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Natural Herbs for Allergies : Your Plan B?
by Marilyn Franklin
The typical treatments for allergies usually revolve around antihistamines and decongestants. Antihistamines are well known for making you drowsy. I have found that Benadryl does help to manage my allergies but I often find myself choosing which one to use because if I use some of the ones with higher levels of antihistamines I dont want to drive. I can get that sleepy. Decongestants on the other hand can lead to higher blood pressure. This is especially dangerous if you have a heart condition.
Thankfully you may be able to treat your allergies in a more holistic way. Natural herbs for allergies can be the answer and can actually help to prevent the symptoms before they start. This can be an effective way to manage many of the seasonal allergies that are common today.
What Should You Do First?
Modifying your lifestyle before diving into any treatment is a good idea. Even natural herbs for allergies can cause problems or interact with other medications. What can you do to reduce your allergy symptoms?
*Keep windows closed *Use air conditioning *Stay Indoors
Airborne allergies like pollen can be controlled by doing the above. At night it is important to control your environment since many times people have trouble sleeping because of their allergy symptoms. If these approaches are not providing you with the allergy relief you need it may be time to try natural herbs for allergies.
Natural Herbs to Try
Before trying any of these natural herbs for allergies please consult your physician. Herbs can have side effects too, and they can also dangerously interact with other medicines. Natural herbs that have been known to help alleviate allergy symptoms include:
*Stinging Nettle *Butterbur *Quercetin
Stinging Nettle works as a natural antihistamine without the drowsiness. This herb reduces the histamine production of the body. The immune system triggers the production of histamine which is the chemical produced by the antibodies in the body. The immune system in case of allergies has mistakenly identified your allergen as something that is harmful which is why the histamine is produced. Histamines are also responsible for the allergy symptoms like coughing, runny nose and watery eyes. When your body cannot produce as many histamines your symptoms are reduced too. Natural food and vitamin stores are a good place to find Stinging Nettle.
There are other natural herbs for allergies that work like Stinging Nettle to reduce the bodys ability to produce histamines. Butterbur is one that is harder to find here in the U.S. but may be worth tracking down. Quercetin is another good natural herb for allergies. It also has the added benefit of acting as a natural antioxidant that can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Advances are being made every day on different ways of treating and preventing allergies. Allergies have become so common that it is rare that someone in the family is not affected. Natural herbs for allergies can be your Plan B when you cant get the relief you need from over the counter treatments or when the side effects of using the standard antihistamines and decongestants are too dangerous for you. Ask your doctor, he may be able to recommend even more options than those we have given you above.
Marilyn Franklin writes for allergy relief.
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