Six Strategies to Stop Spring Allergies

March 29, 2013
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

Halt sinus, throat, and respiratory tract symptoms naturally and effectively.

Seasonal allergies are not only downright annoying, they are becoming a serious health concern. Ranked as the 6th  leading cause of chronic disease in our country, allergy-induced disease and their secondary health issues are nothing to sneeze about anymore.

Stats now indicate that some 50 million Americans are affected with hay fever and allergy-induced inflamed sinuses, runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, and dry, irritated throats. Many individuals can go on to develop sinus infections, bronchitis, asthma, and middle ear infections when their mucous membranes are under constant assault.

Here’s my personal Rx for proactively tackling symptoms before they develop into more serious maladies:

1. Use a daily sinus rinse. Mix ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda in an 8 ounce nasal squirt bottle. Rinsing away mucus can help sinus sufferers get relief in about two weeks.

2. Spray away pathogens. Boost immunity with powerful herbal fighters like echinacea and Osha Root. For a dry, irritated or sore throat and post nasal drip, consider a product like Everyday Throat Spray. It contains an arsenal of immune boosters like echinacea and Osha Root. While echinacea is a well known “natural antibiotic,” Osha Root has impressive antibacterial and anti viral properties which help relax smooth muscles, aiding both asthmatic breathing challenges and coughs. The colloidal silver component helps to kill pathogens in the mouth and gums while licorice and peppermint are both soothing and flavorful. I personally use this product every time I travel and recommend its daily use for both children and adults.

3. Skip the alcohol. Drinking during allergy season can create swelling of the sinus and nasal membranes. No more nightcaps for a while.

4. Sniff essential oils. I always recommend a bit of eucalyptus sprinkled on a tissue that you place under your nose.

5. Defend against pollen. Before bed, shower and wash your hair because hair is a prime hiding place for pollen to collect. Change your clothes after being outside on high pollen count days and stay indoors on windy days.

6. Support your adrenal glands – your system’s fight or flight center for stress control. Allergies, as well as hypoglycemia, fatigue, bags under your eyes, repeated stress of any type, and negative belief systems are all signs of adrenal burnout. It can be remedied over time with simple but consistent lifestyle changes.  Keep in mind that recurring respiratory infections are one of the most burdensome toxic loads on your adrenals so addressing severe or chronic infection like sinusitis, bronchitis or pneumonia is key to overcoming adrenal fatigue. Just about all forms of respiratory illness go hand in hand with low adrenal function.

Perhaps the least expensive thing that you can do in this regard is put sleep on the top of your “to do” list. Lack of rejuvenating, growth-hormone producing sleep is a major roadblock to complete adrenal recovery and is common with individuals who show both high and low cortisol levels. Getting in bed by 9:30 pm so that it’s “lights out” by 10 pm is ideal, as well as the faithful supplementation of an adrenal fatigue supplement at 7 am, 11 am, and 3 pm. Eating breakfast before 10 am, reducing caffeine, sugar, processed carbs, and emphasizing protein at every meal and a protein-rich bedtime snack is key to helping you recoup your energy, vitality, and enhance immune resistance during allergy season.

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Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

5 Comments

  1. Marina

    Some questions on the timing/use of adrenal supplements if you please:
    1. Monday thru Friday, I am awake in time for the 7am dose. On weekends, however, I sleep until 8-9am. What should I do with the 7am dose on weekends?
    2. I have read that when adrenal fatigue is severe and there is also the symptom of insomnia, taking part of the adrenal supplement daily dose at bedtime can be helpful. Do you agree? If there is insomnia, is it a sign of high or low cortisol?
    3. is it safe to give a teen adrenal supplements, perhaps 1 caplet at the “adrenal times”?
    Thank you very much.
    (I use Unikey’s Adrenal Formula).

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Hi Marina!
      1) On the weekends, it will be fine to take your morning dose whenever you wake up!
      2) You can certainly experiment with that- I have heard good feedback about the Adrenal Formula for helping with insomnia. You may also try adding some magnesium before bedtime to help with sleeplessness.
      3)Yes, teens can certainly take the Adrenal Formula, and one caplet per time should be fine.

      Reply
  2. Marina

    Thank you, Sierra!

    Reply
  3. Cara Craig

    When pollen is high, I find the following helps me a lot:
    * drinking lots of water
    * eating very little gluten
    * taking quercetin, 500 mg x 3 per day (it’s a natural anti-histimine and doesn’t raise blood pressure). Take care!

    Reply
  4. Tommy

    I agree with the adrenal glands but this is caused by what you eat. I took a product called RIDSET and I am now allergy FREE, I found out that allergies are caused by high histamine foods and parasites/ bacteria in your system that are eating your food and then releasing toxic waste thats high in histamine. Your body immune system can not fight everything and bloats your body at the same time. So when allergy season is in full bloom is takes it over the tipping point. I used to rely on “Anti- histamines” OTC and prescription.. Funny how they use that marketing to fool you. I had little or no relief and it lead to speeding up my heart and drying out my mouth. I take RIDSET now a few times a year 3-4 to stay clean and Ive never been healthier.. Oh and save a ton of money not paying for drugs and dr appointments!

    Reply

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