Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Hay fever Season!


I have returned to the world of blogging!

Well, Spring is here at last, unfortunately along with the sunshine comes the pollen season. The good news is there is no need to suffer as there are plenty of alternatives to keep the misery at bay.

When I first moved to New York it was in one of those crazy Springs where it is 75 F on St Patrick's day and your brain struggles to make sense out of the combination of summer dresses and snowdrops. It was into this balmy weather and a haze of pollen that we landed at JFK. Hay fever from hell crashed in to my mucus membranes, and I had no herbal medicine and had no idea where to buy any. I managed to get my hands on some zyrtec and ordered my herbs from England. It was in fact a great test into comparison to conventional drugs and herbs in the treatment of my hay fever. For a week I sniffled, itched and dripped while I dosed up with zyrtec. Then at last my herbs arrived, with in two days my symptoms were 100% better, I was human again and could enjoy the Spring. 

Every year since, it makes me realize how lucky I am to have access to natural alternatives for hay fever treatment. So you may be asking what can you take for your hay fever? Here is my advice.


Herbal medicine

Nettle
I would normally prescribe several herbs together for allergy rather than just one as the herbs work better in synergy  A typical formula may be: Nettle, baical Skulcap and berberis vularis. There is an over the counter formula I sell in my clinic call "Anti-inflammatory" that contains these herbs.


Butterbur
Nettle I drink cups and cups of this tea in the hay fever season. It is naturally high in quercetrin (see below) and is a natural anti-histamine. It also has the added      benefit  of being  rich in iron, calcium, potassium, and Vitamins A and C.  


Baical Skullcap
Baical skullcap this wonderful Chinese herb has been used for thousands of years for its anti-inflammatory affects which has now been widely researched. It works very well for allergies especially in combination with other herbs.

Butterbur has been studied to be as effective as conventional allergy medicine. It works by reducing the nasal inflammation and spasms in the respiratory system as well as being a general anti-inflammatory.

Albizzia is an other great Chinese herb for calming allergic responses and is used regularly very successfully in hay fever treatment.

Mucus membrane tonics are a great addition to an allergy formulation as they calm down the inflamed  membranes.  Herbs that fall into this category include golden seal, plantain, eyebright and the berberis species.

Ephedra if you live in Europe you can have your herbalist prescribe this potent decongestant and anti-allergic herb for you.


Supplements


Quercetrin this naturally occurring flavanoid that is found in high levels in red onions is a great natural anti-histamine. It has been shown in numerous studies to stabilize mast cell and prevent histamine release. I suggest 500mg-1000mg three times a day. I find that some seasons one dose a day is enough, other times sufferers need the full three. 

Bromelain naturally occurs in pineapples, they must be fresh and eaten away from protein to get the full effects. Some studies have found that bromelain is helpful in reducing nasal swelling and thinning mucus, making it easier for people to breathe. It is often found combined with quercetrin, 140 mg three times day is a good dose. 



Lifestyle


Wash your hair when you come in. This simple tip removes the pollen that has attached to your hair in the day and stops you getting it on your pillow.

Close the windows when pollen is rising and falling. Typically in the morning as the temperature rises and in the early evening as the temperature drops.

Cover your bed with a bed spread. This will stop any pollen falling on the pillow.

Vaseline inside your nose or a natural waxy cream. This will trap pollen.

Wear sunglasses to stop pollen flying into your eyes.

Wash out nasal passages and eyes regularly. Use a neti pot when you come home to clear nasal passages. Also use  eye drops or an eye-bath regularly. Ideally if you can get eyedrops with eyebright added or ask your herbalist and they can give you drops you can add to boiled water to calm irritated eyes.

Avoid foods that cross react with the pollen type you are allergic to. Certain foods contain proteins that are very similar to the protein in the pollen so when you eat this food in the hay fever season it will make the symptoms worse. For example birch pollen family (which included the infamous plane trees) cross react with apples, peach, cherry (stoned fruits), kiwi, passion fruit, carrot, tomato, some nuts particularly almond. See this link for over allergy group and there cross reaction foods.http://www.polleninfo.org/index.php?language=en&nav=_n2&module=article&action=first_page&row=2&id_parent=1385

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