Spring allergies
Does spring bring you visions of stuffed up, swelled up, itchy eyed, snotty misery rather than gloriously curling your toes in warm grass, gardening and walking the dog not layered like Ralphie in A Christmas Story?
If so, here’s a few tips to block the snot- literally!
First, look at reducing or removing any food that you know you are sensitive to as well as high histamine foods. This includes bone broth and collagen which are high in histamine. Here is a basic list of histamine foods and histamine releasing foods :
Alcohol And Other Fermented Beverages Fermented Foods And Dairy Products, Such As Yogurt And Sauerkraut Dried Fruits Avocados Eggplant Spinach Processed Or Smoked Meats Shellfish Aged Cheese, Bone Broth
These foods can cause your body to release more histamine:
Bananas Tomatoes Wheat Germ Beans Papaya Chocolate Citrus Fruits Nuts, Specifically Walnuts, Cashews And Peanuts Food Dyes And Other Additives
This measure is temporary until the pollen that bothers you subsides. Pouring more histamine invoking foods into your body on top of the histamine that will be released to combat the pollen is going to make everything worse.
A good herbal remedy- Quercetin- this little doozy of a bioflavonoid reduces your histamine levels. It also is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties, all excellent things during the high pollen season.
If you tend to swell up and go into wheezing or feel constriction this formula- Breathe does wonders:
It contains primarily quercetin and nettle leaf as well as a few other anti-inflammatories.
Homeopathic remedies- These little babies work like an allergy shot in mechanism by ingesting tiny amounts of the offending substance over and over to cancel out the effects of the allergen, but without the toxins. Also, they are administered through the mouth and mucous membranes where your body know how to deal with them I like the following formulations best:
Tree pollen- this one covers most of the trees in the Virginia area, so if oak pollen is the one that gets you this is your formula:
Pollen Hayfever: This version is mostly for grasses and flowers- like dandelions, fresh mown grass and honeysuckle.
Natural alternatives should be taken preventatively to have the most effect. For Virginians that means starting late February early March before the pollen really gets moving. If you need a deeper dive into the cause of your allergies or want a custom plan for you please feel free to contact our office. You can conveniently schedule online at www.oasisnaturalhealth.com
Of course, do not take botanicals or supplements with prescription medications unless cleared by your doctor and if you are having difficulty breathing always consult a physician.
Happy Spring!
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