When you suffer from seasonal allergies, it can start to seem like going out of the house during allergy season just isn't worth the trouble. Coughing, sniffling, sneezing, and wheezing can really impact your life when the symptoms persist for an entire season. And if conventional allergy medications produce unwanted side effects or interact with other medications you need to take regularly, you can feel helpless to stop your own suffering. However, there may be hope in the form of natural allergy relief remedies. Take a look at some natural allergy remedies that may be right for you.
Nettle Leaf
When your allergies are caused by the pollen in the plants growing outside, it may not occur to you to look for a remedy growing among those plants. But nettle leaf, which is normally considered a weed, can actually be an effective remedy for allergy sufferers. You may know the nettle leaf as the "stinging nettle," so called for the fine barbed hairs on its leaves that produce a burning sensation when you touch them.
The fact is, it's those fine hairs that make the nettle leaf an effective allergy treatment. That burning sensation you feel when you grab fresh nettles in a field is a histamine reaction, and that same histamine reaction can lessen your allergy symptoms just like over the counter antihistamines do. Of course, that doesn't mean that you have to go out into a field and pick your own nettles. You can buy them freeze-dried. Experts recommend doses of 300 mg of freeze-dried nettles two or three times a day. You can make it into soups or teas. You can also purchase nettle leaf in capsule or tincture form.
Apple Cider Vinegar
There's a good chance that you already have apple cider vinegar in your pantry. It's a commonly used ingredient in many recipes. It's widely used as a natural remedy for allergies because of the many nutrients that it possesses. Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins A, B6, and C, among others, and it also contains acetic and malic acids. These compounds help your body maintain its natural pH level and can also boost your immune system.
To use apple cider vinegar for allergy relief, simply swallow one to two teaspoons of the vinegar every day. If you don't like the taste, mixing a teaspoon of vinegar with a teaspoon of honey and eight ounces of water can make it more palatable. Choose organic apple cider vinegar for best results.
Acupuncture
You may be aware that acupuncture is often used to relieve many different types of pain. It may surprise you to learn that some allergy sufferers choose to use acupuncture for relief of their allergy symptoms, but there are studies to suggest that the treatment actually works to curb nasal symptoms. A study of over 400 patients concluded that the patients who received acupuncture treatments experienced fewer symptoms and needed fewer antihistamines than the patients who received fake acupuncture treatments or no acupuncture treatments.
It's worth noting that patients who received fake acupuncture treatments also experienced some level of relief, though not as much as those who received the real treatments. This suggests that, to some extent, the placebo effect is in play when it comes to the efficacy of acupuncture. Still, the study is evidence that acupuncture does provide relief to some patients, which makes it an avenue worth exploring if you're having trouble finding a way to relieve your symptoms.
Keep in mind that respiratory allergy symptoms can become severe and even life threatening. You should talk to your doctor or an allergy specalist before beginning any natural treatment regimen, and you should definitely avoid discontinuing any doctor-prescribed treatments unless your doctor agrees with this course of action. Often, natural treatments can be used in conjunction with conventional treatments to provide more relief, but it's important to have a doctor's oversight to avoid any possible negative interactions or side effects
