The most common question I receive during allergy season is something along the lines of, “What can I do to help my seasonal allergies?!”
Honestly, the hard truth is you’re usually a little late in the game since it’s likely mid allergy season this question often gets asked. Don’t worry though! There are still options if you’re in this position, but what I’m getting at is that the most effective way to help with seasonal allergies is to prevent them.
The best time of year to avoid getting those awful sniffles, relentless runny nose and congestion during springtime, ideally begins right around the New Year. That’s right! Did you ever think a New Year’s Resolution could be, “I’m going to prevent seasonal allergies.” Didn’t think so. However, I’d like to say how about, “I’m going to feel better than ever this year!” (for positive thinking purposes, but that’s just how I operate).
It’s truly never too late if you’re already sneezing & wheezing or going through kleenexes like crazy. You can start right now to boost your immunity and stay allergy-free all season, and potentially all year long. Just be prepared, results may not take affect right away, but overtime, being mindful of gut health, diet and nutrition, and your general overall health and stress, you might just soon forget the last time you needed to stop last minute for emergency Benedryll!
Quite frankly, I hardly get seasonal allergies anymore. When I do get them, and they happen to sneak in for a hot minute, I usually can pinpoint what is probably causing it, which might be sugar, dairy, wheat or alcohol I might have indulged in too much of. However, I’ve gotten better at generally focusing on enhancing immunity, healing my gut and knowing what natural alternatives I can take or make for allergies (& boost my immunity). These nasty seasons no longer wreck havoc on my sanity and my system, and I’m relieved that I know what to do (or what I’ve done) if allergies interfere with my day-to-day. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will help you feel more at ease, too!
1. Diet & Nutrition
I have struggled immensely with allergic reactions and sensitivities to food, and this is what truly started my journey with healing my own body and inflammation with herbal remedies. First of all, the more inflammation we have in our bodies, the easier it is for our bodies to react and be susceptible to seasonal allergies. Some of you might already be aware of what triggers your body, and sometimes, our bodies may not noticeably react at all or might not have reacted yet. Personally, if I eat tomatoes, my joints are extremely sore and achy the next day, especially my fingers, where it could hurt to cook, type at the computer or even do my hair - a sure sign of inflammation! Everyone is different, however, the common inflammatory foods include wheat, corn, dairy, oats, soy, sugar, alcohol, caffeine and believe it or not, water. These are often contaminated with harsh chemicals, pesticides and other toxins. It’s truly hard to know whether or not we are allergic to the food itself, or what’s being used to grow and harvest them!
If you are not already familiar with the “dirty dozen”, check out this article to learn more about what foods to avoid, or at least, prioritize buying these organic if you are going to eat them. Oftentimes, if I know of someone who gets headaches or migraines often, the first thing I ask them is how much water they drink and what is the source? I’ve heard of many people fixing minor to extremely severe issues just by switching their source of water. Water can be filled with runoff chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pollutants, etc. - even if it’s filtered! Especially if you’re used to drinking fresh, spring water, you can usually still taste the chlorine in filtered water… it’s a very distinct taste. My favorite site to find a local spring near you is www.findaspring.com. Besides, if you’re buying your water in bottles, the plastic is going to seep into the water, and go straight into your blood stream, and trust me, there are hundreds of other toxic chemicals in plastic, other than BPA, which leads us right into our next topic!
2. Avoid Toxic Chemicals
It might be commonly known to want to avoid pesticides in our food and BPA found in plastic. It might also sound simple to avoid known toxic chemicals, such as engine degreasers, car wash soaps, anti-freeze… but, did you know these toxins, as well as many others are found in your personal care and household items? Ingredients, like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), Propylene Ethynol Glycol (PEG) are the two most common toxic ingredients found in laundry detergents and dish soaps. You might be asking, “How are toxic chemicals related to seasonal allergies?” Well, because toxic chemicals affect not only our gut health and immune health, which then become major irritants for the body and affects our susceptibility to allergies, but it affects our hormones, kidneys and liver. So, if you haven’t already made the switch to cleaner products or don’t know what to look for, I’d suggest getting started!
If you’re interested in looking for cleaner products for you and your family, you can easily make your own products, however, you might run into the issue of them not being as effective for cleaning. I personally recommended this personal & household care package ($10 OFF first order using link). You can buy the items individually as well or choose another package that fits your lifestyle. Anything you use or buy should stored in bottles that are safe for you and the environment. What I love about this personal & household care package, is it is Grey Water Approved, which means there are no toxic chemicals from the the product itself contaminating our water and getting seeped back into the environment. You not only protect you and your family, but you are helping preserve the earth in the process! It’s a win-win!
3. Gut Health
There’s a lot of talk about how important gut health is. Not only is your gut health going to be a huge determining factor to your effectiveness to counteract seasonal allergies, but it is correlated to your mood, mental health, skin conditions, endocrine system (think stress levels!), autoimmune issues and so much more. So, there’s really no harm in focusing on your gut for multiple reasons, other than just allergy season.
Most probiotics don’t have the capability to reach the gut before digested so you’re really spending money on probiotics that don’t even do what they’re supposed to! Crazy, right? I’ve tried a lot of probiotics and have done a ton of research on this topic. I’ve been extremely satisfied with one probiotic ($10 OFF first order using link) that I’ve been using for over a year now. I’m used to taking probiotics in pill forms, and one brand even required 7 pills at a time for the full dosage. It was awful, considering I already was taking a a bunch of other daily vitamins. This probiotic comes in individual packets for convenient on the go, tastes like cucumber-melon, and can even be sprinkled on fresh berries in the morning! (Great for kids!) Plus, you get $10 off your first order. We’ll talk a little more about diet & nutrition in #3, which is also directly related to inflammation.
This same company also recently came out with a fantastic product, Axis Trebiotic ($10 OFF first order using link), which includes a prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic. The most common things people have been saying about it is that they’ve been sleeping better, waking up with more energy and more sustained energy throughout the day, as well as increased clarity - no more brain bog! I’m not surprised to hear this, since our gut is directly linked to our brain! Definitely something to look into!
4. Raw Honey
As you might already have heard, raw honey has numerous benefits and is best found to be effective to assist with seasonal allergies if you find honey that is local to your area. This is because it’s directly related to your body boosting immunity for a specific pollen that could potentially be what you’re allergic to later in the year. Makes sense to me! Now, this is something you want to start integrating into your diet well prior to common allergy seasons (give or take 2-3 months on a consistent basis), but obviously, if you’re late in the game, starting later is better than never. You’ll want pure, raw & organic honey. This can either be in liquid form or crystallized. I’m honestly a bigger fan of the liquid version, as it’s easier for me to make homeade herbal chocolate bars, sprinkle over papaya or for simple spoonfuls of it to curb my late night sweet tooth! Interestingly enough, I have a harder time processing the more crystallized version and have a minor allergic reaction to it, so if you’re anything like me and not completely allergic, opt for the liquid option. I’d suggest a local bee keeper/farmer versus buying from the grocery store, even if it is local, raw and organic. You’ll not only support a neighbor but you’re likely going to get a better quality since it’s more fresh, and you’ll get a better bang for your buck. Honey is expensive at the grocery stores!
5. Allergy-Ease Tea
These last two can be used as remedies, but just like the other suggestions, preventative is key to being prepared for allergy season! This allergy tea recipe is absolutely delicious, can be served hot or cold and makes about 2 cups. All of the ingredients help reduce inflammation and regulate the immune system. If you’re looking to drink this during prime allergy season, I suggest multiplying the recipe and storing for convenient on the go usage and drinking at least 1-3x per day.
1 tsp. dried elderflower
1 tsp. dried nettle leaf
1 tsp. dried eyebright
1/2 tsp. dried goldenrod
1/4 tsp. dried spearmint or a few fresh leaves, light crushed
1slice of lemon per serving
6. Allergy-Ease Cordial
I am absolutely in love with cordials! They are a great way to sneak in beneficial herbs and can be added to water, sparkling water, smoothies or anything you’d like really! It takes very little on your part to make a large batch, and you can conveniently grab your premade concoction from the fridge when in need. Since this one is a little more detailed and contains further instructions, click here to learn more about the Allergy-Ease Cordial and how to make it!
If you are wondering where to purchase herbs to make these recipes, I’d suggest finding out if there is a local provider near you. I know the local store in my town buys from a trusted source, it’s all organic and they have a very large selection, so I usually can find what I’m looking for. However, if I’m buying in bulk, I like Mountain Rose Herbs.
And remember, it’s never too late to boost the immunity! No matter what, all of these suggestions will help your body function more efficiently, and you’ll feel better in the long run - easing allergies are simply a byproduct of improved health!