Natural Allergy Remedies

Tired of allergy meds that make you...tired? And even worse side effects? Maybe that's why more experts are saying the best allergy remedies - are natural ones. Going natural - it's the biggest trend now for allergy relief, says Brunilda Nazario, MD, medical editor at WebMD. What's natural, works the fastest and gets the best results?

Massage?

"I used to say that I was allergic to everything under the sun," says David Lies of Wichita, KS. It just so happened that the itchy eyes, nonstop sneezing and horrible headache... interrupted his honeymoon. Good thing he and his new wife decided to get a massage - it was his first nondrug-induced allergy relief in years. For the rest of the honeymoon, all of the symptoms were gone, except for a few sniffles.

David was so inspired by this, he became a licensed massage therapist.

Why does this work so well? For David, it was relaxing the sinus trigger points in the upper back and shoulders. These were the muscles tightened by all the coughing, sneezing (and probably the stress of getting married.) About stress... A Harvard medical study shows a definite link between stress and allergies. And you probably already know this... massage is a huge stress reliever. Even just lying face down (on a massage table) can relieve sinus congestion immediately. Why not talk with a trained massage therapist about this?

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What else can a massage therapist do for your allergies?

Facial massage can bring immediate relief while draining your sinuses. A warm towel around the forehead, nose and eyes helps prepare your facial muscles for the massage. Massaging sinus pressure points around the forehead, eyes, nose, jaw and neck - are all very effective. A well-trained therapist can show you how to relieve these pressure points yourself. And the best part? Many massage clients experience relief from allergy symptoms for even 2 or 3 weeks.

Here's a great way to prevent allergies before they start.

Lots of people swear by their Neti pot. Even a daily spritz of saline rinse in your nose can wash away pollen and reduce congestion. It could also reduce your need for those allergy drugs.

Eat this fat, not that one.

A two-year study of 334 adult hay-fever sufferers (and 1,336 without allergies) found that lots of trans oleic acid just might cause allergies. Trans..what? It's a type of fat you find mostly in meat and dairy products. Olive oil has lots of oleic acid, but it's not the "trans" kind, so it's okay. So cut back on meat and dairy? People in the study who ate more of the trans oleic fat (meat and dairy) were 3 times as likely to have hay fever (seasonal) allergies. What about fish oil? One study of allergic asthma sufferers (people with asthma caused by allergies) who took daily fish-oil supplements for a month had lower levels of leukotrienes (chemicals that help cause the allergic reaction.) So yes, fish oil is good.

Keep that pollen away.

Sure, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses might not be your style - but they sure keep the pollen from blowing into your eyes. Do your outdoor exercise in the evening, advises H. James Wedner, MD, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Why? Many trees release their pollen at first light in the morning. And you'll find more ragweed pollen in the air at midday. Your clothes carry pollen too. You may shut your windows, but if you don't change your clothes and shoes...you may be bringing a yellow pollen cloud into your home. Toss your used clothes in the hamper and jump in the shower. Make sure you have high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in your vacuum cleaner, heating and cooling systems and your air purifiers. Otherwise, you might just be blowing pollen throughout your house. And change your car's cabin air filter at least once every year. You don't want more pollen blowing in your face.

Life takes it out of you. We'd love to help you put it back in. How can we help you personally?

Call us at 303-920-2350 with any questions, concerns or to find out how massage and essential oils can make life better for you.