Natural Allergy Remedies - An Alternative To Typical Treatments

Allergies affect millions of people all around the world. Since there are no known cures at this time people are always looking for the best treatment to help with their nagging symptoms. Most people will seek relief using the usual methods of medicine from the local drugstore. What most people don't know is there are alternative treatments for their allergies that go beyond what a normal medication can offer. There are many types of natural allergy remedies that are thought to help prevent a flairup to the common symptoms before you actually feel sick. One thing to realize is these remedies are usually only effective for milder cases of allergies, and you should always consult with your doctor or allergist before you decide to try one. With that being said here are a few of the more popular natural treatments for your next allergic reaction.

Butterbur is currently involved in studies as a natural allergy remedy. It is an herb from a small plant that is native to Asia, Europe, and some parts of North America. How exactly it works is still being determined, but scientists believe it can work like some over-the-counter allergy medications by naturally blocking the interaction of histamine and the other chemicals involved in your body's allergic responses. One particular study was conducted that involved 330 hay fever allergy sufferers. The participants were given either butterbur, Allegra, or a placebo each day. It was determined that butterbur was just as effective at relieving the usual allergy symptoms like nasal congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes as the medication Allegra. Both provided much more relief than the placebo.

Quercetin is another natural allergy remedy available to try today. It is an antioxidant that naturally occurs in such foods as citrus fruits, apples, onions, tea, tomatoes, broccoli, and lettuce. While the research isn't quite ready to call it an effective alternative treatment for hay fever, it is believed to prevent your body from releasing histamine. Histamine is the chemical at the root of such common allergic symptoms as sneezing and itchy, watery eyes. While you won't get enough from eating foods it is available in a supplement form to help you get the recommended dosage each day.

Neti pots are a kind of holistic approach to clearing your sinuses, with their roots in ancient India. They work similar to a nasal spray, instead incorporating salt water to rinse away your sinus congestion. An independent Italian study showed that nasal flushing was a helpful treatment for seasonal allergies, so if you suffer from the symptoms of hay fever then a neti pot may work for you.

Another method of fighting your allergies that is not typically mentioned is to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise, to help build up your immune system. You will also want to get lots of sleep and keep your stress levels as low as you can. A weaker immune system will be more taxed by the stresses of everyday life, and not able to fend off the usual allergens that cause your symptoms. Reducing stress and living a healthy lifestyle has many health benefits, especially for allergy sufferers.

As demonstrated above, there are things you can do to increase your health naturally and thus help reduce the chances of you developing any allergies. And should you have an allergic reaction you are not required to take medicine as your only means of fighting the affects. Before you decide to try any alternative natural allergy treatments you should speak with your doctor or allergist to make sure your symptoms are mild enough. You probably won't cure your allergies but you can find relief, and you may find yourself feeling better over time.