This is the time of year that people begin to wonder if their stuffed, running noses and itchy eyes are the symptoms of a cold or pollen allergies. While some of the symptoms and treatments are similar, the causes obviously are not. Pollens in the air can cause the body to have an hyperactive immune response when inhaled, which causes histamine to be released from mast cells of the immune system that in turn causes dilation of blood vessels and fluid to leak into surrounding cells. This is the cause of your discomfort.
Why do some people react to these pollens or other aggravators and others don’t? No one knows for sure, but just like some people are prone to digestive upset and others aren’t, some people have more of a tendency to have allergic reactions.
If you do suffer from seasonal allergies, are you destined to simply deal with them year after year? Not necessarily! Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help prevent allergies and lessen the severity of the symptoms.
There are many substances that have an “antihistamine” effect, helping to stabilize mast cells so they don’t rupture and release histamine. There are many natural ones that don’t cause the uncomfortable symptoms of over-the-counter or prescription medications like drowsiness and grogginess, such as nettle leaf (particularly freeze-dried), quercetin (a flavonoid antioxidant found in foods such as onions), vitamin C, and n-acetyl cysteine (an amino acid derivative).
There are also many herbs that can help decrease secretions from the sinuses in the nose and eyes such as eyebright, yerba santa, and goldenseal. Additionally, herbs that support the adrenal glands and have anti-inflammatory effects in general can be helpful, such as eleuthero (also known as Siberian ginseng) and devil’s club, a native plant that has many ginseng-like properties.
Dietarily, eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants can lessen the inflammatory response of allergies as well. Think whole grains, legumes, cold-water fish, nuts and seeds, berries, dark leafy greens, etc., while avoiding potential inflammatory foods, such as refined grains, red meat and fried foods.
As with many things, taking many of these herbs preventatively, weeks before the pollens start to fly, can really ward off the hyper-immune response you may experience during the allergy season. We can help you customize the herbs you take in tea, capsule, or liquid extract form to find what works for you!
Katya Difani is an herbalist and founder of Herban Wellness, an herb and nutrition shop located in downtown Kirkland that specializes in loose herbs, teas, tinctures, aromatherapy and custom formulations. Read more on her blog at: herbanwellness.net/blog
