1) Use a neti pot. A neti is a nasal irrigation vessel
that looks like a genie lamp. It uses a sea salt solution that washes
away allergens from the sinuses and soothes the sinus tissue. Many
allergy sufferers swear by their neti pots. It should be done every day
for those with chronic allergies and sinus issues. Keeping your neti pot
in the shower helps to make it a part of your routine. Make sure you use
bottled water in your neti and not tap water! The salt is sold in packets
as pharmaceutical grade salt. Sometimes it is helpful to add some
anti-microbial herbs into your neti solution if you are prone to sinus
infections.
2) Certain foods can stimulate the inflammatory immune
response (aka allergies). Avoiding these foods as much as possible can
have an impact on your degree of symptoms: sugar, alcohol, dairy, wheat,
orange juice, processed foods. These can all stimulate more mucous
production and irritation of the sinuses.
3) Certain foods have an anti-inflammatory effect on
the body. Try to incorporate more of these foods: lemons, blueberries,
onions, garlic, green leafy vegetables (kale, collards, broccoli, spinach,
etc.), avocado, cayenne and chili pepper, ginger, turmeric
4) If you tend to have sinus congestion, pressure, and
headache, sinus steams with essential oils can be incredibly helpful. Many chronic sinus
issues are fungal rather than bacterial, and essential oils have activity
against both. The steam vapor carries the oils into the sinuses.
Pour boiling hot water into a bowl and drop a few drops of eucalyptus,
peppermint, lavender, or sage essential oil into the water. Cover your
head with a towel and inhale deeply, closing your eyes. Do this until you
are tired of it or the steam dissipates. If sinus pressure is an ongoing
issue, try doing sinus steams every day or every other day to loosen the
congestion.
5)
Try taking freeze dried stinging nettles in capsule form or nettle leaf tea.
You can also eat the young spring tops of the nettle plant as food.
Nettles contain compounds that reduce the inflammatory histamine response in
seasonal allergies or hay
fever. They also contain many nutritive vitamins and minerals that
nourish the body.
6) For
that irritating post-nasal drip sore throat and cough, try drinking fresh
squeezed lemon in water, or 1 T apple cider vinegar in water throughout the
day. These things help the body to clear pollens and mucus from the body
and soothe the tissues. Licorice tea can also be helpful for soothing the
throat.
7)
Using raw local honey and pollen is said to be helpful for prevention of
allergy symptoms. The idea is that by eating the pollens you introduce
them as food to the body, so the body doesn't overreact to them when they are
encountered through the nasal passages. This method works best if you
start with small amounts a couple of months before allergy season begins.
8) Make
sure you are taking probiotics or eating fermented foods (sauerkraut, yogurt,
kimchi) to help balance your immune system. Probiotics help to
"educate" the immune system to that it is more accurate in its
reactions. This is also a long term strategy that is helpful for all
kinds of allergies, autoimmune disorders, and gastrointestinal health.
9) Try taking
quercetin on an empty stomach, 500mg 2-3 times per day. Quercetin
is an anti-inflammatory bioflavonoid in the vitamin C family that can help
prevent mucus production.
10) Turmeric
root is another herb that can be helpful for seasonal allergies. It is
highly anti-inflammatory, and aids the liver in processing histamines and
clearing toxins from the body.
Here is a
recipe for a yummy tasting allergy tea. This recipe is kid and husband
approved! It makes a great berry flavored iced tea. These herbs can
all be found in the bulk herb department at the Common Market. The parts
give you the proportions for one full dose (measured in grams), and you can
multiply out for however much you want to make:
Nettle leaf
2 parts
Lemon Balm
2 parts
Elderberry
2 parts
Calendula
flower 1 part
Licorice root
.5 part
Hibiscus
.5-1 part
8g, steeped in hot water for 10-15min. Strain and drink, or
add honey and cool in fridge for iced tea.
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