Drink plenty of fluids. To thin the mucus (if necessary)
Use a nasal saline spray. Several times ; do a facial steamday.
Wash the nose with a salt water solution. From a Neti pot.
Use a humidifier in rooms where you spend a lot of time. Dry air can irritate sinuses, whereas keeping air moist helps reduce congestion.
Inhale steam. 2 - 3 times per day (E.g. sit in the bathroom with the hot shower running or do a facial steam over a bowl of hot water with towel over head making a tent)
Physicians prescribe medications for acute or chronic relief:
• Antihistamines. Most commonly used
• Intranasal corticosteroids. Effective, but long term safety is questioned.
• Allergen immunotherapy. Tiny amounts of the allergen are injected under the skinto stimulate IS production of blocking/neutralizing antibodies that may act to prevent an allergic reaction. Studies show it helps, but cost-effectiveness and risk-to-benefit ratio are factors to consider.
Especially organically grown, which contain many flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory properties. Found in high concentrations in onions, apples, red wine, broccoli, tea, and Ginkgo biloba. Flavonoid supplements may be helpful, including a combination of quercetin and bromelain, especially if you don't eat enough vegetables.
- Flavonoids such as luteolin, fisetin and apigenin are inhibitors of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 production by activated human basophils. We have previously shown that fisetin, a flavonol, inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 synthesis by allergen- or anti-IgE-antibody-stimulated basophils. This time, we investigated the inhibition of IL-4 and IL-13 production by basophils by other flavonoids and attempted to determine the fundamental structure of flavonoids related to inhibition.Due to the inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 and IL-13 synthesis, it can be expected that the intake of flavonoids, depending on the quantity and quality, may ameliorate allergic symptoms or prevent the onset of allergic diseases. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2004.
- Quercetin. This flavonoid is found in a wide variety of vegetables and herbs. In a Japanese study of mast cells from nasal mucosa of individuals with perennial allergic rhinitis, supplemental quercetin significantly inhibited antigen-stimulated histamine release. Quercetin's effect was almost twice that of sodium cromoglycate at the same concentration.
• The recommended quercetin dosage for allergic rhinitis. 250-600 mg, three times daily, five to ten minutes before meals. Gwilliams TG. Allergies: The natural approach The Standard 1998; 1:1-8
• Quercetin's efficacy may be enhanced when taken concomitantly with bromain. Taussig S. The mechanism of the physiological action of bromelain. Med Hypothesis 1980; 6:99-104
• Bromelain. A protein-digesting enzyme from pineapples, increases the absorption of quercetin. Also bromelain alone inhibits several common inflammatory mediators.
The following is an excerpt from Ran Knishinsky's book, The Clay Cure:
"Allergies and hay fever are caused by the release of histamines. The liver becomes plugged up with toxins and fatty tissue and therefore cannot produce the necessary antihistamines to neutralize the allergic reactions.The first thing to do is clean and rebuild the liver.Once that is done, the allergies and hay fever may disappear.
The good news about clay is that not only will it help stimulate the eliminatory channels, but it can effectively treat allergies and hay fever.Adsorption is a relatively quick process - almost instantaneous in certain cases.The adsorptive surfaces of the clay prevent the allergic reaction by quickly neutralizing allergens before these foreign invaders can attach themselves to the blood cells.In addition, any histamines produced by the allergens that have "gotten away" can also be quickly adsorbed.Water-soluble allergens are bound up by clay because if its intense hydrophilic (water-loving) nature.
Some people, after taking the clay, notice an immediate improvement in their condition.Sometimes the allergies and hay fever disappear altogether.Others see no sudden improvement and must keep taking the clay quite a while before they obtain visible results. The reaction, of course, depends on the state of the liver and the condition of the immune system.A healthier liver will bounce back more quickly than one that is sick.
If you do not achieve results relatively quickly, then give the clay time to work.
One heaping teaspoon once per day in a glass of freshly squeezed lemon water will be sufficient."
Emphases added by author of healyourselfathome.com
For more information: Medicinal Clays
Prevents WBC histamine secretion. Murray MT. A comprehensive review of vitamin C. Amer J Nat Med 1996; 3:8-21.
- Histamine levels were found to increase exponentially as plasma ascorbic acid levels decreased. Clemetson CA. Histamine and ascorbic acid in human blood. J. Nutrition 1980; 110:662-668
- Intranasal vitamin C relieves symptoms of perennial AR patients - In a study of the effectiveness of intranasal vitamin C, 48 subjects received either ascorbic acid solution (n=27) or placebo (n=21) sprayed into the nose three times daily. After two weeks 74% of subjects treated with ascorbate solution were found to have decreased nasal secretions, blockage, and edema. Improvement was seen in only 24% of placebo treated patients. The pH of the secretions in the AR sufferers appeared to be more alkaline, over 7.0, with normal nasal secretions tending to be in the range of 5.5-7.0. The pH of nasal secretion was found to be within normal ranges after administration of vitamin C; patients with nasal pH's closer to 8.0 seemed to respond more favorably to the vitamin C therapy. Podoshin L. Gertner R. Fradis M. Treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis with ascorbic acid solution. Ear Nose Throat J 1991; 70:54-55
- Vitamin C dosage for allergic rhinitis. At least 2 grams per day. Bucca C, Rolla G, Oliva A, Farina JC. Effect of vitamin C on histamine bronchial responsiveness of patients with allergic rhinitis: the patients perspective. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997; 99:825-828
Available as a fruit extract supplement in juice or capsule form. Has xanthones, which have some antihistamine activity. Used as a Thai indigenous medicine for many years.
- Study results. Found that a 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen has potent inhibitory activities of both histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis. Inhibitions of histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by mangosteen, a Thai medicinal plant. Biol Pharm Bull. 2002.
Available as an oral extract from this shrub has promise. Its major active compound appears to be petasin (a type of sesquiterpene ester). It has inhibitory activities on leukotriene generation in eosinophils and neutrophils. This indicates that it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy properties (Even though butterbur does not seem to be effective in blocking histamine release). Butterbur also helps reduce smooth muscle spasm
- Buttebur extract found equally effective as non-sedative antihistamines. 6 randomized clinical trials studied butterbur extract used for AR and suggest that it is superior to placebo or similarly effective compared with non-sedative antihistamines for intermittent AR.
Herbal medicines for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007. Department of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, England.
- Butterbur is an effective treatment for intermittent allergic rhinitis symptoms and is well tolerated for allergy relief. Found a study treating 186 patients for 2 weeks with butterbur or placebo.
Butterbur Ze339 for the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis: dose-dependent efficacy in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004.
May help. Contains unusually high levels of fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) (precursor to anti-inflammatory DGLA)
- Study demonstrated protective effect of a spirulina-based dietary supplement (Earthrise Nutritionals, Inc., Irvine, CA) towards allergic rhinitis -the study assessed the impact on the production of cytokines (Interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IL-2) critical in regulating immunoglobulin E-mediated allergy. Results indicated that spirulina can modulate the Th profile in patients with allergic rhinitis by suppressing the differentiation of Th2 cells mediated, in part, by inhibiting the production of IL-4. J Med Food. 2005. Division of Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, California, USA.
May be helpful for allergic rhinitis. Typical dose is 300 mg/day of freeze-dried Urtica dioica.
Grapeseed extract found to be unhelpful in the treatment of fall seasonal allergic rhinitis.
