Natural Herbal Remedies and Cures

Natural allergy remedies are becoming the preferred choice of people to use against their allergies. There are several reasons why many people are looking for other options besides artificial or man-made remedies:

- Artificial remedies are often not that effective in treating the allergy symptoms, which usually requires you having to take two or more medications in order to experience total relief from your allergies. While one medication might treat sneezing and itching, it often takes another medication to treat the nasal congestion.

- Artificial remedies are often quite expensive - just a box with 10 doses often costs anywhere from $5-$10.

- Many artificial remedies come with unwanted and annoying side effects, such as nasal irritation and drowsiness. Thus, you cannot plan on taking your medication and then driving to a location as it is not advisable for you to operate heavy machinery after you have taken your medication. Therefore, you either have to chance driving while being a bit “foggy” or you have to deal with your allergies while driving because you can’t take your medicine.

In addition, when pet dander, mold, pollen, or another allergen trigger enters your nasal passages, most artificial remedies will attempt to treat the natural responses or histamine your body releases in reaction to that allergen trigger. These natural responses include sneezing, itching, and watery eyes, and all are designed to try to expel the allergen trigger from your body.

Conversely, natural allergy remedies can help to prevent an allergic reaction BEFORE it occurs.

One natural allergy remedy that is becoming quite popular is using a “neti pot”. A neti pot is a small container shaped like a genie’s lamp that contains saltwater, which is often used to clean the nasal passages naturally. Saltwater is quite effective in rinsing away the pollen grains that help to trigger allergic reactions.

Another natural allergy remedy to consider using is a bioflavonoid called quercetin. Quercetin helps to stabilize mast cells and keep them from releasing histamine, thereby blocking allergic reactions. You can find it in many different foods, such as citrus fruits, onions, apples, tomatoes, and wine, but you will likely need to take supplements in order to build up the amount of quercetin in your system to a level where it can help thwart allergy reactions, as you’ll need around 1,000 milligrams a day. Pregnant or nursing women should not take quercetin, nor should people who have liver disease, so contact your doctor and make sure that one of the conditions above does not apply to you before taking quercetin.

A third natural allergy remedy is to take “stinging nettle,” a common weed that acts like the antihistamines used to treat allergies, but unlike them, will not dry out your mouth or cause drowsiness. This works because nettle actually prevents the body from producing histamine. The most practical form of stinging nettle comes in capsule form as a freeze-dried extract of the leaves that make up this weed.

As you can see, you do not have to resort to prescribed or over-the-counter antihistamines in order to experience relief from your allergies. There are many natural allergy remedies that have proven effective in relieving and even preventing allergic reactions to pollen, pet dander, mold, and other elements. If you want an inexpensive and more effective way to handle and even prevent allergic reactions from reoccurring, consider trying the seven natural allergy remedies and experience the difference you feel from utilizing natural allergy remedies.

Allergic responses can produce any one or a combination of several of the following symptoms:

* Nasal congestion

* Sneezing

* Coughing

* Red, itchy or watery eyes

* Wheezing

* Sore throat

* Hives, rashes, eczema, or other skin eruptions

* Headache

* Fatigue

* Fluid retention

* Swelling of the throat and the tongue

An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system misinterprets a normally nontoxic substance, such as pollen, grass, a certain food, or a detergent, as a harmful invader. The immune system then responds to this perceived threat, called an allergen, by releasing substances called histamines. Histamines produce a wide range of bodily reactions, including respiratory and nasal congestion, increased mucus production, skin rashes and welts, and headache.

Now these reactions have their place, say in the case of an actual threat to the body, in the form of a flu virus, these reactions would form an important line of defense against the invader, helping to trap it and expel it, and encouraging you to rest and recover. But during the false alarm of an allergic response, the body overreacts to a harmless agent.

Most allergens are found either in the environment or in our food. Environmental allergens include:

* Pollen (hay fever)

* Molds

* Animal dander

* Dust

* Feathers

* Insect venom

* Certain cosmetics

* Household products

* Metals

When the environmental allergens are removed or make their seasonal disappearance, the body returns to “normal”. If the allergens are not removed, the immune system will continue its artificially high state of alert. In these cases, the allergic response can develop into chronic allergic rhinitis, in which the nasal passages remain persistently inflamed.

If you experience difficulty breathing or develop hives that spread rapidly, get emergency help at once. Allergic reactions like these can quickly be fatal.

About allergy tests, many conventional doctors suggest skin or blood tests to determine the source of allergies, but take care, These tests are invasive, expensive, and of questionable reliability. If your doctor recommends one of these tests, question him or her closely about the benefits you should expect.

Your diet plays a very important part. Eliminating foods that cause mucus should be a priority for any allergy sufferer. Mucus forming foods include all dairy products, fried and processed foods, refined flours, chocolate, and eggs.

The immune response stresses your digestive system, so place as few additional burdens on it as possible. Cut down on bad fats and oils (saturated, hydrogenated, or those containing trans-fatty acids) and increase your intake of fiber, especially from raw vegetables.

Green drinks are good for flushing out mucus and toxins. Drink one daily to help your system.