There’s nothing like an early burst of sunshine and summer in mid-March in Ireland to boost your spirits.
There’s one small side effect though that unfortunately blights the lives of sufferers: the early seasonal onset of hay fever.
Already pharmacies are beginning to experience shortages of antihistamines, sinus medications and other medications. Some will tell you though, that even the strongest medication has little effect on the most hard hitting cases, making life miserable for those who suffer.
The good news is there is a way to deal with hay fever naturally, to help relieve symptoms and restore balance in your life. Try these tips at home and see if they help you.
Vitamin C
A powerful immune booster, Vitamin C also acts as a natural antihistamine. It helps to decrease the body’s production of histamine when it responds to an allergen, such as those caused by hay fever. As a result, you might find relief from hay fever symptoms such as itchy eyes and ears, congestion, runny nose and sneezing with a daily Vitamin C boost.
Honey
Not just any ordinary honey, but local honey sourced from bees that collect pollen from plants near you. Local honey taken daily will help you build an immunity to pollen allergens and reduce the effects of hay fever during allergy season. You’ll need to start at least 3-4 months before the season though to give your body enough time to adjust.
Ginger
Ginger is a natural antihistamine and also decongestant which is great news for those who suffer from clogged sinuses during allergy season. Take natural ginger steeped in hot water with a teaspoon of local honey to make a delicious tea to soothe allergy symptoms.
Beeswax
A popular strategy to help prevent hay fever is to line the nostrils and lips with beeswax to catch the pollen before it enters your system and causes irritation to your sinuses and throat. Bee Loved’s beeswax Lip Balm is a natural and inexpensive option that helps prevent hay fever before it takes hold!
Chamomile
Chamomile is a wonderfully calming herb and is widely used to reduce redness and inflammation. That’s why we use chamomile in our Face Cream, a welcome salve for red, dry and sore lips and nose irritated by sneezing and seemingly endless tissues!
Natural skincare
The last thing the sensitive, inflamed skin around your mouth, eyes and nose need is chemicals in skincare products. Rather than the soothing action you need, chemical additives will inflame your skin further, and can lead to stinging, itching and discomfort. A chemical known as triclosan, found in soap, cleansers and antibacterial cleaning products, was found to increase the likelihood of allergies and hay fever in people aged 18 and younger who had a certain level of exposure to it. Always check the label on your skincare and cleaning products; choose natural and go green not only for the environment but for a hay fever rescue!
