Going for a walk today I noticed how many popple tree seed pods have fallen, no wonder my nose is stuffy and I sneezed a few times. Allergy season will be brewing, and I bet after another good rain and some sunshine it will really kick into gear. Up next will be the Minnesota State bird, or I mean bug….
Allergies are a response from the immune system, and also the liver! Liver ‘congestion’ can cause more mucus in your upper respiratory tract. Spring and Fall is a time for the liver to become more of a focus during the year to work on some repair, healing, and needing support. And almost by bad or genius design, allergy season is during the same time. As it is getting warmer and the sun shines bright, you may crave more ice cream or that sweet treat you didn’t crave all winter. But wait, STOP! Dairy creates more mucus, so that would not be in your best interest if you’d like to breath through your nose or not cough up phlegm. Warming foods and encouraging herbs for strengthening digestion is best; think ginger tea, ginger and basil in your foods, lemon, moving from heavier soups and stews to more light meals and veggies, leaning more into the foods to clean the blood and aid digestion. Another reason you could have a ‘congested’ liver is from chronic low grade infections in your gut, like; fungus, candida, parasites, bacteria, or viruses. In another post, I will go into that aspect because spring is another good time to get things cleaned out that may not belong. In a perfect world, we would not have high stress to bring down our stomach acid creating the perfect environment to be a host to bugs, our diet would be clean and whole, and our stool and urinary elimination would be pristine. But, we are human, having a human experience, so sometimes herbs can be very helpful in a case where things have gone imbalanced.
Here are some of my favorite Go To Allergy Support Remedies to have on hand:
Aller Pro or D-Hist Jr (adult version or chewable version)
Aller Pro is an herbal anti-histamine that can help alleviate watering eyes, runny / itch nose and eyes, throat congestion and other allergen related symptoms. Depending on your type of allergies, you could use them everyday as a preventative, or as you need it for symptoms when they flare up. For kiddos that can’t swallow a pill, the D-Hist Jr is a great chewable option. We always keep this one in our cupboard at home for those days the pollen is high.
NAC (N-acetyl cysteine)
This enzyme is pretty magical. I always keep this in my cupboard as well for anything MUCUS related. Whether it be allergies, or a cold with any phlegm or a runny nose, this natural liver enzyme has particular mechanisms to break up and dry mucus. I even have breastfeeding moms take it for infants. You can open the capsule and put into honey for those that can’t swallow a pill, but my kids never recommend that, and often this was the one pill they learned how to swallow pretty quickly because of the flavor- pretty bad. I never did find a way to hide it, so if any of you do, I’d LOVE to hear your trick! What I love about this one is you can take several through the day to help the mucus stay ‘under control’ and it benefits the liver as well. Win-Win!
Immune Support or 6Mix Mushroom Mix
Immune Support is a capsule option and 6Mix Mushroom Mix is a powder form that I use in my tea or coffee. For years, I have been using these Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and other blend of mushrooms to help my overall organ systems function but also support my immune system. There is outstanding research showing the healing nature of these particular mushrooms in healing our bodies on the cellular level.
Herbal Throat Spray or Throat Coat Tea or Lozenges
For those of us that talk too much 🙂 or that tend to get throat symptoms pretty easy or frequently, I always keep Throat Coat Tea by Traditional Medicinals on hand, and now they have Lozenges too which I find very soothing. Instead of some other brands of cough drops, these have different herbs in to sooth and heal the lining in the throat. Another Win-Win situation!
Homeopathic Ear Drops
These ear drops are very soothing for those that get ear fullness, ear aches all the way from babies to adults. It is composed of garlic (anti-infective), mullein (anti-inflammatory), and homeopathic remedy particular for ear drops. 1 drop each ear as many times per day as you’d like can be very helpful. Along with a warm rice bag and laying your ear on that, you could help yourself feel better.
That’s a wrap on my favorite Allergy Season things! It’s great to get outside when the weather gets nice, but it’s not fun if you suffer from allergies! Let me know if any questions come up, or if you need help with your symptoms. I want you to enjoy the season best you can and not suffer!
-Dr. Christine
staff@naturalelementshealth.com
Call or Text 320-983-2333
Website for more information: http://www.naturalelementshealth.com
Nutri Dyn Supplement Purchases (in clinic or on this site, you need an account through our office- call or text if you need help):http://www.nutridyn.com