Home remedies for allergies can bring a welcome relief to sufferers
without the use of drugs or the risk of side effects.
Every year we dream of spring and warm weather only to remember the dreaded allergy season – this year be prepared with the right home remedies to relieve all of your allergy symptoms.
Allergies Definition
An allergy is characterized by a reaction to a particular antigen,
also referred to as an allergen. An allergen can affect body tissues
and mucous membranes either by direct physical contact or by an allergen
being introduced to the bloodstream by absorption.
Allergies Causes
Some of the most common causes of allergic reactions are foods, animal
hair, medications, dust, pollen, heat, sunlight, cosmetics and poisonous
plants.
Allergies Symptoms
When the skin or mucous membranes come in contact with any number
of the above agents or when they are absorbed into the bloodstream,
a person may experience one or more of the following:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Itchy eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Rash or hives
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Swelling
- Nausea
Home Remedies for Allergies
The first step in discovering home remedies for allergies includes
identifying what the offending allergen is if this information is not
already clearly known. Through trial and error, and eliminating certain
factors in a person’s environment, an allergen can be isolated and identified.
Once identified, the best treatment is avoiding the allergen as much
as possible.
Other home remedies for allergies include:
- Ingesting local uncooked raw honey helps build immunity to pollen.
- Fresh ginger also builds immunity to allergens and reduces the amount
of histamines released in the body, which cause allergic reactions. - Drink a mixture of fresh lime juice from a half of a lime and lukewarm
water upon rising in the morning for a period of several months. The
mixture can be sweetened with honey to make the taste more tolerable.
Routinely ingesting this mixture helps rid the body of harmful toxins
and acts as an anti-allergen. People with citrus allergies should
avoid this treatment, however. - Juicing 16 ounces of carrot juice with 3 ounces each of cucumber
and beet juice and consuming the concoction once per day is an effective
home remedy for allergies. Juice fasts, where no other food is consumed,
also helps to strengthen resistance to certain allergies. - After a fresh juice fast of approximately one week, a person should
slowly return to a solid diet beginning with nothing but fresh fruits
and vegetables for an additional week. After the initial week, other
foods can begin to be reintroduced one ingredient at a time while
being cautious of potential allergens. If an allergic reaction occurs
during the reintroduction period, that food should be immediately
withdrawn and replaced with another. Finally, after three to four
weeks, meat and proteins can begin to be added to the diet one at
a time in this same way. By using this method, allergens can be eliminated
while the body strengthens through natural food choices. - Always avoid foods with preservatives and other additives.
- Unless the allergy is caused by ragweed, Chamomile tea is an excellent
natural antihistamine. - Daily doses of at least 400 mg of Vitamin E acts as a natural allergy
remedy. - Having healthy levels of Folate (a B vitamin) have been shown to reduce allergy symptoms. You can find Folate naturally in asparagus, broccoli and spinach.
- Flushing your sinuses out with a Neti Pot daily with a solution
of salt and warm water will eliminate most allergies as well as prevent
sinus infections.
Herbs that have found to be effective in decreasing allergies include:
- Eyebright
- Fenugreek seed
- Dong Quai
- Holy Basil
In using natural cures and home remedies for allergies, a person can accurately
identify the cause of their allergy symptoms and live allergy free without
concern about side effects from drugs. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
and making healthy choices can enrich a person’s overall life at the same
time their immune system.