Do you suffer from hayfever and find it hard to enjoy being outdoors during the spring and summer months? At the beginning of the season, hayfever sufferers can start to use natural healing methods to build their immunity and stay sneeze-free.

Hayfever symptoms are caused by histamine levels in the body rising as they react to pollen. Although nature is the cause of most hayfever symptoms, it can also be a sufferer’s best defense to help keep the reaction under control.

Here are some things that will help prepare your body by providing a natural source of antihistamine:

Be full of C – Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, so take small doses regularly throughout the day. You can also boost your intake of foods containing natural sources of vitamin C to include fresh fruits such as apples, kiwi fruit, raspberries, blueberries and citrus, as well as peppers, tomatoes and green, leafy vegetables. Try this great Hayfever Blasting Smoothie!

A+ your food – Eat lots of foods containing vitamin A as this vitamin helps keep mucous membranes healthy. Foods such as carrots, tomatoes, dried apricots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, spinach and watercress are full of beta-carotene which your body uses to make vitamin A.

Go herbal – Avoid or at least cut down on tea, coffee and other caffeine products, as these trigger histamine release. Instead, drink plenty of herbal teas, such as chamomile or ginger tea, both of which are reputed to relieve hayfever symptoms. Green tea also bolsters the immune system and acts as a natural antihistamine, while peppermint relieves nasal and sinus congestion.

Get nettled – Nettles can be effective in reducing histamine-type reactions, including frequent ‘prickly heat’ type symptoms. You can drink nettle tea or try a tincture of urtica (nettle) leaves.

Herbal helpers – A useful preparation to take is Allergy Relief by A.Vogel. It is used for the treatment of symptoms associated with hay fever such as sneezing, itchy nose, scratching throat, burning eyes and watery eyes. It isn’t contraindicated with other medication including other hayfever medication and is available as a nasal spray and also in tablet form.

It’s key ingredients are:

• Luffa operculata: Helps relieve a blocked and runny nose, as well as watery and itchy eyes and a scratchy throat.
• Ammi visnaga: Used in the treatment of respiratory tract inflammations. It especially targets whooping cough and abundant secretions of the respiratory tract.
• Aralia racemosa: Used as an expectorant. It is particularly useful in cases abundant and irritant nasal drip and of coughs triggered by lying down.
• Cardiospermum halicacabum and Galphimia glauca : Used to treat all sorts of respiratory allergies.
• Larrea mexicana : Has expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties and it is useful in the treatment of respiratory tract infections and inflammations. Its role in Allergy Relief is to drain the allergic terrain.
• Okoubaka aubrevillei: Helps normalize defense mechanisms and allows the immune system to concentrate on real aggressors.

As you see, A.Vogel’s Allergy Relief is unique.  Because it eliminates the toxins that overload the immune system and promotes its normalization, it is aimed at different types of allergies rather than only hayfever. Allergy Relief can be taken a month before the hay fever season just as it can be taken a month before going on a holiday, where you know you will be facing known allergens and a possible change of diet.

It is suitable for adults and children and is totally safe and can be taken for as long or short a time as you like.

Natural and non-drowsy, you can still function well throughout your day and can help manage allergy symptoms.

Now you know what to take, how about what you should avoid?

As stated above, caffeine is a big trigger of hayfever symptoms, as are alcohol, refined sugar and dairy products, so try to reduce your intake of these as much as possible.

Avoid smoky atmospheres, wearing too much perfume and using household cleaning products such as air fresheners, all of which can further aggravate your hayfever symptoms.

Try these ideas and you may face the mornings in complete and happy ignorance of the whereabouts of the tissue box!

About the Author: A.Vogel

A.Vogel is pervaded by the idea of a way of life and of healing which is orientated in every respect towards nature. A.Vogel products are effective natural remedies and medicinal products made from freshly harvested plants. To learn more please visit avogel.ca.