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Ah, when the days of summer are lazy, hazy, and making people crazy—with hay fever. Ragweed allergies hit hard this at this time of year. The unfortunates are easy to spot—their coughing, watery eyes, sneezing, and fatigue give them away. Among the sufferers are a growing number of middle-aged people who’ve never had hay fever before. Why the sudden uptick of seasonal allergies in the middle aged?

Why Allergies Develop During Middle Age

Allergy experts posit several reasons. Air pollution has been found to work synergistically with allergens to create more hay fever symptoms. There have also been increasing levels of pollen counts—both in terms of daily averages and “number of days when pollen exceeds a certain limit,” said Harsan Arshad, professor of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Southampton, in an interview with the Telegraph. In the past, an allergic response may not have been triggered because pollen levels were lower.

Climate change is also causing an increase in allergies. The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that “[c]arbon dioxide, the heat-trapping gas that is the primary cause of our warming planet, increases the growth rate of many plants and increases the amount and potency of pollen. Rising temperatures extend the growing season and the duration of allergy season.”

Fortunately, there are many ways to fight hay fever naturally.

Natural Remedies for Hay Fever

• Butterbur & Nettles as an Antihistamine

  Extracts of the herbs stinging nettle and butterbur help relieve seasonal allergy symptoms. Nettle decreases inflammation and acts as an antihistamine. Butterbur also works as an antihistamine, and research shows it can be as effective as Zyrtec and Allegra—without as much drowsiness or fatigue.

  If you want to try butterbur, look for Petadolex; this is a special extract of the herb that removes the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from its roots.

• Garlic for Sinus Congestion

  This common kitchen herb helps treat allergy-related sinus congestion and coughs. With more than 70 active ingredients, garlic can also help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.

  Other remedies for seasonal allergies include Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract rich in antioxidants, and bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple that can reduce nasal swelling and inflammation.

• Medicinal Mushrooms for Immunity

  “Allergies occur when the immune system is irritated and malfunctioning, eliciting an immune response to otherwise harmless substances,” said herbalist Maria Noël Groves. “Over time, you may be able to decrease incendiary inflammation and retrain the immune system so that you’re less reactive to pollen.”

  To do so, Groves recommends medicinal mushrooms including reishi, chaga, and shiitake, as well as astragalus root. All appear to strengthen the immune system, she said.

Homeopathy v. Hay Fever

Researchers have found certain homeopathic treatments help with hay fever. One study showed that hay fever symptoms were better reduced by a homeopathic remedy compared to placebo. In another study of patients with hay fever, the authors found that “the homeopathy group had a significant objective improvement in nasal airflow compared with placebo group.”

Several homeopathic medicines, including those manufactured by Boiron, can target specific allergy symptoms. Here are a few to consider.

Nasal congestion: Apis mellifica relieves nasal congestion with stinging pain and swollen nasal mucosa caused by allergies.

Sneezing: Reach for Galphimia glauca, which helps with sneezing fits associated with hay fever.

Eye allergies: Euphrasia officinalis relieves abundant and irritating eye discharge.

General allergy symptoms: Histaminum hydrochloricum is well-known and widely used to ease a variety of allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, and itching.

Burning nasal discharge: Kali iodatum alleviates burning discharge, especially when accompanied by with pain at the base of the nose.

Runny nose: Natrum muriaticum targets a runny nose from allergies with clear, watery discharge that is worse in the morning

Lifestyle Hacks for Hay Fever

In the battle of human versus ragweed, more than herbs are needed. Saline sprays or xylitol sprays help unclog the nose, reduce inflammation, decrease postnasal drip, and flush away allergens. A neti pot works similarly.

Wraparound sunglasses can protect eyes from pollen as can eye drops. During a high pollen day, take a shower when you get home and change your clothing. Keep windows shut as much as possible. Avoid doing yard work.

Certain foods fight allergies by boosting immunity and triggering allergy-easing processes in your body. In addition to garlic, eat broccoli, citrus fruits, onion, and leafy greens like collards and kale.

Take on allergy season, and be proactive with Xlear. Breathe Better Be Better!

Take on allergy season, and be proactive with Xlear. Breathe Better Be Better!

“Rhinitis” simply means having a runny nose.

“Post nasal drip” is when it runs down the back of your nose into your throat, instead of out the front of your nose, causing you to have to clear your throat frequently.

Causes

If the runny nose has been present for only a few days, it is generally an infection (like a cold virus). When it lasts over a month, and often from childhood on, there are several key causes:

• Allergies

  This is usually associated with sneezing and clear or white nasal mucus. If it usually recurs for the same few months each year, this also suggests grass or pollen allergies (e.g., grass pollen in spring and ragweed pollen, called “hay fever,” in autumn).  If it is year round, allergies to cats and dogs, dust, or molds are common triggers.

  Children will also often have what is called the “allergic salute,” where they often rub the bottom of their nose with their fingers.  They may also have "allergic shiners," which are dark circles under the eyes that resemble mild bruises from a black eye.

• Chronic Yeast / Candida Overgrowth

  Doctors ignore the research on this and continue to make believe there is no such thing, treating sinusitis with antibiotics—which, of course, worsens the yeast overgrowth in the sinuses and makes the sinusitis become chronic (persistent).

  Candida is also a very common cause of post nasal drip.

• Vasomotor rhinitis

  This is an autonomic disorder (not dangerous, but a nuisance), where cold feet hitting the floor in the morning (or later in the day) can trigger a runny nose — so keep a pair of slippers by your bedside. Smells, smoke and other triggers are also common. Gustatory rhinitis is when this is triggered after eating (especially spicy foods).

• Rhinitis medicamentosa

  This is caused by the chronic use of over-the-counter decongestant nose sprays. As they wear off, they cause “rebound swelling.”

Treatment

Review information on sinusitis as the potential cause. Treating Candida can not only get rid of the runny nose, but may clear many other symptoms as well.

• For allergic rhinitis, consider a special acupressure technique called "NAET."
• For dust allergies, your allergist can give a very helpful treatment for your carpets which will kill the dust mites (which cause the allergy), and plastic covers for your pillows and mattresses can trap the dust.
• For vasomotor and gustatory rhinitis, the prescription nose spray Ipratropium (Atrovent) can be very helpful and is low in side effects (but may aggravate glaucoma or slow urination).

• Recommended Supplements

  • MSM

    The supplement MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) 3,000-10,000+ mg a day often settles down many allergies after 2-6 weeks of use (at which time the dose can often be lowered).

• Other Therapies & Advice

  • Sinusitis Nose Spray

    I recommend the holistic “Sinusitis Nose Spray” by prescription (from ITC Pharmacy at 888-349-5453). After 1 week, it will often settle down allergic rhinitis or rhinitis from over-the-counter nasal sprays. It is wonderful for most chronic sinusitis, especially when combined with other Candida treatments.

  • Allergy Testing

    Allergy skin testing and shots can also help with persistent and severe allergic rhinitis (I would do NAET first — much simpler and less expensive). Over-the-counter antihistamines like Claritin during the day (not sedating) or Benadryl at night (sedating) are also OK.

More Information Online

• NAET (acupressure technique for treating food allergies)

What is Conjunctivitis?

Often called "pink eye" or "red eye," conjunctivitis is a painful and/or itchy redness of the whites of one's eyes.

This is different from bleeding into the white part of one eye, called a "subconjunctival hemorrhage," which leaves part of one eye bright red, but causes no discomfort or vision change.

Though conjunctivitis looks nasty, this goes away on its own and is not dangerous.

Potential Causes

It is most commonly due to an allergic reaction or an infection (usually bacterial, but sometimes viral).

It is more common in diabetes and high blood pressure (so check for these if it happens), but most often happens in healthy people.

• Acute Allergies

  Itching is the dominant symptom. It is more likely to affect both eyes, and the discharge/watering from the eyes is usually clear.

  It may hit suddenly, or be mild and ongoing.

• Viral Infection

  Though there may be some itchiness, the pain, mild redness (more pink) and watering are more prominent.

  It may start in one eye, but easily can spread to the other (so be careful not to touch the unaffected eye). The discharge is usually clear and watery.

  It may take three weeks to resolve and may occur along with a respiratory infection or cold.

• Bacterial Infection

  This is associated with a puss-like yellow-green mucus discharge along with pain.

• Toxic Exposure

  From an acute chemical exposure (usually obvious and should be immediately treated).

• Irritation of the Eye

  Falling asleep with your contact lenses in or having inadequate tears to support the use of contact lenses.

Diagnosis

Though the viral and allergic conjunctivitis tend to be benign and resolve on their own, it is best to see an eye doctor to rule out bacterial conjunctivitis or more dangerous viral infections of the cornea.

Seeing an eye doctor is especially important if you have yellow discharge, severe pain, or light sensitivity in the eye, or the pupil (black part of the eye) is irregularly shaped instead of round.

Treatment

• Recommended Supplements

  • Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

    For long-term allergic conjunctivitis, treating allergies with the supplement MSM 3,000+ milligrams (mg) a day can be helpful over time.

  • Eye Drops with Vitamin A

    For contact lens and dry eye induced conjunctivitis, using special eye drops containing vitamin A can be very helpful over time.

• Other Therapies & Advice

  • Acupuncture

    A special acupressure technique called NAET (see www.NAET.com) can be helpful, but it can take a while to work.

  • Cool Compresses

    Once the eye doctor has ruled out and treated more worrisome causes, treatment is for symptom relief. Cool compresses or rinses can help itching and warm compresses help pain.

    If only one eye is involved, be sure to tilt your head to the side so the affected eye is lower than the healthy eye. Otherwise, if water flows from the infected eye to the other eye, it may also get infected.

  • Antihistamines

    Antihistamines can also help with itching. Benadryl (the over-the-counter medication diphenhydramine), which is sedating, is best at night so you can sleep. A nonsedating antihistamine is best during the day (e.g., Claritin or Zyrtec).

More Information Online

• NAET (acupressure technique for treating food allergies)
• Viva Eye Drops (at WebMD.com)

With ragweed season upon us, it’s time to consider swapping hay fever misery (or never-ending allergy medications) for natural remedies.

Immediate Allergy Relief

The sooner you start, the better, but some herbs lend a hand even during an allergy attack.

• Petadolex

  This extract of butterbur (Petasites hybridus) removes the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from the roots.

  It’s one of the best-researched herbal supplements for seasonal allergies and tends to work well for asthma and migraines.

  In clinical studies, it performed as well as Zyrtec and Allegra, without drowsy side effects.

• Nettle

  Even though this plant contains histamine and other inflammatory compounds in its stinging hairs, when taken as a supplement, nettle (Urtica dioica) decreases inflammation and has an antihistamine response, acting via multiple allergy pathways.

  Try a milliliter or two of fresh plant tincture as needed and preventively.

  You can take it solo or combine it with other allergy support herbs.

• Mucus Drainers

  The following herbs have not been put up to scientific scrutiny, but they have a long history of use for allergies and excessive mucus.

  Like nettles, both work best when the tinctures are made from fresh plant material.

  • Goldenrod

    Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) helps thin and drain mucus. It also offers some antihistamine support and blends well with nettle.

  • Horehound

    The intensely bitter horehound (Marrubium vulgare) thins and drains mucus particularly well in situations like annoying postnasal drip.

• Mucus Driers

  Another set of plants are known as “anticatarrhal,” which means they help remove excess mucus, often with a more drying effect compared to the previously mentioned “water movers.”

  Most of these herbs work best (and fastest) as tinctures, but you will also find many of them in encapsulated allergy blends.

  Berberine-rich herbs fall into this category, and can also be added to a neti wash to fight sinusitis and sinus infections.

  • barberry (Berberis spp.)
  • Oregon grape root (Mahonia spp.)
  • goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
  • coptis (Coptis spp.)
  • eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
  • purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
  • bayberry (Myrica cerifera) root bark

  Be aware that goldenseal, eyebright, and some stands of coptis and Oregon grape root are threatened in the wild. Seek organically cultivated sources.

Prevention & Long-Term Support

Allergies occur when the immune system is irritated and malfunctioning, eliciting an immune response to otherwise harmless substances.

Over time, you may be able to decrease incendiary inflammation and retrain the immune system so that you’re less reactive to pollen and other allergens in the first place.

While you can begin making changes during allergy season, it’s often more helpful if you start a few weeks or months prior. And if you’re an intensely allergy-prone person, give yourself a year or more of TLC.

• The Hygiene Theory

  Several studies suggest that the immune systems of those in first-world countries begin to overreact to harmless substances like pollen because we live in an environment with too much sanitization.

  The immune system lacks the opportunity for normal, healthy pathogenic challenges and instead gets an itchy trigger finger.

  This may also tie into microbiome research that links the well-being of beneficial bacteria in our bodies (particularly in the large intestine) to overall well-being, including immune function.

  For example, one Swedish study found that children who grew up in households that washed dishes by hand (versus with a dishwasher), ate fermented food, and focused on food that came directly from farms were less likely to have allergic conditions, possibly due to microbial exposure. 

  While this research is still new, adding probiotic supplements and/or fermented foods like sauerkraut to your diet may gradually improve your microbiome, and immune function, and make you less reactive (although 1 percent of the population may find that fermented foods actually aggravate an underlying histamine intolerance).

• Medicinal Mushrooms

  Medicinal mushrooms including reishi, chaga, and shiitake, as well as astragalus root, appear to send your immune system back to boot camp by giving it a healthy challenge so that it gradually begins to behave more properly.

  You can take these in various supplement forms, but I also like simmering them into broths or tea that can be frozen or concentrated down into ice cubes for regular use in recipes. Simmering them for hours in water helps extract the beneficial polysaccharides.

• Diet and Allergies

  Think of reactivity like a bucket that’s apt to overflow if you put too much into it. Food allergies and sensitivities are particularly common in people with seasonal allergies.

  I often see seasonal allergies (and eczema and gut issues) disappear when we sleuth out and remove personal trigger foods such as dairy or gluten.

  It also makes sense to eat a clean diet loaded with fresh produce, reduce stress and exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants, sleep well, and heal the gut if it’s inflamed or “leaky.”

• Herbs for Prevention

  • Quercetin

    This bioflavonoid is particularly helpful if started a few weeks before your typical allergy season. Quercetin acts as an antihistamine.

    It blends well with the previously mentioned allergy herbs, as well as the following.

  • Bromelain

    The enzyme bromelain, when taken on an empty stomach, seems to help break down allergy-related inflammatory compounds.

  • Boswellia

    Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) is a potent anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory herb resin related to frankincense.