I’ve been a victim of seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember. If you suffer from them, you know how miserable they can be. I took over-the-counter allergy medicines for years along with a nasal spray when my symptoms were really bad. And, for awhile they worked. Kind of. But, the older I got, the worse my allergies got, the less my “solutions” seemed to be working, and the more I was looking for more natural solutions.
Symptoms of seasonal allergies
How do you know if you’re suffering from seasonal allergies? A great starting place is looking at your symptoms. You may not have all of the below, but if you have any of them it’s a good possibility you are dealing with seasonal allergies. I like to check my weather app to see what allergen(s) might be really high when I’m struggling to further confirm it is in fact seasonal allergies.
- Congestion, including stuffy nose, post-nasal drip, and cough
- Itchy eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Swollen eyelids
- Low energy
- Skin irritation
Is it seasonal allergies or a cold?
Good question! And it’s one that many of us have thought a number of times, I’m sure. Both can cause congestion, low energy, among other things. With a cold, the congestion will lessen over time, but allergy-related congestion will linger as long as you are exposed to the allergen. Another reason why it’s a good idea to check your weather app to see if any allergens are at a high count. If they aren’t, then maybe you’re dealing with a cold.
My favorite natural remedies
- Gargle with salt water to soothe a sore throat.
- Clear your nose and throat of irritants (mold, pollen, etc.) by using a saline nasal rinse. This is the one I have used for years and it’s amazing.
- Nettle tea (infusion) can help treat histamine overreactions and inflammation – an infusion is just a strong tea. To make, simply put loose nettle leaf into a saucepan and cover it with water, bring to a boil, turn the heat off, cover and let sit anywhere from overnight to 24 hours. After brewing, you could add some honey or another natural sweetener if needed. You can buy nettle leaf on Amazon, this one is a great quality. Check out this website for more info on stinging nettle leaf.
- Raw unfiltered local honey – the idea behind this one is that by consuming local honey, you’re ingesting local pollen. Over time, your body could become less sensitive to it. While the evidence on this one is not as strong, if you’re going to use honey you may as well choose one that could support your seasonal allergies and has more nutrients.
- Essential oils allergy trio – lemon, lavender, and peppermint are what I like to call the allergy trio. Together they can support seasonal allergies in a powerful way. When my symptoms are really stubborn, I take a natural allergy pill that has these 3 essential oils in it. It’s called Triease and it works better than anything else I’ve tried!
- Essential oils for congestion – if your seasonal allergies cause a lot of congestion, post-nasal drip, or breathing issues, I’d also recommend using essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, and laurel leaf that are great for opening airways. I personally love a blend called Breathe that has these oils plus some other powerful oils in it. Our family also really loves these Breathe Drops for helping open airways, soothe the throat, and assist in better breathing.
Those are some of my favorite go-to methods to treat seasonal allergy discomfort. I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones that have really worked for our family. The best part is that I haven’t taken over-the-counter allergy medicine or nasal spray in over 2 years! As with everything else, make sure you’re drinking adequate water and eating a sufficient amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy greens. These will help your immune system stay strong and can also help prevent your body from producing too much histamine…which all allergy sufferers know is not a good thing!
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