Stop spring allergies with these 5 easy-to-source herbs

For many people, it isn’t just the flowers that are springing to life this season. The end of winter signals the start of allergy season: a dreaded time of year for those who are prone to allergies. The constant sneezing, itchiness, and red eyes can be unpleasant and inconvenient, so it’s no wonder why people who suffer from allergies go into mild panic as soon as spring hits.

If you’re one of those people, you may want to try an all-natural cure instead of the usual antihistamine pills. According to an article on OfftheGridNews.com, herbal allergy treatments have been used for centuries, providing effective allergy relief through non-chemical means.

These are five herbs, according to the article, that are commonly used to treat allergy symptoms:

• Butterbur – This shrub has properties that allow it to stop airways from blocking, thereby improving breathing. As a natural allergy treatment, its efficiency is reinforced by the fact that it won’t make you drowsy when you take it, which is a common side-effect in many commercial antihistamines. Butterbur, according to the article, is best taken as a supplement before allergy season hits.
• Stinging nettle – The stinging nettle may be irritating and painful when you come into contact with its leaves, but according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, it’s health benefits are plenty. Apart from being used to treat urinary tract infections, joint pains, sprains, and insect bites, its also been used to reduce sneezing and itching in allergy sufferers. Taking a freeze-dried stinging nettle preparation before hay fever season may be effective in easing allergy symptoms, doctors say. It can also be taken as a tea, tincture, fluid extract, or cream.
• Tinospora cordifolia – Among the common herbs used as natural allergy treatments, this one does not need to be taken in advance, providing easy relief even after symptoms show up. A study called Tinospora Cordifolia: One plant, many roles, conducted a detailed examination of the genetically-diverse plant. After which, they found that it demonstrated many medically-beneficial properties, including being anti-allergic, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory — making it perfect a go-to herb for allergy season.
• Ginkgo biloba – Mostly known as an energy and cognitive booster, Ginkgo biloba, also known as the maidenhair tree, actually contains many antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties that, when taken as a supplement, help reduce allergy symptoms.
• Reishi mushrooms – With a reputation for being the “mushroom of immortality,” these mushrooms were used as far back as ancient China, and are known to treat a variety of ailments. As an antihistamine, it contains certain compounds that help manage allergy symptoms. While the mushrooms aren’t the most appetizing when mixed in food, it can be taken in 1,000 mg supplements thrice a day.
• Bonus: Honey – While not technically an herb, the article’s author recommended honey as another natural allergy cure. While the author’s basis for including it in her recommendations was purely based on her husband’s experience in using it for allergy relief, there are actually studies that explore honey’s efficiency as an allergy cure. One study conducted in the International Islamic University Malaysia exposed allergic rhinitis patients to doses of honey and a honey-flavored placebo. After analyzing their results, the study concluded that “honey ingestion at a high dose improves the overall and individual symptoms of AR, and it could serve as a complementary therapy for AR.”

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Sources include:

OfftheGridNews.com
UMM.edu
NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1
NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2