Hayfever allergies

Natural Remedies for Hay Fever and Allergy Relief

Butterbur

The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Extracts made from the herb have been used in folk medicine for migraines, stomach cramps, coughs, allergies, and asthma.

Butterbur is being studied as a natural allergy treatment. Although how butterbur works is still not known, it is thought to work in a similar way to allergy medications by blocking the action of histamine and leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals involved in allergic reactions.

In a study involving 186 people with hay fever, participants took a higher dose of butterbur (one tablet three times a day), a lower dose (one tablet two times a day) or placebo. After two weeks, both the higher and lower dose relieved allergy symptoms compared to the placebo, but there were significantly greater benefits seen with the higher dose.

In another study, 330 people with hay fever were given a butterbur extract (one tablet three times a day), the antihistamine drug fexofenadine (Allegra), or a placebo. Butterbur was as effective as fexofenadine at relieving sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and other hay fever symptoms, and both were more effective than the placebo.

Side effects of butterbur may include indigestion, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrha, or constipation. Pregnant or nursing women, children, or people with kidney or liver disease should not take butterbur.

Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should not use butterbur.

The raw herb as well as teas, extracts, and capsules made from the raw herb should not be used because they contain substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys and may cause cancer.

It is possible to remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from butterbur products. For example, in Germany, there is a safety limit to the level of pyrrolizidine alkaloids allowed in butterbur products. The daily recommended dose cannot exceed 1 microgram per day.

Quercetin

Quercetin is an antioxidant that belongs to a class of water-soluble plant substances called flavonoids. Although there is still isn't enough research to conclude that it is effective for hay fever, quercetin is thought to prevent the release of the inflammatory chemical histamine from immune cells called mast cells. Histamine is involved in allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itching.

Quercetin is found naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea.

Quercetin is also available in supplement form. A typical dose for hay fever is between 200 and 400 milligrams three times a day.

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments, the most popular being beta-carotene. Although no randomized controlled trials show that carotenoids are effective treatments for hay fever, a lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways.

There are no guidelines or research that suggests a certain target intake for hay fever. Many people don't even get one serving of carotenoid-rich foods a day. If this is you, consider striving for one to two servings a day.

Good sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens.

Identifying Food Sensitivities

Just like we can have allergies to substances in the air, some people with hay fever may react to certain foods. Our diet tends to follow the seasons, so if there are foods you eat more if in the spring, you may wish to note if your symptoms get worse after you eat them and bring them to your doctor's attention.

People with lactose intolerance may notice that they feel more congested after consuming dairy products. Preliminary studies suggest that some people with allergies to grass pollens may also react to tomatoes, peanuts, wheat, apple, carrot, celery, peach, melon, eggs and pork, and that people with ragweed allergies may also react to foods in the Cucurbitaceae family, such as cucumber and melon.

An elimination-and-challenge diet is usually conducted to identify any food sensitivities. It involves the removal of suspected foods from the diet for at least a week, followed by the systematic re-introduction of these foods to isolate any foods that may be aggravating hay fever symptoms. Known food allergies and sensitivities are not tested. It should be done under the guidance of a health professional.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid that we must obtain through our diet. Research suggests that may they reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body (prostaglandin E2 and inflammatory cytokines).

Although there are no randomized controlled trials showing that omega-3 fatty acids are effective treatments for hay fever, there are associations. For example, one German study involving 568 people found that a high content of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells or in the diet was associated with a decreased risk of hay fever.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are:

Fish oil capsules: providing 1 to 1.2 grams of EPA and DHA per day. Side effects of fish oil may include indigestion and a fishy aftertaste. Fish oil has a mild "blood-thinning" effect. If taking warfarin (Coumadin) or heparin or are at risk of bleeding complications, do not take fish oil without consulting a doctor. Fish oil should not be taken two weeks before or after surgery.

Flaxseed oil: 1 tablespoon two to three times a day.

Walnuts, 1 ounce (14 halves) a day.....