In this blog we will be giving you some advice on natural allergy treatments for hay fever.
What is hay fever? Also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. It’s our immune system’s reaction to airborne pollen, pet hair, grass cuttings, smells and moulds etc. Spring and summer are the seasons that affect most hay fever sufferers. Symptoms of hay fever are itchy eyes, fatigue, dripping noses, headaches and wheezing.
London is heating up and summer is around the corner. This is the worst time for me as I am a chronic hay fever sufferer. My nose is already beginning to have a rabbit-like twitching motion and my eyes are getting itchy. It is not a time to be stuck indoors or in bed. I want to enjoy the rare good weather and get my yearly dose of Vitamin D and maybe also change my pasty ghostly appearance into a healthy colour. It is also a time to enjoy picnics, festivals and sun-downers with friends.
There are a lot of good over the counter treatments in your pharmacies but some of the long-term affects of using these conventional manufactured drugs could be harmful. These conventional manufactured drugs are also not recommended for babies and pregnant women. This is the primary reason I want to look alternatives i.e. natural allergy treatments for hay fever.
8 Top Natural Allergy Treatments For Hay Fever –Go Green For Your Hay Fever:
- Petroleum Jelly/Vaseline
Use a cotton bud and apply some Petroleum Jelly/Vaseline to the entrance of your nose. This will prevent pollen or any other airborne irritants from getting deeper into your nasal passages. I highly recommend HayMax balm to block the irritants from entering your nasal passages! (Trust me this is great!)
- Teaspoon of Honey
Honey is an amazing natural remedy used by the ancient Egyptians to treat a multitude of illnesses. Taking a teaspoon of honey before and during the hay fever seasons has been proven to have some remarkable affects to treat hay fever.
- Garlic
Not only is it good for vampires and chasing friends away, garlic is great natural allergy treatment for hay fever. Garlic is an effective anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and immune booster that helps the body fight off any harmful foreign things that could cause hay fever.
- 1000mg of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. It stops the body from producing the histamines that cause symptoms like itchy eyes, sneezes and runny noses. Vitamin C can be taking a supplement or found naturally in some foods we eat.
- Washing regularly
Pollen, hair, dust and other irritants might stick to our clothes, skin and hair. Washing your hair before going to sleep prevents pollen sticking to our bedding and waking up with a sneeze. Also after cleaning the house or after lying in the park ensure that you wash your clothes to prevent irritants sticking to you.
- Changes to your diet
Cutting back on dairy and wheat products, caffeine and processed foods during the hay fever season has been proven to be beneficial to hay fever sufferers. Increase your in take of green leafy vegetables and foods rich in protein (Protein helps your body deal with viral infections).
- Stick a needle in it
The ancient Chinese art of acupuncture used to treat allergies has been proven to reduce the symptoms associated with hay fever. Also, combining acupuncture and drinking Chinese green tea as an antioxidant/antihistamine has even better results in the natural allergy treatment of hay fever.
- Herbal treatments for hay fever
This is a list of herbs that have been tested to alleviate, prevent and ease the symptoms of hay fever – Butterbur, Stinging Nettle, Ginkgo, Pollisan and Perilla 6000. All these herbs can be found at your natural food store or your local herbalist.
