Relieve Hayfever
by Ysanne Spevack
The hayfever season is upon us, and eyes are steaming, noses are running, throats are dry and skin is itching! If only they wouldn’t mow their lawns, I hear you cry!! There’s so much you can do to help yourself feel better. Here’s ten of the best natural ways to relieve your hayfever symptoms.
- Make a mixture of equal amounts of eyebright, hyssop, elderflower and echinacea. Use two teaspoons of this mixture for every cup, and put into a teapot with freshly boiled water. Leave to infuse for fifteen minutes. Drink at least three cups every day. Eyebright is so good for your eyes, they called it eyebright!
- Alternatively, try a mixture of equal parts of sage, nettles and ephedra. Brew your tea in the same way for fifteen minutes, and enjoy its strong savoury taste. Nettles are a potent source of natural antihistamines, and ephedra is great for any allergies.
- Avoid white flour and dairy foods if at all possible, apart from live yoghurt. All dairy foods are serious congestants. They irritate your nose and respiratory system, producing more mucus. Live yoghurt is the exception because it contains natural antihistamines. You should also drastically cut down on booze, fags and caffeine. If possible, give them all up, but gently does it.
- Eat more garlic! Garlic is one of the best cures that I know. It works by raising your immunity, which helps your body fight the tendency to pollen allergy. It works particularly well with St John’s wort, so it’s worth taking a good supplement of that too.
- Go swimming, play tennis or simply go for a walk in the sunshine. Sometimes, hayfever can make you feel like staying indoors, but there’s nothing like gentle exercise to help your body feel better.
- For relief from sore eyes, wash them with a mild solution of witch hazel. Use an eyebath, holding your head back while you swish the liquid around the eye.
- Soak some cotton wool in strong cold chamomile and eyebright tea. Lie down and close your eyes, with the pads on your eyelids. Visualise being in a place that you love, real or imaginary: on the beach, in a gorgeous four-poster bed, or floating in a warm blue sea. Chamomile is very soothing, and you’ll feel relief within five minutes. Alternatively, try soaking the pads in rosewater.
- Make an inhalation of eucalyptus, chamomile and lavender essential oils. Put two drops of each oil into a bowl of freshly boiled water. Close your eyes, put your head under a towel, and breath the vapours in deeply. Inhalations are very powerful, delivering decongestants and anti-inflammatories straight to the problem zone. Alternatively, try putting a few drops of these oils onto a hanky, and inhaling the vapours during your day. Try juniper, cypress and melissa essential oils, too.
- People swear by bee pollen, royal jelly and honey. By eating these delicious foods which are high in pollen, it’s like natural immunisation. Your body learns to recognise pollen and deals with it more effectively.
- Take a mega-dose of vitamin C every day — at least 3 grams. Vitamin C is the wonder supplement, raising your immunity to help fight all manner of conditions.
By following these suggestions, you’ll soon beat the hayfever blues ready to enjoy a wonderful healthy summer. Good luck!
For more information, contact the British Allergy Foundation on weekdays from 10am – 3pm on 020 8303 8583. Alternatively, call the National Society for Research into Allergy on 01455 851546.
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