I've always had seasonal allergies- meaning from Day 1 of spring until the snow flies. I have about a week or two somewhere in the middle where things settle down. The problem is, they get increasingly worse every year. I used to be able to pop a Sudafed and I was good to go. Then I had to switch to an over-the-counter allergy med. Then it came to prescription meds- last year it came to two presciption meds. So, I've been feeling the beast come on in the past few days, and I've putting off taking those dumb meds. I take enough pills as it is. My question: Any of you wise readers out there have an alternative treatment plan for allergies??? Something that doesn't require me to drop by Target pharmacy every month and fork over a painful co-pay for the ever-annoying pills?
Anyone? I know there are some super-smarties out there!
20 comments:
Arizona?
LOL. What Jenny said.
During spring, I boost Atlas' immune system with fish oil and probiotics (yogurt + supplements) and give him local raw honey - all for his allergies. It helps. As did switching him to the raw diet, but I don't know what the human equivalent of that would be, LOL.
Clearly I take better care of him than I do of me. ;)
I'll go through my books tonight and see what they suggest .. if you can find a local honey, I would definitely suggest using that. Plus, honey and butter on toast is yummy. Also, make sure you're drinking lots of water. Really. It helps. :)
Arizona would be AWESOME! :D
LOL, Elizabeth! I'm not quite sure how I feel about doggy remedies...can't hurt, though! I do drink a lot of water, so that's good! Thanks! :)
Oh .. the probiotics and fish oil are human remedies .. I just use them on Atlas because they work for dogs too. It's just that I don't take them myself regularly so can't say how they work for me. :)
oh .. as is the raw honey one .. human, I just use it on Atlas. :)
My mom bought me a saline nasal wash last year for my allergies. It is supposed to help. (I have just been too chicken to try it. I am afraid that I might aspirate!) Maybe you could try it and let me know how it works!
Jen- I have tried the nasal wash- NASTY. I think you have to do it *just right*, which apparently I can't. :-/
Elizabeth- does a boosted immune system help with allergies? ...is that a dumb question? :D
Oh - I totally forgot about the neti pot! Jen's comment reminded me. That does help, if you use it regularly. The first time feels rather weird - but you get used to it. :)
yes, strengthening your immune system generally helps with anything. it helps your body better handle irritants, etc. that it encounters. don't know how much it'll help, but it can't hurt.
actually .. I don't think fish oil is really an immune strengthener. but it has benefits that are related to helping allergies (fuzzy on what they are at the moment).
I get weirded out about taking fish oil. Sounds gross. Yeah, I'm a wimp. I'm going with the evil meds. -sigh-
To expand on others comments since I don't have any new ideas:
Taking raw honey has worked for people with allergies. If you get it locally, the same pollen that is in the honey is probably what is bothering you. Your body can build up an immunity to it and make the allergies less bothersome. And Nordic Naturals has good, wild caught fish oil that are in capsules.
We've learned some about immune systems over the last couple months. If your immune system is unhappy, your allergies become worse. You could try detoxing sometime this spring? I felt crazily awesome after the big one I did a couple years ago!
Regardless, I hope you feel better soon! :)
I'm not a fan of honey- they should put that in capsules! That makes sense with local honey, though- interesting. I don't want to take fish oil- even in capsules. Just creeps me out. I guess I really shouldn't be complaining if I'm not willing to try these things, hey? What detox did you do, Julie?
do you like fish? sardines, perhaps? if you ate a can of sardines in olive oil a few time a week, that would work. or fish a few times a week. :)
There is a homeopathic remedy for seasonal allergies that we have tried and it does help (though my girls have mild symptoms, not severe like yours). It's made by Hylands Homeopathic and called Allergy Relief. It doesn't have any side effects like OTC drugs can have. I bet you could find it at Cash Wise in the organic foods section, or maybe another large grocery chain with a natural foods section. I get it through my buy club, we could always get some for you if you can't find it.
Elizabeth~ can't stand fish. Bummer.
Cheryl~ I'll have to look for that- I'm sure Cash Wise or Good Earth carries it? Even if it allowed me to drop one of my meds, I would be happy. I actually don't get side effects from them (Singular and Allegra), but I'm just on SO MANY meds, it's kind of frustrating.
Thanks!
I have seasonal allergies, too. Mine seemed to have gotten better over the years until the past year or so, now they seem to be getting bad again.
Elizabeth's remedies are the ones I'd recommend. Fish oil is a vital supplement that helps with our immune system and has the good omega 3 fatty acids which help with our 'feel good' hormones. It's not gross. I promise. ;) You just take it in capsule form and you never know the difference.
I heard about taking local honey last year and I've actually been eating it all winter.
Is a tablespoon or two in one cup of chai tea too much? ;)
I'm with you, I don't like honey. But I'm beginning to acquire a taste for it...I think. They say to take 2 tablespoons a day. Local doesn't necessarily mean 'your town'. Although, I imagine it'd be best. And, raw would definitely be the first choice. But the stuff I've been using isn't raw and it's from about an hour north of here. You just want it to have similar pollens in it to help.
We'll see! I'm interested to see how I'll be feeling this spring. And, being one who has converted into this super-natural-somewhat-organic-way-of-living-girl, I'm wanting to get my hands on some local raw honey to see if that'd do the trick!
Good luck with whatever you do. Allergies are so not fun. I take Claritin, as needed, for mine. I don't take it every day. Just on the days when it's the worst and it's really helped.
I have pretty bad seasonal allergies too, Laura. Colorado helped more than anything, but since that isn't an option for either of us right now...!
This is just something really simple that helps me a little. You probably already know, but I'll share. I wash my hair before bed every night when I'm having issues, and make sure I wash at least the pillowcases every couple of days. Otherwise, those pesky allergens end up smothering me all night and it aggravates my allergies something fierce.
I almost never take any medication of any kind at this point, so when I do take a Benadryl, it works wonders for me.
Hello-
You don't know me but I work for a pharmaceutical company and a couple of years ago we participated in an allergy study. The drug (which still hasn't been approved) was pretty much just vitamin B. Some participants had success and others did not. I myself, have yet to try it.
bother .. Krista's comment reminded me that I should wash the bedding. No wonder Atlas has been so sneezy lately.
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