Hayfever Remedies

The evenings are lighter - leaves on the trees are breaking - the promise of summer is in the air!

Most of us welcome the arrival of summer, but for some lucky season brings misery in the form of hay fever and seasonal allergic rhinitis, often caused by pollen from trees and grass.

Proteins in pollen irritates the delicate mucous membranes of the nose and eyes causing inflammation. Symptoms include red, watery and itchy eyes and runny or congested.

Not all people suffering from hay fever even react to pollen so the timing of symptoms must be noted. General tree pollen is present from February to May, with peak hour is in April. grass pollens are prevalent in June and July and pollens of weeds (eg nettles) will be worse in July and August Hay fever which begins in late summer and continues until the fall may be an allergy mold. It is possible to have allergy tests to pollens identify who you are sensitive to - Consult your doctor or nutritional therapist.

So what we can do to relieve the symptoms? As always be forewarned is forearmed: some simple preparations can now reduce the severity of attacks later in the season.

If you're lucky enough to be able to buy locally produced honey, take a teaspoon daily. It has been suggested that ingestion of small molecules of pollen in the local honey is supposed to help build resistance to pollen when they appear in full force later in the season.

Among various natural remedies butterbur is a plant that has undergone scientific trials showing substantial benefit from health to relieve hay fever.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has been shown to relax blood vessels and various smooth muscles in the body. It contains chemicals that are also known to reduce inflammation, as demonstrated in human studies. Some studies have also shown that butterbur extract performed as well as a common antihistamine drug taken by people suffering from hay fever, but without causing drowsiness.

Bioflavanoids are plant compounds that have shown an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory. With vitamin C, these supplements may help prevent the formation of histamine - the chemical reactions that causes the common streaming, itchy eyes and runny nose. Foods rich in quercetin bioflavanoid onions, garlic, green tea, red wine and dark chocolate (70% + cocoa solids). Vitamin C is found in broccoli, green peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cabbage and cauliflower.

Plant sterols (phytosterols) are fats naturally in food plants. Phytosterols are very versatile substances have been shown to be useful in the management of several conditions include immune disorders. Phytosterols inhibit the release of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances), thereby reducing production of histamine and its ancillary symptoms such as itchy eyes and sneezing. Plant sterols are present in all foods of plant origin, soy and whole grains, cereals in particular all be rich sources.

The omega-3 in flaxseed and cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel, can affect the chemical pathways in the body to help relieve allergy symptoms and reduce inflammation.

Vitamin E taken during the pollen season alongside the anti-allergic further reduced the severity of the symptoms of hay fever by 23%. Good food sources of vitamin E are wheat germ and cold-pressed sunflower oil, hazelnuts, sweet potatoes, avocado and spinach.

A strong immune system is essential to help fight against allergy symptoms. Vitamins A, C, D, E and minerals zinc and selenium are all antioxidants supplements that can help immune function.

Vitamin A is found.