Seven Simple Recommendations to Calm Seasonal Allergies:

Written by: Melody Tijerina

As the seasons change our bodies sometimes struggle to adapt. Like a fish in water, we eat, breathe, and live in our environments. Changes in our environment require adjustments in our bodies. Our bodies are designed to adapt to change in temperature, the redirection of the wind currents, the blossoming of the fauna and flora around us, and the foods that are in season.  Even so, many of us often develop allergies during seasonal transitions. 

What is an Allergy: 

An allergy is an abnormal reaction to a substance in our environment such as a food, chemical, mold or pollen. Generally, the allergic reactions we experience are due to a chemical your body produces to protect itself called histamine. Allergies develop when the histamine production is excessive. 

Some reactions can be quite dangerous and require immediate medical attention. Other reactions are mild. 

Here are 7 Simple Recommendations to Calm Seasonal Allergies: 

As always, this is not to be considered medical advice. These recommendations are informative only. Please see your doctor for medical advice.  

• Drink water. Water can dilute the excessive histamine in the body and mitigate allergic reactions, so be sure that you are drinking plenty of water. In addition, proper hydration will help you liquify congestion and assist your body in expelling it. There is a lot of differing opinions on how much water we should consume each day. I think the best recommendation is to take your body weight in pounds, divide it by 2 and drink that many ounces of water per day. To illustrate, a woman who weighs 130 pounds would drink 65 ounces of water each day. 
• Drink Nettle Tea. Per Gillian McKeith, Ph.D. and the author of, Food Bible, nettle tea can help normalize histamine production, especially in the spring to minimize hay fever.
• Eat Foods that will improve the way your immune system can adapt and respond. According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a medical doctor and author of the book, Super Immunity, he recommends the following list of foods for what he terms “super immunity”:
  • Kale / collard / mustard greens
  • Arugula / watercress
  • Green lettuce and cabbage
  • Broccoli and brussels sprouts
  • Carrots and tomatoes
  • Onions and garlic
  • Mushrooms 
  • Pomegranates
  • Berries (all types)
  • Seeds (flax, chia sesame, sunflower) 
• Use a neti Pot. In Ayurveda, a neti pot is considered a medical device as well as a personal hygiene tool. Running warm salt water through the nasal passage to irrigate and cleanse the nasal passages is a recommended daily practice. According to Dr. David Frawley, one of the world’s leading experts on Yoga and Ayurveda, using a neti pot will increase your ability to draw in prana and improve your immunity. I use a neti pot most days. In the Spring when pollen is high, I may use my neti more than once in a day. It helps me to breathe more evenly and consistently through both nostrils.  I feel much calmer and more focused when I can breathe properly. 
• Get good quality sleep.  Eight hours of sleep is the standard recommendation. The number of hours needed can vary person to person based on your dosha. I think the key is to do your best to get good quality sleep. Rest is essential to good health and healing. 
• Meditate. Meditation calms and settles the mind. It helps to downregulate the stress response and upregulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Our parasympathetic nervous system helps us to adapt to the new season by restoring balance and calming the inflammatory response. 
• Start your day with Sun Salutations. It has been said that movement is medicine and this medicine is more potent first thing in the morning. Start your day with movement, even 15 minutes of movement can improve your mood, your circadian rhythms, your digestion, your immune system, and your overall health. To maximize the benefits of your efforts, it is recommended that you face toward the rising sun (or simply East) when you perform your morning sun salutations.

Hope these simple suggestions assist you during this seasonal transition. These practices are recommended all year around, especially for those suffering from chronic allergies and/or inflammation. I encourage you to do what you can to integrate the practices that feel right for you into your daily life. Best Wishes and Namaste!