How to Fight Allergies with Natural Remedies (VZ 32)

Are you as overwhelmed as I am by all of the different pills that claim to fight allergies? And what about all of those side effects? Sometimes I think the side effects might be WORSE than the allergies themselves. Natural remedies to the rescue!   In this episode of our podcast, we talk about some …

The post How to Fight Allergies with Natural Remedies (VZ 32) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

Are you as overwhelmed as I am by all of the different pills that claim to fight allergies? And what about all of those side effects? Sometimes I think the side effects might be WORSE than the allergies themselves. Natural remedies to the rescue!

 

In this episode of our podcast, we talk about some natural remedies to help you battle nasty seasonal allergies.

 

Check out episode 32 of our podcast to hear our discussion or feel free to read on for a summary.

 

 

Some Best Practices to Help You Fight Allergies Naturally

The season of nasty colds, ugly flu viruses and winter allergies is upon us.  Coughing, chest congestion, itching, and achiness conspire to make us miserable.  Television, magazine ads, and conventional medicine have taught us to rush to the drugstore and load up on cough syrups and drops; pills for congestion, itching, sniffling, and sneezing; medicines to help us sleep, and ones to keep us awake.

Of course, if you’re sick and not getting better you should visit your doctor, but there are also many ways to combat (and even prevent!) these illnesses naturally.

With that, here are 5 of our favorite tips to help you naturally treat what ails you this cold and allergy season.

 

Hydrate!

Let’s start this list with the simplest of natural remedies, water.

Your body needs water, especially when you’re sick. Water not only helps flush out the bad stuff but it helps your body function properly so that it can heal.

 

Eat Healthy Whole Foods

Just like our bodies need water, they also need the right amount of nutrients to ensure they have what they need to fight off illness and inflammation.

By reducing processed foods and increasing whole foods in your diet, you’ll load your body with illness-fighting vitamins!

 

 

Try Out a Homemade Chest Poultice

A what?

A poultice is essentially a paste made of herbs, plants, and other healing substances (like salt and charcoal) used as a natural alternative to rubs that are made from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of the oil industry and doesn’t break down very easily so it’s not great for the environment.

Check out this article from Wellness Mama for more on poultices, including a few “recipes.”

As Wellness Mama states (and as we always state, too) please do not use any of these without first consulting your doctor.

 

Nasal Irrigation

Personally I’m not a big fan of nasal irrigation but some folks swear by it.

According to the FDA, nasal irrigation systems such as neti pots and syringes are generally safe. It’s SUPER important, however, to keep them clean and use the correct type of water (distilled or sterile).  Tap water should NEVER be used as it’s not filtered properly and can contain some harmful organisms.

As stated, nasal irrigation isn’t something I would do, but we’ve included it in our list because we know some folks who do and think it’s a great natural way to fight and relieve allergies.

 

Healing Herbs

Mother Nature certainly knew what she was doing when she created these healing herbs!

Even though honey is not an herb, we are including it on this list because of its healing properties. Note: Honey is not considered vegan so you should not use this if you are trying to stick to follow a vegan lifestyle.

Healing PropertiesPlant/Herb/Other

AntiviralHoney

Licorice Root

Cinnamon

Elderberries

Antiseptic, AntibioticThyme

Sage

AntihistamineOregano

Peppermint

AntioxidantRosemary

Ginger

Eucalyptus

Peppermint

AntibacterialHoney

Licorice Root

Cinnamon

Oregano

Rosemary

Elderberries

 

Additionally, here are some benefits of specific herbs for cold/allergy/flu symptoms:

Benefit of Specific Herbs for Cold/Flu/ AllergiesHerb/ Plant/Other

Relieves Chest CongestionThyme

Oregano

Eucalyptus

Peppermint

Lemon

Licorice Root

Relieves Nasal CongestionPeppermint

Eucalyptus

Eases CoughingLicorice Root

Eucalyptus

Lemon

Honey

 

A Couple of Bonus Tips

These two bonus tips aren’t exactly “natural” remedies but they do help promote a more natural approach to allergy relief.

 

Use a Humidifier

Bacteria thrive in dry air. A good quality humidifier can help you keep your airways open and lessen chest congestion. We have a Honeywell humidifier that has some great features such as automatic shutoff and variable settings.

 

 

You can add a few drops of essential oils or herbs to the water for an added bit of congestion relief.

 

Use a Mask When Outside Doing Lawn Work Or Cleaning Your House

While you can find plenty of disposable masks to help keep you from breathing in allergens,  we recommend reusable masks to help reduce waste.

The initial cost of a reusable mask is a little higher than disposable masks but you’ll save money in the long run

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We hope this has has helped provide you with some ideas to help fight allergies with natural remedies vs. a TON of pills!

 

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided.  We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

 

Quote of the  Week

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

— Oscar Wilde

 

Recipe of the Week

Hot Lemonade Recipe

 

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

Vickie and Larissa

The post How to Fight Allergies with Natural Remedies (VZ 32) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.