By Erin McCann NT mBANT
Over the counter anti-histamines are the conventional treatment for managing hay fever symptoms. Most are filled with chemicals and only have a temporary effect. One of the best ways to prepare for allergy season & to manage symptoms is to ensure that the immune system is functioning well which is easy and can have on-going effects.
Various nutrients, which have antihistamine and anti-inflammatory actions in the body and have been shown in studies to be effective for boosting immunity, include elderberry & acerola cherries (rich in quercetin), bee propolis (high in phenolenic compounds, potent antioxidant substances which have anti-inflammatory properties[i]; propolis has been found to effectively modulate the immune system without over stimulating it[ii] ) & reishi mushroom (oleic acid and cyclooctasulphur compounds are potent natural anti-histamines and are both found in reishi[iii]).
Along with adding immune boosting foods such as citrus fruit, broccoli, berries, eggs, oysters, pumpkin seeds, oats & rye to your diet, nutritional supplementation is key to helping relieve allergy symptoms naturally. An effective combination for immune modulation and antihistamine supplementation would be Bee Prepared Immune Support. Bee prepared daily defence contains therapeutic doses of bee propolis, elderberry, acerola cherry, beta glucans and olive leaf and is ideal to take daily before and during allergy season. For an extra boost the Bee Prepared MAX version is a bit more concentrated and also contains reishi mushrooms.
Life style practices are helpful in reducing hay fever symptoms. A few strategies include:
- Closing windows at night and in early mornings when the pollen counts are high.
- Using barrier methods such as HayMax balms to block pollen from around the nose.
- Boosting immunity via diet and supplementation.
- Using a nettie pot to clear nasal passages.
- Shower when returning from outdoor activities.
My go to health products for managing hay fever are Bee Prepared immune support, HayMax balms and quality seed mixes & super foods from my local independent health store.
Erin McCann NT mBANT www.Being-Balanced.com
[i] Sulaiman, GM, et al., 2011. Chemical characterization of Iraqi propolis samples and assessing their antioxidant potentials. Food and Chemical Toxicology, an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association. September,49(9), pp.2415-21.
[ii] Bachiega, TF, et al., 2012. The effects of propolis and its isolated compounds on cytokine production by murine macrophages. Phytotherapy Research. September, 26(9), pp. 1308-13.
[iii] Trigos, A., Medellin, JS., 2011. Biologically active metabolites of genus Ganoderma: Three decades of myco-chemistry research. Revista Mexicana De Micologica, 34, pp. 63-83.
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