3 Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

What are seasonal allergies?

Much like other allergies, seasonal allergies usually develop when our immune system overreacts to environmental pollen [²].

For example: after winter, trees and flowers start to bloom and produce pollen. While it’s beautiful to see things blossom, if you’re one of the millions of people who suffer or struggle with seasonal allergies, you’ll likely feel pretty crummy.

Seasonal allergy symptoms include:

Sneezing

Stuffy or runny nose

Itchy eyes, throat, ears, or skin

Watery eyes

Earaches or pressure

Sore throat

Headache

Wheezing

Coughing

Shortness of breath

In severe cases, asthma can occur.

Allergic Rhinitis, also known as seasonal allergies, is a diagnosis of a group of symptoms, like the ones listed above [³].

These symptoms can last for two weeks or longer, depending on how sensitive you are. If you battle with seasonal allergies, then you’re aware that these symptoms often make you feel like you have a never-ending cold. So not fun, right?

Now, we’re not saying pollen on its own is bad. But if you have seasonal allergies, then your body may not recognize it as a natural environmental substance, but rather as a dangerous intruder, thus rallying up your immune system to attack. (Hence the annoying symptoms listed above.)

But here’s the issue… seasonal allergies aren’t just prevalent during spring.

When is allergy season?

As you might have guessed, seasonal allergies can hit any time before or after winter.

That means we get three glorious seasons of allergies. This is because a lot is going on in our environment during the spring, summer, and fall.

We already know that trees and flowers blossom and produce pollen in the spring. But did you know that grass sheds pollen in the summer?

In the fall, ragweed flowers begin to produce pollen as well [²].

But there’s one allergy that is prevalent in all three seasons, and that’s mold. In fact, mold can be a huge issue year-round, especially if moisture is trapped inside the home without having proper ventilation.

Pets, dust mites, and indoor plants can also contribute to year-round allergies.

We know what you may be thinking… Is there ever an end to seasonal allergies?

When does allergy season end?

Depending on where you live and how sensitive you are, seasonal allergies may or may not ever have an end.

However, it’s believed that in rainier climates, pollen is washed away and kept at bay for a short while.

Climate change also has something to do with seasonal allergies. As it turns out, global warming is increasing the length of the pollen season [¹].

But it’s not happening everywhere…

Studies show that the United State’s Southern and Southeastern regions are experiencing shorter pollen seasons [¹].

But, if we’re blessed with a successful winter, then seasonal outdoor allergies are likely more dormant.

However, in the winter season, we spend more time indoors. That said, we may have some household allergies that you’ll need to address, like dust mites and even cockroaches, EEK! (Yes, cockroaches can cause allergies.)

Nevertheless, let’s say your home or apartment is regularly cleaned from dust and/or pet allergies, and you have proper ventilation. The winter may be the only season you feel allergy relief.

Still, staying indoors year-round is no way to live. We want you to enjoy being outside during the warmer months too.

So…

How are seasonal allergies diagnosed?

If seasonal allergies run in your family, then it’s likely you may battle with them as well, especially if your mother struggles, or struggled, with allergies [³].

However, to be sure, skin tests and allergen-specific blood tests help doctors determine what you’re actually allergic to.

Which leads us to our next point…

Seasonal allergy treatments

Once you know what you’re actually allergic to environmentally, the better equipped you can be to treat it.

One approach is to try to simply avoid seasonal allergies as much as possible. Some people choose to avoid going outside too often, where they are exposed to the offending allergen.

They keep their car and home windows closed. And if they do have to go outside, they may even wear a mask.

But medication is perhaps the most popular way to treat seasonal allergies [²].

Over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants are by far the most well known seasonal allergy relief methods.

If your seasonal allergies are severe, your doctor will likely prescribe stronger medications, like steroid nasal sprays or allergy shots.

These medications and treatment options certainly have their place and can be effective for some people. But side effects can be a huge issue.

Unfortunately, according to medical science, there is no known cure to allergies. (And we’re talking about other allergies as well, not just seasonal.)

That said, scientists do acknowledge that there are other approaches you can take to address your seasonal allergies…

Complementary approaches to seasonal allergies

Believe it or not, scientists have been recognizing different approaches to seasonal allergies [⁴], like:

Medication

Music therapies

Acupuncture

Massage

Spinal manipulation

Yoga

Mindful eating

Special diets

Microbial-based therapies

Probiotics

But there are two other approaches that we want to focus on that scientists have been looking into: Dietary supplements and herbs.

This brings us to our main focus…

Natural remedies for seasonal allergies

The first natural remedy we want to discuss is Vitamin C.

We all know that Vitamin C boosts the immune system, but did you know that scientists did a long-term observational study to see how Vitamin C could address allergies [⁵]?

Here’s what that study concluded:

“Our observations suggest that treatment with intravenous high-dose vitamin C reduces allergy-related symptoms.”

Another study, involving children from Seoul, South Korea, also noticed similar results from Vitamin C [⁶].

That’s pretty amazing!

Next we have Spirulina, a blue-green algae that grows in salt and in fresh water.

Spirulina is an incredibly nutrient-dense food and is known for the ways it boosts health in people.

Here’s what scientists discovered about Spirulina [⁷]:

“Allergic rhinitis still remains inadequately controlled with present medical means. The need of continuous medical therapy makes individuals anxious about the side effects of the drugs. So there is a need for an alternative strategy… Spirulina is clinically effective on allergic rhinitis when compared with placebo.”

Lastly, we want to look at Cannabidiol, better known as CBD.

There’s a lot of misconception out there suggesting CBD is a “cure-all”, and that’s just not the case.

While CBD offers tremendous therapeutic value for the human body, everyone responds to it differently. Meaning, what works for one person may not work for another. This is why it’s important to do your research and try it for yourself.

That said, there are a few studies that have explored CBD and its effects on skin allergies and disorders [⁸].

What’s amazing is that scientists were blown away by the results of these studies, and now they’re pushing for future studies.

But that’s not all…

It seems there’s another study that caught renowned scientists’ and doctors’ eyes [⁹]. This time it involved CBD’s effects on breathing, and let’s just say that researchers were astounded at the results of this study as well.

Finally, there’s one last thing we want to point out…

There have been a number of studies that have explored CBD’s therapeutic properties when it comes to certain systems in the human body [¹⁰].

In these studies, doctors and researchers were overwhelmed by the same results that CBD exhibited. This is why scientists are pushing for further research regarding CBD’s effects on the immune system and chronic inflammation.

We could spend days listing study after study, but we think you get the picture.

How to get allergy relief

The truth is everyone is different. Which means everyone has their own unique approach to seasonal allergies.

But if you’re looking for other options, consider some of the complementary approaches or natural remedies listed above.

That said, remember to do your research. If you decide to try Vitamin C, spirulina, or CBD, be sure to only buy from reputable companies. The higher the quality of the product, the safer it will be for you to consume.

The bottom line

Seasonal allergies suck! But just because scientists say there is no cure, doesn’t mean you can’t find relief.

In the end, we want you to know the options that are out there, which is why we’re offering this accurate, well-researched information.

Don’t let seasonal allergies stop you from living your life to the fullest. Give some of the suggestions above a try, or at least a consideration. You never know, you may be as pleasantly surprised as some of the researchers were.

Sources:

1.Climate & Allergies

2.What triggers seasonal allergies?

3.Allergic rhinitis

4.Seasonal Allergies at a Glance

5.Intravenous vitamin C in the treatment of allergies

6.Association of Antioxidants with Allergic Rhinitis in Children from Seoul

7.The effects of spirulina on allergic rhinitis

8.Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD) for Skin Health and Disorders

9.Cannabidiol reduces airway inflammation and fibrosis in experimental allergic asthma

10.Immune Responses Regulated by Cannabidiol