Remedies for Allergies

Although it was common in the past to head straight to the chemist for treatment of allergy symptoms, many people these days prefer to try natural alternatives, often called herbal or folk remedies for allergies.

Amongst these are things like apple cidar vinegar, which has long been used to treat allergy symptoms. It has also been used for treating weight problems and for reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. The vinegar can be applied to the skin or taken orally. If the taste is unpleasant, then just dilute the vinegar and sweeten with a little honey.For those with pets, such as dogs or cats with allergies, the vinegar can be used as a spray or simply just placed in the food. Again, just dilute with a little warm water and spray onto the affected area as required. Common household items such as baking soda and oatmeal paste may also be used in a similar manner.

One of the best remedies for allergies, is avoidance. If you can detect what is causing the allergic reaction you can take steps to avoid the trigger.This is particularly relevant to spring and fall conditions such as asthma and hay fever, and to food intolerances. If you have any doubts when diagnosing the likely causes, then speak with your doctor who can organise a skin prick test to help with identifying the allergens causing your problems. You may even identify some allergies you never expected. Food Intolerance Test Kits are commercially available, and tests for such common allergens as dust mites, mold, dog and cat allergies, are also easy to obtain. You can even purchase these and test yourself at home.

The video shows a skin prick test being performed.

Once you are sure of the cause of the allergy, one of the most successful approaches is to remove or reduce the allergen from your environment. This can be done by cleaning your house and surroundings regularly, perhaps using special filters and vacuums, and by using allergy free detergents, soaps, make up etc. With food intolerance or allergies, be sure to carefully check ingredients in packaged and processed foods, and when eating out check with the restaurant staff.

Some commonly used natural or herbal remedies are lime water with honey, chamomile tea, ginger, thyme, garlic and green tea. Goldenseal inhibits histamines and is available in capsules or as an ointment. Vitamin C and Spirulina also have antihistamine properties, and so may be useful in preventing or reducing allergy symptoms. Another commonly used remedy for allergies is red clover which can be purchased as a tea or as capsules.

Always be careful when combining natural remedies, with pharmaceutical products, or if there are other medical conditions present. If in any doubt, then be sure to seek medical advice before trying the treatments, to make sure of your safety.

Acupuncture is now often used for relief from the symptoms of allergies, and for some sufferers has meant instant relief.

Author’s Other Articles:

Egg-Allergy-and-Swine-Flu-Vaccinations

Hay Fever Season

Eczema in Children

Food Intolerance

Asthma Allergy – What Triggers Your Wheezing?

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Herbal Health for managing Seasonal Allergies

There are a number of nutrients and herbs that can help with the management of seasonal allergies such as ragweed allergy, sinusitis and hayfever. These not only help with the symptoms but also with restoring the balance of the immune system.

They include:

Perilla: a herb which assists by inhibiting inflammation and restoring long term immune system balance, in patients with allergies.

Albizzia: a herb used in traditional Indian medicine, which greatly reduces the symptoms of acute hayfever and other seasonal allergies.

Quercetin: a natural vitamin like compound which calms the immune system, and reduces respiratory congestion and mucus.

Atractolodyes: a herb used in Chinese medicine to relieve nasal congestion and support healthy immune function.

The Digestive System – The root of all disease.

As the digestive system is the seat of health, an unhealthy system will contribute significantly to allergies. A large percentage of the total immune system of the body is present in the digestive system.This allows the body to know the difference between healthy foods and good bacteria, and harmful organisms including toxins.The body can then react appropriately.

If the digestive system contains toxic foods and harmful bacteria, the immune system will respond, and the result is inflammation, which can then lead to allergy problems.

A healthy diet is then essential for long term allergy management. Detoxification and probiotics ( beneficial bacteria) may be required to improve digestive health, and to restore “good” bacteria to the digestive system. These calm the immune system and reduce the allergic response.

Technorati Tags: herbal remedies, Remedies for Allergies, seasonal allergies

Ragweed Allergy

Ragweeds grow all over the United States, but are most prolific in the Eastern, Mid Eastern, Southern and Mid Western states.The main season for ragweed allergy is between July and October. In this period, as the nights become longer the ragweed flowers release their pollens, to be carried on the winds, to other plants which they will fertilise.

Ragweed grows particularly in rural areas, along road sides and river banks, and in vacant lots and fields. In areas close to where the plants are growing, the pollen counts will peak near dawn, and in town areas these peaks can be between early or mid morning and late afternoon, depending on the temperature, humidity and prevailing winds.

There are many species of ragweed in North America, as well as other members of the same family such as rabbit brush, sage brush and groundsel brush. These plants all shed pollen, which is then spread by the winds, leading to allergy reactions and the common ragweed allergy symptoms or hayfever.

Allergies are the result of overactive or oversensitive immune systems. In the healthy body the immune system locates and identifies “dangers” to the body such as viruses and bacteria, and then reacts to rid the body of them. People with allergies have unbalanced or oversensitive immune systems, that react to normally harmless substances such as pollen or dust, causing allergy symptoms, such as those seen in hayfever.

The ragweed allergy symptoms include sore or red and inflammed eyes, runny noses, sneezing and respiratory tract problems such as difficulty with breathing.

Allergies are most often treated with medications and sprays or by attempted avoidance of the allergen or substance causing the reaction. Antihistamines, decongestants, staying indoors, monitoring pollen counts, HEPA filters and even moving house to other areas are all things people try to alleviate their symptoms. Acupuncure and hypnosis have also become popular for treating those with allergies, as has immunotherapy or “allergy shots”.

However, before these treatments can even be considered, identification of the allergen causing the problem is necessary. Sometimes this is obvious, sometimes it is not. Skin prick tests and careful medical examination including review of medical history, or step by step elimination of the likely allergens have proved successful in many cases.

A growing consensus in these modern days is that perhaps the best approach to allergies is the holistic one which aims to restore the correct balance in the body, and strengthen the immune system, rather than just treating the symptoms of the reaction.

Reducing inflammation, restoring the balance in the immune system and supporting long term immune health are all vital steps in managing the seasonal allergies like hay fever, ragweed allergy and sinusitis.

There are a number of natural substances that can help with this.

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Do you suffer from Sinusitis, Hay Fever, Asthma or other Seasonal Allergies?

Natural medicines can help with the management of these allergies!

For many, the spring season is a misery, as the large number of flowering plants, triggers the symptoms of hay fever, sinusitis and pollen allergies.

Pollen, in particular, is a key trigger for allergic responses such as hay fever. Other allergens include mold spores, dust, grasses and animal dander. These allergens irritate and inflame the nasal passages, resulting in the symptoms of watery eyes, sneezing, itchiness, runny nose and congestion.

Sinusitis may be caused by infection of the sinuses or by allergic reaction, and is a painful condition involving the internal “hollow spaces” around the eyes and cheeks. The common symptoms are head aches and mucus congestion. Risk factors for sinusitis also include cigarette smoke, mouth and dental diseases, nasal polyps and frequent colds.

In all these allergic conditions, the body’s immune system becomes unbalanced and over reactive causing excessive immune system activity. This excessive activity is what causes all of the signs and symptoms of the allergy reactions.

Standard pharmaceutical treatments do little to address this immune system imbalance. Such treatments as decongestants, anti histamines and steroids, can and do provide relief from the symptoms, but do not address the causes.

Supporting long term immune system health and restoring the body’s immune system balance is vital for really managing these seasonal allergies.

There are many natural substances or remedies for allergies, that have demonstrated the ability to reduce the immune system reaction excess, and so restore a balance to the immune system.

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Mold Allergy Symptoms

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