Post by Gaz on Nov 1, 2016 9:45:18 GMT 10
Natural hay fever remedies
Springtime is here and with it comes pollen season, which is bad news for hay fever sufferers.
Seasonal hay fever or allergic rhinitis is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions in this country, affecting three million Australians.
Hay fever is typically a reaction to pollen from trees, grasses and weeds that makes the immune system believe pollen is a harmful invader, triggering production of the antibody immunoglobulin E.
This stimulates release of histamine, causing inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages, along with excessive mucus production and other symptoms such as sneezing, itching nose and throat, watery eyes and a clear, runny nose.
However, before you reach for anti-histamine medications this spring, there are a number of foods, nutrients and herbs that are extremely beneficial for alleviating hay fever symptoms.
Raw Honey:
Honey is said to cure hay fever because the bee pollen in honey can desensitise your body to other pollens. Increasing honey in your daily dietary intake should reduce hay fever symptoms significantly. Make sure you use local honey to your area to see the best results.
When to take: daily before hay fever season starts.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is a known natural antihistamine and can be found in oranges, lemons and grapefruit. Also present are bioflavonoids, which have powerful anti-allergy effects. The combination of vitamin C and bioflavonoids provides a natural decongestant and antihistamine for sufferers and helps alleviate symptoms effectively. Oranges are a good dose of vitamin C or you can take a supplement.
When to take: 1,000mg of vitamin C a day.
Hot peppers:
Red peppers and chilli peppers contain an active component called capsaicin. When eaten, this component opens nasal passages and helps reduce congestion brought on by hay fever, alleviating symptoms significantly.
When to take: Add to your daily diet, on salads or cooked with your evening meal.
Carotenoids:
Naturally occurring pigments in plants, carotenoids act as powerful antioxidants to help reduce inflammation in your airways and improve your immune system. A good source of carotenoids can be found in foods such as carrots, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potato and spinach.
When to take: One to two servings of carotenoid-rich food per day.
Chamomile tea:
An antioxidant and antihistamine, chamomile tea also contains flavonoids and acts effectively as an anti-inflammatory agent. While best taken as a cuppa during the day, chamomile tea can also be used as an eye compress. The compress provides a cooling effect to swollen, red eyes caused by hay fever and reduces irritability considerably.
When to take: Daily - as a cuppa, or as an eye compress. Make sure to use a fresh compress for each eye to avoid infection.
Making and using a compress:
Step 1 - Submerge an instant chamomile teabag in water. Leave it there for at least 3 mins.
Step 2 - Dump out the water and gently squeeze the excess water from the teabag.
Step 3 - Refrigerate the chamomile tea bag for 15 to 30 mins and remove from the fridge once cool.
Step 4 - Hold the cool tea bag against the swollen eye for up to 5 mins at a time.
Step 5 - Allow your inflamed eye to breathe for an hour before attempting to re-apply a new compress.
Garlic:
Increasing your dietary intake of garlic can help boost your body’s immune system, while also acting as a decongestant and helping to alleviate minor hay fever symptoms. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and a good source of quercetin, a natural antihistamine.
When to take: With meals, one or two months before the hay season starts, but most effective when eaten crushed or raw. If you can't stomach that, try garlic capsules from your local pharmacy.
Vaseline:
Spreading a thin layer of Vaseline inside the lower nostrils can help combat hay fever and reduce symptoms significantly. The Vaseline traps pollen entering the nostrils,effectively blocking it from entering the nasal passages and stopping hay fever symptoms from worsening.
When to take: Daily during hay fever season, before leaving the house.
Onions:
Onion skins are a good source of quercetin, a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory proven to reduce symptoms in hay fever sufferers. Onions contain three times as much quercetin as kale and 10 times as much as broccoli and can be eaten throughout the day in a variety of meals.
When to take: Daily with meals,although one option suggests you chew raw onions as an alternative - we only recommend this if you're staying in.
Kiwifruit:
Kiwifruit contain more vitamin C, gram for gram, than oranges (especially the yellow kiwifruit variety).
Vitamin C is an effective natural anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory, and it also supports healthy immune function and protects from secondary respiratory conditions.
Kiwi fruit also contain bioflavanoids, antioxidants that complement vitamin C’s effect in the body and are potent anti-histamines and anti-inflammatories.
Try taking a vitamin C supplement with bioflavanoids, at a dosage of around 2g of vitamin C and 1000mg
of bioflavanoids a day.
Other good food sources of vitamin C and bioflavanoids include citrus fruits, strawberries, red capsicums, broccoli, papaya, guava and mango.
Pineapple:
Pineapple is a rich source of bromelain, an enzyme with strong systemic anti-inflammatory effects, which helps decrease mucosal inflammation and nasal congestion.
Turmeric:
Commonly used in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine, this spice contains curcumin, a phytochemical with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that are comparable to steroidal and nonsteroidal drugs.
Curcumin has been found to have anti-allergy properties, which inhibit the release of histamine.
Turmeric is most often used in dried form, but try fresh turmeric, which looks similar to a small ginger root. Peel a section and grate, then add about two teaspoons to rice dishes, stir-fries or soups. Just make sure you wear gloves as turmeric stains.
Onion:
Having an onion a day can help keep your hay fever at bay. Onions are packed with the flavanoid quercetin,
a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and natural anti-histamine.
Eat red onions raw and tossed through salads, or on sandwiches or in cooked dishes. Quercetin is also found in apples, kale, red grapes, berries, cherries and parsley.
Licorice and nettle teas:
Studies have shown that nettle tea can help relieve inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and ease nasal congestion, sneezing and itching.
Drinking licorice tea can also alleviate symptoms. Licorice root has a soothing effect and helps to reduce irritation of the respiratory system.
Orange and green fruit and vegetables:
The vibrant colour of carrots, pumpkin, apricots, mango and papaya indicates high levels of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Green leafy veg are also an excellent source (the orange colour is masked by their green chlorophyll content).
Vitamin A is important for healthy mucous membranes throughout the respiratory tract. It also helps promote healthy immune function, prevent secondary respiratory infections and reduce inflammation.
Horseradish and garlic:
Horseradish is a pungent root vegetable which acts as a decongestant, helping to clear nasal passages. Grated fresh horseradish root adds a lovely kick to roast meats and vegetables.
Garlic helps clear nasal congestion and its potent antibiotic properties help prevent secondary respiratory infections in chronic suffers. It is also a good source of quercetin, a natural anti-histamine.
Probiotics:
Probiotics contain beneficial bacteria, and taking them can help boost our intestinal tract, so a daily dose of probiotics can help hay fever sufferers restore a more balanced immune response to pollens.
Without a healthy balance of good bacteria in our gut, our immunity is likely to be compromised, leaving us more susceptible to developing allergies and illnesses.
Taking a probiotic supplement daily is recommended, along with consuming fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickled sprouts and vegetables and miso.
Ginger:
Make yourself a fresh vegie juice with a good slice of fresh ginger. Ginger is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory that helps reduce nasal swelling and associated hay fever symptoms.
A good juice combo is carrot, celery, beetroot, apple and ginger. You can also add in some green “leafies” such as parsley, mint, kale or spinach. Fresh ginger can be added to curries and stir-fries, and is delicious made as a hot or iced tea.
Avoid certain foods:
Limit or avoid cow’s milk and other dairy products as they can increase the production of mucus in the respiratory tract and exacerbate hay fever nasal congestion. Try alternatives such as rice, almond, quinoa and coconut milks.
Homemade remedies for hay fever
Homemade remedies for hay fever can quickly reduce seasonal allergy reactions, providing relief from symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itching, congestion and coughing. Hay fever affects the mucous membranes of the sinuses, nose, throat, eyes and palate. Grasses and plant pollens are the cause of inflammatory reactions that stimulate the immune system, and are made worse by the presence of chemicals, dust and pollutants. Research indicates that approximately 20 percent of the population suffer some form of hay fever.
Homemade remedies including treatment with herbs, homeopathy and common household ingredients provide natural antihistamines, relieve symptoms and prevent their return.
Treatment with herbs
Homemade remedies consisting of herbal recipes are often highly effective at providing allergy relief for hay fever sufferers.
Chamomile tea is reputed to relieve hay fever symptoms. Some herbalists suggest smearing chamomile and lemon oil on a tissue and inhaling to prevent hay fever symptoms.
Ginger tea and raw honey works to break up chest congestion and loosen phlegm. It strengthens the immune system and acts as a natural antihistamine.
Green tea blocks the production of histamine and is one of the best homemade remedies for building the immune system.
Peppermint tea relieves nasal and sinus congestion. Drink it cold to sooth coughing associated with hay fever and allergies.
Butterbur reduces inflammation, blocking histamines and leukotrienes. Studies suggest the herb is effective for relieving sneezing, itchy eyes, sinus congestion and headaches. People allergic to ragweed or chrysanthemum should avoid butterbur.
Homemade remedies
Old time, folk remedies are tried and true, providing relief from sneezing, congestion and itching from hay fever.
Steaming produces excellent results to break up congestion. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of hot water and carefully inhale the steam. Avoid eucalyptus if you are taking homeopathic remedies as it voids their action.
Grapefruit and lemon boiled in one cup of water for 15 minutes makes an excellent home remedy for hay fever. Use only the fruit, not the rind. Cool and mix with raw honey to relieve symptoms.
Calendula liquid diluted in water makes an excellent eye wash to soothe itchy eyes. Use non-alcoholic calendula. Add a dropper full of colloidal silver to enhance the anti-microbial action and reduce inflammation.
Omega-3 fatty acids may act to lower the amounts of inflammatory chemicals produced by the body after exposure to an allergen. Although additional research is needed, it appears that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may help decrease the incidence of hay fever.
Homeopathic remedies
Numerous homeopathic medicines make excellent homemade remedies for hay fever symptoms.
Arundo - People needing Arundo often experience burning and itching of the palate, nose and the eyes. There may be sneezing, runny nose and loss of smell.
Wyethia - Similar to Arundo, with intolerable itching on the roof of the mouth and back of the nose into the frontal sinuses and throat indicate the need for Wyethia.
Arum Triphyllum - This remedy may relieve burning nasal discharge that creates raw sores on the skin. There may be pain at the root of the nose and the individual must breathe through the mouth due to congestion. Scabs may form high up in the nostrils, and skin of nose and lips is dry and chapped.
Sabadilla - One of the best home remedies for constant sneezing accompanied by nasal discharge and itching in the nose indicate a need for Sabadilla. There may be watery eyes and a lump in the throat indicating the need for this remedy.
Learn more: www.naturalnews.com/035367_hay_fever_seasonal_allergies_remedies.html#ixzz3OgVV4DnZ