Natural Ways to Treat Allergies

There are many natural ways to reduce and prevent allergy symptoms without the use of medications. There are vitamins, herbs, foods, drinks, and easy common things that you can do at home so that you don't have to suffer from allergies.

There are several vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies that are good at relieving allergy symptoms and strengthening the immune system. Vitamin B5, vitamin A, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help to relieve allergy symptoms, such as congestion, coughs, and runny nose. Quercetin is a plant compound that can be found in foods, such as onions, apples, and citrus fruits, that can prevent the secretion of histamine. Histamine is a chemical that the body produces during an allergic reaction that causes sneezing and other symptoms. Butterbur is a herb that is good at relieving hay fever symptoms. Licorice root, astragalus, and capsicum are also good at curing allergy symptoms.

There are foods and drinks that can be used to easy allergy symptoms. Spicy foods, such as hot ginger, cayenne pepper, onion, and garlic, can help to reduce mucous secretion, which can help to clear nasal passages. Honey can be used to help allergies. Taking 1 or 2 teaspoons of locally grown natural honey before the allergy season starts helps the body to get used to pollen before the allergy season is full blown and helps the immune system. Teas such as green tea and Mint Medley herbal tea work well to ease congestion.

There are easy things that can done at home that can help allergies. Cleaning carpets, bedsheets, floors, and curtains at least once a week reduces pollen and allergy in your home. Dust mites are another cause of allergies that are commonly found in bedding, carpets, and pet dander. It is good to wash bedding in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer to kill dust mites. It is also a good idea to enclose mattresses, box springs, and pillows in airtight zipped plastic or special allergy proof plastic. Using an air conditioner can help to clean, recirculate, and dehumidify the air.

Giving pets a regular bath can help to reduce allergies. Washing your hair regularly can help to reduce allergies because hair can hold a lot of pollen when you go outside. Wearing sunglasses when you go outside can reduce the amount of pollen entering the eyes. Nasal Rinses are very effective at removing the pollen stuck in the nasal passages. Doing a nasal rise will drain out some bacteria and mucous and help to reduce allergies.

How to Relieve Mosquito Bites

Mosquito and other insect bites can be itchy and very annoying but there are simple methods that can be used to relieve the itching. Good ways to relieve an itchy mosquito bite include rubbing a wet bar of soap over the area or placing an ice cube or very cold water over the area. Taking a cold shower can help by reducing the swelling of the welts that can be caused by mosquito bites and it helps to reduce swelling by the constricting the capillaries near the surface of the skin and causing fewer antigens and antibodies to cause a reaction. You can also use common household items to relieve the itch, such as nail polish, toothpaste, mouthwash, vinegar, honey, underarm deodorant, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, bleach, or a hot tea bag placed on the area.

Natural Ways to Cure Coughs

There are ways to cure coughs without taking medications. The use of dark chocolate, honey, and vitamin C are a few natural ways to cure coughs.

Dark chocolate can help coughs. It has a compound called theobromine that is better than codeine at suppressing coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation. Theobromine has an affect on the vagus nerve, which is responsible for coughing.

Honey can help coughs and works better than cough suppressants for relieving night time coughs and helping to fall asleep. It is assumed that honey works by soothing the throat and stimulating saliva, which calms the coughing reflex. It is found that darker honeys are preferred because they have more antioxidants in them than lighter color honeys. It is not recommended to give honey to children younger than one year old due to the risk of botulism spores.

Vitamin C can help coughs by boosting the immune system at the early stages of a cough. It also reduces inflammation and controls histamines to help stop coughs.

Cure Coughs with Honey

Honey can be used to cure coughs in both children and adults. Honey works by coating the throat to soothe irritation and it is rich in antioxidants that fight infections. It also thins out mucus by increasing the production of saliva. For children, 1 to 2 teaspoons is recommended per dose. For adults, up to 3 teaspoons is recommended every 2 or 3 hours or as needed. It is not good to give honey to children that are less than 1 year old.