You don’t have to live with seasonal allergies!

Learn how to relieve symptoms without pills and shots. 

I love spring. Who doesn’t, right. The days are longer, the weather is warmer - at least in most parts of the world. Flowers bloom, dormant trees turn green. The feeling in the air - spring fever - is lovely; it is invigorating, it draws us outside to once again bike, hike, take long walks with our dogs and dine outdoors with friends. 

But if you suffer from allergies, it can be miserable. You know it well. The headaches, runny rose, and sore throat. Some of my clients even get sinus infections. Allergy season typically runs from late February to summer, peaking in April, May, and June. This is when the most common allergens are in the air: tree pollen, grass pollen and ragweed. 

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you are not alone. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, about 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, affecting about 30% adults and 40% children. 

You guessed it, I have a solution… 

Allergies, according to Ayurveda, are caused by an imbalance of the three Doshas (Vata, Kapha, and Pitta) in your body. When your Doshas are out of balance that weakens your immune system, and your body cannot remove the toxins. As a result, your body becomes sensitive to certain allergens such as airborne irritants, foods, chemicals, plants, or animals. 

As always, we are interested in treating the root cause, not just the symptoms! 

The main principle of Ayurveda is to add opposite qualities to an imbalance to bring ourselves back into balance. Spring is a time of year when it tends to rain more, and the winter snow melts. This makes the environment heavy, damp, and soggy. So, we recommend applying opposite qualities - things that are light, warm, and stimulating. This helps to mitigate or even eradicate spring allergies. 

Various ayurvedic herbs, and holistic remedies can be utilized are used to treat typical spring season symptoms: runny nose, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes, sluggishness, heaviness, being mucousy and full of toxins. All of which can result in weight gain and water retention. 

In Ayurvedic medicine we always use diet and lifestyle to treat illness. We recommend fresh, warm foods cooked with pungent and astringent spices and herbs (cinnamon, garlic, ginger, pepper, basil, sage, turmeric etc.), which aids the body's fight against allergies. Conversely, cold, heavy foods and drinks, dairy, wheat, refined bread and sugars, meat, and processed foods can irritate digestion and weaken the Agni (digestive fire). Instead, consume lighter foods such as vegetables, beans, and berries, to relax the digestive tract and improve nutritional absorption. We recommend a minimum 2-3 servings of vegetables (especially greens) daily. Drink warm spicy teas such as hot lemon tea or ginger turmeric tea every day. 

Use a Neti Pot

This ayurvedic technique is used for flushing out your nasal passages with a hands-on approach. I recommend you use a neti pot with a mild solution of sea salt and distilled water twice a day (or at least once every day) to reduce the Kapha energy in the sinuses. This aids in the removal of allergens that have attached to mucosal membranes. After neti, follow up with applying a few drops of oil to the nasal passages. This prevents allergens from sticking to the nasal membranes. 

Yoga & Pranayama 

Regular practice of detoxifying Yoga asanas (Such as Bhujangasana, Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana, twists and surya namaskars), along with Pranayama or breathing exercises of Kapalbhati and agnisar, are excellent ways in stimulating Agni and eliminating ama (toxins). 

Exercise for Spring 

Daily, moderate to strong aerobic exercise, 30 minutes a day that promotes sweating is beneficial unless you are feeling weak or recovering from an illness. 

Maintain a Gratitude Journal 

Start your day writing down something for which you are grateful. It’s proven to lower stress and helps you appreciate life more. It’s not possible to have negative feelings while experiencing gratitude! 

Various factors influence whether and to what extent a person develops allergies and the severity of the problem. In most cases, they can be managed and even cured with effective Ayurvedic allergy treatment, as it focuses on eradicating the root cause. 

If you're looking for customized treatment for your allergy concerns, please feel free to sign up for a free 15-minute consultation.