Monday, March 20, 2017

5 Natural Ways to Combat Seasonal Allergies




     I don't know how things are in your area, but so far this year Central Florida has seen record breaking pollen counts. This means that my husband's seasonal allergies have been acting up worse than usual. Even my allergies, which usually don't bother me all that much, have made themselves known. So I thought that I'd share with you some of the things I do for allergies in my home.

1-Dietary Changes: There are some foods that can actually make your allergies worse. If you know what you are allergic to, do a little research and find out what foods could be causing oral allergy syndrome, a reaction to your food due to pollen allergies. Even if you don't have oral allergy syndrome, there are a few thing you can do to improve your allergy symptoms. Cut back on the dairy! Dairy products can increase the bodies mucus production and make the mucus much thicker. Cutting back on the dairy can help to manage this aspect of your allergies. Also, quite a few allergy symptoms can be caused by, or compounded by, issues in the gut. Probiotics can help relieve many of the issues that may be the underlying cause of allergy symptoms.

2-Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a wonderful tonic for the whole body, but by far it shines when dealing with seasonal allergies. ACV is packed full of beneficial vitamins, including lots of B vitamins. Make sure you get the raw, unfiltered ACV with the mother (the mother is the bacteria that helped make the ACV), the bonus for this is that you get some amazing probiotics in with it. Take 1 teaspoon in water 3 times a day for maximum results. It works (and tastes) even better if you use ½ teaspoon of raw, local honey in the mixture.

3-Nettles: Urtica dioica, or stinging nettle, is a natural antihistamine. Nettle can be made into a tea, tincture, or capsules, and in many places it's a common cooked green. However, to best use nettles for allergy relief, you should find an alcohol based tincture. The natural antihistamine found in nettle is best extracted using alcohol, so a tea won't have as much. If you eat the herb or take a capsule of dried nettle leaves, you'll still get all the antihistamine properties as well, but you'll need to consume more to get the same effect that you would get from just one dropper-full of the tincture.

4-Goldenrod: I know it seems strange that the plant most known for causing hay fever can actually help, but it really can. Solidago spp. is a great herb to use on a regular basis to help prevent and control allergy symptoms. However, it does not work if you are taking any synthetic allergy medicines with it. Goldenrod works well as either a tea or a tincture. If you're worried about a pollen allergy, make sure that the tea/tincture is made with leaves that have been harvested before the plant has flowered, to keep from accidentally getting pollen on the leaves.

5-Local Honey: There may not be any scientific evidence that consuming raw, local honey lessens allergy symptoms. However, it has worked like a charm with my family. The thought is that local honey contains the pollen from local flowers and consuming it will help your immune system to acclimate to this pollen. Whether or not this is true, honey is packed full of amazing vitamins and minerals that help to boost immune function and improve symptoms such as congestion.


     I hope these tips will help you and your family through this allergy season! If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.


Resources:

Earth Clinic : Apple Cider Vinegar for All Allergies : https://www.earthclinic.com/allergies/apple-cider-vinegar.html
Know Your Roots : How to Take Goldenrod for Allergies : http://www.knowyouroots.com/ijustgottashare/2015/07/08/how-to-take-goldenrod-for-allergies/
Naturopathic Physicians : Natural Treatments for Your Seasonal Allergies : http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=117
Wellness Mama : 7 Effective Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies : https://wellnessmama.com/8370/allergy-relief-remedies/

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     Welcome to Bat Lady Herbals.  I have been fascinated by herbs and various herbal uses for quite a few years now.  Plants are amazing t...