Managing Seasonal Allergies Naturally

Many of us suffer from seasonal allergies, especially in the Spring, when the pollen levels start to increase.  What we need to understand is that allergies can start at any age and correlates very high with the level of stress and strain on your body.  There are a number of reasons why allergies develop including;  improper diet, lack of sleep and increased levels of stress.  Learning about the reasons why your allergies have developed may help you get them under control but there are also some natural ways to help relieve the symptoms while you working on fixing the underlying problem.

Here are 5 ways to help with allergy symptoms:

1. Clean up your diet
   • Eliminate foods that increase inflammation such as; sugars, alcohol, dairy, caffeine, and gluten
   • Increase your green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables– kale, spinach, Brussel sprouts
   • Eat more foods with Vitamin C – strawberries, kiwi, papaya and broccoli
   • Increase water intake – add some fresh lemon for flavour and added Vitamin C

Increasing your intake of Vitamin C will help to reduce inflammation in your body and help reduce the sniffles, itchy eyes and mucous buildup.

2. Reduce stress levels
   • Take time for yourself and unwind from stress, stress will only increase the inflammatory response in your body
   • Try deep breathing (diffusing some essential oils will also help clear the nasal passages)
   • Take a relaxing bath with Epsom salts and lavender essential oil
   • Read a book or engage in a hobby that you enjoy

3. Clear allergens after being outdoors
   • Try using a saline nasal rinse or a neti pot to clear inhaled allergens and decrease the inflammation in the nasal passages
   • Wash eyes with cool water
   • If you have pets, after they have been out, use a damp cloth and wipe down their coat

The best way to decrease your exposure to environmental allergens is to stay away from prolonged outdoor exposure.  If you need to be outdoors, wearing a mask or a scarf/bandana can help as well as glasses.

4. Herbal Teas – A variety of teas can help reduce the symptoms of allergies. Here are a few you can try:
   • Stinging Nettle – inhibits inflammation and helps block histamine receptors
   • Ginger – a natural antihistamine and reduces inflammation of mucosal lining
   • Green Tea – has high antioxidant properties and rich in Quercetin, a natural anti-inflammatory
   • Peppermint – decreases the secretion of histamines and acts as a decongestant
   • Tumeric tea – very high anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, antibacterial

5. Get more sleep
   • Sleep at least 7-8 hours per night
   • Ensure you are getting good quality sleep by engaging in a proper sleep routine (more tips to come in next month’s newsletter)
   • With less than sufficient hours of sleep, the body goes into increased levels of stress which put the body under more strain and less likely to be able to handle additional triggers, such as a common allergens we see in the Spring, and can exacerbate symptoms.

If you are having trouble managing your symptoms or you find that you are relying on OTC medication, find out more about how you can manage your symptoms naturally and work on decreasing the severity of your symptoms from year to year.  Our Naturopathic doctors can help in many ways to deal with your allergies.  Book in for a free 15 minute consult with Dr. Vishaala or Dr. Isha to learn more about how they can help.