I have a friend who posts this question to her social media page each year. What’s a nine letter word for torture?
ALLERGIES!!
As we head into allergy season, I know many of you can relate. Allergies occur when the body’s immune system becomes hyperreactive to a substance. The substance may be harmless but the body reacts to it as if it is because the body views it as a foreign invader that it must fight off. This reaction is triggered by what is called allergens. Allergens could be pollen, mold, dust mites, or pet dander. Seasonal allergies are usually triggered by substances found outdoors such as pollen and often worsen when people come outside of their homes. The air quality where you live can affect this as well.
Common symptoms are itchy watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and congestion. Some people experience mild allergies and others very severe. It’s common for people to develop allergies later in life as their immune system changes. There is no cure for allergies because it is an immune system response and you can’t get rid of your immune system. You can move to an area with less allergen but most people opt to find an effective treatment. One way to treat them is by using drugs called anti-histamines that block the body’s reaction to the allergens. Many of these can be purchased over the counter at any drugstore and others require a prescription from a doctor. Some people’s allergies are so severe that they have to go to the doctor to receive a special allergy shot.
Before resorting to drugs, which can often include side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, restless or moodiness, I encourage allergy suffers to try natural remedies. A commonly known one is local honey. When a person eats local honey, they are thought to be ingesting local pollen deposited by bees. Over time, a person may become less sensitive to this pollen resulting in fewer seasonal allergy symptoms. However, this doesn’t happen overnight and you may not see the benefits for days or weeks. Remember, the honey must be local to your area so that it contains local pollen. You can often find local honey at farmer’s markets or local grocery stores.
People with allergies that affect their sinuses may want to try a sinus rinse. There are several brands on the market. It can be effective at relieving nasal congestion and irritation, caused by allergies. The rinse usually contains a saline solution (saltwater) and is generally safe as long as you follow instructions and use sterile water such a distilled water. NO TAP WATER.
I wondered if there were other natural remedies for seasonal allergies that I am not familiar with and asked one of our alternative medicine doctors with myURGENCYMD. According to Dr. David Rakel, Petasites can also be helpful. Petasites is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family and is the active ingredient from a plant called butterbur. It has been found to work as well as common anti-histamines and also prevents migraine headaches. The dose is about 100 mg of Petasites twice a day. It can be found in stores that sell supplements, vitamins, and other health products.
No one likes to feel bad, especially for long periods of time. I hope you found these suggestions helpful. I’m wishing you an allergy-free future.