Are you as overwhelmed as I am by all of the different pills that claim to fight allergies? And what about all of those side effects? Sometimes I think the side effects might be WORSE than the allergies themselves. Natural remedies for seasonal allergies to the rescue!
In this episode of our podcast, we talk about some natural remedies to help you battle nasty seasonal allergies.
Check out episode 32 of our podcast to hear our discussion or feel free to read on for a summary.
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5 Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies
The season of nasty colds, ugly flu viruses, and winter allergies are upon us. Coughing, chest congestion, itching, and achiness conspire to make us miserable. Television, magazine ads, and conventional medicine have taught us to rush to the drugstore and load up on cough syrups and drops; pills for congestion, itching, sniffling and sneezing; medicines to help us sleep, and ones to keep us awake.
Of course, if you’re sick and not getting better you should visit your doctor, but there are also many ways to combat (and even prevent!) these illnesses naturally.
With that, here are 5 of our favorite tips to help you naturally treat what ails you this cold and allergy season.
Hydrate!
Let’s start this list with the simplest of natural remedies, water.
Your body needs water, especially when you’re sick. Water not only helps flush out the bad stuff but it helps your body function properly so that it can heal.
Eat Healthy Whole Foods
Just like our bodies need water, they also need the right amount of nutrients to ensure they have what they need to fight off illness and inflammation.
By reducing processed foods and increasing whole foods in your diet, you’ll load your body with illness-fighting vitamins!
Try Out a Homemade Chest Poultice
A what?
A poultice is essentially a paste made of herbs, plants, and other healing substances (like salt and charcoal) used as a natural alternative to rubs that are made from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of the oil industry and doesn’t break down very easily so it’s not great for the environment.
Check out this article from Wellness Mama for more on poultices, including a few “recipes.”
As Wellness Mama states (and as we always state, too) please do not use any of these without first consulting your doctor.
Nasal Irrigation
Personally, I’m not a big fan of nasal irrigation but some folks swear by it.
According to the FDA, nasal irrigation systems such as neti pots and syringes are generally safe. It’s SUPER important, however, to keep them clean and use the correct type of water (distilled or sterile). Tap water should NEVER be used as it’s not filtered properly and can contain some harmful organisms.
As stated, nasal irrigation isn’t something I would do, but we’ve included it in our list because we know some folks who do and think it’s a great natural way to fight and relieve allergies.
Healing Herbs
Mother Nature certainly knew what she was doing when she created these healing herbs!
Even though honey is not an herb, we are including it on this list because of its healing properties. Note: Honey is not considered vegan so you should not use this if you are trying to stick to follow a vegan lifestyle.
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Additionally, here are some benefits of specific herbs for cold/allergy/flu symptoms:
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A Couple of Bonus Tips
These two bonus tips aren’t exactly “natural” remedies but they do help promote a more natural approach to allergy relief.
Use a Humidifier
Bacteria thrive in dry air. A good quality humidifier can help you keep your airways open and lessen chest congestion. We have a Honeywell humidifier that has some great features such as automatic shutoff and variable settings.
Improve humidity levels in your home & improve your comfort with a Honeywell humidifier
You can add a few drops of essential oils or herbs to the water for an added bit of congestion relief.
Use a Mask When Outside Doing Lawn Work Or Cleaning Your House
While you can find plenty of disposable masks to help keep you from breathing in allergens, we recommend reusable masks to help reduce waste.
The initial cost of a reusable mask is a little higher than disposable masks but you’ll save money in the long run.
We hope this has helped provide you with some ideas to help fight allergies with natural remedies vs. a TON of pills!
Quote of the Week
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
— Oscar Wilde
Recipes
Thanks for listening!
Peace and Veggies,
Vickie and Larissa