Top Ten Natural Remedies For Allergies

Top Ten Natural Remedies For Allergies. Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com. Photo © Shutterstock 1038117010 (under license)

Managing allergies seems to be a very difficult thing for some individuals, especially when they’re still surrounded by the very triggers that cause their allergic reactions. While some people overdo it on the antihistamines (with possibly dangerous side effects), there are actually some natural ways to manage your allergies. Here are ten ways that are reported to be valuable in managing your allergies naturally:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Long touted by ancient physicians as a remedy for a wide array of various ailments, apple cider vinegar may also be employed as a remedy for allergies when taken orally. It should be noted that only unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the ‘Mother’ strain of yeasts found in it possess immuno-supportive properties that may help to boost the overall strength of your immune system and allow it to stave off allergies. When employed as a pre-breakfast and pre-bedtime drink (a capful or two tablespoonfuls of the liquid diluted in a glass of water), it not only helps to stimulate the appetite and improve the body’s ability to assimilate nutrients, but it also improves the overall function of the lymphatic system.

2. Raw Honey

Raw honey or un-pasteurised honey is another great way to help heal your body of allergies naturally. Honey is a well-known therapeutic ‘food’, with its myriad of medicinal benefits having been touted by ancient physicians since time immemorial. A tablespoon of raw honey taken as a pre-breakfast and pre-bedtime syrup (or otherwise diluted in a glass of water, preferably with un-pasteurised apple cider vinegar) should to boost your immune system to fight against allergies when taken orally. Raw honey may also be employed topically as a remedy for itchiness, swelling, redness, and other commonplace allergic conditions. Care must be taken when employing raw honey however, as this natural anti-histaminic substance may cause allergic reactions in some individuals, not due to any allergen found in honey itself (honey is hypoallergenic), but due to the possiblity of the inclusion of pollen, which itself is an allergen.

3. Calendula

Calendula is a well-known healing herb which is commonly employed as a remedy for skin disorders in the form of calendula oil. A now little known fact is that the petals of the calendula plant may also be infused as a tisane and drunk to help alleviate the symptoms of allergies, as well as to boost the immune system to help increase the chances of fighting off allergic reactions. Topical problems such as localised itching, redness, and other markers of an allergic reaction may be remedied by either a rinse made from strongly infused calendula petals, or through the topical application of calendula oil.

4. Lemongrass

Lemongrass has long been employed by many island cultures as a remedy for allergies. Often strongly decocted and employed as a rinse or as bath water to help relieve the discomforts of allergies, lemongrass may even be decocted and drunk as a tisane. It possesses natural immuno-boosting and anti-histaminic properties which may help to reduce the incidence and severity of allergies, as well as boost overall physical health when consumed in moderate amounts on a regular basis.

5. Peppermint

Commonly employed as an analgesic and decongestant, peppermint also makes for an excellent remedy for allergies, especially allergies of the skin and nasal passageways. When strongly decocted and employed as a rinse, it can help to lessen the discomforts caused by topical allergies. When decocted and drunk as a tisane, it may help to unclog the nasal passageways, stimulate often flagging appetite, and boost the immune system overall. A handful of dried peppermint leaves may even be thrown into a pot of boiling water and the ensuing steam inhaled to provide relief from nasal and bronchial congestion. Alternately, its essential oil may be inhaled, in full or diluted form, to elicit the same effect.

6. Nasal Irrigation

One of the most effective (albeit somewhat relatively obscure) remedies for nasal congestion – a very common occurrence for individuals who suffer from allergies – is nasal irrigation. It is often performed using a saline solution dissolved in warm, sterile water, and applied through the use of a neti pot – a unique ceramic or plastic container which is slightly tilted to the nasal orifice to wash out the area, allowing the solution to drain out of the other nostril. Care should be taken when employing nasal irrigations, for while it may be helpful, it must only be done sparingly.

7. Ginseng Root

While ginseng is commonly taken as an aphrodisiac, a not-so-well-known use for it is as an immune-boosting spice that can help to increase and enhance the body’s natural ability to fend off diseases, allergies among them. Ginseng root may either be decocted and drunk as a beverage, or otherwise applied as a healing rinse, salve, or ointment. Supplementing with ginseng, either through drinking it as a beverage, or by partaking of it in capsule or tablet form may help to improve the body’s resistance to certain allergies and other diseases, while topical liniments or salves which contain ginseng root make for excellent soothing balms for skin allergies.

8. Lavender

Lavender is a well-known soothing herb, although it is commonly employed as a sleeping aid. It can, however, also be used to help relieve the discomfort of skin allergies. It may be employed as a topical rinse, or otherwise used as a salve through the dilution of its essential oil in your choice of base oil (i. e. coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, etc.; calendula oil and jojoba oil are recommended). I can be applied whenever breakout happen as a ‘quick-fix’ remedy, although it is best used in conjunction with other home remedies.

9. Tea Seed Oil

Note – do not confuse with tea tree oil, something completely different! – tea seed oil, better known as tsubaki in Japan is an ancient oil known throughout nearly the whole of Asia, but is most popularly employed in Japan and China. It has been employed as a healing salve for various skin allergies and other topical disorders since ancient times. When employed as a daily healing salve, it not only helps to combat the severity of topical allergic reactions, but also allows for the faster healing of skin. Tea seed oil also helps improve skin’s resilience to future allergic reactions, and its hypoallergenic nature makes it perfect for daily use. It may be employed as a soothing skin oil or a nourishing hair oil, either in its pure form, or as a base for essential oils.

10. Specialised Diet

One of the most overlooked aspects of home-based allergy management is a specialised diet. Oftentimes, the cause of allergies are not only external triggers such as dust, but internal triggers such as wrong foodstuffs. Find out what foods you are allergic to and avoid their consumption, while at the same time fortifying your diet with foods that help to boost the immune system in general to make fighting allergies much easier. A strong immune system is less prone to being assailed by allergies than a weak one, and the stronger the immune system the faster it can adapt and heal itself. This can be achieved through a proper and well-planned dietary regimen.

Treating allergies at home need not be expensive or difficult, as there are a number of remedies that can be employed for the proper management and eventual cure of allergies. It should be noted that the remedies given above are not ‘stand-alone’ remedies, but can be employed in conjunction with one another if so desire, and to greater effect.