1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an age old remedy that is often suggested for a
variety of health conditions. I’ve personally used it for allergy
relief (and heartburn relief) with great success. The theory is that its
ability to reduce mucous production and cleanse the lymphatic system
makes it useful for allergies. It is also said to help digestion, weight
loss and more so it is worth a try!
What I did: I mixed a teaspoon of organic,
unfiltered apple cider vinegar with “The Mother” (that part is
important) into a glass of water and drank this three times a day. This
helped me with relief of acute allergy symptoms and seemed to help
prevent allergy attacks as well.
2. Neti Pot and Saline Rinse
I haven’t personally tried the
Neti pot
because I’m a big scardey cat about pouring things in my nose, but I
have friends who swear by it, and I’ve used saline nasal spray before.
(If you use one, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!) The
basic theory is that you use a
Neti Pot filled with a sterile saline solution to flush out the sinuses of allergens and irritations.
Surprisingly, I’ve heard this recommended by conventional and
alternatie doctors, and it seems that it doesn’t really have a downside.
To use: Either use a pre-made saline rinse or make your own by dissolving 1 teaspoon of
himalayan or sea salt in a quart of boiled distilled water. Cool completely and put in the
Neti Pot. Pour through one nostril and let it drain out the other.
3. Quercetin
Quercetin
is a natural bioflavonoid that is said to help stabilize mast cells to
keep them from releasing histamine. It is also a potent antioxidant that
is said to help reduce inflammation. It is best used as a long term
remedy and many people start taking it about 4-6 weeks before allergy
season to help prevent allergy symptoms.
As with any herb, you should check with your doctor before using,
especially if you have a liver problem, are pregnant, or are on
hormonal contraceptives.
To Use: Though Quercetin is naturally found in foods
like citrus and broccoli, it is very difficult to get the amount needed
to relive allergies from food alone. A
supplemental dose can be helpful for preventing allergies or helping acute symptoms.
Not recommended during pregnancy or nursing though
some practitioners feel it is safe after the first trimester.
4. Nettle Leaf
Nettle leaf
is another natural antihistamine that can be very effective as it
naturally blocks the body’s ability to produce histamine. It grows in
many places and can be made in to a tincture or tea, but for allergy
relief,
capsules made from dried nettle leaves are the easiest and most effective option.
Nettle leaf
can also be used in combination with other herbs to make a soothing
herbal tea for allergy relief. It is often mixed with peppermint leaf
and sometimes red raspberry leaf to make a refreshing allergy relief
tea.
To Use: Either make a tea (
recipe at the bottom of this post) or use
capsules for acute relief of allergy symptoms.
5.Probiotics
Allergies are the
result of an imbalance in the immune system that causes the body to react too strongly to a stimuli. New
research links the presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut with reduced incidence of allergies.
Evidence is even emerging that a mother’s gut bacteria during pregnancy
and nursing can impact a child’s likelihood of getting
allergies throughout life.
While we can’t do much about our mothers’ diets while they were
pregnant, balancing gut bacteria now and consuming enough beneficial
bacteria can have a positive effect on allergies now.
Fermented foods and drinks like
Kombucha or
Kefir can hep boost gut bacteria, as can a
high quality probiotic capsule.
6. Local Honey
There isn’t much scientific evidence to back this one, but there
seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence from people who have tried it. (
Even Mark Sisson weighed in on the subject here).
The theory is that consuming local honey from where you live will help
your body adapt to the allergens in the environment there. This is
supposed to work like a natural allergy “shot” and doesn’t seem to have a
downside.
To Use: Consume a teaspoon or more of raw, unprocessed local honey
from as close to where you actually live as possible. Do this one or
more times a day to help relieve symptoms. It is often suggested to
start this a month or so before allergy season.
7. Diet Changes
If all else fails, sometimes dietary changes can be the answer to allergy problems. In our own experience, the
GAPS diet helped relieve many of the allergy symptoms we experienced, including some rather severe food allergies in one of our children.
After our experience, I’d definitely encourage this as an option,
especially for severe allergies or those in need of gut
healing/rebalancing.
