Some will experience severe fatigue that could even affect their sleep. Allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies and hay fever are synonyms to describe the reaction to outdoor allergens such as pollens, grasses, birch, ragweed, etc.
See how, with naturopathy, you can reduce and even avoid this infamous hay fever.
I face spring well rested
Quality sleep is essential to enter hay fever season. If you wake up many times during the night or if you wake up tired in the morning, changes to your lifestyle are needed.
A few tips to improve your sleep
- In the evening, eat foods rich in tryptophan such as bananas, dates, figs, milk, tuna, turkey, whole grains and yogurt. Ingesting tryptophan will increase your serotonin level (an important neurotransmitter that induces sleep).
- Avoid sleep inhibitors: caffeine, chocolate, cola and alcohol (alcohol disturbs the level of serotonin and tryptophan, two essential neurotransmitters involved in sleep).
- Practice a relaxation technique such as reading, hot baths, meditation or directed relaxation.
- Exercise moderately: 20 minutes are enough to see the benefits.
- Consume sedative plants: passionflower, hops, valerian, skullcap, chamomile, lemon balm or catmint.
Spring detox
In naturopathy, we believe that a weakened liver can lead to several health problems such as seasonal allergies. A congested or tired liver will not fight allergies as well. A good spring detox will help reduce the symptoms of hay fever.
Here are a few easy and simple tips to eliminate toxins:
- Take 2 tablespoons of organic lemon juice in a cup of warm water on an empty stomach in the morning;
- Place a hot-water bag on the liver (right side) 10 to 20 minutes before bedtime;
- Ground 1 teaspoon of thistle seeds in a coffee grinder and add to your diet (cereals, applesauce, oatmeal or yogurt);
- Eat a salad daily: arugula, artichoke, chicory, endives, spinach, dandelion and radicchio;
- Eat a cup of crucifers every day: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and collards;
- Drink two cups of this infusion every day: boil 2 slices of fresh ginger for a few minutes. Infuse for 5 minutes: peppermint, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and liquorice root (cut in small pieces).
I optimize my diet
A healthy diet, rich in enzymes, vitamins and minerals will help revitalize a tired body and give it more nutrients to fight hay fever.
Here are a few simple tips.
- Drink quality water either filtered in a home filter (Brita, Ovo pure), by reversed osmosis, or spring water with less than 100 ppm (Eska).
- Increase your servings of fish to 2 to 3 per week and your vegetables to 4 to 5 cups per day.
- Choose whole grain rich in nutrients. Try quinoa, buckwheat and millet.
- Eat legumes, rich in fibres and nutrients and add them to your meals.
- Add good fats like olive oil and nuts and oilseeds such as: flaxseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, etc. Fatty acids are precursors of prostaglandins, the E1 that inhibit inflammation and are usually weak in allergic persons.
- Eat yogurts (that help rebuild the intestinal flora and inhibits the production of histamine) and goat cheese (easier to digest and assimilate in your body).
Sugar must be used sparingly (sugar leads to high insulin secretion, tiring the liver, pancreas and defense mechanisms of the body).
This spring, I get moving!
Rigorous exercise promotes a better oxygenation of the blood and stimulates the excretory (organs that eliminate toxins), which contributes to the process of purification and dislodges accumulated waste.
Set a specific goal to move at least four times a week, at least 20 minutes every day. Walking, running, dancing, gardening, cycling, swimming, rollerblading, etc.
I manage my stress better
Chronic stress produces excess cortisol (stress hormone). Excess cortisol promotes the development of an allergic background, makes the immune system less competent and imbalances the thymus and spleen (important glands that balance the immune system).
- Take time to breathe, laugh and relax. Find a course an activity, a moment that relaxes you.
- Control the air quality at home.
Most people spend three quarters of their time indoors. Therefore, they find themselves more exposed to indoors pollutants than outdoors. Many pollutants affect air quality: household-cleaning products, indoor plants, animals, mold and plastic… There are also volatile organic compounds (VOC) adhesives and solvents, particle boards furniture, pressed wood and plywood, cleaning products, insulation materials, new carpets, some flooring, aerosols, air fresheners, dry-cleaned clothes, some synthetic treatments for wood and paint. A very common VOC is formaldehyde, found in particleboards, wood veneer, pressed wood, shelves, conservative paint and some carpets.
In short, we are exposed to pollutants all the time and they stress our body, which only increases our toxaemia level.
But we should not forget that allergy is the immune system’s response to the irritation caused by excess allergenic components. So, the more you modify your environment positively, the more chances you have to see your allergies disappear or, at least, improve.
- Ventilate the rooms every day.
- If possible, buy an air purifier or an air exchanger.
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to reduce dust and dust mites that can exacerbate the manifestations and symptoms of pollen allergies.
- Use green and organic cleaning products.
- Avoid aerosols and air fresheners.
Here are some natural products to prevent hay fever.
- Omega-3 supplements promote healthy cell membranes and decrease the production of allergy messengers and inflammation by our cells.
- Probiotics feed the intestinal flora, increase immunity and prevent the development of allergies.
- Bioflavonoids and quercetin stop the outbreak of histamine, reduce the symptoms of allergy, increase immunity and reduce the body’s response to various allergens.
For each health problem, the solution must come from a lifestyle improvement. If you are estranged to detox, do not hesitate to contact a certified naturopath who will guide you. Seasonal allergies are the manifestation of an imbalance of the body that requires to be treated as a whole vision of your health, treating your body as a whole instead of repressing the symptoms of seasonal allergy. Happy spring!
