterbur consumed four times a day and found it to be as effective in relieving symptoms of hay fever as a popular anti-histamine drug. The even better news is that the herb tablet did not give the expected drowsiness that usually comes with anti-histamines. Another study was done by some British researchers to test the effectiveness of the drug against symptoms of allergies to grass.
2. Freeze-dried nettles – This is another herbal supplement that some doctors recommend.
3. Goldenseal – This herb is known for being taken as a tonic. Most doctors recommend taking this with a saline nasal spray. Goldenseal has been known to have astringent as well as local antibacterial properties that help in the process of getting rid of seasonal allergy symptoms.
4. Saline nasal spray – More and more doctors are recommending a saline nasal spray for respiratory allergic symptoms. Saline simply means salt water, so basically the spray contains no other ingredient except sodium chloride mixed with water. It has been shown to be effective in washing out pollen as well as reducing or thinning mucous.
5. Grape seed extract – This nutrient occur naturally in many food items, and comes in especially abundant levels in red wine. This extract may be used as a supplement alongside vitamin C and give extremely helpful results in reducing symptoms of allergy.
6. Quercetin – This is a flavonoid compound which also occurs naturally in many food items. The compound is proven to control the release of histamines as well as other chemicals that trigger an allergic response.
7. Hot spicy food – Interestingly, home remedies for allergies are not limited to herbs and nutrients. Experts believe that spicy food helps in thinning mucous secretions and in clearing nasal passages. As such, you may be able to help relieve your allergy symptoms by using more cayenne pepper or hot ginger, or even by upping the onion and garlic you use in our cooking.

While these home remedies have been shown to be effective in treating seasonal allergies, experts point out that dealing with allergies not only include eating certain foods but also avoiding others. For example, when a certain food seems to cause stomach upset or occasional hives, it may be a good idea to steer clear of such food, particularly during season changes that cause you to be more sensitive to triggers. Among the foods that experts recommend avoiding if you happen to be allergic to weed pollen are bananas, cucumber, melons, chamomile, sunflower seeds, and herbal supplements with Echinacea, as these apparently make symptoms worse.

Lastly, you may opt to try an air filtration system in your home. This can help remove dust and irritating pollen from your personal space, thus giving you a better chance of avoiding seasonal allergies.