Allergies can feel like they take over your life a few times a year. If you get seasonal allergies in the spring, summer and fall, you’ll deal with allergies for nearly nine months of the year.
The good news is allergy relief is possible, and you don’t have to be held hostage to allergies, and there are several drug-free methods to get rid of allergies.
In this article from a Board Certified Otolaryngologist, includes 8 natural ways to alleviate allergies for good.
Use a Neti Pot to Get Rid of Allergies
One of the easiest ways to get rid of allergies is to use a neti pot. These pots can seem a little over the top at first. You need to fill the pot with warm saline solution, tip your head to the side and run the saline solution from one nostril to the other.
This nasal irrigation method will clear your sinuses and allow the mucus membranes to coat the inside of the nose and protect your nostrils from pollen.
Prep Your Home to Rid Allergies
You spend the most time during your day in your home. This means that you need to protect your home from would-be pollen that can work its way into your respiratory system. One of the best ways to keep your home pollen-free is to use an air conditioning system in the summer.
Air conditioning systems filter the air coming into your home. They can help protect you from the pollen that might otherwise blow into your home via an open window.
If it’s too cool to use an air conditioner, you can always use an air purification system. You may need to buy several air purifiers if you have a large home, but they can greatly increase the air quality of your living space.
See an Allergist
Some people wait to see an allergist to get rid of allergies, because they are afraid the allergist will just reconfirm their worst fears. Yet allergists can help pinpoint the problems, so you can avoid the right things. For example, you may think you’re allergic to pollen. Yet you might just be allergic to grass.
Your allergies could also include food allergies that you may not have known about. For example, some people who are allergic to certain types of pollen are also allergic to certain foods. Carrots, apples and walnuts are associated with different types of pollen.
Get Defensive
The first defense against allergies should happen long before allergy season. If you take allergy medicine or use nasal sprays to get rid of allegies, you’ll need to begin taking them a least four weeks before your allergies usually flare up.
Your body will need to build up the medicine in your system before allergy season attacks.
Keep Your House and Your Body Clean
Pollen is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to allergies. During peak allergy seasons, you may often see a thin layer of yellow or green pollen settle on outdoor furniture and cars.
This pollen can get inside your pores, sinuses and lungs and cause your body to practically attack itself. The easiest way to get rid of the pollen that has attached to your clothing is to wash your clothes as much as possible. You’ll also want to wash the pollen off your skin and from your hair.
Keep Hydrated to Help Get Rid of Allergies
Another great way to protect yourself from allergies is to stay as hydrated as possible. When you’re hydrated, your body can properly create the mucus membranes it needs to protect your body from pollen and other allergens, which is the best natural way to get rid of allergies.
Try drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Drinking water can also help you flush any allergens that you may have ingested orally or that may have gotten into your system through your pores.
Hire Someone to Cut Your Lawn
Your lawn is one of the biggest allergy offenders. Long blades of grass can hold even more pollen than tree leaves. Try to keep your lawn as trim as possible. You may also want to consider hiring someone to cut your lawn for you. Mowing a lawn can stir up the pollen that is on the grass and make you sick while you’re mowing.
You may also be allergic to grass. Obviously, mowing a lawn would release the allergens in the grass and inflame your allergies.
Don’t Bring Your Allergies to Bed
Most people take a shower first thing in the morning. Yet you may want to switch up your style if you have allergies.
Most people who suffer from pollen allergies end up bringing pollen to bed with them. The pollen can get attached to your clothes, hair and skin. You’ll want to wash that off before you head to bed.
If you transfer the pollen from your clothes and hair to your bed linens, you could literally come face to face with the pollen every night.
Take a shower before you go to bed at night to ensure the pollen doesn’t make its way to your bedding (in addition to your sinuses).
Allergies may often make you feel like nature is attacking you. Yet there is hope. With a few simple tweaks, you can easily increase the quality of your life. Even during peak allergy seasons, you can stay happy and congestion-free.
Author Bio
Dr. Ran Y. Rubinstein, founder of Hudson Valley Sinus Center, is Board Certified by the American Board Of Otolaryngology For Head And Neck Surgery, as well as the American Board Of Facial And Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Rubinstein has devoted a significant portion of his career to successfully treating sinus conditions and is widely respected as a leader in the field.
Ken Weiss is a health blogger who is passionate about natural and holistic cures for men’s health issues. He is the founder of menshealthcures.com
