An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. While allergies don’t necessarily rank for the deadliest or even the most serious of health problems, they can be quite a nuisance. Common symptoms of allergies are runny nose, nasal congestion, itchiness, redness in the eyes, eczema, hives, or sore throat. Some allergies are severe and require the attention of a doctor or other health care professional. For milder cases, you can use some simple and effective home remedies for allergies include neti pots, local honey, apple cider vinegar, quercetin, green tea and stinging nettle.
Here are the top 6 home remedies for allergies
Neti pots
Upper-respiratory allergies are the most common form of allergies. Nasal irrigation is a mild and effective way to treat upper-respiratory allergies. You can perform saline nasal irrigation with the help of a neti pot. When you wash your nose and sinuses with saline, it washes out mucus and all the other debris including allergens or germs and also help keep your nasal passages moist. Using a Neti pot is simple. You can buy ready-made saline solution at your local drugstore, can also use boiled or distilled water. Cool completely and put in the Neti Pot. Pour through one nostril and let it drain out the other. Repeat the process with the other nostril. Do this once or twice a day for as long as symptoms last.
Quercetin
Quercetin is known to be one of the best natural remedies for allergies. Quercetin is a natural bioflavonoid that helps stabilize mast cells and prevents them from releasing histamine, thus prevents the occurrence of allergic reactions. Citrus fruits, broccoli, apples, tomatoes, and wine are naturally high in quercetin, but allergy sufferers will most likely need to use supplements to build up enough of this compound to prevent attacks. A typical dose for allergies and hay fever is between 200 and 400 milligrams three times a day. Not recommended during pregnancy or nursing though some practitioners feel it is safe after the first trimester.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an age old remedy that is often suggested for a variety of health conditions. Due to its antibiotic and antihistamine properties, apple cider vinegar is very effective in treating allergic reactions. When reducing the effects of allergies, it can also help stave off sinus infections and their related symptoms, such as sore throats and headaches. Mix it with a small portion of water and apply it on the affected area. You can also add one tablespoon of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to a glass of water, drink this three times a day until you get relief from acute allergy symptoms.
Local Honey
Many people swear that eating local honey really works to get rid of allergy symptoms. This local honey works like vaccination. The theory is that consuming local honey from where you live will help your body adapt to the allergens in the environment there. You just need to consume 1-2 tsp of local honey daily. It is often suggested to start this a month or so before allergy season.
Green Tea
Holding your face over a hot cup of tea may open your nasal passages, but the steam isn’t the only thing that’s beneficial. Japanese researchers found that EGCG, the abundant antioxidant compound in green tea, it has been shown to reduce histamine reactions in the body and prevent hayfever symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. You can drink two to three cups of green tea daily for the best results.
Stinging nettle
Stinging nettle is a plant. People use the root and above ground parts as medicine. Being a natural antihistamine, nettle leaf can be very effective for treating seasonal as well as chronic allergies, particularly to treat allergic rhinitis, relieving nearly all the symptoms of itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose. It grows in many places and can be made in to a tincture or tea, but the most practical medicinal form is a freeze-dried extract of the leaves sold in capsules. Note: if you are on blood thinners or blood pressure lowering medications, consult your doctor before using nettle leaves.
