Natural Remedies for Allergy Season

When spring and summer attack….sounds like a title of a horror film. There’s nothing worse than allergy season if you happen to be one of the 50 million people in America who suffer from allergies. According to the College of Asthma and Immunology, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. These staggering statistics are trending up and don’t look to slow down anytime soon.

Common allergies and conditions such as hay fever and even asthma affect both adults and children, so much in fact that our country spends over $18 billion dollars every year as a result. Medication, doctor and ER visits add up quickly, leaving millions of people searching for relief.

Would it not be better to stop the allergies before they even start? Here are four action steps for naturally preventing allergies:

Carry a water bottle

This is the part where you drink LOTS OF WATER! The goal is to consume half of your body weight in fluid ounces per day. Your sinus cavities and respiratory tract membranes are extremely sensitive to dehydration, so staying hydrated helps fight flare-ups. Hydration helps the body wash away irritants before they can accumulate to the point of an allergy attack.

Get extra sleep

Your immune system gets taxed easily from fighting off allergens, and it needs to recharge. Adding an extra 30 minutes of sleep every day will give the immune system a boost, helping it react appropriately and not overreact.

Eat local raw honey

Consuming local honey is a natural way to desensitize yourself to allergens. Local health food and farmers’ markets carry local honey. Just make sure they are local and not over processed. Eating 1-2 teaspoons per day will help, and as a bonus, honey is a superfood and can help other body systems beyond immunity.

Neutralize your stresses

Three stresses that can cause illness and disease are classified as physical/mechanical, chemical and neuro-emotional.

We all know that being “stressed out” means often becoming more susceptible to illness and disease due to the immune system being taxed. Allergy sufferers are at the same or greater risk when they experience neuro-emotional stress.

Chemical stress may not only be that pesky pollen but other environmental chemical stress. Things like additives to our food and water, heavy metals like mercury, lead, nickel and even copper. If your immune system is overreacting to an allergen, it may be because it is already overloaded by one or more of these environmental toxins. Unfortunately, many healthcare professionals don’t discuss these possibilities with patients, much less test for them.

Getting regular chiropractic adjustments helps remove and neutralize mechanical stress. This allows the nervous and other systems to run optimally. Neck and other pains are related to a compromised immune system; again, boost it with regular chiropractic.

Save yourself the itching and the sneezing for the season and give these things a try. Your nose and body will thank you.

Dr. Bradley Clow is focused on helping as many people as possible reach their optimum health potential. He utilizes not only chiropractic adjustment but provides a complete spectrum of natural healthcare: individualized supplements, massage therapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. This allows Dr. Clow and his staff to focus on the needs of each individual.

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