|
Good health can help ease allergy symptoms, and as we all know, good health starts with nutrition.
People sensitive to airborne allergens may also be sensitive to certain foods. Identifying and removing those foods from the diet can greatly improve health and reduce allergy symptoms.
Hay fever is often seasonal (when pollen is in the air), but if constantly exposed to an offending substance (e.g., pet dander), symptoms can last year-round.
For seasonal allergies, beginning natural treatments (e.g.stinging nettles) 12 months before the season starts can help reduce the severity of symptoms.
Nutrition
To reduce allergy symptoms,
Include a lot of the following foods in the diet:
- Dark green, leafy vegetables
- Deep yellow and orange vegetables
- Nettles, bamboo shoots, cabbage, beet tops, beets, carrots, yams
- Onions, garlic, ginger, cayenne, horseradish
Supplements
Flaxseed oil - Take 1 tbsp daily.
Vitamin C - is, among other things, a natural antihistamine, and some allergic people seem to have a greater need for it than others.
Bioflavonoids , (e.g. quercetin, catechin, and hesperidin)
closely related to vitamin C, have been found to have anti-allergy effects. Bioflavonoids are most easily procured from the pulp, rind, and juice of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. A simple way to consume them is to cut orange and/or lemon peels into strips and cook them with some honey until they're soft. Eat one or two teaspoons daily. You can also get bioflavonoids at a health food store or buy vitamin C tablets that contain bioflavonoids.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicines rarely have significant side effects when used appropriately and at suggested doses. Occasionally, an herb at the prescribed dose causes stomach upset or headache.
This may reflect the purity of the preparation or added ingredients, such as synthetic binders or fillers. For this reason, it is recommended that only high-quality products be used.
Some helpful herbs used to treat hay fever are as follows:
Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) - Used as an antihistamine and antiinflammatory.
Gingko (Gingko biloba) - Contains bioflavonoids and is used as an antioxidant and antiinflammatory.
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) - Helps reduce allergic, inflammatory, and histaminic reactions and supports liver function.
Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) Used as an antihistamine and antiinflammatory.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - Reduces congestion and secretions.
Make a tea of one herb or a combination of herbs. Take 3 to 4 cups a day. If the herbs are in form of tincture, combine several of them and take 1 dropperful 3 to 4 times a day.
Explore the above herbs and foods and find out which work best for you. And enjoy your new found freedom from Hay Fever !!
Back to Homepage
|
