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Respiratory allergies result from reactions to environmental pollutants like asbestos and smoke fumes, and to seasonal allergens like dust, pollen or spores. If you have excess mucous in your body, that mucous may be harboring environmental irritants. This can make you more vulnerable to seasonal allergies. Also called allergic rhinitis or hay fever, seasonal allergies are the most common type of respiratory allergy, affecting over a quarter of the U.S. population. More than 3.5 million work days and 2 million school days are lost each year as the result of hay fever. Plus, almost 90 percent of people with hay fever have sleep problems that keep them tired and performing poorly in school or on the job. Drugs for allergies are a booming business! Americans spend $325 million every year on over-the-counter drugs for allergies. Allergy drugs are in such demand that the FDA has allowed the very popular allergy drug, Claritin, to become available in the U.S. without a prescription. Unfortunately, allergy drugs usually have a rebound effect. The more you take them, the more you need them. Some can even be dangerous. A recent University of Iowa study reveals that diphen-hydramine (as in Benadryl) impairs driving ability more than alcohol. Please don’t take OTC allergy medications and drive! Do you have hay fever or is it just a cold? You know it’s an allergic reaction if you have
Finally, you can have hay fever relief without side effects. Here are some natural tips that can stamp out hay fever attacks. Vitamin C flush can neutralize and release allergens. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory. For some people, vitamin C provides relief when everything else has failed. The usual dose is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon powdered Vitamin C every three hours, or until the stool becomes loose. Note Make sure the vitamin C powder you buy has bioflavonoids. Part of the vitamin C complex, bioflavonoids can help relieve even the worst hay fever. If you prefer to get your bioflavonoids from food, simply mince the peels and inner rinds of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons or grapefruits. Simmer in hot water for 10 minutes. Sweeten with honey to taste and take 1 teaspoon three times a day. Aromatherapy is one of the oldest allergy relief techniques. Inhaling the essential oil of eucalyptus can help clear up congestion fast. I like an aromatherapy diffuser; or simply add 1-3 drops of eucalyptus oil to a small bowl of hot water, close your eyes (this is important as the oils can be very strong), and cover head with a towel. Breathe in for 5 minutes for allergy relief. Hot miso broth speeds up the release of mucous. Add garlic, cayenne pepper or horseradish for extra allergen flushing. Herbal combination with marshmallow, white pine, ma huang, and bee pollen works fast to help you breath easier. (Most people begin to feel relief in about 25 minutes!) One to two caps every hour as needed for adults helps alleviates painful inflammation, sinus headache, stuffiness and watery eyes. Try herbs like valerian root, skull-cap and passionflower before retiring to help you sleep through the night. Consider gentle herbal energizers like ginkgo biloba (also helps inactivate allergens), Gotu Kola or American ginseng if your allergies tend to make you sluggish. Homeopathic remedies are renowned for their effectiveness against allergy reactions. Ambrosia is the primary remedy for ragweed allergy. For sneezing, try arsenicum. For runny nose, try allium. For tearing, swollen eyes, try euphrasia. Acupressure can relieve hay fever attacks. Try pressing between the eyebrows and the hollow above the upper lip and breathe deeply for one minute. (This is especially helpful before a meeting or date that you don’t want to sneeze through.) NOTE Next month - Part 2 Preventing Outbreaks Dr. Linda Page is the author of several books including Healthy Healing A Guide To Self-Healing, Cooking For Healthy Healing & How To Be Your Own Herbal Pharmacist. She has received six of the first United States Patents ever given for herbal formulations for her female hormone balancing formulas. Visit her website at www.healthyhealing.com
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Treating Seasonal
Allergies - Part 1 