Spring has wreaked havoc on my sinuses. One minute I'm fine, the next my nose is running like a faucet. An hour later, I can't breathe at all. Not to mention the headaches from sinus pressure! Since I only use medication as a last result, natural remedies get me through most of my pollen/mold/dust-filled days.
1. Neti Pot - Also known as nasal saline irrigation, the neti pot is a ceramic, glass or plastic pot that uses gravity to guide the flow of saline through the nasal cavity. An ayurvedic technique, jala neti (literally, "cleanse the nose with water") was developed in ancient India. Modern surgeons recommend use of the neti pot after sinus surgery. It can be difficult to get used to, but after the third or fourth try, you will get the hang of it and will feel much better for it. Here is a video demonstration on how it works.They are readily available online or at your local Whole Foods for around $16.
2. Raw Local Honey - Hollistic practitioners believe that if you consume honey that was produced within 20 miles of your home, you can build up an immunity to local pollens through gradual exposure. Eat one teaspoon of honey each day. Please keep in mind that honey should not be given to children under 12 months of age. You can consult this database for your local honey producers.
3. Stinging Nettle Leaf - According the the University of Maryland Medical Center, "Researchers think that stinging nettle's ability to reduce itching and sneezing due to hay fever may be due to nettle's ability to reduce the amount of histamine the body produces in response to an allergen. More studies are needed to confirm nettle's antihistamine properties, however. Some doctors recommend taking a freeze-dried preparation of stinging nettle well before hay fever season starts."
4. Tea - Green and chamomile teas both contain natural antihistamines. Histamines are proteins that, when released, send a surge of blood to the affected area causing inflammation.
5. Steam Therapy - Inhaling steam infused with essential oils can provide quick relief for congested sinuses. Tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint. You can also use Olbas Oil, which contains a combination of oils and has been used in Europe for decades. You simply have to boil water, pour it into a bowl, add the recommended number of drops of essential oil and inhale the steam.
(Images: WebMD; TinnitusDX; Live Wire Farm; Sensible Weight Loss; Drugstore.com)
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Not to nitpick, but another article contradicting a previous article: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/food-science/fact-or-fiction-eating-local-honey-cures-allergies-146636
I highly recommend hypnotherapy! It made such a big difference (horrible allergy to cats, and my sweetheart, naturally, has two cats) for me that I became a hypnotherapist. www.FeelGoodOnPurpose.com
Chamomile is related to ragweed, and could worsen your allergy, even causing an allergic reaction itself.
I believe the NYTimes had an article recently debunking the honey theory, as well; the reason being that most major allergies are caused by pollen-producing plants and trees that don't attract bees.
I wrote an article earlier this week about natural remedies, http://www.healthybitchdaily.com/post/misery-loves-company, that has some additional things to try such as Quercetin and some spicy foods.
@embryoconcepts - though many of the comments attest to it working for them. i've been using it for the past two weeks and, it may be a placebo effect or my neti pot doing most of the work, but i certainly feel better.
@Sam I Am - interesting! i'm terribly allergic to ragweed (ended up in the back of a paramedic van during a 10k Mud Run), but have never had any problem with chamomile tea.
@mchin - Actually, I use it as well, and think it helps. My point was that AT posted two contradictory articles in the same week.
Sorry to do this, but i feel I should repost my comment regarding the honey article: I tried to edit it down a bit. Long story short: the NY Times article / study did NOT "debunk" the claim.
"Even the lame NY Times article concludes by saying, "there is no evidence". That is different than saying that the answer is no. Ever hear of the precautionary principle?
The study was legit, but very incomplete. I did not read the study yet but I assume, if it was a good study, it mentioned the limitations, as all good peer reviewed studies are supposed to.
Here are the limitations:
1. It only tested subjects during the summer months. Folks who have used this remedy know that they begin it in February, and give time for the effects to kick in.
2. The original thinking was that the honey gave you "immunity" to allergies. Does that make sense to you? Of course not, it's pretty nonsensical. So I'm surprised they tested the honey this way.
3. The next line of thinking was that it's the enzymes. Again - does that make sense? No, because the enzymes get digested, they don't become part of your chemical makeup.
4. The new thinking is that the remedy is a compound antioxidant found in honey, called quercetin (also found in apples and onions). This treatment is so promising that my doctor prescribed supplements for my allergies
(and he's a statewide renowned doctor).
****Does this mean that honey works? No! But the study we're reading about here is wholly inadequate to answer the question. Just like any other scientific matter, we need a body of evidence that covers all bases and repeats tests over and over again".
Stinging nettle has worked wonders for me, but it's a symptom killer. Best bet is to mechanically get rid of the pollen first. Take frequent showers, wash your hair and use a nasal spray to get the pollen off your mucosa the minute you come indoors. You wouldn't believe how that stuff sticks to your body. That is partly how it disseminates itself, after all.