Allergy season hits many Australians hard, knocking them over with symptoms such as a runny nose, watery or itchy eyes and constant sneezing. If you’re a sufferer, now is the time to start prepping your body for what lies ahead. Here, some simple and effective tools to start working with today.
1. Spritz Saline
A salt (or saline) solution is one of the most common treatments for a blocked, runny rose thanks to its ability to clear congestion, remove allergens and help break down mucus blocking the nasal cavity - all side-effects of allergies. Go for a simple saline spray or try a Neti Pot, a nasal irrigation device that uses a salt-based liquid to flush out allergens, clear the nasal passages and help prevent the onset of sinusitis. One word of advice: clean your neti pot with vinegar and hot water after every use to avoid bacteria and mold entering your nose.
2. Embrace Essential Oils
Ward away allergies with a blend of peppermint, lemon and lavender essential oils. This magical combination is known to work as a natural antihistamine by reducing your body’s inflammation response to allergens. Mix them together in a diffuser, or if you’re out and about, add a few drops to a handkerchief and wave it under your nose every few hours to keep allergies in check.
3. Know Your Triggers
Knowing what sets off your allergies is one of the best ways to manage them, so paying close attention is key. Start looking for patterns when symptoms arise, assessing everything from location, time of day and factors such as household dust or pets nearby. Once you learn your triggers you can work towards avoiding them, or prepping ahead with antihistamines and essentials oils before exposure takes place to reduce or eliminate symptoms entirely.
4. Prep with Probiotics
While external factors such as pollen and pet hair are known allergens, did you know your body can have a high histamine count from internal factors as well? Here’s how: your gut houses around 75 per cent of your immune system, but when it’s out of whack, your digestive flora is too, leaving you vulnerable to allergies and allergy symptoms. Probiotics help balance that by bringing your digestive system back into balance, reducing your histamine count and settling your immune responses right down. If you know you’re a target for seasonal allergies, start taking a good quality probiotic well before allergy season hits.
5. Start on Supplements
It’s not just probiotics that work wonders on allergies, other supplements such as glutamine, zinc, curcumin, fish oil, quercetin and nettles do too. All linked to assisting in gut health and reducing inflammation in the body, these supplements are serious contenders when it comes to preventing allergy symptoms from taking hold. Just remember to always see your doctor before embarking on a new supplement program to make sure they’re right for you.
Words by Yasemin Trollope
