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The springtime brings with it so many wonderful things. I love getting out to enjoy the blooming flowers and the warm weather. Unfortunately, my spring allergies have me coughing and sneezing quite a lot this year, so I took it upon myself to research some natural ways to lessen the severity of my allergy symptoms. Take a look at what I found. Enjoy!
Try a Saline Rinse
Many people use a Neti pot to rinse the allergens out of their nasal passages. A ceramic or plastic Neti pot looks kind of like a small tea pot. You simply mix 16 ounces of lukewarm water with one teaspoon of salt in your Neti pot. Adding half a teaspoon of baking soda to the mixture can soften the effect of saltwater on your nasal passages. Stand over the bathroom sink and tilt your head to the side at about a 45 degree angle. Place the spout of the Neti pot to your top nostril and slowly pour the solution into it. Most of the solution will rinse your nasal passages and exit through the bottom nostril. Try not to let too much of the solution drip down your throat.
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Take Fish Oil
Do you take fish oil? Taking a fish oil supplement can help to relieve allergies. It can reduce the amount of leukotrienes in a person’s system. Leukotrienes have been linked to allergic reactions.
Wash Your Hair Each Day
Dust, pollen and other allergens can cling to your hair when you’re outdoors. Washing your hair each day can remove pollen and other particles that can aggravate your spring allergies. If you don’t like to wash your hair every day, try wearing a hat with a wide brim when you go outdoors.
Keep the Windows Closed in Your Home
Floating pollen and dust can enter your home through open windows. Check the weather report to see if the pollen count is high before leaving the windows open to enjoy the breeze. If you do happen to leave the windows open when the pollen count is high, vacuum your carpet with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter.
Wear Sunglasses
When you wear sunglasses, you’re blocking out the sun’s rays and protecting your eyes from floating pollen. Without sunglasses, mall particles of pollen can cling to your eyelashes, causing you to rub your eyes. This pushes the pollen into them, causing redness and irritation.
Try Adding Turmeric to Your Diet
Turmeric is a spice with an ingredient called curcumin. This ingredient serves as a decongestant and may help to decrease the severity of your allergy symptoms. You may even like the kick that turmeric gives to your chicken, rice, and other entrées.
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Enjoy a Citrus Drink
First, squeeze the juice from half a lemon and two oranges into a container. Next, add one tablespoon of organic honey to the mixture. Chill this drink for a few hours in the refrigerator and enjoy it in a glass with crushed ice. The simple drink contains a lot of vitamin C, which can help to relieve spring allergy symptoms. Vitamin C boosts your immune system, making you less vulnerable to spring allergies.
Snack on a Unique Trail Mix
Pour one cup of walnuts and one sliced apple into a plastic sandwich bag. Shake the bag to combine its contents and you have a mixture that may relieve your allergy symptoms. Apples contain an ingredient called quercetin. Quercetin helps to cut down on the production of histamine in your body. Walnuts are high in magnesium which can relieve the coughing connected with allergies. Walnuts also contain vitamin E, which can strengthen a person’s immune system. Most importantly, this trail mix is truly delicious!
Try a few of these ideas and let me know how they work for you!