Tackling Seasonal Allergies The Natural Way

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you can’t enjoy spring and summer as much as you would like, especially if you love to be active in the great outdoors. Here are some natural treatments and tricks to tackle your seasonal allergies.

You Wake Up And… Gasp!

Ever since I’ve moved to Florida, seasonal allergies have become the biggest problem, one I’ve never had to deal with before. At first I thought I would be getting used to the climate, but five years later I’m still sneezing on a regular basis, and that’s the easy part. Don’t you just hate it when you wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is gasp for air, because your nasal passages are blocked?

Going to the doctor for one of those magic spray bottles is definitely not an option for me, I think I’d rather have allergies then spray something into my nose that I don’t even want to know what it’s made of, and to be honest I’m afraid to find out.

I know that another very popular thing to do is to get one of those over the counter allergy medicine, which makes you feel like you’ve had a few glasses of wine, hmm, maybe that’s why they are always sold out.  Again, definitely not my thing!  I am all about natural cures when it comes to treating allergies, or anything else for that matter.  And I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I would like to share with you.  Below are all of the natural remedies I use to deal with my allergies:

Pressure Point Facial Massage

The first and easiest thing you can try is use a pressure point massage to open up your breathing passages.  Place your index fingers by each side of your nostrils, . Then press it down and, in curricular motion, massage that area for about a minute or two. You will feel an immediate relief and you will be able to breathe much easier. When I get the stuffy nose this is always the first thing I do. You can also give this a try when you have a cold.

Natural Eucalyptus and Menthol Inhaler Stick

Another wonderful thing that I’ve recently discovered is a natural inhaler stick that is made from eucalyptus and menthol, whose scent frees the breathing passages. You can find them at whole food markets for about 6 dollars, they last for months and are completely natural – what else can you ask for? Whenever I have allergy symptoms, this brings some nice relief.

Echinacea Tea

Everyone knows that Echinacea is one of the best natural immune system enhancing herbs. I always have a box of Echinacea tea at my house and I drink at 1 – 3 cups every day. It’s a great tea to drink even if we don’t have any allergies, because prevention is key and I am a master at prevention ;).

Peppermint & Eucalyptus Facial Steam

I’m not sure if this is only a Russian thing to do, but I do it all the time. I boil a pan full of water, add some leaves of peppermint and eucalyptus oil to it, then I cover my face with a towel over the pot and breathe in the steam (great for clearing the pores on your face as well). Within a few minutes, your sinuses will be like new and you will get a facial at the same time!

Humidifier & Air Purifier

Since I live in Florida I’m definitely not in a need for a humidifier, but if you live in a dry area they are a must. You can add peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil to them and they will do miracles for your allergies, while your room will smell fresh at the same time.

Spring – for some people an itchy nightmare

Another investment in your health is an air purifier, but you have to get a really good one with the ultra violet lights build in to kill all of the bacteria in the room. You can really feel the difference in the air using one of them; the air always feels clean and it smells a little like those ultraviolet lights, but it’s definitely better than smelling dust.

Lip Balm Under Eyes And Nose

When you go running, biking etc. you can try to put a little lip balm (Chap Stick, Labello etc.) or another sticky cream under your eyes and beneath your nose, because pollen will get stuck to it and not get into your eyes or nose.

Wear Sunglasses

One more thing to try when you cardio activities outside is wearing sunglasses. They will act like windshields, deflecting the pollen from reaching your eyes.

Take A Shower

When you are finished running, biking, walking etc. take a shower. This will wash off all pollen that cling to your body and hair. Depending on how sensitive you are, you may also want to put the clothes you wore into the washer, as they too probably still carry a bunch of pollen.

When All Else Fails

You know I’m not a fan of medications, but if all else fails or if you need to be prepared for a really bad allergy outburst you know you might get, have a medication with you that you know works for you.

Pictures courtesy of Josef Seibel and Robert Nunnally.