Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

While there is no cure for seasonal allergies, natural remedies for seasonal allergies may offer your body what it needs to heal itself. When I was a girl, I used conventional over-the-counter remedies for years. I hated spring and summer because I always felt miserable. Even though the drugs helped, they made me feel weird. I suffered repeated nosebleeds and almost every fall, I developed a sinus infection. But, then the over-the-counter medications didn’t help anymore and I needed stronger and stronger prescription antihistamines to get relief from all the sneezing and itching and watery eyes. It was only through dietary changes, using a neti pot, and taking natural supplements that my body healed. It wasn’t instantaneous, but I did use the natural therapies in my journey.

Non-Medicinal

Dietary Changes

At the root of all allergies is a leaky gut. What that means is that something you regularly eat causes microscopic “holes” in your gut lining. Food proteins that aren’t completely broken down into amino acids can slip through these holes. Then, your immune system attacks them, thinking they are foreign invaders. When this happens enough, you develop allergic symptoms whenever you eat that food.

Unfortunately, the proteins in pollen (and other seasonal allergens) look a lot like these partially digested food proteins. So, your body mounts a defense against these look alikes (even while it’s reacting to the food–double whammy inflammation!). Some examples are: birch pollen allergy cross-reacting with celery, apple, peach, carrot, pear, plum, and cherry; ragweed allergy cross-reacting with bananas and melon; and mugwort pollen allergy cross-reacting with celery, apple, carrot, kiwi, and parsley.

Keep your meals simple so you more easily track the relationship between what you eat and worsening allergy symptoms. It’s always a good idea to also have a test done so you can see if food is the true culprit in your symptoms, and not pollen.

Bee Pollen

Honey has been a go to for local relief for nearly a millennium, but there are other options related to honey if honey isn’t available. That comes in the form of bee pollen. Honey and bee pollen from local bees is best. This is a great alternative for people who aren’t very big on sweet foods, as honey is high in sugar. Bee pollen can easily be added to salads and shakes or try dusting it on a fruit salad. Be careful, though. Some people react to bee pollen. And, unlike honey, bee pollen can get old and stale, causing stomach aches.

Saline Rinse Using a Neti Pot

When I first tried the neti pot, it took me a little while to learn how to position it correctly so the water flowed out my other nostril. Not a pleasant feeling to have salt water drizzling down your throat! But, I did figure it out and it helped me a lot, especially during my first pregnancy. At that time, I still suffered from seasonal allergies, but I had to be careful about the remedies I used. The neti pot became my best friend! The only thing I didn’t like was that the effect was temporary and I had to do again after only an hour.

It also helps during bouts of illness when the mucus plugs up your nose.

Medicinal Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

I hesitate to recommend specific natural remedies for seasonal allergies because we tend to think of herbs and oils in the same way that we think of drugs–take this herb for this illness. It doesn’t exactly work that way. It is not a one-to-one relationship like that. Herbs and oils work synergistically with food and other habits. If you continue to expose yourself to foods and other triggers to which you are allergic without any care in the world, natural remedies will provide only a small measure of relief.

Herbs that Help

When we think about herbs for seasonal allergies, we generally focus on those that have anti-histamine properties. We may also include herbs that calm and support the immune system, open up the respiratory system, and at times, support the liver. Usually, herbal formulas include one or more of the following: Nettles, Ephedra, Reishi mushroom, Astragalus, Eyebright, Horseradish, Black Pepper, Anise Seed, Ginger, Marshmallow, and in some cases, Goldenseal and/or Elder. Liver and detox support might also include Dandelion and Burdock. One of my favorites is Earthley Sinus Saver because it includes many of the above herbs and it works! I have tried many, many store bought formulas and been disappointed.

Essential Oils that Help

Essential oils are probably my favorite natural remedies for seasonal allergies. They smell nice and you get the benefits without the nasty taste! You can also get relief quickly and don’t have to purchase a bunch of them to find an effective remedy. The top choices for allergies are peppermint, chamomile, and niaouli. Grab a more extensive list below and find out how you can kill allergy-causing mold, support your immune system response, and even prevent yourself from having sneezing fits in the first place.

Other nutritional supplements that help

Some nutritional supplements support the immune system response and inhibit excessive histamine, which is what causes the sneezing fits. A well-balanced calcium/magnesium supplement calms the immune system and the mind. Quercitin and vitamin C help the immune system directly. Coupling quercitin with an herbal formula or tea and diffusing essential oils in high traffic areas goes a long way toward relief. If you also reduce allergy symptoms with daily habits, you should be feeling better in no time!