Spring is just around the corner, and while that means welcoming warmer weather and watching flowers bloom, it also means seasonal allergies are about to be in full swing. For many, what should be an exciting end to a cold winter ends up being a season of itchy, watery eyes and endless sneezing and congestion.
While it might seem like a great idea to just grab Claritin and Benadryl on your next trip to the store, I’m challenging you to try a few of these natural seasonal allergy remedies to avoid taking medications you may not actually need. While I always recommend following whatever you and your care provider decide together, over the counter medications are sometimes not necessary if you try these tips first. These home remedies may also be a great option for kids or those who don't tolerate medications well. I hope these seasonal allergy tips help you as much as they’ve helped my family and me!
Drink More Water
Allergy symptoms are due to the body producing histamines, a type of hormone that protects you from external toxins and pollutants. When your body is dehydrated, it releases histamines that also protect the remaining water supply your body has access to. This can cause stronger allergy symptoms when coupled with typical seasonal allergies. If you increase your water intake and prevent dehydration, you can help your body regulate this hormone and better protect your immune system. Aim for at least half a gallon of water a day and work your way up to a full gallon. You'll be shocked at how much better you feel when you’re properly hydrated!Clean Your Home
This one may sound super obvious, but it’s often overlooked. After a long winter of keeping the windows shut, dust settles on all the surfaces in your home. And even if you routinely clean, once you start opening up windows to welcome in the spring, the breeze can unsettle all of those pesky, hidden dust particles, inevitably making you sneeze like crazy. Opening up the windows also introduces pollen into your home from outdoor plants which can cause even more reactions. Use a microfiber cloth to keep surfaces dust free and vacuum often. I also recommend vacuuming your sofa and other soft furniture to prevent pet dander and dust particles from building up.
Replace Your Air Filters
Dust particles and allergens bring me to my next tip – air filters and air purifiers! I cannot stress enough how important it is to routinely switch out your air filters for your HVAC system. Switching them out often helps mitigate allergens that may be floating around your home, and spring cleaning is the perfect time to do that. I use Filter Time air filters and am so happy with the results. Use code JUSTINGREDIENTS for 20% off your first order. To further drive home this point, the EPA states, “The air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.” Which brings me to my second point – using an air purifier.
Use an Air Purifier
In my house, we love our Air Doctor. By keeping it running 24/7 in the areas we spend the most time in, it significantly helps to reduce the amount of allergens, pet dander, and mold spores in the air (not to mention VOCs, bacteria and viruses). Overall, I cannot say enough great things about the Air Doctor, and always recommend it to those looking for an air purifier! Get $280 off your Air Doctor – no code needed.
Try Homeopathy
Homeopathy is another great way to help manage allergy symptoms. While you can use homeopathics to help with allergy symptoms, you can also you them to help alleviate all kinds of ailments like headaches, stomachaches, menstrual cramps, and more. I personally love Olloïs. You can use the consultation feature on their website to help find the right homeopathic for your specific allergy symptoms. Use the code JUSTINGREDIENTS for 20% off your purchase.
Eat Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, so eating more citrus may help your body stop overproducing histamines, which causes your allergy symptoms. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, so it helps the cells in your body better recover from stress, optimizing them to function at their fullest potential. Vitamin C is found in lots of citrus fruits in high amounts. While I always recommend nourishing foods to help your body get the vitamins it needs, you can also take a high-quality supplement to boost your Vitamin C levels.
Our Whole Food Vitamin C Complex is made with only real food ingredients. This is important because ascorbic acid is just 1 of the 7 parts that make up vitamin C, another huge benefit of using whole foods sources! Learn more about our supplements and their benefits.
Do a Saline Nasal Rinse
A saline nasal rinse is another super simple way to help alleviate some of the symptoms of seasonal allergies. This works well because it helps remove allergens that can irritate the nasal passages and sinus and cause mucus buildup. The supplies you need are available at any drugstore, so it's super easy to find and a great way to quickly flush out pesky allergens. If you're doing a nasal rinse that requires water, be sure to always use distilled water to help eliminate any risk of bacteria.
Diffuse Essential Oils
Take a Probiotic
Due to the genetic component of seasonal allergies, a probiotic could potentially help alleviate your symptoms. When your body's gut biome is in sync, it helps the rest of your body, including your endocrine and immune systems function at their best. This means avoiding under or over producing hormones or reactions to pollutants and toxins that may be triggering your allergies. A probiotic supplement is a place to start.
Our Just Ingredients Probiotic is a great option because it contains all 3 biotics, pre, pro and post. Learn more about each biotic and their benefits.
Wishing You a Healthy & Active Spring!
However you choose to tackle your allergies this season, I hope these tips and tricks can help! Let me know in the comments below if there’s any other tried and true strategies you use to manage your allergies.
