7 effective natural remedies for seasonal allergies

Spring!Allergy season is upon us and millions of people are going to turn to medications to get some relief.Unfortunately, some of these medications might have harmful effects.The good news is there are many natural remedies that can help.  We already talked about the supplements in a previous post and these remedies are necessary at appropriate times but using prevention and lifestyle changes is also extremely important all year round.

Here are few helpful tips:

• Use a HEPA air filter or a whole house air filtration system
• Avoid other possible food allergens such as dairy, sugar or soy
• Keep windows closed during allergy season and close the fresh air vent in your car to prevent pollen, dust, and smog from entering in.
• Learn how to use a nasal rinse pot with saline solution after work or outdoor activities. This is recommended by conventional medicine as well so ask your doctor if you are a good candidate. This method works better if you use it as soon as you start feeling bad. A word of caution: use distilled water not tap water!
• Dietary changes: try an anti-inflammatory diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and rich in OMG-3 or fatty acids to decrease the histamine release. Lots of curcumin and raw local honey daily in small amounts can help too.
• Consider using a high-quality essential oil like lavender, peppermint or lemon. Inhaling diffused oils can help unclog the sinuses and offer relief to scratchy throats.
• Acupuncture or acupressure (no needles!) can also help most of the time.