If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffers from seasonal allergies, you likely dread seeing the blooming flowers and budding trees of spring. This is a time of year when a lot of pollen floats through the air, which can cause an allergic response with symptoms such as stuffy and runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, sinus pain, and others. To help you find relief from your uncomfortable allergy symptoms, we’ve put together this list of some of the best natural remedies for seasonal allergies.
1. Stay Hydrated
When an allergen like pollen or mold enters your body, your immune system reacts by producing histamines. Histamines are the chemicals that cause your allergy symptoms. When you’re dehydrated, your body produces more histamines. If you want to relieve seasonal allergies, try drinking more water to stay hydrated and reduce histamine levels. Additionally, drinking more fluids can help thin and loosen mucus in your sinuses, providing some relief from your symptoms.
2. Rinse Your Sinuses
Rinsing your sinuses with saline using a nasal irrigation system can be beneficial in fighting seasonal allergies. You can use a neti pot or nasal bulb to flush your sinuses, which can rinse out allergens and mucus to reduce nasal congestion, sinus pressure, post-nasal drip, and other allergy symptoms. Nasal irrigation kits usually come with saline packets, but you can also make your own by mixing a cup of warm, distilled water with a half teaspoon of salt and a pinch of baking soda. Lean your head over the sink and rinse your sinuses with saline one nostril at a time.
3. Inhale Steam
Breathing in steam is one of the best natural remedies for seasonal allergies because it helps clear your nasal passages, relieving allergy symptoms such as congestion and sinus pain. Run a hot shower or bath and sit in the bathroom with the door closed to breathe in the steam. You can also fill a bowl with hot water and lean your face over it with a towel draped overhead to trap the steam as you breathe.
4. Gargle Salt Water
If your seasonal allergies cause an itchy or sore throat, you may benefit from gargling salt water. A saltwater gargle can reduce inflammation, loosen mucus, and soothe irritation and pain to provide much-needed relief. Mix half a teaspoon of salt in warm water and gargle the solution for about 30 seconds, then spit it out without swallowing. You can repeat this process several times a day as needed.
5. Eat Honey
Do you have a sore throat or cough caused by seasonal allergies? Eating a teaspoon of honey can help reduce throat irritation and soothe a cough. There’s also a popular theory that suggests eating locally produced honey may help reduce seasonal allergies. Although there’s no scientific evidence to prove it, this theory suggests that honey made by bees using local plants can desensitize the body to pollen. This could lower your allergic reaction over time.
6. Wash Up
You can’t stop pollen and other allergens from floating around outside, but you do have some control over the environment inside your home. As soon as you get home, you should remove your shoes, change your clothes, and take a shower to keep the allergens on your clothes, skin, and hair out of your indoor air. It’s also a good idea to use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter twice a week to trap allergens that have made their way into your home.
7. Take Natural Antihistamines
Certain nutrients have natural antihistamine properties that can help reduce your allergic response and relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies. It’s recommended to take 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day to help reduce histamine levels. Quercetin is another natural antihistamine that can help stabilize the release of histamines and control allergy symptoms. This nutrient can be found in citrus fruits, broccoli, cauliflower, and green tea, but you may benefit from taking a quercetin supplement to fully reap its benefits.
More Tips for Fighting Against Seasonal Allergies
These are some of the best natural remedies for seasonal allergies that can help you find relief. For more ways to handle allergy season, check out these best ways to fight against seasonal allergies to help prevent and treat allergy symptoms.
If you have any questions about ways to treat seasonal allergies or you’d like some recommendations on supplements or medications that could help, please reach out to us at The Drug Store. Our expert pharmacy team will be happy to provide the help you need so you can get back to feeling your best!
