Allergies? Try A Natural Remedy

It’s getting to be that time of year again. Your allergies are driving you crazy, but you really don’t like to take conventional medications. Or maybe you’ve tried over-the-counter allergy meds—or even prescription ones—but you’re not getting the relief you need. What else might work?

Consider these alternative options:

Neti Pots

What could be simpler than rinsing away allergens with saltwater? Neti pots, small vessels shaped like Aladdin’s lamp. They have been used in India for thousands of years to flush the sinuses and keep them clear. It’s an idea that takes some getting used to for most Westerners, but it’s a bit like using nasal spray. A little douse of saltwater can rinse away those prickly pollen grains and help treat allergies and other forms of sinus congestion.

To flush your sinuses, mix a quarter to a half teaspoon of noniodized table salt into a cup of lukewarm water and pour it into the pot. (You can adjust the amount of salt, depending on what feels most comfortable.) Lean over a sink with your head slightly cocked to one side, then put the spout of the neti into one nostril and allow the water to drain out the other nostril.

Use about half of the solution, then repeat on the other side, tilting your head the opposite way. Gently blow out each nostril to clear them completely.

Neti pots are widely available online and at natural food stores. Use your pot about twice a day during allergy season, especially in the morning and after spending time outdoors. You also can use a neti pot before bed to prevent snoring caused by allergies and promote optimal overnight breathing.

Cool-Mist Humidifier

You might be tempted to pack up the humidifier now that spring is here, but hold off, recommends John Salerno, DO, a family practitioner at Patients Medical holistic wellness center in New York City. “When it’s still a little cool at night and indoor humidity is low, using a cool-mist humidifier can help get allergens out of the air,” he explains. “Water droplets bind to the allergens, and they get heavy and fall to the floor so you don’t inhale them.”

Steam Inhalation
Congested? Try inhaling the steam of essential oils (available at health food stores). Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, take the pan off the stovetop and add 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil, 3 drops rosemary essential oil, 2 drops myrtle essential oil and 2 drops tea tree essential oil. Tent a bath towel over the saucepan (keep your face just far enough away from the steam to avoid burns) and inhale deeply for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat 1 to 3 times a day.

Honey

Eating local honey (produced near where they live) really works. The bees eat the pollen that’s in your region of the country, then they produce the honey and you consume that, so it’s kind of like a mini allergy shot.

Stinging Nettle Leaf

This herb, found in many of the combo allergies remedies above. However, it can also be taken by itself in tea form. To make sure you get enough of the medicinal oils, pour boiling water over the tea bag and cover the cup for 15 minutes to let the oils seep in before drinking.

Allergy-Fighting Foods

A German study, published in the journal Allergy, found that participants who ate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to suffer allergy symptoms than those who didn’t regularly eat these foods. Omega-3s help fight inflammation and can be found in cold-water fish, walnuts and flaxseed oil, as well as grass-fed meat and eggs.

To help keep airways clear when pollen counts are high, add a dash of horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food — all act as natural, temporary decongestants. It’s also a good idea to avoid foods that you’re slightly allergic to until the air clears. Fighting off allergies can render the body hypersensitive to those foods, causing more severe reactions than usual.

Acupuncture

Although it’s not exactly clear why, acupuncture may help alleviate allergy symptoms—especially if you start treatment about a month before peak season.