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Seasonal Allergy Series: Part 3 of 3

       (Seasonal allergies series: Part 1 of 3,   Part 2 of 3)

It’s Spring!  The trees are flowering, daffodil are blooming, and hay-fever is settling in.  You’ve cleaned your house and changed your diet. Although less severe, you’re still suffering from some seasonal allergy symptoms. What do you do now?

First, let’s review a bit. If you can remember from part 1 of this allergy series, an allergy is an exaggerated immune response to substances (allergens) that normally do not cause reactions in most people. An allergy can be triggered by ingesting, touching or inhaling the substance. Allergy symptoms occur when your body responds to allergens by producing a chemical called histamine, which works by helping to counteract the allergen. The immune system causes allergic reactions by producing Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that cause widespread symptoms. In other words, allergies are due to a hypersensitivity of the immune system that causes damaging responses that can affect the whole body.

The allergic response can range from mild symptoms of coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose and a scratchy throat to severe symptoms of rashes, hives, low blood pressure, breathing trouble, asthma attacks and even death. Hay fever is often seasonal (when pollen is in the air), but if constantly exposed to an offending substance (e.g., pet dander), symptoms can last year-round.

Some of the most common causes of allergies? Things like pollen found outdoors, animal fur, dust or particular foods. Allergies to pollen, spores, mold, and dust (also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis) affect the respiratory system and are usually the most difficult to control.

Many people who are struggling with seasonal allergies go to the doctor to be treated and are routinely given pharmaceuticals from acetaminophen to antihistamines. Both of which may actually further aggravate the allergy symptoms they were given for or cause unwanted side effects in some individuals.  If you’re tired of the side effects of these medications, you might want to try a natural allergy remedy this year.

1. Local Raw Honey

As bees fly from plant to plant, bits of pollen stick to their feet. When they return to the hive, the pollen gets incorporated into the honey they produce. Taking one tablespoon of local, raw honey every day will help your immune system become tolerant of the local pollen. This means that your body will recognize that local pollen is not a threat and will no longer overreact to it with allergy symptoms every time you go outside.  A study of local honey use in people with birch pollen allergies was published in the 2011 International Archives of Allergy and Immunology. Researchers discovered that patients taking honey “reported a 60 percent lower total symptom score, twice as many asymptomatic days, and 70 percent fewer days with severe symptoms.” And they used 50 percent less antihistamines compared to the control group that took conventional meds.

You’ll need to buy your honey from the local farmers market or your beekeeping neighbor as this is not the regular honey you buy at the grocery store. The honey needs to be local so you’ll be ingestion the types of pollen you typical encounter.  It also needs to be raw so the pollen particulates have not been filtered out or high temperature processed which may negate the benefits as well. You can eat the honey straight or add it to tea or oatmeal. Yum!

Dose: 1 tablespoon daily

2. Neti Pot

This is one of my favorites!  A neti pot is a small pot that looks like a genie’s lamp.  It is used to gently rinse your nasal and sinus passages to flush out congestion and remove the unwanted allergens that cause the congestion.  A neti pot has the ability to provide immediate congestion relief without the use of medications. Research has found that that nasal irrigation can be an effective way to relieve sinus symptoms of congestion, facial pain and pressure.

When using a neti pot, it is best to use warm distilled, filtered or previously boiled and cooled water to make sure the water is as sterile as possible.  Tap water can have contaminants like chlorine, fluorine, or sediment and can aggravate your sinuses. Mix 1 tsp of iodine-free salt with 8 oz of warm water.  Put this solution into your neti pot then rinse your nasal passages by following the directions that come with your pot.  It will only take a couple minutes to rinse both sides.

Some Neti Pot Tips:  1) I know it seems wrong to put water up your nose, but you won’t drown. The water will go up one nostril and then come down out the other. It will feel weird, but, again- you won’t drown.  2) Body temperature water is the most comfortable. 3) Don’t forget to add the salt. Plain water will give you a nightmare of a headache. 4) Keep your mouth open or the water will not flow through.  5) Remember to calmly breathe through your mouth nice and slowly. 6) Gently blow your nose after each rinsing. Avoid aggressive blowing so you don’t irritate your tissues and cause additional swelling. 7) If you are really congested, the water may not flow all the way through to the other side, or maybe only a tiny trickle will flow through. That’s ok. Just give it a moment then gently blow out the water.  Rinsing with saline water will help reduce nasal swelling and remove thick secretions. It might take a few days before your swelling has reduced enough to see progress.  8) Leave yourself at least 30 minutes after using your neti pot before you go to bed. Sometimes a bit of water can get trapped in your sinuses during the rinsing.  You won’t even realize this happened until it lets go and runs out your nose.  You don’t want this salt water to run down your throat if you are laying down in bed.   9) Don’t overdo it.  While rinsing 1-2 times per day can be therapeutic, overdoing it can backfire and cause extra irritation and swelling. Listen to your body.  Some people feel best with once a day rinsing others use the neti pot every other day.  You’ll figure out what works best for your body.

3. Quercetin

Quercetin is a plant polyphenol naturally found in foods such as broccoli or cauliflower, onions, green tea, dark cherries, tomatoes, and leafy greens.  During an allergic reaction, a compound called histamine is released from immune cells called mast cells in an attempt to rid your body of the offending agent like pollen or dander. Quercetin acts as a mast cell stabilizer which reduces the release of histamines and therefore minimizes the allergy symptoms experienced from its release. A simple explanation is that quercetin is a natural anti-histamine.

A recent study found evidence that quercetin is also effective at reducing allergies because it helps calm down hyperactivity of the airways. It is so powerful that Iranian researchers have proven that quercetin can help control peanut allergies, the leading cause of life-threatening/fatal allergy attacks.

Quercetin can be very effective, but it must be taken regularly for up to 6-8 weeks to see best results.  If you are prone to allergies you can start taking it before spring arrives.

Dose: For hay fever a typical dose of quercetin is 400 mg twice a day between meals.

Safety: High doses of quercetin (more than 1 g per day) may cause kidney damage, so people with kidney disease and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take quercetin.  Talk to your doctor before taking quercetin if you are taking warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, digoxin, chemotherapy, or medications that affect liver function.

4.  Stinging Nettle

Research has shown that consuming stinging nettle leaf naturally controls histamines by diminishing the body’s response to allergens. A phytochemical in stinging nettle binds with histamine receptors and prevents the histamine release from causing allergy symptoms. Research suggests that nettle capsules can help reduce sneezing and itching in people with hay fever and half of people report nettles to be as or more effective in relieving allergy symptoms as allergy medications.

Fortunately, you don’t need to find a field of nettles to roll in to get its benefits. Stinging nettle leaf can be taken in a capsule as a freeze-dried preparation to reduce current symptoms, or it can be used as a preventative if you start taking it before hay fever season begins. It can also be used as a tea or in tincture form.  Additionally, you can consume the fresh or freeze-dried leaf as a food and can prepare it similarly to the way you would use spinach in soups or sautéed dishes.

5. Steam Inhalation

An effective way to reduce nasal and sinus congestion due to allergies is to make a simple steam inhalation tent.  Place steaming hot water (don’t burn yourself) into a bowl and, with your head and bowl covered with a towel like a tent, inhale the steam into your nose for 1o minutes. The warm, moist steam will help relax the inflammation within your nasal passages.  You can add a few drops of an essential oil or a couple tablespoons of raw herb such as eucalyptus or thyme to the hot water.  This will add additional antimicrobial and soothing benefits to the steam. Some people find that using steam inhalation prior to their neti pot can be very effective.

Precautions When Treating Allergies

When allergies are mild or moderate, they are usually not very threatening and go away with time. However, severe allergic reactions can be dangerous and require medical attention.

Anaphylaxis is the term for a severe allergic reaction, which can happen due to contact with food allergens, drugs/medications or insect stings. Symptoms usually affect the lungs, blood vessels or heart and can include: trouble breathing, tightness in the lungs, chest pains, blood pressure changes, dizziness, fainting, rash and vomiting. If you or your child experience these symptoms, then head to your doctor or the emergency room right away to prevent complications.

And remember,  Do More Than Exist . . . EXCEL!!

Dr. Zamora sees patients at her East Vancouver location 9am-5pm on Mon-Fri. SCHEDULE AND APPOINTMENT with Dr. Zamora now to learn more ways you can naturally improve your health and energy levels.

 

References:

CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. FastStats: Allergies and Hay Fever.

Saarinen K, Jantunen J, Haahtela T. Birch pollen honey for birch pollen allergy – a randomized controlled pilot study. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2011; 155(2):160-6. (PubMed)

Mlcek J, Jurikova T, Skrovankova S, Sochor J. Quercetin and its anti-allergic immune response. Molecules. 2016 May 12;21(5). (PubMed)

Achilles N, Mosges R. Nasal saline irrigantions for the symptoms of acute and chronic rhinosinusitis. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2013 Apr;13(2):229-35. (PubMed)

Roschel B Jr, Fink RC, McMichael M, Alberte RS. Nettle extract (Urtica dioca) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis. Phytother Res. 2009 Jul;23(7):920-6. (PubMed)

Shishehbor F1, Behroo L, Ghafouriyan Broujerdnia M, Namjoyan F, Latifi SM. “Quercetin effectively quells peanut-induced anaphylactic reactions in the peanut sensitized rats”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20548131