COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY
DAILY DOSE One to two grammes of vitamin C taken daily is claimed by some to be
effective in reducing the symptoms of hay fever, while other reports suggest that zinc may be of some help. Simply sealing the passages through which pollen enters the
But no-one likes to feel dull and drowsy and like us, you’ll probably be looking to avoid the ingestion of yet more chemicals. In this case, you might prefer to try instead one of the various home remedies which are said also to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever, but in a much more natural way. A highly effective treatment for the relief of congested airways is a thrice-daily steam inhalation. Just add three drops of eucalyptus oil to a large bowl of steaming water, cover your head with a towel and breathe deeply.
NATURAL SOLUTION Another good inhalant are chamomile and lemon
oils, which can be dabbed on a tissue and sniffed. Peppermint tea is good to ease congestion, as is garlic. Other home remedies include ginger, taken as either a tea or a juice, and a teaspoon of lemon taken in a glass of tepid water each morning, which is said to work as a preventative. Honey is widely thought to be helpful with hay fever, but we’ll come to that in a moment.
Some herbs are believed to enhance the body’s immune system and better enable it to fight off allergic attacks – one of the best of these is the humble nettle, taken as a tea with a spoonful of honey but also thought to be of use are raw onions, and butterbur, which is available in pill form, or as a tea. Butterbur has a long history of use in folk medicine, being reached for in cases of stomach cramps and allergies, asthma and coughing. This is supposed to work by blocking the action of histamine and much is claimed for it, though side-effects can include headache and indigestion, nausea and vomiting. It should be noted that children, pregnant or nursing women and anyone with diseases of the kidneys or liver shouldn’t take this.
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system can reduce the force of the symptoms. Lining the nose with natural face cream or lip balm will catch pollen before it has the chance to cause reactions and this can be a good preventative if you are heading for somewhere with a likely high pollen count. All these measures have their adherents, but perhaps the most popular resort for people wishing to combat hay fever naturally, is honey. Like ‘the hair of the dog that bit you’, the idea behind it is based on desensitisation. A spoonful of honey is taken every day, starting before the beginning of the hay fever season. Local honey is thought to be especially efficacious and while some people claim that unfiltered honey fresh from the hive is best, honey producers may counter that jarred honey from the shop shelf is just as good, as the product is only strained and heated before being jarred. You’ll also find a range of natural hay fever remedies on the shelves of health food shops, most of which are reportedly effective. Do a little research online and try one of these or test one of the folk remedies mentioned above. It’s very likely that there’s something here which will suit you and perhaps save your summer. And if all else fails, you might even be able to get hold of one of those bubble helmets.
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