I am loving this beautiful spring weather! The flowers, the trees, the green grass… all bursting forth under the glorious warm sunshine. I’ve been spending hours outside on my deck soaking it all in.
I’ve also been inundated with calls for help, as SO MANY people are struggling with allergies right now.
In my area, we had a mild winter, which usually heralds imbalances in the ecosystem come spring. Crazy amounts of pollen, ragweed, and other seasonal allergens are literally floating in the air, sometimes in amounts that are visible. Clients who have “never had allergies- ever” are now asking for advice on how to relieve their itchy eyes, runny noses, postnasal drip, and inflammation.
First things first, as always, there is no single “right” remedy or “treatment” for allergies. People who have severe allergies that suffer annually with only mild relief from medical treatments typically have underlying imbalances in the body that need a complete workup to determine multiple areas of support. Their goals will be more long term, with many layers to address. It takes a very individualized plan, and a level of commitment, to support resolution.
For those clients who tend to get milder symptoms, or who are just bothered by allergies, we can look into natural ways to support the body to help it fight those annoying symptoms. For example, my niece has just spent over a month with itchy watery eyes, clogged ears, and a swollen throat. After trying several over the counter medications (because she doesn’t want to give up her sugar laden treats and fast foods), she finally came to me looking for relief. This past weekend, we went camping and my husband literally swallowed a chunk of pollen- I saw it floating in the air and he inhaled at exactly the wrong moment. He’s had a dry violent cough and congested nose for days now. I’ve seen sinus congestion that is visible (a client with distended areas of her face where her sinuses were absolutely packed with mucous), ear infections, sore throats, red eyes, all types of coughs… lots of misery going on from the emergence of spring.
So what can you do to support your body when allergies arise?
- Work on foundations of health. Always my first recommendation. Drink lots of water. Eat your veggies. Cut sugar to fight inflammation. Cut dairy to fight mucous. Eat healthy. Cut the junk.
- Look into vitamins that your body may need. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D supplementation, in whatever form you prefer, can be helpful. Again, look at your intake and see what might be lacking. My son does well with extra Vitamin C. I’ve tried B12 (since my diet is typically low) and it did nothing for me, but Vitamin D worked amazingly well. Quercetin is a popular supplement right now. I’ve seen it work well, and I’ve seen it do nothing. It really depends upon the root cause of the allergic response.
- Essential oils can be really helpful. My personal opinion is to NEVER recommend ingestion of oils; I know there are differing opinions out there. For me, distillation of phytochemicals down to their concentrated “essential” parts is nothing to take lightly. They’re really powerful, and can cause big big problems if not respectfully treated. For allergies, the magic blend is equal parts of lemon, lavender, and peppermint in a carrier oil. Put on pulse points at least twice a day. I wouldn’t use this on children, as the peppermint is too strong for little bodies.
- Herbal remedies that I’ve used successfully include nettles (nettles are SO GREAT for allergies! They’re deeply nutritive in addition to working with that histamine response), albizia (for histamine), milk thistle (liver support to break down and clear toxins), chamomile (for mucosal lining irritations, but use a tincture as it requires a concentrated dose), elderberry syrup (watch your source- there are lots of sugar laden cheap syrups that will make things worse. Get a good one.), and alfalfa (another great nutritive builder). Really, though, those nettles are fabulous.
- Homeopathic remedies are wonderful, but require care in choosing the “right” remedy. Every individual body responds differently to different allergens, and it takes some care to really look at the underlying root cause, then selecting the proper homeopathic for that root. Allergy remedies that can help include Histaminum hydrochloricum, Euphrasia officinalis (great for itchy eyes), and Ambrosia artemisiaefolia (best for ragweed, also hayfever).
- Looking for something easier? I just added a host of allergy support products to my store! (Find them here). Note that you’ll need to create a login if you want to see the whole list; some products are restricted (like the homeopathic remedies) to ensure they’re used responsibly.
If you need specific recommendations, or have questions, or just need some help with your allergies, as always, reach out HERE. I’m here to help!
Blessings,
Melanie
