Spring and summer may mean the end of the winter season and more time spent outdoors in the sun, but they also mean the beginning of allergy season.
For those with seasonal allergies, this makes spring and summer the most dreaded time of year – sufferers experience itchy, watery eyes, a stuffy nose, sneezing, and even difficulty breathing.
Many people with allergies seek relief from over-the-counter allergy medication. But before you reach for the anti-histamines, check out these natural remedies for common allergy symptoms.
1. Butterbur
Butterbur roots and leaves have a long history of being used to treat grass and pollen allergies. A double-blind trial found that the effectiveness of butterbur isn’t just an old wives tale – it’s not only an affective treatment for allergies, but it’s relatively well-tolerated as well(1).
Just be sure that your butterbur extracts are certified as “PA-free” – the plant itself contains a highly toxic ingredient known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can damage the liver and cause cancer.
2. Quercetin
Quercetin occurs naturally in onions, green tea, red wine, apples, berries, and several other foods as well. It works by affecting the immune system, preventing it from releasing histamines in response to specific allergens.
An anti-inflammatory, quercetin is effective in dealing not just with allergies, but in inhibiting contact dermatitis and photosensitivity as well(2).
3. Guduchi
Also known as Tinospora cordifolia, guduchi – a staple in the Ayurvedic pharmacy – has only recently begun to catch on in the west as an allergy medicine, but it’s newfound popularity is not unearned. There’s scientific evidence that guduchi is an effective anti-allergen(3).
4. Stinging Nettle
Despite the fact that this plant, when untreated, can deliver a chemical “sting” to the skin, when properly processed, stinging nettle extract can effectively inhibit several key inflammatory events that cause the symptoms of seasonal allergies(4).
5. Timothy Grass
Notable in particular because of it’s safety – even when taken by children – timothy grass can gradually immunize against hay fever(5).