Allergy Season Rescue

Allergy season is upon us once again and while the sneezing, sniffles, watery eyes and general feeling of being mildly poisoned is unavoidable, there are some things you can do to lessen the symptoms. Here in the south, once the daffodil blooms emerge, we know that’s the checkered flag to indicate allergy season is starting.

There are the traditional over the counter medications which many rely on such as Zyrtec and Claritin, but if you read the precautions, side effects and potential interactions with other medications, these may not be the appropriate solution for you. Some of the most common side effects clearly listed on the packaging for these medications include: headache, sleepiness, feeling tired, drowsiness, fatigue, nervousness, stomach pain, diarrhea, dry mouth, sore throat, hoarseness, eye redness, blurred vision, nose bleed, skin rash, nausea and vomiting. Almost sounds like you would be trading one ailment for another.

Luckily there are some fantastic homeopathic and all natural solutions for allergy relief. Everything listed below is exactly what I use personally for myself and my family. We have had great success with these even though we all work outside every day. If they work for us, I bet you can find relief with them as well.

One thing you may notice in all these links and recommendations is how affordable each item is that I’m sharing. Taking care of your health in an all natural way does not have to be expensive. I raised five kids and we were a single income household with just my husband working. It was imperative that I was always frugal with our spending, even when it came to healthcare. You will never see me recommend anything we don’t personally use.

First of all, something every home should have at least one of is a Neti-pot. There are many different brands and styles but our favorite and the one we have found to be the easiest to use is the very affordable NeilMed Sinus Rinse.

Yes, I know this is an intimidating contraption and concept, but once you use it & see that it’s really not a big scary deal, you will be hooked. It’s not just for nasal allergies & hay fever either. It’s also beneficial for sinus pressure and nasal stuffiness, relief from cold and flu, and for nasal irritation from occupational and house dust, fumes, animal dander, grass, pollen and smoke. It took me years to convince my kids and even my husband to give it a shot, but once they finally gave in, they swear by it and now recommend it to everyone they know. There are many styles and brands but this is the one I like best. You use warm distilled water and mix in one of the salt packets. (If you do not have distilled water handy, boil tap water then let it cool to warm before using.) After mixing the salt packet with the warmed water, put the top on, gently shake and you’re ready to go. Put the nozzle under one of your nostrils. Lean over the sink and gently squeeze the bottle. The warm saline wash (which does not sting) goes up one nostril and out the other, flushing out pollen and other environmental contaminants. Switch sides and repeat on the other nostril. You can do this 2-3 times a day. I promise it is the absolute best at giving immediate relief. And the Neti-pot is not just for allergy season. We use it year round for colds and if you are prone to snoring, it can help to use it before going to bed.

I have a few different allergy remedies I use but they are all wonderful. It’s important to remember that when using homeopathic remedies for allergies you will have to take them more than once a day. The beauty of homeopathy is the remedies are safe and will not interfere with other medications. But, most do require repeating the dosage. This can be awkward to get use to if you’re use to just popping a pill in the morning, so I recommend setting alarms on your phone to remind you when the next dose is due. The peace of mind from using non toxic and safe alternatives is totally worth the extra time. Genexa is the homeopathic equivalent of Zyrtec/Claritin. Genexa is a multi-symptom allergy relief formulated to promote allergy relief in symptoms such as irritated eyes, runny nose, sinus pressure, sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy nose and throat. Genexa is a company founded by two dads on mission to clean up the medicine aisle. Genexa only uses clean ingredients to make certifiable organic, gluten-free, non GMO homeopathic medicines. They never use artificial dyes, common allergens or parabens. At the first onset of symptoms you chew two tablets, you do not swallow whole, you must chew them. Then repeat as needed every 6-8 hours.

Another staple in my medicine chest are these homeopathic pellet remedies. If you are not familiar with homeopathy, you take 6 pellets and let them dissolve under your tongue. Repeat in 30 minutes then repeat again every 2-3 hours until symptoms subside.

For ragweed allergy relief, Boiron Ambrosia 30c is awesome.

For general allergy relief, I use Boiron Histaminum which is great for hay fever, hives, indoor and outdoor allergies.

Allergena makes a fantastic liquid allergy relief that targets specific allergens like Texas Tree Pollen. This stuff works fast. It’s very important to shake the bottle well, squeeze a dropper full and place under your tongue. Let it sit there a few seconds then swallow. I live in East Texas and Allergena Texas Trees is my go to, but one of my daughters lives in central Texas and the Texas Cedar Fever is what she uses. My mom has severe mold allergies so for her, I’d recommend Allergena Mold Mix. For each liquid allergy remedy, you shake the bottle well, then put one entire dropper full under your tongue. These are alcohol based tinctures so they may have a slight “sting” but it’s not bad at all and the sensation evaporates quickly.

If your allergies progress into a sinus infection then there are some additional products I recommend. You do not need to run to the doctors office. There is no need to go get an antibiotic.

Let me say this again… THERE IS NO NEED TO GET AN ANTIBIOTIC FOR A SINUS INFECTION.

Overuse of antibiotics is rampant in the United States. If you continually use antibiotics for non life threatening illnesses, when you do need one to actually save your life, your body could have built up a resistance to it from years of overuse. I completely understand how uncomfortable and annoying a sinus infection can be, but it is not life threatening and should not be treated as such.

The first one is Boiron SinusCalm. This helps with sinus pain relief, runny nose, congestion, sinus pressure and headaches. These are the pellets and will be used in the same way I mentioned above. Super easy, safe for kids and the vials are about the size of a tube of chapstick so you can easily slip them in your pocket or purse.

If you feel like you absolutely need an antibiotic, then use the all natural one - oil of oregano. Carlyle Oil of Oregano is my favorite because of the higher dosage. Oil of Oregano is anti bacterial and anti viral, therefore it is a multi-purpose all natural antibiotic. One of my sons is a pilot and whenever he’s been around a coworker who’s been sick in any capacity, he will take an oil of oregano and Kyolic 103 immune support for a few days and he rarely gets sick.

Speaking of Kyolic 103, this is a product I’ve mentioned before in another blog because it’s truly a game changer. The best way to explain the beauty of Kyolic 103 is that it’s like a multivitamin for boosting your immune system. It has vitamin C, aged garlic extract, a premium mushroom complex, astragalus, oregano and olive leaf extract. We always have at least three bottles of this in hand because it is so good! You may be wondering if you also need the separate oil of oregano since the Kyolic 103 contains oil of oregano and the answer is yes, you need both. The amount of oil of oregano in the Kyolic is minor and for a genuine antibiotic dose, you need the one I linked above.

Sore throats are another side effect of allergies and for that I have a few options we use as well. All of these work great, but in our family of seven, everyone had different preferences for which one they preferred to use.

Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray is not only good for sore throat relief but it’s another great immune support supplement! Bee propolis is nature’s ultimate protector and serves as the hives immune system. It has been used for centuries for immune support, soothing scratchy throats and promoting recovery. Bee propolis is naturally rich in antioxidants and has over 300 beneficial compounds to aid in healing naturally.

Natural Path Silver Wings Colloidal Silver Spray is another great throat spray. We keep this on hand especially for strep throat or any throat irritation. This specific brand has been voted 2020 Best of Supplements, the Parents’ Puck award for Best Family Health & Safety Product and the Mom’s Choice Award for Best in Family Friendly Products. Because the recommended dosage for adults is ten sprays, three times a day and 3-10 sprays for kids three times a day, if you have a large household, you can go through a bottle of this pretty quickly.

That’s why I also buy this larger container and refill the spray bottle myself with a small kitchen funnel. Yes, the large bottle is a bit pricey, but you can treat virtually anything and everything with colloidal silver. It’s antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties make it effective and useful for a lot of different health issues. We use it on burns, cuts, rashes, it cures eyes infections including pink eye, it can treat staph infections as well as ear infections. It also is a great mouth rinse to prevent the growth of bacteria and yeast in the mouth as well as treat bad breath. As you can see, if you get the big bottle, it will not go to waste!

I’m personally not a fan of sore throat drops as I prefer to sip on hot tea, but my kids like them and their favorites are the Wedderspoon Manuka Honey Lozenges, specifically the lemon and bee propolis and the cool mint flavors. The other cough drops they like are the Honees Honey Filled Cough Drops, menthol free lozenges. They love these so much I can put them in their stockings at Christmas and they are genuinely thrilled. They taste really good and they truly work to soothe a sore throat.

Since I mentioned my affinity for herbal teas, one of my absolute favorite teas not just for allergy season but all year is Nettle Leaf. The FGO Organic Nettle Leaf tea bags are so good. They do not contain caffeine so it’s perfect to have a cup in the evening as well as during the day. Consuming only one cup is potent enough to ward off health issues like inflammation, seasonal allergies, weak immune system, indigestion and skin irritation. Many refer to it as a “beauty elixir” because of its benefits for improving skin texture. There have also been multiple studies suggesting nettle tea promotes hair growth. It has also been shown to help with kidney health, lowering blood pressure and help with arthritis. If you are a tea drinker, I highly encourage you to look up all the benefits of nettle tea. If you aren’t a tea aficionado I’d still encourage you to try it for the health benefits but as an added bonus, it’s actually delicious. I never have to add honey to my cup because it tastes amazing just by itself.

While all my children are grown, I do have three beautiful granddaughters, and dozens of nieces and nephews. There are some great homeopathic remedies for babies and kids for a multitude of ailments but these two are my favorites for allergy and cold symptoms.

For babies six months and over my number one recommendation is Hylands Mucas + Cold Relief Combo Pack.

For kids two and up, Hylands also makes Hylands 4 Kids Cold ‘n Mucus, Day and Night.

These are for daytime/nighttime relief of colds, including accumulation of mucus in chest, throat and nose, cough with expectoration of thick, discolored mucus, runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion, irritability, fussiness and occasional sleeplessness.

While these homeopathic and all natural remedies for allergies certainly aren’t your only options when choosing to treat allergies safely and drug free, these are my favorites and the ones I always recommend to friends and family. It’s definitely a lifestyle choice to forgo pharmaceutical medicine and instead use natural remedies, and I acknowledge there can be a learning curve when starting something different. But I promise that the rewards you will reap in putting your health first are absolutely worth it. No one will ever have your family’s health as their top priority more than you.

Note: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click one of these links and purchase something, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.