People suffer from allergies when their immune systems react to something they are exposed to that the body views as a threat, whether it be a food, something in the environment or a chemical substance. The natural approach to allergy relief involves easing the symptoms while attempting to treat the cause of the immune dysfunction. Below are some helpful ways to address summer allergies.
B is for Bioflavonioids like quercetin, which helps to prevent the release of the histamine part of the allergic response that causes much of the symptoms and Bromelain to help reduce the inflammation that comes with the allergic response.
Find out what's happening in Farmingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
D is for Dairy (NOT!) Limit mucous-forming foods like dairy.
F is for Food Allergens. Milk, wheat, eggs, citrus, corn and peanut butter are underlying food allergies that can make seasonal symptoms much worse as the immune system is overloaded. Be careful to avoid them if you have a history of sensitivity.
Find out what's happening in Farmingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
H is for Herbs including Butterbur, which has been compared to drugs like Allegra and Zyrtec. Also, Tylophora, an ayurvedic herb that has been shown to have anti-histamine activity and the Nettles leaf, which has shown to help relieve allergy symptoms including itchy eyes and sneezing.
P is for Probiotics, our bodies’ “friendly bacteria” that play a very important role in healthy immune function.
S is for Stress, which can trigger immune irregularity. Also, proper nutrition and poor sleep habits can burden your immune system.
V is for Vitamins: Vitamin E (a mixture of the different tocopherols of Vit E are alpha, beta, delta, gamma) and Vitamin C to protect the body from the allergens causing the immune reaction that results in the release of histamine.
W is for Water and it’s essential to the way our bodies function. Divide your body weight by two and drink that number of ounces of water in a day.
Finally, here’s a simple, at-home remedy if all else fails: For blocked nasal passage- steam inhalation with eucalyptus or thyme. Use the essential oil or soak one ounce in per cup of boiling water and inhale the steam
