Look around you and you’ll see them: unhappy people with red and swollen eyes, sneezing and carrying tissues. Every year about 15 million people are affected by allergies. Are you one of them?
If your answer is yes, than you know how stubborn the allergies are, but partially dangerous too.
The reasons are familiar: overdoing hygiene, increase of concentration of dust in the air, herbs with aggressive allergens, increased stress – it can all cause a dangerous allergic reaction. All of these factors can cheat our immune system.
The defense system starts to produce a lot of histamine, which is not necessary, but causes pollen sneeze. This sneeze is dangerous because it causes other diseases of the respiratory tract, even asthma.
That is why it is really important to see a specialist after you feel the symptoms. He/she will confirm the pollen causing the reaction and subscribe the right therapy. But natural medicine also has ways and means for treatment of dangerous pollen allergies.
A German expert conducted these advices whose help you can use to make the symptoms milder and even cure them.
Sneezing, runny nose
When pollen first appears, you can start washing the nose with salty water. Add one teaspoon of regular salt in a cup of lukewarm water and sniffle it to wash the nose.
If you have allergic asthma, Devil’s hat pills will be of help since they spread the bronchia and make the inflammatory reactions milder.
If you have a dry nose, you should rub the nose balm containing dexapantenol in the nostrils three times a day.
If the bronchia are full of secret due to constant sneezing, do an inhalation with fennel oil: get 3 liters of boiling water and add 4-6 oil drops. Inhale the steam for about 10 minutes and repeat few times per day.
Long lasting allergies with spams can be helped by products made of ivy.
Headache
Quite often, the pollen allergy is caused by strong headaches. Simple cleanse with cold water can help. Cold shock stimulates the metabolism, improving the circulation and decreasing the tension in the head.
It is also very efficient to massage the temporal lobes with mint oil of tiger balm, in circular motions. You can also keep a towel soaked in cold water on the area.
Fight against stress
Stress can cause and strengthen pollen allergies. It has been proven in 30% of the cases. You can use yoga and meditation to relax the neuro-vegetative system, responsible for release of the dangerous histamine.
Many people with allergies get a reaction right after they hear that the concentration of pollen has increased. Mental training with visualization and relaxation can help with this, as well as self-hypnosis.
Red eyes and swollen eyelids
If the pollen allergy has attacked the eyes, swelling happens, eyes are teary or inflamed. This can be helped by the herb Auphrasia herba. Mix two teaspoons with a bit more water than a cup, cook it and leave it for 5 minutes. Get a cotton ball, soak it and keep it on closed eyes for 20 minutes.
Herbal Treatments
Aloe Vera helps in strengthening the immune system, supply of minerals and enzymes that stop secretion of histamine. Take 2 cups per day.
Capsules from tiger herb roots and Echinacea can be effective too and may serve as prevention.
Sauna and Baths
Sauna is a very good treatment for our body, because of the hot-cold change.
Morning showering with warm and cold water is also good (cold first). Don’t wipe with a towel.
Soaking the hands in cold also helps. Do it one hand then the other and keep them for 30 seconds up to 5 times.
Fatigue
Allergies are tiring, they paralyze concentration. To decrease the bad influence to memory, you need to pour 1-3 drops of etheric oil of basil or spruce in an aromatic lamp.
Gingko Biloba and ginseng products strengthen the brain circulation. Add one piece of ginseng in a cooked water, leaving it for a day and drink few times a day.
Avoid Pollen
The pollen season separates into three main sections:
- Tree pollen – late March to mid-May.
- Grass pollen – mid-May to July.
- Weed pollen – end of June to September
Source: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk
Tips:
Close the windows overnight. In big cities the pollen concentration is lowest in the early morning. Use the time after rain to work outside.
Don’t use a ventilator to cool the insides, it will only spread the pollen.
Wash your hair before you go to sleep and don’t leave the clothes you wore during the day in the bedroom.
If you are active outside at times when the pollen concentration is high, only use the nose for breathing – the nostrils are a filter.
Itchy Allergies
Compressions with added vinegar (1 tbsp per a liter of water) help the itch.
Also, herbal balms, creams and gels can be of huge help.
Good Diet and Vitamins
Zinc and selenium are really important for people with pollen allergies (10 mg zinc and 50 micrograms selenium a day). Magnesium stops histamine in the blood, so consume it too. Ex: Sea fish, whole grains, soy, integral rice, sunflower seeds etc.
Vitamin C intake must be increased, it partially turns histamine to safe acids. Ex: fresh sour cabbage, peppers, tomato and grapefruit.
Liquids are necessary, especially mineral water. Unpeeled apples are also good as is cabbage and jasmine tea. These foods contain an ingredient that blocks histamine secretion.
Avoid salami, cheese, nuts, tuna and white wine in the pollen season.
