Spring is upon us. That means longer, brighter, warmer days—and a whole bunch of pollen and other irritants to stir up those allergies and make life miserable. Most people turn to over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants to alleviate discomfort until they need something stronger. Big Pharma has created powerful drugs to mask allergy symptoms, but these medications have a host of negative side effects from drowsiness and nosebleeds to increased blood pressure and irritability. Fortunately, there are natural ways to block histamine, ease congestion, support your immune system, and relieve allergy symptoms.
Here are four simple steps you can take to stop allergies naturally this spring—and year round.
1. Take a potent daily multivitamin to ensure you are getting adequate antioxidant and mineral support. You may also want to consider adding extra magnesium (for a total of 500-1,000 mg) and vitamin C (up to 5,000 mg), both of which are natural antihistamines that can help relieve allergy symptoms. Additionally, antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium have been shown to decrease sensitivity to potential allergens. I recommend 300-400 IU vitamin E and 200 mcg selenium daily.
2. Minimize exposure to airborne allergens. It may seem like a no-brainer but one of the easiest ways to relieve allergy symptoms is to avoid them. The most common offenders are dander from household pets, dust, pollen, mold, smoke, and strong odors. Easy ways to do this include installing an air purifier with a HEPA filter, cleaning your house thoroughly and removing as many carpets and rugs as possible, and encasing your mattress and pillows in hypoallergenic materials. You should also wash your bedding at least once a week.
3. Another simple way to stop allergies naturally is to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily and 12 per day during allergy season. When your body’s water stores are low, histamine production increases in an attempt to preserve existing water supplies. Elevated histamine levels increase your allergic symptoms. Drinking adequate amounts of water will result in reduced production of histamine and fewer symptoms.
4. Try these targeted supplements to relieve allergy symptoms and stop allergies naturally.
Quercetin and bromelain: 400-500 mg of quercetin and 100-200 mg of bromelain, between meals, two to three times a day. Quercetin, a bioflavonoid, combats allergies and inflammation and inhibits the release of histamine and other inflammatory compounds. Absorption can be improved by combining it with an equal amount of bromelain, an enzyme that is also an excellent anti-inflammatory agent.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an amino acid that has been used in Europe since 1963 to treat asthma and allergies. It liquefies mucus in air passages and increases the production of glutathione, an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals. I recommend 400-500 mg daily.
Stinging nettle, or “itch weed,” actually blocks the formation of inflammatory compounds in your airways. Take 200-400 mg per day, in divided doses.
I hope you find these tips to stop allergies naturally useful. If you have other natural solutions to relieve allergy symptoms, feel free to post them in the comments section below.
