Natural Cures For Allergies

Before you can find a natural treatment for your allergies, it is important to understand why you have allergy symptoms. Our bodies are exposed to lots of threats every day from germs to pollution. Our immune systmes fight off most of these threats. However, some people react to things in the environment that aren't really harmful as if they are. It is almost as if the immune system is revved up too high.

And so, people who suffer from allergies, feel their bodies response to pollens, cat dander, or even perfume, as if they were inhaling a harmful substance. Histamines are produced. Eyes may water, noses get sniffles, or rashes develop. Most people, especially those with pollen or grass allergies, simply suffer from discomfort. However some people can even die from their reactions to things like bee stings or nuts because they have a severe allergy.

Of course, severe allergies need to be treated by a doctor. So this article is really aimed at those of us who merely suffer discomfort from pollen or grass, cats or dogs, or even, as I wrote before, a strong perfume.

Of course, your corner drug store has all sorts of remedies. You can pick some off the shelf and find other, stronger medicines behind the pharmacy counter. Some are even prescribed.

But medicine is made from chemicals, or even from very concentrated natural compounds. For many of us, the side effects are even worse then the original allergies we were trying to treat. Some pills make us drowsy, and many inhalers can cause severe congestion if used more for a couple of days. And of course, some of the allergy medications that help with congestion can rev us up more then several cups of coffee, and they cause anxiety.

But the main problem is that these pills are only designed to treat symptoms, and not really to strengthen our immune system. A better course of allergy treatment would consist of making lifestyle changes to minimize allergic reactions and to take natural supplements to help with symptoms while making our immune system stronger.

Some lifestyle changes that can help are avoiding or reducing alcohol and smoking. You should also eat lots of fruits and vegetables to keep your system cleaned out, and because they contain flavonoids and other nutrients that will support your immune system. Make sure you add vitamin A and vitamin C to your daily diet. And of course, depending on your own allergies, you may just have to stay indoors when pollen counts are high or stay out of homes where cats are living.

One thing that I have noticed is that when I am already having allergy symptoms, I am sensitive to certain things that would not bother me normally. For instance, I suffer from seasonal pollen allergies in the spring, though I usually am not bothered by many things. But during this time, the smell of shampoo and perfume in a store will be enough to send me into a sneezing fit. At other times, I do not notice these smells.