Fighting Allergies Holistically

Written By lucy nystrom

For many of us, the arrival of spring brings welcomed warmer weather and blooming flowers. But for allergy sufferers, spring can also mean months of misery with symptoms like sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, and sinus pressure. If you're looking for some natural, holistic ways to combat your spring allergies, you've come to the right place. While over-the-counter antihistamines can provide relief, they also can cause unwanted side effects like drowsiness. Why not try some remedies that can alleviate your symptoms without the adverse reactions?

Local Honey for Local Allergies 

As a holistic health coach, I always aim to help my clients find remedies for ailments by using natural, whole foods when possible. Local, raw honey contains pollen spores from the specific plants growing in your local area. By consuming small amounts of local honey, you are essentially doing immunotherapy by ingesting tiny doses of the pollen that triggers your allergy symptoms. This can help desensitize your body to the pollen over time.

The bees transfer pollen from the local plants and flowers into the honey they make from the nectar. So eating honey from your general geographic area exposes your system to the regional pollen, which can help build up your immunity over time. Many people find that regularly consuming a teaspoon or two of local, raw, unpasteurized honey can significantly reduce their allergy symptoms.

The "local" part is key - honey from across the country or around the world won't provide relief because it contains different pollen than what you're exposed to in your region. You want honey produced by bees pollinating flowers growing within about a 50 mile radius of where you live.

In addition to potential allergy relief, local raw honey provides antioxidants, nutrients, and antibacterial properties that processed honey lacks. It's a wholesome, minimally processed sweet treat you can feel good about! Look for local honey at farmer's markets, health food stores, or direct from local beekeepers.

Local Honey:

  • Sep’s

  • Latham’s

  • Stand across from Latham’s

  • Harelegger Honey (Shelter Island) 

  • Promise Land Apiaries 

  • Shelter Island Farmers Market 

  • and many more

Supplements and Other Holistic Remedies 

Quercetin

One supplement that might help is, Quercetin, a bioflavonoid that gives fruits and vegetables their rich colors. It's also a potent antioxidant that can help calm inflammatory issues like allergies. Studies show quercetin can provide powerful natural antihistamine benefits by stabilizing histamine reactions and preventing inflammation.

While you can get quercetin from foods like apples, onions, grapes, green tea, and berries, it's difficult to get a highly concentrated dose from dietary sources alone. That's where quercetin supplements come in. Look for them in health food stores or online and take as directed on the bottle. Many people find quercetin works best when combined with vitamin C, bromelain (an enzyme from pineapple), and other natural anti-inflammatory compounds.

Saline Rinses

Sometimes the simplest solutions can bring the most relief when it comes to allergies. That's certainly true of saline rinses to flush out your nasal passages and sinuses. All you need is a sterile saltwater solution, which you can either purchase pre-made or mix up yourself using purified water, salt, and baking soda.

Using a neti pot or squeeze bottle, you'll lean over a sink and gently flush out each nostril with the saline rinse. This can wash away mucus, allergens, and irritants that are causing havoc in your nasal and sinus passages. Many people find this brings fast relief and helps keep allergies at bay when used regularly during allergy season. Just be sure to use sterile water and keep your neti pot very clean.

Here are a few options: 1, 2, 3

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is an acidic allergy aid and may help reduce inflammation and mucus production.  While it may seem counterintuitive, adding more acid to your body can actually help alkalize it and provide some relief from allergies. Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV) has long been used as a folk remedy for allergies and sinus issues.

The vinegar helps break up mucus in the body and removes sinus blockages. It's thought to help allergies by detoxifying the body and thinning out mucus buildup. Many people mix 1-2 tablespoons of ACV into a glass of water or tea and drink it once or twice per day during allergy season.

The vinegar can also be really helpful for sinus rinses. Just add 1 teaspoon of ACV to 1 cup of warm sterile saltwater solution. Use this to rinse out your nasal passages and flush out congestion, pollen, and other allergens.

The pungent, somewhat harsh flavor of ACV may take some getting used to. But many allergy sufferers happily make it a part of their daily routine for the relief it provides.

Try Sweet Woodland Farms Fire Cider Tonic


Your Local Naturopathic Clinic

Stop by Tulsi Square in Southold, your local naturopathic clinic, for all your allergy needs. You can book a consultation with Dr. Stephenie Pisacano (Licensed Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner) and Dr.Jake Shettell (Licensed Naturopathic Doctor) or shop their vast supplement section.  

Here are some of Stephenie’s favorite allergy remedies: 

AllQlear by Integrative Therapeutics 

This natural supplement is formulated with ingredients inspired by a fascinating story of a French doctor from the 1970s who noticed that French farmers who raised quail had fewer allergies, leading doctors to prescribe raw quail eggs to allergy sufferers with good success. Since then studies have shown that the ovomucoids in quail eggs act as serine protease inhibitors, reducing allergy symptoms.

Click to shop

Ortho Molecular D Hist (for adults) and D Hist Jr (for kids)

D Hist is a blended formula for seasonal allergies. Quercetin is known for its ability to stabilize mast cells, which diminishes the release of histamine, the compound known to cause hypersensitivity reactions during seasonal changes. Paired with Bromelain has been shown to enhance the absorption of quercetin and to reduce circulating allergenic protein complexes associated with hyper-immune sensitivity and seasonal discomfort. Stinging nettle leaf controls prostaglandin formation and histamine action, thus contributing to a balanced inflammatory response. N-Acetyl-Cysteine helps to thin the mucus in the nasal passages, helping to clear congestion associated with allergies. Vitamin C has many immune-boosting properties but is distinctively beneficial for individuals with seasonal discomfort because of its ability to deactivate histamine.

Click to shop

Bi Yan Pian

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), sinusitis is associated with the Chinese Medicine diagnosis of Wind Heat or Wind-Cold invasions. This formula is a blend of TCM herbs, helping to disperse Wind Heat or Wind Cold, opening up the nasal passages. Biyan Pian is most often used to treat acute and chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. 

Click to shop

Herbs For Seasonal Allergies

There are a variety of herbs that also help reduce seasonal allergy symptoms.  I recommend contacting your local herbalist for advice, scheduling a consultation, custom blends, or shop their tinctures, herbs, and teas for allergies. 

Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle is an herb that has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce allergic reactions. It is a natural antihistamine and is an underrated herb that can be a powerful weapon against allergies. It has been used for centuries to treat hay fever and other allergic reactions. The leaves of the stinging nettle plant naturally reduce the body's ability to produce histamine, which is what causes all those uncomfortable allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny nose.

You can take stinging nettle as a supplement or brew up a fresh nettle leaf tea using either dried or fresh nettle leaves. The tea has a rich, earthy flavor that's similar to green tea. Just be careful when harvesting fresh nettle leaves as they can cause skin irritation upon contact! Many people find that taking stinging nettle regularly is as effective as over-the-counter antihistamine medications, without the inconvenient side effects.

Try Local Herbalist Kayla Barthelme’s of Soul Creation’s Stinging Nettle Tincture  

Butterbur

This ancient herb has gotten a lot of attention in recent years for its ability to combat hay fever and other allergy symptoms. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat coughs, asthma, and allergic nasal congestion.

Recent studies show that Butterbur is as effective as antihistamine drugs like Zyrtec and Allegra when it comes to relieving allergies, but without causing the sedative side effects. The active ingredients in butterbur's root and leaves are anti-inflammatory compounds called petasins that help stop the body's inflammatory response to allergens.

You can take butterbur as a tea, a supplement in capsule, tablet, or tincture form. Just be sure to purchase butterbur products that are certified and labeled as being free of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which are potentially toxic compounds. 

Local Herbalist: 

Don't let seasonal allergies get you down this spring! Try incorporating some of these holistic, natural remedies like local honey,  herbs, supplements, and other natural allergy-fighters into your routine and breathe easier all season long. Be patient and give these holistic remedies time to take effect for an easier allergy season. Of course, see your doctor if symptoms are severe. But trying simple, side-effect-free local honey is a great first line of defense!






THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANY OF THESE REMEDIES.

lucy nystrom