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Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

  • Category: LiveSmart
  • Posted On:
  • Written By: Baldwin

If you don’t like taking medication for your allergies, try these natural remedies.

There’s no doubt that seasonal allergies can make life miserable. Sneezing, itching and watery eyes can make you want to stay indoors despite the fact that the weather outside may be the nicest of the year. But there’s no need to miss out on all the beauty and fun of the season just because you have allergies. You just have to find ways to effectively ease your allergy symptoms.

Many people rely on allergy medications to combat their seasonal allergies, especially if symptoms are very bothersome. But if you don’t want to take medication, or are still looking for ways to improve symptoms on top of the medication you take, you may find that natural remedies ease your symptoms.

Natural allergy remedies aren’t effective for all people and may work better for some symptoms than others. But since they’re natural, you don’t have much to lose by seeing if they work. If they do, great. If they don’t, you can try something else.

Here are 5 natural ways to treat seasonal allergies:

  1. Saline irrigation – Using a neti pot or saline spray can help flush out allergens in your nose and sinuses. Research shows this may be an effective way to treat allergic rhinitis and it does not cause side effects or negatively affect health.
  2. Food – What you eat affects your immune system, and your immune system affects your response to allergens. Studies have shown that probiotics may ease symptoms of seasonal allergies. Try adding yogurt or fermented foods, such as kimchi, kombucha or sauerkraut, to your diet. Quercetin, a flavonoid that stabilizes the release of histamines and is found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as green tea, may also help.
  3. Showering and laundering – When you get home after being outdoors, change your clothes immediately. Showering can also help by washing lingering allergens off your body and hair. Even if you can’t shower right away, do so before you go to bed so you’re not sleeping surrounded by allergens. Wash sheets in hot water weekly to reduce allergen exposure.
  4. Air filters – If you find yourself sneezing and sniffling when you’re indoors, invest in a HEPA filter to clear the air of pollen, dust, dander and other allergens. You can also limit allergens from circulating around your home by keeping windows and doors tightly closed. Air conditioning removes moisture from the air, which can encourage the growth of mold and mildew.
  5. Acupuncture – You may not think of acupuncture when you’re trying to find ways to reduce allergy symptoms, but research shows it may help by boosting your immune system.

For more LiveSmart articles, visit www.McKenzieHealth.org/LiveSmart.

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Date Last Reviewed: August 18, 2022

Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor

Medical Review: Perry Pitkow, MD

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