GSE
Symptomatic treatments for allergies
Symptomatic treatments for allergies
Moisten sinuses
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)
Mainstream Medical treatments
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.
Natural alternatives to mainstream anti-histamines
Eat plenty of a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
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
Clay Cure for allergies / Hay Fever
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
Vitamin C 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 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
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.)
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.
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
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.
Spirulina
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.
Stinging nettle herbal extract
May be helpful for allergic rhinitis.
Typical dose is 300 mg/day of freeze-dried Urtica dioica.
NOT Grapeseed extract
Grapeseed extract found to be unhelpful in the treatment of
fall seasonal allergic rhinitis.
