Some Best Holistic Ways to Manage Hay Fever
There is no denying it: hay fever can be a real pain, and prevent you from making the most of being outside, or even just getting on with day-to-day activities. Taking a holistic approach and managing your hay fever is looking at natural and lifestyle-based techniques that help relieve your symptoms as part of a larger process that promotes health and vitality, and not simply taking a medication to alleviate your symptoms. Adopting these methods, you can minimize your symptoms and keep allergy season in check.
One of the best things to do for hay fever on a holistic level is listening to your surroundings. You might start by reducing your exposure to things that shed in the gym—like pollen. You’ll want to try to keep your windows shut on the days when pollen counts are high, usually in the early morning or the late afternoon. Air purifiers with HEPA filters in your home can help prevent airborne irritants. And washed bedding and have a change of clothes once you’ve returned inside to keep pollen from hanging out on your skin and clothes for too long.
Diet is important in how your body interprets allergies. Load up on anti-inflammatory foods including dark leafy greens, berries, nuts and fatty fish, all of which help calm your immune system naturally. Foods that are full of vitamin C, such as oranges and bell peppers, are said to help your immune response, and thus, reduce the severity of your hay fever. You can also try staying well-hydrated because water helps thin mucus and keep your nasal passages clear.
Another natural route to consider is working stress reduction into your routine. Stress can make allergic reactions worse, so, if you can, practice activities such as yoga, deep-breathing exercises or meditation to calm your nervous system and help control symptoms more efficiently. Doing some gentle exercise in the great outdoors during nonpeak pollen times can also boost your immune system without boosting your exposure.
Natural supplements and herbal remedies to the rescue also. Butterbur extract and quercetin (from onions and apples) as well as nettle leaf, have been used in ancient times for the relief of hay fever symptoms. If you want to add supplements, talk to a health care provider to make sure they are safe and right for you to take.
Also, try to irrigate your nose with salt water, as it helps to get rid of pollen and mucus from the nose. This is not only soothing, but encourages deeper breathing. You can do nasal rinsing with a neti pot or squeeze bottle specifically designed for this purpose, which means it’s an easy but effective part of your daily routine.
And lastly, keeping a tidy environment can help heaps to support your hay fever. And get on a regular dusting and vacuuming schedule too dust mites and pet dander that can also make you sniffly and sneezy (and are likely sneaking into your bedroom while you’re walking in). Regular vacuuming with a HEPA-filter vacuum cleaner and running a damp cloth over surfaces can reduce indoor allergens like dust mites and pet dander, potential factors in your symptoms.
And, as it turns out, when you incorporate these holistic solutions into your life, you can develop an all-natural way to deal with hay fever, without putting stress on your body. While they might not put your symptoms to rest completely, they can greatly ease discomfort and make you feel more in control during allergy seasons.
