Allergies are the worst. Anyone who is suffering with them understands what I am talking about. I have been a lifelong allergy sufferer however I have found many natural ways to help alleviate my allergy symptoms. Here are my 9 effective natural remedies for combatting allergies that have drastically helped me over the years and things I am always sharing with my OWL patients who suffer from owllergies :)
Local honey: consuming local honey is a popular remedy for allergy sufferers because it contains traces amounts of pollen from local flowers. By ingesting these small amounts, over time your body can build up immunity to the allergens, thus decreasing your immune response to them. I always love making tea and adding a nice dab of honey to it!!
Neti pot: personally this has been life changing. I use mine daily in the shower, because it can be a little messy. A neti pot allows you to rinse your nasal passages with a saline solution (salt water). This will clear out/rinse out your mucus lining where allergens and things can get trapped. Be sure to use clean water, distilled or boiled to avoid introducing bacteria into your sinus.
Probiotics: gut health plays a big role in immune function, so taking probiotics can help strengthen your immune system and reduce allergy symptoms. I personally take THORNE probiotics.
4. Vitamin C: I am alway a fan of getting your vitamins from food sources, but if you can’t then a good supplement can go a long way. Again, I personally really like the THORNE supplement line and my entire family uses them. Vitamin C is an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory vitamin. Oranges and strawberries have high amounts of vitamin C. So get eating.
5. MSM: studies have shown that MSM may be effective in reducing allergy-like symptoms by lowering the release of cytokines and prostaglandins, which are important modulators in the inflammatory process.
6. Essential oils: diffusing certain oils or applying them topically can help manage allergies. Oils like lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus have anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties. So get smelling before you cant smell!
7. Air quality: keeping your indoor air clean and free of allergens can help reduce symptoms by reducing exposure. Use a HEPA air purifier, regularly change your air filter and keep windows closed during high pollen season.
8. Diet: Processed foods are high in salt, sugar and food additives which are more likely to trigger an immune response and cause inflammation. By limiting your exposure to these foods you are decreasing inflammation which allows your body to deal with allergies and other issues more effectively. Also increased dairy intake can lead to excess mucus production, anyone who suffers from allergies knows this is a problem.
9. Get adjusted: Chiropractors work to remove subluxations, thus allowing better communion of the brain to the rest of the body. This allows the nervous systems to work in balance and better communicate to the immune system. When your immune system is working better your allergy symptoms are reduced.
You may never be able to 100% clear up your allergies, however there are many natural things you can do to help yourself. Remember the stronger and healthier you are the better able your body is going to be able to deal with stuff. I always tell my OWL patients, we can always do more but you can not do less. Try some of these natural ways before moving into more extreme things and remember you never have to worry about WHOOs got your back, because OWL does.
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