Spring is the season to celebrate after the hibernation of the winter months, a time for cleaning both your house and your body.
Spring cleaning by opening up the house to get rid of the dust and taking off the winter layers to enjoy the warmth of the sun. The smell of spring blossoms is a sign that winter is over, but for others the flowers and accompanying pollens of spring are a dreaded time filled with hay fever symptoms, congestion, running noses, itchy watery eyes and fatigue.
If this is you, some hints for natural relief of hay fever to help lessen your symptoms are here:
Cut back the amount of pollen you come in contact with daily
- Keep windows and doors closed at night when sleeping.
- Minimise the time you spend outside on high pollen count days. (To find out the pollen count on any day, Google ‘pollen count’ and your city).
- Wash your face after being outside.
- Use a saline nasal spray or Neti pot rinse out your sinuses..
- Dry washing inside or use a clothes drier on a high pollen count days.
- Consider buying an Air filter
- Make sure your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter and vacuum frequently during the season, if you are sensitive wear a mask whilst dusting and vacuuming to limit exposure.
Natural antihistamine options for natural relief of hay fever
- Vitamin C is the most effective natural anti-histamine, foods highest in vitamin C are citrus, papaya, kiwifruit, berries, pineapple, guava, rock melon, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and capsicum. You might need a medicinal dose of 500-2000 mg, to have the desired effect.
- Quercetin is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that is found in foods such as watercress, apples, berries and green tea. A medicinal dosage during high allergy times is recommended. 300- 1200mg per day.
- Raw honeycomb from local bees is a strange but tasty remedy – the theory is that if you are allergic to pollen the a tiny amount of bee preserved pollen is left behind and works to desensitise you.
- Probiotics may reduce the frequency of seasonal allergies. Your gut is the seat of your immune system. A Naturopath can advise which type strains would be suitable.
- Fresh nettle tea or freeze-dried nettles capsules work to block histamine.
Decrease mucus during the allergy season
- When pollens are around try to avoid eating mucus producing foods such as wheat (flour), dairy products and processed sugary foods.
- Drinking elderflower tea (1 teaspoon of dried flowers per cup) three times a day can relieve sinus congestion.
A Naturopath can recommend other herbs that can lessen the symptoms hayfever and seasonal sinusitis. Please get in touch if you would like some more help!