Pollen counts are up here in Portland, meaning many people around town are feeling itchy, sneezy, stuffy, sore, and more. Allergy season is no joke this year. That’s why this article provides a few natural ways you can reduce or even – dare we say it – get rid of your symptoms.
Why Do I Have Seasonal Allergies?
Most commonly, springtime allergies are caused by high pollen counts as gorgeous spring flowers burst into existence throughout the season. Your body considers the pollen coming into your nose and mouth – and settling on your skin – as an invader, and this triggers your immune system to go into protection mode. Because your body is trying to get rid of the pollen, you may experience symptoms like:
- Congestion
- Sneezing or coughing
- Sore/scratchy throat
- Itchy/watery eyes
- Sinus pressure
- Itchiness all over
- Internal and external inflammation
- and more
Springtime pollen allergy symptoms can also be exacerbated by food allergies, causing inflammation to flare up after you eat.
No one enjoys dealing with allergies. That’s why we provide food allergy testing and naturopathic care for seasonal allergies.
Five Natural Ways to Relieve or Prevent Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
We know, it often feels absolutely impossible to prevent allergy symptoms naturally. However, if you stick to it and use one or more of these methods, your allergies may improve over time.
1. Enjoy local, raw honey.
Eating honey produced locally is a homeopathic way to help your body adapt to the pollen that is bugging you over time. Homeopathy is based on the principle that “like cures like” and in providing your body with honey that uses the pollen causing the allergic reaction, you are applying the principles of homeopathy to your allergies.
Honey used to help defeat allergy symptoms must fall under three criteria. It must be raw, local, and seasonal. That means it should come from bees who are located as close to where you live and work as humanly possible, and it should have been collected in the springtime. The easiest place to find honey like this is probably the local farmer’s market.
We have to give one warning, however. If your infant is experiencing seasonal allergies, do not give him or her honey. Honey can cause botulism in babies under twelve months.
2. Try herbs.
Several herbs are effective anti-inflammatories that can help support the immune system and allow your body to simmer down from its initial pollen reaction. These include stinging nettle, wild yam, dandelion root, and Siberian ginseng.
3. Support your immune system.
Remember that allergies are an immune response. So doing simple actions like reducing unhealthy foods, taking your daily multivitamin, and getting enough sleep can all contribute to reducing allergy symptoms.
4. Reduce or eliminate foods to which you are allergic.
Discovering and eliminating food that causes allergic reactions can help reduce your overall inflammation, letting your body deal with seasonal allergies more effectively. So, as much as it may be a bummer to cut out cheese or some other delicious food, it will help your overall health and comfort in the long run.
5. Give yourself a sinus flush.
A neti pot can be a great help in resolving or reducing allergy symptoms. You can use a saline solution, diluted apple cider vinegar, or baking soda as part of the mix. No matter what mixture you end up adding to your neti pot, it’s important to use distilled water and a clean pot.
Allergies can be extremely uncomfortable. If you are having difficulty in coping with or resolving your allergies, let us know! We are here to help you address your health challenges, holistically.