Natural Remedies for Allergies (Top Five Tried-And-Tested Methods)

Natural Remedies for Allergies (Top Five Tried-And-Tested Methods)

Article by Laura Ramirez

Indeed, natural remedies for allergies have been around far longer than prescription and over the counter medication. Whether your allergies are a result of season, pollutants, stress, food, or just about anything, there are simple, natural, yet effective ways to address them without breaking your budget or running the risk of side effects.

1. Boost your immune system.

Once you have determined your allergic triggers (your doctor can help pin-point them based on your symptoms and medical history), make sure to steer clear of these by following your doctor’s advice. However, one of the best natural remedies for allergies is still strengthening your immune system so you can stop worrying about an allergic reaction once and for all. To accomplish this, muster up the discipline to drop unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking too much, and staying up late at night, as these are sure-fire ways to weaken the body’s natural defense against illness.

Allergies won’t go away within a 24-hour period, so be patient. A smoker who can’t quit cold turkey can gradually give up the habit, for one. Natural remedies for allergies that include regular exercise, lots of green leafy vegetables and brightly colored fruit in your daily diet, and a conscious effort to do away with harmful vices and habits will surely make a difference in the quality of your life.

2. Plan indoor and outdoor activities according to season.

Hay fever and other spring allergy variations can really dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for this beautiful season…and render anyone unattractive, to boot (itchy red eyes, a runny nose, and continuous sneezing are the most easily recognizable hay fever symptoms). Some of the most common spring-time culprits acting as allergens are pollen, dust, and mold. As mentioned, avoiding triggers is still one of the most effective natural remedies for allergies, so bear this in mind when mapping out spring-time plans.

Natural remedies for allergies mean steering clear of pollen especially if it is particularly humid, or there’s a breeze outside. Save the bulb-planting, gardening, and other outdoor activities for when the air is relatively still. If you can’t avoid going out to run errands and do tasks, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, and bring a hanky so you can cover your nose and mouth in an instant should a breeze spring up. Also, try your hardest to steer clear of dust, mold, and pet hair. If you are especially allergic to these, have someone take over the spring cleaning, dusting, and pet-washing so you won’t end up sneezing the whole season away.

3. Consider acupuncture and massages for relief.

With allergies usually come bodily aches and pains. It is understandably tempting to reach for prescription pain killers, but these are most likely offer temporary relief, have undesirable side effects…and can get quite expensive in the long run. Consider getting deep tissue massages or an acupuncture session, instead. Homeopathic practitioners recommend them because they have become proven natural remedies for allergies and other sickness. Massages stimulate a body’s energy channels, and help keep an overactive immune system on an even keel so that most allergy symptoms are suppressed.

4. Add natural and organic food and supplements to your daily diet.

Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and dropping unhealthy vices are proven natural remedies for allergies, as far as preventive measures are concerned. But adding natural and organic food and supplements can also greatly alleviate in your allergies. Home-brewed teas made of herbs like fenugreek seeds, grapefruit and lemon, and stinging nettle leaves are very good ways to prevent allergic reactions and even strengthen your immune system. In fact, stinging nettle leaves are a favorite ingredient in plenty of allergy medication. You can steep them in hot water for a couple of minutes as with regular tea, sweeten with a bit of honey, and drink a couple of times a day for instant relief and stronger resistance.

5. Flush sinuses and decongest naturally.

A lot of people laugh and scoff at the idea of nose washing when, in fact, it is one of the best preventive measures and natural remedies for allergies. When you’ve sneezed continuously for more than a couple of minutes, you surely know the feeling of wanting relief and putting a stop to it. Try a saline nasal wash that involves a salt-water solution which you can buy or prepare yourself. If you want to mix a saline nose bath yourself, combine 2 teaspoons of non-iodized salt with one tablespoon baking soda in one quart of boiled and cooled water. Pour around 8 ounces of the solution in a clean squeeze bottle, tilt your head over a sink or basin, and then squeeze the solution in one nostril and let it drain out of the other. To avoid the sensation of drowning, try panting like a dog so your palate lifts and the back of your nose closes up. Doing a saline nose flush not only provides instant allergy relief, but also clears the nasal passages by thinning out mucus and effectively rinsing allergens like pollen and dust.

About the Author

Laura Ramirez is a health advocate and parenting author. Browse her articles on natural treatments for common conditions and conditions at www.holistic-natural-remedies.com