{"id":612,"date":"2017-06-08T05:19:30","date_gmt":"2017-06-08T05:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=612"},"modified":"2021-05-12T13:30:05","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T13:30:05","slug":"21-home-remedies-allergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/21-home-remedies-allergies\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Home Remedies for Allergies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"There is nothing fun about an allergy. Whether it\u2019s hay fever, whether it\u2019s a dander allergy or whether it\u2019s any other kind of unwanted reaction; it sucks having streaming eyes, a scratchy throat and low energy.<\/p>\n

This is particularly annoying for those with hay fever. After all, you spend all of winter either trying to avoid colds or dealing with them and feeling run down and meh.<\/p>\n

But then when you add allergies into the mix, you get all the exact same rough feelings during the summer. This seems unfair. Isn\u2019t summer when we\u2019re meant to be feeling good? If you\u2019re fed up of coughing, sneezing and crying in summer\u2026 you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not saying that an allergy to cats or dogs is much more fun though to be fair. This is almost as unwanted seeing as once more, this is something you\u2019re meant to love. Cute puppies are meant to bring tears of joy to your eyes\u2026 not tears of intense pain.<\/p>\n

With all that in mind, let\u2019s take a look at 21 different home remedies that can help you to address the symptoms and prevent the onset of allergies in some cases. Because surely out of 21 different solutions, you must find something that will work.<\/p>\n

Note: This list is aimed predominantly at those with seasonal allergies. But that said, those that suffer with other forms of allergy may well find something here for them.<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Local Honey<\/h3>\n

One of the best tried and true methods for naturally fighting allergies is to consume local honey<\/a>. We all know that honey is a very soothing and energy boosting food. It helps to combat a hangover, it soothes the throat thanks to its soft texture and it can provide you with plenty of energy via its content of sucrose and fructose. All good.<\/p>\n

But honey goes the extra mile when sourced locally. That\u2019s because it actually contains trace amounts of the pollen the bees used to make it. Sounds like the last thing you\u2019d want, right? Well it would be\u2026 except that these tiny amounts aren\u2019t enough to cause damage and what you\u2019re actually doing is introducing small amounts into the body to demonstrate that they are harmless. This teaches the body to stop creating the allergic reaction designed to drive the pollen out of your system. In other words? It works the exact same way as a vaccine. And yes, this also just so happens to be how a doctor would treat your allergy too!<\/p>\n

\"\"2. \u00a0Peppermint Oil<\/h3>\n

Essential oils<\/a> are fantastic for all manner of things. They\u2019re created by removing the concentrated goodness from a plant, herb or root and this then gives you a substance that contains all the medicinal properties of the source of origin but in a much more easily ingested package (you can inhale oil, drip some in your bath, or drop a bit in your tea!).<\/p>\n

So peppermint oil is often used to treat coughs and sinus infections but these effects work against all kinds of allergies too. That\u2019s because it contains menthol, which gives it a potent minty effect that can soothe the throat. It is also very effective at breaking up mucus, which leads to a cough.<\/p>\n

Add a little to your chest before you go to sleep at night and this will help to prevent you from being bunged up nastily when you wake!<\/p>\n

\"\"3. \u00a0Lemon Oil<\/h3>\n

Lemon<\/a> oil is another powerful oil that can help with an allergy. This works to make you feel fresh and to put a zingy spring in your step. It is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, which can help to ease your throat discomfort.<\/p>\n

More to the point, lemon oil helps to increase salivation. That\u2019s good news because it helps to get things flowing and helps to remove some of the unwanted pollen and dander from your system. If you\u2019re suffering from a dry throat, then of course more saliva is also going to be a good thing.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. \u00a0Nettle Tea<\/h3>\n

Moving away from oils for a moment, nettle tea<\/a> is an interesting option that can help you to fight a cold. That\u2019s because it is a natural anti-histamine, which means it will block one of the hormones that triggers the allergic reaction in the first place.<\/p>\n

Do keep in mind that histamine is a natural excitatory neurotransmitter. That means that it plays an important role in increasing activity in the brain and anything you do to reduce it is going to cause a little drowsiness and grogginess. It\u2019s not just the OTC medications that are responsible for this!<\/p>\n

\"\"5. \u00a0Eucalyptus Oil<\/h3>\n

Eucalyptus oil\u2019<\/a>s key benefit comes from the inclusion of cineole. This is an organic compound that has a number of benefits, including the one we\u2019re interested in here: the ability to reduce inflammation. Many of the negative effects of allergies are felt because of inflammation. This causes the throat and airways to swell, thereby making it hard to breathe and causing discomfort. Eucalyptus oil can reverse this and because you\u2019re inhaling it, you\u2019re presenting it right to the area that has been affected. This is better than swallowing an anti-inflammatory medicine.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. \u00a0Blow Your Nose<\/h3>\n

Blowing your nose regularly is important if you have hayfever<\/a>. That\u2019s because the tiny particles will make their way into your nose where they\u2019re hopefully going to get trapped by your nasal hairs \u2013 at least to some extent. While this has prevented them from getting right into your nose, they can still cause damage here.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why blowing your nose regularly is important and in fact, you might even sometimes see the hair or the pollen that is causing your reaction. Carry a tissue and make sure that you swap your tissue each time you use it \u2013 hankies will just recycle the dander and pollen!<\/p>\n

\"\"7. \u00a0Splash Your Face With Cold Water<\/h3>\n

This is a very simple solution that can do a lot of good. Not only will splashing a little cold water on your face help to wake you up and freshen you up, thereby making you feel more awake and more alert\u2026 but it will also help to wash off pollen that might have become attached to your skin<\/a>. This is particularly important just beneath the nose and around the eyes, so get some cool water and rinse whenever you feel like you\u2019re struggling!<\/p>\n

\"\"8. \u00a0Change Your Bed Clothes<\/h3>\n

One big problem is that the clothes you wear can also end up attracting dander and pollen<\/a> and causing it to get attached. This is also true of your bed clothes, which is why it\u2019s a good idea to wash them a little more often than you normally would if you suffer with allergies.<\/p>\n

Another tip is to do the same with your regularly clothes and to stay away from thick woolly jumpers that are even better at attracting and attaching small particles.<\/p>\n

Oh and it should go without saying, but don\u2019t hang your washing out to dry outside \u2013 it will only pick up even more pollen there!<\/p>\n

\"\"9. \u00a0Shut the Windows<\/h3>\n

This might sound obvious but you should also shut the windows when you go to bed. This will prevent pollen from entering your home while you are sleeping<\/a>, thereby preventing it from getting into your system. I say \u2018while you\u2019re sleeping\u2019 because this is a particularly important time to protect yourself.<\/p>\n

Do keep some things in mind though. Firstly, you need to do this while you\u2019re awake too. Secondly, it\u2019s important to stay cool when you are sleeping, so turn the heating down to counteract this. Finally, note that some areas of your home will be worse than others depending on the nearby plants. Try moving rooms if necessary and think too about the kinds of plants you want to grow near the house in the first place!<\/p>\n

\"\"10. \u00a0Steam Inhalation<\/h3>\n

A quick trick for any kind of congestion<\/a> is steam inhalation. Fill a bowl with hot water and then drape a cloth over the top (making sure it\u2019s not too hot so that the steam will burn your nose!). The steam will be trapped here with you, forcing you to inhale it. As you do, you should find that this breaks up the mucus and helps to dilate your airways. For added benefits, add one of the essential oils we\u2019ve discussed.<\/p>\n

\"\"11. \u00a0Eat Chicken, Not Beef<\/h3>\n

Sounds like a strange one right? Well, as it happens, a study looking at 334 adults with hay fever and 1,336 without, found that those that had more trans oleic acid in their diets (a type of monounsaturated fat) had three times the likelihood of developing hay fever symptoms than those with less. This is interesting because it is found primarily in red meat<\/a> and in dairy products. So pick chicken and try reducing the amount of milk and cheese in your diet. Of course you need to be really serious to go that far\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"12. \u00a0Take a Fish Oil Tablet<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve already discussed the role that inflammation has in allergies and it should interest you to note that fish oil can decrease that inflammation. How? Because fish oil<\/a> (omega 3 fatty acid) reduces the amount of omega 6 fatty acid. Most of us have too much of the latter and not enough of the former and this undesirable ratio results in inflammation.<\/p>\n

What is more though, is that taking fish oil supplements can help to lower levels of leukotrinenes. These are chemicals that contribute to the allergic reaction.<\/p>\n

Tips like this won\u2019t provide immediate relief but they can be used together to help you ease the severity over time.<\/p>\n

\"\"13. \u00a0Wear Shades<\/h3>\n

This is a simple solution but just wearing shades can help you to avoid certain symptoms of allergy<\/a> \u2013 caused by pollen or dander. Obvious this works by shielding the eyes so you don\u2019t get large particles floating into them and this can prevent your eyes from becoming red and streaming.
\nThere\u2019s more though too: why not wear a hat as well? This also prevents pollen from getting into the eyes or the nose.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. \u00a0Butterbur<\/h3>\n

If you want to see real, immediate relief for your allergies then unfortunately nothing will quite beat a shop-bought treatment. That said though, certain herbs do have a good track record as well and one such example is butterbur. This has been shown to be nearly as effective for nasal symptoms in particular as antihistamines<\/a> \u2013 and they don\u2019t cause the sleepiness that is associated with those.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that these studies are preliminary and more research needs to be done before any conclusions can be drawn.<\/p>\n

\"\"15. \u00a0Use Turmeric<\/h3>\n

Turmeric<\/a> is a wonder ingredient that seems to be able to help with all kinds of things. This is a spice that is commonly found in Indian cuisine and recently it was discovered that it could increase brain plasticity, helping us to learn faster and adopt new skills and habits.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one good reason to add it to your diet. Another is that it can act as a decongestant thanks to the inclusion of curcumin, which means it will reduce allergy symptoms and help to combat colds.<\/p>\n

\"\"16. \u00a0Train Late<\/h3>\n

If you go out for a morning run, then you might be causing yourself more harm than good.
\nAs you\u2019re no doubt aware, running and exercising in general will cause you to breathe more rapidly.<\/p>\n

This in turn means that you\u2019re inhaling not only more air, but also more pollen<\/a>, dander and anything else in the environment around you. For those with allergies, this is bad news.<\/p>\n

And guess what? There is more pollen first thing in the morning. So if you\u2019re going out to train, do it in the evening.<\/p>\n

Of course training in a gym is also an option. And there are other times of day that are more risky than others for those with allergies: often symptoms are worst just after rain which unsettles the pollen for instance.<\/p>\n

\"\"17. \u00a0Shower Before Bed<\/h3>\n

Taking a shower just before bed is another good way to reduce your symptoms. Once again, this is all about removing the pollen or dander from your skin, your hair<\/a> and your face right before bed and thereby reducing your likelihood of breathing in more as you sleep.<\/p>\n

This also relaxes the muscles and helps you sleep\u2026 so all the more reason to go ahead!<\/p>\n

\"\"18. \u00a0Use HEPA Filters<\/h3>\n

If you don\u2019t have HEPA filters on your vacuum cleaner, then you\u2019re likely whipping up a storm of particles every time you clean the house! Make sure you have these in place and at the same time, try to clean regularly so that you are removing the unwanted substances from your surfaces and your carpet. Think twice about lying on soft carpet: those fibers are a perfect hiding place for pollen and spores<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\"\"19. \u00a0Change Your Car\u2019s Cabin Air Filter<\/h3>\n

I didn\u2019t even know my car had an air filter! But sure enough, if you take a look in your car owner\u2019s manual, you should be able to find this in the bonnet. This should be replaced yearly (who knew!) and that will remove some of the wedged pollen that will otherwise be recirculated inside the car over and over again, worsening your symptoms<\/a> severely as it is.<\/p>\n

\"\"20. \u00a0Bee Pollen<\/h3>\n

Bee pollen<\/a> is just like consuming local honey, except it takes things up a notch. You want the local stuff again to make sure you are treating the allergy causing the problem. Start taking it five months before the allergy normally flares up and start small (1-2 granules on the tongue) then build up gradually over time.<\/p>\n

\"\"21. \u00a0Drink Some Citrus<\/h3>\n

Finally, drinking a citrus<\/a> juice like orange juice may also help. This is refreshing, packed with sugar and vitamins and generally great for you. In particular, we\u2019re excited about the vitamin C content here, which can help to nourish and strengthen the immune system. The immune system is functioning imperfectly when you have an allergic reaction and this can not only make you feel rough but also leave you open to other colds and infections. Drink citrus juice to strengthen your immune system then and to avoid getting ill while also maybe setting it straight.<\/p>\n

In general, getting a nutritious diet and plenty of exercise will help everything. The better you feel in general, the less you will be affected by a few unwanted symptoms.<\/p>\n\r\n

<\/div>