7 Natural Remedies for Allergy Season
Sunny skies and warmer temperatures are always a fan favorite as spring rolls in with its growth of green leaves. There’s nothing like walking outside to bask in the sunshine. Smiles are widened. Moods are heightened and the flowers are blooming. For those that suffer from seasonal allergies, the warmth we so appreciate initiates the beginning of something we so dread - pollen. Originally from Seattle, and having been a resident of Chicago, now living in Georgia, I must say, the pollen here has absolutely no chill. The symptoms are real.
I just had a conversation with a stranger from Philly while at an Atlanta Hawks game. The Hawks won, by the way, but I digress. As I sneezed in my N95 mask, the two of us discussed just how bad our allergies are in Atlanta compared to the previous cities we inhabited. He said, “I take 4 allergy pills every morning.” The conversation continued as I suggested some natural remedies for allergies for him to try. For those of you suffering from sneezing, scratchy throats, sniffles, runny noses, and congestion that gives you the feeling of your head feeling bloated, read on for 7 natural remedies for allergy season.
Exercise
Engaging in physical activity has far too many benefits to list them all here. In an effort to get you from the head bloating feeling of congestion, just know it is important to add exercise to your weekly regimen. While exercising you increase your circulation, which moves allergens from being sedentary and supports your body in fighting off those dreadful allergy symptoms. Remember, during allergy season, stray away from physical activity outdoors where you may be faced with an incessant amount of pollen!
Quercetin
This plant flavonol has grown in popularity over the past decade or so. Apart of the flavonoid group of polyphenols, Quercetin can be found in some of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Known to have a bitter taste, Quercetin has anti-inflammatory properties that help to rid you of some seasonal allergy symptoms. When wanting to get a convenient dosage of quercetin, try Real Good Tea beverage, Stay Well.
Elderberry
A dark purple berry from the European elder tree, elderberry has immunity-boosting properties. Known to be used as a natural cough syrup, elderberry also carries its weight when it comes to helping to combat seasonal allergies. Many times, allergy symptoms get confused with a common cold because of the effects it has on the same bodily functions.
Elderberry can be taken in liquid, pill, or even lozenge form. With its production of inflammatory cytokines, this powerful berry has been used as an effective ingredient to fight common allergy symptoms.
Neti Pot
When in doubt, a neti pot combined with saline solution can potentially provide relief from allergy symptoms, especially sneezing and congestion. Many times, pollen can get stored in the nasal cavity, so introducing nasal irrigation to your seasonal allergy relief plans could make a huge difference. It may not feel the most comfortable at first, but once you get used to it, and realize the benefits, it may feel like it is worth the while.
Vitamin D
Vitamin d is one of those vitamins we can acquire from many foods we typically enjoy. Somehow though, still 42% of the US population is actually deficient in this vitamin that is both a hormone and a nutrient. Sourced from foods like cod, salmon, spinach, and even bananas, when you choose to supplement your diet with vitamin d, this vitamin can potentially help in decreasing the severity of both allergies and asthma with its immunity-boosting, infection-fighting, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Turmeric
Have you heard of turmeric? This native to Southeast Asia spice has become its own celebrity of sorts in the world of supplements. Now added to diets around the world while cooking, in smoothies, or in powder, liquid and of course pill form, turmeric is one of the most well-known anti-inflammatory prevention options on the market.
When your nasal is congested, this is typically due to inflammation. According to MindBodyGreen, the symptoms of allergies like red itchy, runny eyes, and the swelling and irritation of our airways all come from unbridled inflammation caused by chemicals that we release from our own cells in a misguided attempt to protect ourselves. Therefore, anything that makes us more inflamed—whether it's food, chemicals, or even stress—can worsen our allergies.
Doesn’t this urge you to want to prevent inflammation as much as you can?
Give turmeric a try, and when you want a convenient option of obtaining a source of turmeric, you can try Stay Well, a functional beverage with turmeric, elderberry, prebiotics, and ginger.
Prebiotic and Probiotics
Did you know 70% of the immune system is in the gut? This just means that more than half of our protective system against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites occurs in our tummies. Wouldn’t it make sense for us to make an effort to replenish our bodies, and immune system with good bacteria to help with the internal tussle happening in our tummies?
Well, in comes probiotics. Probiotics are the good bacteria you can take as a supplement in liquid, powder, or pill form. Prebiotics are a nondigestible form of bacteria that feeds the probiotics (good bacteria) to combat all the unnecessary things that could cause the immunity in your gut to function properly. Try taking both when it comes to tackling seasonal allergies. The stronger your immune system is the better able your body may be in combating those awful allergies you could be faced with yearly.
As you embark on the seasonal allergy experience, take your time in selecting what may work best for you. Having an all-natural remedy to try may or may not be beneficial for you. Either way, no matter where you are in your health and wellness journey, select a functional beverage designed to help support you when you need it most. Real Good Tea has four options to choose from and are all infused with hemp extract, vitamins, herbs, and botanicals to make it easy to choose good for you ingredients.