Herbal Remedies for Your Seasonal Allergies

An allergy is an overaggressive immune response triggered by ingesting certain foods, touching certain substances, or inhaling an irritant such as pollen or animal dander. Allergies to pollen, spores, mold, and dust (also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis) affect the respiratory system and are usually the most difficult to control.

Symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes and nose, and headache. 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.

From a naturopathic viewpoint, allergies are often associated with weak adrenal, immune, and digestive functions. Natural treatments are used to support and improve those functions and to alleviate hay fever symptoms. For seasonal allergies, beginning natural treatments such as Stinging nettles 1–2 months before the season starts can help reduce the severity of symptoms. Good health can help ease allergy symptoms, and 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. This is best accomplished by the elimination and challenge diet.

Nutrition

To reduce allergy symptoms, eat a moderately low-fat, high-complex-carbohydrate diet. Drink 1/2 of body weight in ounces of water daily (e.g., a 150 lb person would drink 75 oz of water).

• 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

Eliminate the following from the diet:

• Alcohol, caffeine, and dairy products
• Bananas and citrus fruit
• Chocolate
• Food colorings (tartrazine)
• Peanuts
• Red meat
• Sugar
• Wheat

Using Organically Grown Herbs as 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 which Mountain Maus does not take part in. For this reason, it is recommended that only high-quality products be used. As with all medications, more is not better and overdosing can lead to serious illness and can make your ailment worse.

Some of the herbs used to treat hay fever symptoms are as follows:

• Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) - Used as an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.
• Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) - Reduces congestion and secretions. It is good for itchy eyes, sneezing, and excess mucus.
• Gingko (Gingko biloba) - Contains bioflavonoids and is used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
• Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) - Helps reduce allergic, inflammatory, and histaminic reactions and supports liver function.
• Red clover (Trifolium pratense) - Helps build the body’s resistance to allergies.
• Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) - Used as an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.
• 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 tincture form, combine several of them and take 1 -3 dropper 3 to 4 times a day.

Mountain Maus also has a tincture available called Allergy Reprieve that supports healthy sinus function. Allergy Reprieve contains herbs that have natural decongestant, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-viral properties. Allergy Reprieve helps to provide relief for both allergies and sinusitis.