Natural Remedies to Fight Allergies

No matter how closely we relate to nature, some of us are inclined to seasonal allergies that can lead to respiratory infections. Allergies are often hereditary, but we can outgrow them or develop them at any age.

They happen when our body sees things like pollen, grass, mold and animal dander as a danger and launches an immune response. Antibodies and a chemical called histamine are released into the eyes and respiratory tract to fight off the allergen invasion. Histamine's role is to attack and remove harmful agents from the body by triggering inflammation.

Unfortunately, inflammation can do as much harm as it does good. In the short term, it increases blood flow in the affected area, and white blood cells rush in to fight off infection. This is a great reaction if the pathogen invasion is a one-off, but with seasonal allergies, we’re exposed to these invaders for weeks and even months.

The ongoing immune response and inflammation can turn into respiratory tract infections.

Take a Commonsense Approach

If you or anyone in your home is inclined to allergies, there are steps that you can take to reduce contamination.

Clean your house: dusting surfaces, sweeping and vacuuming your house daily will remove airborne allergens that have settled on surfaces and carpets. Changing your pillowcase every morning is also helpful because allergens get caught up in our hair, and we transfer them.

Brush your pets: dander is tiny flakes of skin that's shed by all mammals (including us) and birds. It can be worse at the change of seasons when your pet sheds its winter or summer coat. Daily grooming will get rid of any dander before it becomes a problem. If your pet has visible dander, you must look at its diet; there could be deficiencies that are causing dry skin.

Sleep on two pillows: it can be difficult if you’re not used to it, but sleeping with your head and neck raised above your shoulders allows mucous caused by an allergic response to flow from your respiratory tract. Keeping your head level with your body restricts mucous flow causing congestion, and often a cough, headache or a swollen face when you wake up.

Flush your nasal passages: flushing is different to blowing your nose. Make a solution of 1 teaspoon each of salt and bicarbonate of soda to a cup of boiling water. Allow it to cool and pour into a sterilized spray bottle. Flush your nose a few times during the day, particularly before bed and when you wake up. Blow your nose afterward.

Use an ointment: make an ointment by mixing a ½ ounce of beeswax or soy wax with a cup of olive oil. Add 20 drops each of mint, eucalyptus, menthol and camphor essential oil. Apply to the lower inside of the nose with an earbud. You can also rub it into your top lip, over the bridge of your nose and into your chest.

Stay Healthy

A healthy body handles any illness or infection much better than one that’s lacking. If you know that you’re inclined to allergies, maintain a healthy body weight. Excess weight places pressure on your heart and lungs so they’ll be more susceptible to an inflammatory response and healing will be slower.

Eat well. Increase vitamin C intake by including broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and squash in your meals. Also eat fresh citrus fruits, kiwi fruit and strawberries. Get your gut health in shape by increasing your intake of natural probiotics. Buttermilk, yogurt, pickles and sauerkraut are everyday items that are easily accessible. You can also get kimchi, miso, kombucha and tempeh from many grocers and health shops.

Avoid processed foods and up your omega-3 intake by including oily fish like sardines, mackerel, seabass, salmon and trout in your diet. You can get omega-3 from chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts and soybean oil as well.

Raw honey can also be a deterrent against allergies, but there’s a proviso. It has to be honey that’s made in the area you live in, so you’ll have to get it from local beekeepers only. The theory is that if you have pollen allergies and you expose your body to the same pollens that cause an allergic response by eating raw honey, you’ll develop a tolerance.

Raw honey from other areas won’t contain the same pollens that you’re in contact with every day. All honey does, however, contain natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties, so use it instead of processed sugars.

Despite our best efforts, we can't Eliminate Allergies

All our efforts can definitely minimize the effects of allergies, but we can't prevent them entirely from affecting our lives. When allergies strike, it's a good idea to have some natural remedies available to minimize the chances of an allergic response becoming an infection.

Detoxing the body can have a positive effect on our immune responses.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s a good idea to detox as the new season is approaching so that your body already has the benefits at the change of seasons. Toxins from processed foods, fried foods, sugars, alcohol, pharma and fight-or-flight hormones produced by stress can accumulate in the liver. You can support your liver by using a natural detox tincture.

Natural antihistamines also work well to minimize allergic responses and support your body. None of these remedies and dietary changes will work on their own. They're best used in unison to get your body in shape for resisting allergies and recovering when they do strike.