Allergies Relief

Allergies

When the seasons change, instead of enjoying nature millions of people worldwide are dreading the onset of allergies.  Seasonal allergies affect over 30 million people in North America alone, and finding a way to beat allergy symptoms is an ongoing battle. Dealing with allergies, especially when everyone seems to be ‘enjoying the weather’ can be frustrating and depressing.  That’s why many people are looking to find natural healthy solutions to their seasonal allergies.

Allergy Symptoms

Allergy symptoms vary from person to person, but almost all seasonal allergy sufferers have at least one of the following symptoms:

•    sneezing
•    wheezing
•    runny nose
•    clogged sinuses
•    watery red or itchy eyes

When pollen from grasses, trees and other plants are ejected in the air, seasonal allergy suffers will usually start by sneezing, which eventually leads the way to the other symptoms like runny noses and watery eyes. For people with serious allergies, wheezing and a tightening of the throat may be present, accompanying all of these symptoms to a more severe degree.  In rare cases, rashes or blisters may appear in the nasal and mouth cavity. It’s no wonder then, that not everybody celebrates the oncoming spring and summer seasons with the same gusto.

Natural Allergy Treatments

Even though many over the counter allergy medications can help mask the symptoms of allergies, many people are opting for a more natural approach to dealing with their allergy symptoms. This is partly due to the rising cost of medications, but perhaps more convincing is the re emergence of natural based treatments that have the same efficacy as synthetic medication and prescription.

The most popular natural allergy relief is a simple saline nasal spray. Used by millions throughout the allergy seasons, many people swear by it’s effectiveness compared to other medicated nasal sprays. Saline sprays tend to only relieve nasal symptoms due to allergies, but there are other natural treatments available that encompass many other symptoms. They include:

•    Quercetin: Quercetin is a flavonoid compound that occurs naturally in some foods. Wine is a good example of a beverage that contains both quercetin and grape seed extract (below). People who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should talk to their doctor before trying natural or medicated allergy relief ingredients.
•    Grape Seed Extract: Used as a natural solution for allergy symptoms, grape seed extract occurs naturally in grapes and other foods such as wine.
•    Butterbur: Recent European studies have shown that butterbur, taken in pill form 4 times a day, proves to be a formidable antihistamine, helping some allergy sufferers lose all of their allergy symptoms. Butterbur has been shown to be effective for pollen related allergies including hayfever and grass allergies.

Where to Start

If you do suffer from allergies, it is important to speak to your doctor before trying any medication whether it is synthetic or natural. After speaking to your physician, try each method separately – don’t take multiple natural or synthetic medications at once! Find the natural solution that’s right for you. If you are comfortable with the ingredients and the symptoms are relieved, go out and enjoy the sunny seasons!