Top 8 Natural Remedies for Allergy Relief

Allergies running your life?

Try these top 8 natural remedies to finally put the tissues down!

 
Women sneezing behind flowers.
 

Are you one of the 50 million people who suffer from allergies? Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost of more than $18 billion! Many people turn to OTC and prescription anti-histamines to get by, however, just like many medications, they tend to have unwanted side effects of their own. Drowsiness, fatigue, poor concentration, plus a relatively short duration of action, requiring you to take them several times a day.

To fully understand how to treat allergies, it is important to first understand what exactly allergies are. Allergy symptoms occur as a natural response to your immune system reacting to a foreign invader, such as pollen, dander, or mold. It is an inflammatory condition, similar to an autoimmune disease. Cells in your immune system, known as mast cells, activate and release histamine to take down this foreign invader.

Histamine can trigger an arsenal of awful symptoms such as watery eyes, headaches, sore throats, runny nose, sneezing, rashes, eczema, asthma, and difficulty breathing. Which is why we turn to anti-histamine medications and remedies.

Allergic rhinitis, the most common type of allergy, can be broken down into two categories, seasonal and perennial.

Seasonal allergies are linked to nature. Pollen, grasses, weeds, and trees. These allergies occur at different times of the year depending on where you live. For some it is springtime, others summer, or even early-mid fall.

Perennial allergies can occur year-round and can come from irritants both indoors and out. These include food allergies, pet dander, some forms of mold, or allergies to chemicals in detergents or fragrances. These can be a bit trickier and may require a bit of detective work to find the culprit!

Fortunately, there are preventative measures we can take to control the things that we can. Whether the allergies creep in seasonally for you or year-round, adding in a few of these 8 Natural Remedies is sure to help you in getting back to normal and enjoying nature or even your pets again!   

 

 
Foods high in Vitamin C laying out on a white counter.
 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C should already be a part of your daily life, especially if you are suffering from allergies. Vitamin C acts as a natural anti-histamine as well as pumping up that immune system!

There are many ways to incorporate more Vitamin C. Supplements and IV infusions are two that studies have again and again shown incredible benefits to those with allergic symptoms. A great way to get started immediately is by ramping up your intake through the foods you eat. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, broccoli, sweet peppers, strawberries and potatoes to name a few. 

 
Fresh ginger sliced in half.
 

Ginger

Ginger has been used for years for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to inhibit allergic reaction at a cellular level.  Any allergy sufferer can agree that there is a whole lot of inflammation happening during an allergy flair. Inflammation of the airways, nasal passages and sinuses.

Try slicing ginger and adding it to hot lemon water, tossing a nub into a smoothie or add a daily Lemon Turmeric Wellness Shot to your morning ritual.

 
Fermented foods in heart shaped dishes on a white table.
 

Bring Awareness to High-Histamine Foods

That’s right…certain foods contain their own levels of histamine. When it comes to histamine responses that we have from foods, the response is very individualized. What effects one person may not effect another. This is an area you will need to bring some awareness. Take notice when you eat high-histamine foods. How do you feel afterwards? Have your symptoms worsened?

When understanding which foods contain higher levels of histamines, think “old” or “aged” foods. Although this is not a comprehensive list, some of these foods include:

  • Alcohol - especially fermented alcohol like beer and wine

  • Fermented foods – kombucha, soy sauce, yogurt, sauerkraut

  • Vinegar & vinegar containing foods – pickles and olives

  • Dried fruits – raisins, dried apricots, dates, prunes, etc.

  • “Soured” foods – sourdough bread

  • Cured meats – pepperoni, lunch meat, hot dogs

  • Smoked and can fish – tuna, sardines, etc.

  • Cheese – especially aged cheese

  • Leftovers

 
Air filter on stool in living room.
 

High Quality Air Filter

When working with clients I have seen a high-quality air filter make a night and day difference when it comes to allergies! My personal recommendation is Molekule Air Filters. They are an exceptional air filter, however, a bit pricey. Whichever you choose, do your research, read actual reviews, and consider talking to your health care provider about making the right choice for you.

 
Woman washing face, splashing with water.
 

Wash Your Hands & Face

Now that we have all lived through COVID this should be burned into your brain by now. Wash your hands! At some point those hands are going to touch your face, make sure they are free of allergens and pollen. If you are in the midst of a severe allergy flair up, wash your face with cool water 3-4 times a day or as often as possible.

 

 
Honey in a jar with a spoon and piece of honeycomb.
 

Raw Local Honey

When sourcing a raw local honey, you want to look for one within a 50-mile radius of your home. These bees have collected pollens from your area. When ingesting small amounts of honey daily, you will also take in small amounts of pollen. This may sound counter-productive, but over time this can strengthen your immune response and help reduce seasonal allergy symptoms.

When sourcing local honey, check your farmer’s market or local health store. Also due to the declining bee population, more and more households are getting into beekeeping. Ask around to your neighbors and you may be shocked by honey from your very own neighborhood.

 
A woman with hands over her stomach in a heart shape.
 

Probiotics

This one cannot be underestimated. A flourishing microbiome is key to immune response! Studies have shown that those with a diverse presence of good bacteria in the gut, tend to suffer less from seasonal allergies.

Your microbiome is past onto you at birth from your mother. Meaning if your mother had a weak microbiome, you will inherit this as well. A weak microbiome leads to a poor immune system at an early age, which can lead to an increase in seasonal allergies as an adult.

The importance of a strong, healthy and diverse microbiome is no secret these days. A wide variety of probiotics can be found in health food stores, markets and loads of online retailers. Find what works best for you and remember to keep reaching for probiotic rich foods such as non-dairy yogurts, fermented foods, tempeh and kefir drinks to keep boosting the diversity.

 
A whole pineapple and slices of pineapple.
 

Bromelain

Bromelain is a group of enzymes most heavily linked to pineapple, as it is the only known food source containing this full group. Bromelain has tons of superpowers such as improved immune function, speeding up of wound healing and bruising, and promoting healthy blood flow.

As for allergies, bromelain has been found to relieve sinusitis symptoms by reducing inflammation in the inner lining of the sinuses caused by allergies.

It can be most beneficial to supplement bromelain. This is because the highest amounts of bromelain are found in the stem, which the supplements are processed from. Eating the mature fruit will also lend small amounts of bromelain to your body, so be sure to take in some of that tastiness as well!

Suffering from allergies seasonally or year-round is rough! Sometimes finding the source of your allergies, such as those trickier allergies like laundry detergent, molds or specific foods, can take time. Before loading up on those drowsy allergy medications try giving these natural remedies a go!

Do you have a natural hack that works best for you to fight back against allergies? Be sure to share in the comments below.


LifestyleKatie Shermanwellness, lemon water, allergies, allergy, seasonal allergies, allergy relief, ginger, vitamin c, probiotics, microbiome, histamine, anti-histamine, inflammation, air filter, honey, pineapple, bromelain, remedies, natural remedies