Symptoms of hay fever and other allergies often include itching, sneezing, sore and stinging or irritated eyes. There are many allergy medications available nowadays, which must be taken every morning for proper effectiveness. But there are also natural remedies available for these complaints, without immediately resorting to regular medicines. This way you can reduce or counteract allergic complaints in a healthy and safe way.
Allergy and medications
Before you start taking medication to get rid of your allergy, it might be useful to see what you can do yourself or what nature can do for you. There are a lot of things you can do first to reduce your complaints. And we already know that many types of plants and herbs have medicinal properties, but what helps against allergies?
If you are allergic, histamine is released in your body if it has come into contact with a substance to which you are allergic. Regular medicines contain antihistamines, which suppress allergic reactions and block the action of histamine. But natural antihistamines can also be found in nature.
Natural antihistamines (allergy blocker)
- Nettles: nettles contain a substance that acts as a natural allergy blocker. The leaves of the nettles are freeze-dried and available in capsules at the health food store. Take 500 mg every day. for proper functioning. Or drink nettle tea to control hay fever.
- Gingko biloba: Another good allergy blocker is ginkgo biloba. This Japanese nut tree is known for its positive effect on memory, but it is also a good allergy fighter. These leaves contain ginkgolides and these inhibit the activity of the substance that triggers the allergy. They have a good effect on the blood circulation and ensure clean blood vessels.
- Quercetin: this is a natural coloring agent and is common in the plant kingdom and is therefore also found in our diet. It is commonly found in a number of consumed foods, such as red wine, apples, onions, green tea and also in blue grapes, but it is also used as a nutritional supplement. Quercetin inhibits the release of histamine. You can get capsules at the health food store. NB! Do not take this if you are already taking nettle capsules, because they already contain quercetin.
Start with omega-3 fatty acids
Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids. These counteract inflammatory reactions in the body and also the reactions caused by allergies. Good types of fish with these fats are salmon, sardines, fresh tuna and mackerel. You can also obtain capsules with these omega-3 fatty acids, but choose a capsule that provides 1000 mg EPA/DHA per day.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in linseed or flax seed oil. You can add the oil to a salad dressing or a glass of juice. Take 1 tablespoon per day.
Go for simple emollients
You can soothe red and itchy eyes by placing a cold, damp washcloth on the eyes. This can be done indefinitely, so whenever and however often you want. You can also use a nasal spray with saline solution. These have been used for a very long time to remove nasal mucus and keep the nasal passage moist. Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in 250 ml. hot water. Fill a syringe and inject it gently into the nostrils. Make sure you have a towel on hand.
Protect against hay fever symptoms
There are some remedies that are simple, but are often not thought about or forgotten. But there are a number of things that you can easily implement to minimize the burden of hay fever complaints.
Stay inside
Most patients who suffer from hay fever know when to stay indoors or avoid walking in nature. Nowadays there are pollen calendars on which you can see which plant or tree blooms the strongest. But also pay attention to thunderstorms. Before a thunderstorm, the humidity is high, causing pollen grains to swell and burst. This is how they spread their irritating contents, which can cause a hay fever attack. So stay indoors before the storm, and for a few hours afterwards.
You can also use a dust mask. You may not look hip wearing a dust mask, but if there is no other option and you know that you will come into contact with pollen, then wearing a dust mask is a nice means of protection. Dust masks are available at any DIY store.
Close windows and doors
Keep windows and doors closed during high concentrations of pollen in the air. The same also applies while driving. If you have air conditioning in the car, set it to indoor circulation, so that the pollen cannot still enter the car.
Wash your hair before going to bed. Dust and pollen can get into your hair and you unknowingly transfer them to your pillow.
Tackle dust mites
House dust mites are nasty creatures that cannot be seen with the naked eye and whose droppings can cause allergic complaints. They are found in curtains, carpets and beds, among other things. First of all, make sure that the dust mites have little to no chance of survival. Go for laminate or tarpaulin instead of carpet, opt for blinds or slats instead of curtains and provide special anti-dust mite covers for your mattress, duvet and pillow. There are even special hypo-allergenic mattresses for sale, so you significantly reduce the risk of dust mites.
Vacuum your house at least twice a week and change your sheets every week and wash them at a minimum of sixty degrees to kill the mites. Keep your house clean and avoid mess and dust, which are often home to dust mites. By installing a dehumidifier in your home, you keep the air in the house dry. House dust mites die when the humidity is lower than 45 percent.
Allergic complaints from animals
Make sure your pet does not enter your bedroom. Animal fur, dead skin cells, dried saliva and flakes from the fur can cause allergic complaints. These allergens remain in the room, even when the animal is gone. If you are allergic to your pet, for example your dog, consider letting the dog sleep outside in a cage. Even though it is unpleasant, it is still the best way to keep animal allergens outdoors as much as possible. You can also arrange something for cats outside your house, for example in the shed or a cat house in your garden. And keep your pet clean by giving him a bath or shower once a week. Only use water or suitable shampoo to remove most of the dander.
Keep the air clean
Nowadays there are many air purifiers with hepa filters that block the allergens that are spread through the air and can thus alleviate allergies to mold, pollen, and pet dander. Thorough cleaning of the home is also very important and in addition to the weekly care of your home, it is also advisable to have a major cleaning at least twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. If necessary, you can clean surfaces with a slightly diluted bleach, including the inside of the cabinets. This greatly reduces the amount of dust, mold, dander and other allergens. Don’t forget the cellars, this is a breeding ground for mold due to the often high humidity. Install a dehumidifier or moisture traps in basements and empty the reservoir regularly.
Homeopathic remedies
There are homeopathic remedies available that can provide relief from an acute attack of allergy, for both internal and external use. There are luffanil tablets available, which help with hay fever and house dust allergies. For allergic rashes or symptoms of eczema, you can use an ointment, cream or emulsion from Cardiflor. Optilan eye drops care for and soothe red and irritated eyes.
read more
- Food allergy; OAS, the oral allergy syndrome
- Cross-reaction in hay fever and food allergy
- The difference between food allergy and food intolerance
- Various causes of itching in the mouth
- What are the causes of itching in the ear
