Jammie,
It's getting to be the time of year when those of us with allergies are going to start having symptoms. Any ideas on how to take care of the symptoms (besides using medicine)?
Dear kelsokid,
Poor guy. I get them too. Why are you so opposed to using medicine?
This is probably useful for me too, so I looked up some home remedies for allergies:
- Rinse your eyes. If your eyes are itchy and irritated and you have no access to allergy medicine, rinsing your eyes with cool, clean water may help soothe them. Although not as effective as an antihistamine, this remedy certainly can't do any harm.
- Try a warm washcloth. If sinus passages feel congested and painful, a washcloth soaked in warm water may make things flow a little easier. Place the washcloth over the nose and upper-cheek area and relax for a few minutes.
- Take a shower. A hot shower may wash off any pollen residues you've collected on your body throughout the day. (You might want to change your pillowcase, too.) It may also help open up your sinuses, at least for a while, making breathing a little easier.
- Wear glasses. On a windy day in pollen season, a pair of sunglasses (or your regular prescription eyeglasses, if you wear them) may help shield your eyes from airborne allergens. For extra protection, try a pair of sunglasses with side shields or even a pair of goggles.
- Keep the windows shut. A fresh breeze blowing through an open window on a spring day may sound inviting, but it's bad news for an allergy sufferer, since it can fill the house with pollen. To minimize contact with the powdery stuff, keep windows closed at all times. Air purifiers, especially those with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters) filters, may help eliminate indoor pollen, but they also tend to stir up dust, which might worsen some allergies.
- Leave the mowing to someone else. During pollen season, a grass-allergic person is better off letting someone else, anyone else, mow the lawn.
- Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, helping to reduce nasal secretions and inflammation. Flavonoids such as quercetin, rutin, and hesperidin also have antihistamine properties and work well with vitamin C. Luckily, this vitamin and the flavonoids occur together in many favorite garden foods, such as berries, plums, citrus fruits, peppers, spinach, and broccoli.
- Tea. Allergy sufferers throughout the centuries have turned to hot tea to provide relief for clogged-up noses and irritated mucous membranes, and one of the best for symptom relief is peppermint tea. Peppermint's benefits extend well beyond its delicious smell; the essential oil acts as a decongestant, and substances in peppermint contain anti-inflammatory and mild antibacterial constituents.
- Ice. Wrap a washcloth around ice cubes and apply it to your sinuses for instant relief and refreshment.
- Wasabi. If you're a hay fever sufferer who also loves Japanese food, this remedy will please. Wasabi, that pale-green, fiery condiment served with many Japanese dishes, is a member of the horseradish family. Anyone who has taken too big a dollop of wasabi (or plain old horseradish) knows that it makes sinuses and tear ducts spring into action. That's because allyl isothiocyanate, a constituent in wasabi, promotes mucus flow. The tastiest way to get those allyl isothiocyanates is by slathering horseradish on your sandwich or plopping wasabi onto your favorite sushi. Another option -- although harder to swallow -- is to purchase grated horseradish, and take 1/4 teaspoon to alleviate allergy symptoms.
- Steam. Breathing steam refreshes and soothes irritated sinuses, and it helps rid the nasal passages of mucus. While it takes some time, it will make you feel wonderful! Boil several cups of water and pour into a big bowl (or a plugged sink). Lean carefully over the bowl, and drape a towel over your head. Breathe gently for 5 to 10 minutes. When you're finished breathing steam, use the water for a second purpose: Let the water cool until warm, saturate a washcloth, and hold the cloth on your sinuses (to the sides of your nose, below the eyes, and above the eyebrows). (I am totally singing Peter Gabriel right now.-j)
- Many studies have proved licorice's ability to reduce allergic symptoms and decrease inflammation. Substances in this herb are able to enhance the body's cortisol, a hormone that decreases inflammation. Licorice makes your body's own cortisol last longer, reducing inflammation without ill side effects.
- Chili pepper, or cayenne, contains capsaicin. This active ingredient helps desensitize the mucosa that line the airways, thus preventing them from secreting excessive fluids and becoming inflamed when exposed to irritants.
While I personally think most of the above are better suited for hippies (tea, man, just INHALE it), I do hope they are able to give you some relief
Worst case scenario, you can always live in a bubble!
And why the heck is it that so many people don't go t doctors or try not to take medicine? I never understood that at all. I don't know of any studies where it's been proven that people live longer when they DON'T see doctors or treat themselves with drugs (legal ones- shut up, murd0c).
Good luck! It's going to be a doozy this year. I heard we're headed for one of the worst allergy years ever.
Love,
jammie
PS - Pearl of wisdom: There is nothing unsexier than oral sex (guy, girl, whatever) with a stuffed nose. No one wants to hear snorting and displaced mucus because the person's mouth is blocked from breathing.
