As many may be suffering from the terrible effects of pollen this summer, I think it's best we try to tackle this problem by using non medicinal treatment.
Why hayfever is important
Hayfever affects 15 to 20 % of the population in Britain, where it is mainly caused by grass pollen. In other countries other pollens cause major 'hayfever' as well; ragweed in the USA, birch tree pollen in Scandinavia, and cedar pollen in Japan, for example.
Regarded as trivial by the ignorant, hayfever varies from mild forms which are indeed trivial to a severity which is crippling during the season. Sufferers may be unable to work or drive, and we know that school and exam performance is worse in young people who have untreated hayfever. Out-of-date treatments still widely used relieve the symptoms but produce drowsiness which affects driving and exam or academic performance badly.
Good modern treatment, which should be available to anyone with bad hayfever, helps nearly everyone so much that life during the hayfever season becomes normal again. A very few people have such bad hayfever that ordinary treatments are not enough. But there are other treatments, and no-one needs to be disabled by hayfever.
A specialist in allergy should be able to help if you still have bad hayfever after your family doctor has tried all the treatments there seem to be.
Hayfever is seasonal
The main hayfever season in central Britain starts in the first half of June and continues to mid-July or occasionally early August, though there is grass pollen in the atmosphere before and especially after this.
Hayfever can cause:
Nose symptoms:
Sneezing
Runny nose
Blocked nose
Itching in the nose, throat, and deep in the ears
Headache due to sinusitis caused by swelling in the nose
Eye symptoms:
Watering
Redness
Itching
Gritty feeling in the eyes
Swelling of the whites of the eyes
Chest symptoms:
Wheezing or a feeling of tightness in the chest, or frank asthma. Really these are symptoms of asthma, and should simply be treated as such.
Treatment
Methods of Reducing the Symptoms
Try to avoid the pollen; the worst times are in the morning and evening when the most pollen is released. Try not to go into high pollen areas at these times. Have frequent showers - splashing your face with cold water and bathing your eyes will help to wash away the irritants. Applying a barrier ointment such as un-petroleum jelly into the base of the nostrils helps to trap the pollen and prevents it from irritating the lining of the nose.
Treatments for Hayfever
If you have had hayfever for several years running and/or if the symptoms are really severe, it is advisable to visit a practitioner. Ideally treatment should commence before the hayfever season starts. Treatments that would be suitable are: acupuncture; Chinese herbs; homeopathy; medical herbalism. Body work therapies such as Massage, aromatherapy and shiatsu offer an excellent supporting treatments where the hayfever is linked to stress.
Diet and Nutrition
Many symptoms may be brought under control through dietary change and/or nutritional support. For more advice on this, it may be appropriate to see a Nutritional Therapist, at the very least it is advisable to have a food sensitivity test to see if anything in your diet is aggrevating your symptoms. It is always best to get your nutrients from food but for extra nutritional support choose food state vitamins, they are more readily absorbed and utilised by the body than ordinary vitamins. A period of detox or a short fast is highly recommended to cleanse the system in early spring in preparation for the hayfever season. See Detoxing and Fasting.
Beneficial Foods and Nutritional Supplements
Hayfever sufferers should try to include more of the following foods in their everyday diet:
Beta carotene rich foods, such as the red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, are also rich in bioflavonoids and vitamin C. Hayfever sufferers require greater amounts of these nutrients. Try to find good quality food, organic if possible - the vitamin levels will be higher and it will be free of synthetic pesticide residues.
Supplement your diet with food state beta-carotene and vitamin C as well as eating foods rich in these nutrients (alternatively try the Anti-oxidant Formula or the Smokers Formula).
Dark green foods are also helpful as they help to eliminate excess toxins in the body. They also contain large amounts of beta carotene. Choose dark green leafy salads like watercress, rocket and chard; vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, freshly picked nettles, green beans and kale. Seaweeds are also beneficial due to their high mineral content.
Supplement your diet with spirulina, blue green algae, wheatgrass, or chlorella as well as including these foods in your diet. See the Green Superfoods page to see which one would be suitable for you.
Sprouted seeds and bean sprouts are also very beneficial. Add to salads and soups.
Garlic helps to reduce excess catarrh, eat two raw cloves a day (have on toast or stir into food at the end of cooking) or take a garlic supplement.
Yoghurt is cooling and has a mild anti-histamine effect, eat plain unflavoured, organic acidophilus yoghurt in moderate amounts.
Pollen (half a teaspoon a day) is said to help the condition. Check for an allergic reaction to pollen in this form by taking one pellet before you try a larger dose. In the unlikely event that you feel any itching or tingling in your mouth, do not use.
Aloe Vera has mild anti-histamine properties. Take the juice internally diluted in water. It is also good for the digestion and skin problems. Used externally (as a gel) it cools and soothes allergic rashes - pack a tube of Aloe99 or Lilly of the Desert gel for picnics or countryside outings.
Oats feed and nourish the nervous system and contain significant quantities of B vitamins and minerals. See Porridge Recipe. If you are suffering from stress, it is advisable to take Vitamin B Complex.
Cut down on mucus forming foods
Many people notice a marked reduction in symptoms, simply by reducing their intake of the following foods. For a more individual approach, why not take a food sensitivity test, they are only £10 and test up to 10 foods in 15 minutes.
Dairy: all dairy produce is mucus forming. In an ideal situation one would cut it all out, excepting yoghurt, but for many this is very difficult. Goats, sheep, rice, oat and soya milk products are preferable to cow's milk products, which should be avoided totally. The dairy products you do eat should be organic. Eat dairy in small quantities.
Wheat: some people find that avoiding wheat and wheat products during the hayfever season helps to alleviate symptoms. Check how you react when eating wheat products. Wheat allergy symptoms include asthma and itchiness (itchy throat, scalp and skin irritation).
Refined foods: cut out white bread, white rice, white pasta, white sugar and brown sugar (still a highly refined product). Substitute wholemeal versions of these foods - for sweetener use Rapadura (dried sugar cane juice) agave syrup; maple syrup or brown rice syrup.
Processed foods: avoid pre-packaged foods that contain additives you would not use in your own cooking, (E numbers for example).
Alcohol: if you can't avoid it dilute it with carbonated water (ideal for white wine and whisky), or alternate each drink with a large glass of water.
Tea and coffee: regular consumption of caffeine drinks make it more difficult for the body to cope with stress. They also deplete the absorption of minerals. Substitute them with rooibosch tea, green tea or herbal teas. There are many herbal alternatives to coffee - dandelion coffee is the nicest tasting and most beneficial to the health.
Herbal Remedies for Hayfever
Herbs may be taken as teas, tinctures, juices or capsules. Choose those which you feel most comfortable with.
[PIE]Important Note: If you:
are pregnant, breast feeding or plan to become pregnant
have a long standing illness
have undiagnosed health problems
are on medication
it is always best to seek advice from a professional health practitioner. If taken as directed, herbal and homeopathic remedies are very safe, but they are powerful medicines. Do not use them lightly; do not exceed the recommended dose. When self-prescribing, be aware that you are responsible for your own actions, watch carefully how you react to the remedies. If you notice any adverse reaction, stop taking the remedy and seek professional advice. See also Disclaimer .
[/PIE]
Hayfever Tea: The Haelan Centre mixes a Hayfever Tea (which is also very good for chesty conditions). Made up of herbs that help to reduce catarrh and are mildly anti-histamine. The tea contains the following herbs: Ephedra; Elder Flowers; Eyebright; Euphorbia; Yarrow; Vervain; Comfrey leaf; Nettle Leaf. Adults only should start drinking this tea as early as possible, preferably before the hayfever season starts. If you are unused to taking herbal tea see: How to Make a Herbal Infusion. Take the tea two or three times a day, every day. For contra-indications see box above. Hayfever tea should not be taken by people who suffer from high blood pressure or glaucoma.
Other herbal teas: that are beneficial are: Goldenrod, Chamomile German, Plantain, Lemon Balm and Dandelion (the roasted root makes an ideal coffee substitute)
Juices: The Schonenberger juices that are beneficial for the condition are Nettle (stronger anti-histamine action than the tea or tincture); Ribwort Plantain (particularly good for excess catarrh and wheezing) Freshly pressed carrot juice is very beneficial as are other freshly pressed fruits and vegetables.
Hayfever Tincture: the Haelan Dispensary carries a ready mixed Hayfever Tincture that is ideal to take during the season, it can be more convenient and quicker to take than the tea although it contains alcohol. For adults only.
Tinctures: Euphrasia (irritated eyes); Goldenseal or Oregon Grape Root (excess mucous); Plantago (excess mucous and wheezing); Propolis (irritated throat) Echinacea (immune system boost); Nettle (itchiness and to support detoxification).
Over the counter remedies, select only one of the following:
Herbetom Pulm is a good choice where there is wheezing, It is gentle and effective, it may be used from age 3 onwards.
Bioforce's Luffa complex is a homeopathic tincture for hayfever, can be used for children over 2 years.
Bioforce Petasites herbal extract of butterbur which has been shown in a trial to be as effective as anti-histamine medication. Not recommended for children under 12, unless under the care of a health practitioner.
Eye soothers: Eyebright tea may be used in an eyebath, see How to make an eyebath. It is particularly useful where there is a lot of discharge from the eyes. Aloe Vera gel may be patted gently around irritated eyelids.