How To Cure Yourself of Hay Fever

fever

 

It’s that time of year again! I know it’s coming, you know it’s coming and all the signs are there: the mood of the nation lifts (wahoo!), we start saying hello to each other again, everyone desperately starts trying to get in shape, the sunny mornings give everyone a lift and a spring in their step and the clocks change (at last!).

We don’t go to work and come home from work in the dark anymore and we start looking forward to Wimbledon, summer fruits and holidays.

We also start sneezing. And itching our eyes. And then heading to the pharmacy to start our annual four month dose of drugs.

What if I told you that there were 100% natural ways to control hayfever, ways that were actually more effective than drugs and had none of the side effects of taking antihistamines (they’re worse than you think, by the way)?

Life After Hayfever!

I used to be a eye-rubbing, sneeze-blessed, sniffling, tissue-carrying, flower-fearing, antihistamine junkie too. Now I’m free from all of those strange afflictions!

From my own personal point of view, I HATE using OTC drugs – or any kind of medication. I think it is just SO harmful to my body, stressful for my organs and boy, is it acidifying.

But when it came to hay fever it was a tough call to make – because let’s face it, life is pretty hellish when you’re all fever-ed up when you’re trying to enjoy the balmy summer evenings (you’ve been waiting for through so many dark summer months).

But now I’m drug-free, fever-free and I hardly ever give it a second thought. Not only do are the symptoms barely noticeable (they’re almost completely gone), but when they do show up I’ve got natural protection that works better than any antihistamines ever did.

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Natural Hay Fever Defence

I have experienced, I would estimate, 90% improvement in my hayfever during the last few summers. This has been achieved through a combination of instant, natural relief and long-term dietary changes that give my body the tools it needs to deal with hayfever.

Instant Relief

When hayfever strikes, you want it to stop, right then and there. The bodily reaction that causes the hayfever symptoms are from your immune system overreacting to normally harmless airborne particles. When this happens, you get the easily recognisable symptoms such as a runny, itchy nose, itchy eyes and sneezing. As soon as this starts you get pretty desperate to make it stop.

This is when antihistamines are the easy answer. However, there are a number of herbal, natural remedies that offer a fantastic, drug free alternative:

  • Luffa (Luffa operculata): effective in combating the symptoms of rhinitis which include sneezing, nasal discharge and a blocked nose.
  • Heartseed: is used to relieve allergies, especially itchy skin reactions
  • Golden Thryallis: has desensitising properties useful in hayfever, allergies, bronchial asthma and allergic skin disease.
  • Horseradish: a nasal and bronchial dilator of benefit in the relief of nasal congestion, sinusitis and catarrh
  • Garlic: both immune boosting and antimicrobial – great for your sinuses too.
  • Bee pollen: a respiratory system strengthening food helping to heal and even prevent allergies

My Recommendations:

  • Vogel Luffa Complex Nasal Spray: this 100% natural product contains luffa alongside several other herbs that are known for their anti-allergy porperties, including heartseed, golden thryallis and chapparal. This stuff works.
  • HayMax: a lovely balm, feels nice on your face, smells nice and totally stops the allergens going into your nose! I can’t recommend this highly enough!
  • Supplementary Garlic & Horsradish: garlic & horseradish are both excellent for nasal and sinus problems and so a great for treating the symptoms of hay fever. You can, of course, up the amount of garlic in your diet too!
  • Bee Pollen: known to benefit the immune system and build resistance to allergies – bee pollen is a useful weapon in the fight against hay fever.

Long-Term Relief

Diet can have a huge effect on your body’s ability to combat and deal with hay fever. When we give our body the tools it needs it can handle pretty much anything. However, when we live an ‘unhealthy’ (or acidic) diet we compromise our body’s ability to handle invasion.

When you look at the cause and effect of hayfever this really makes sense.

Foreign bodies enter our system and our body does what it can to deal with them and eject them. This is an allergic reaction. Our body is sensitive to these foreign invaders and it quickly tries to eject them (out of our nose, ears, eyes). Our body just can’t handle these invaders (the pollen/allergens). When our system is in great working order and we are well nourished our body can deal with these minor invasions without any crisis at all.

Since I have been living healthily and alkaline, I have barely suffered any hayfever. Only on really high pollen count days do I even notice – and even then, a spray of the luffa complex deals with it straight away.

Hayfever is a similar analogy here to catching colds and flu. When we live an unhealthy lifestyle our body struggles tremendously when these harmful germs, bugs and whatnot enter our body. Our immune system cannot cope and our body tries to eject the badness through our nose, eyes etc.

Since going alkaline (or just healthy) I have literally not had a single cough, cold, sore throat etc. I used to get ill at least six times per year.

But back to hay fever, here are the particular nutrients that you should try to get an abundance of, especially now – before the pollen really kicks in:

  1. Omega 3: Research suggests that may they omega 3 may reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body which makes it very effective in combating the symptoms and treating the causes of hay fever. Gettin omega 3 through diet is difficult, although consuming fresh, oily fish is a good start. I strongly recommend supplementation of your omega 3 intake to ensure you get enough – because it is so important for so many reasons!
  2. Garlic: as mentioned, garlic is great for preventing hay fever. Garlic is extremely anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral, boosts the immune system and is therefore a great support for your body in terms of dealing with the invaders that cause hay fever.
  3. Antioxidants: in particular flavonoids (found in virtually all fresh vegetables) which prevent the release of the inflammatory chemical histamine from immune cells & carotenoids (plenty in orange foods (like carrot and sweet potato, squash etc) and green foods) which promote freedom and openness in your airways. Antioxidants also have a whole heap of other benefits (see here) including boosting the immune system.
  4. Green Foods: getting plenty of green foods in your diet benefits your body in pretty much every way, and having a strong, healthy and vibrant body will simply give you everything you need to prevent the symptoms of hay fever from appearing in the first place. When you are healthy and vibrant your body can easily deal with allergens and airborne invaders. This could be a blog post in itself…and luckily for you it is! Click here to read more.

Exercise

Scientific research proves that hay fever is more prevalent in people who are physically inactive. Get fit, lose the fever. Oh and as a side effect, you will also get more energy, more mental clarity and will get a fit, buff body. And no more sneezes.

And Supplements?

It has been shown that silver & caprilenic acid are both great for hay-fever due to their anti-yeast, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and because they both give an instant and lasting boost to our immune system.

Other Solutions

Given my recent blog post on my holiday in Thailand, it is not surprising that I would recommend acupuncture for everything(!) but I have read many reports showing that acupuncture is particularly effective in reducing and preventing the symptoms of hay fever.

In a German study (from the journal Allergy) – 52 people with hay fever received acupuncture (once a week) and a Chinese herbal tea designed to address allergic symptoms or placebo acupuncture and a regular herbal tea. After 6 weeks, the acupuncture group revealed an 85% improvement on a “global assessment of change” scale compared to 40 percent in the control group.

Even if you just get the ‘energy balance’ benefits I’d recommend giving acupuncture a go!

Hay Fever Free!

I’ve no doubt that I will NEVER go back to antihistamines.

Going the natural route has literally taken hay fever out of my life – I am no longer a sufferer! I truly believe that with diet and natural remedies this is possible for anyone.

I’d love to hear how you get on with your hay fever this summer! Let me know your experiences in the comments below!

Have a great week and an awesome summer!
Ross

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  1. pinky Reply

    The fever and cold diseases increase when the weather changes. Garlic, Green food, Antioxidants, Omega 3 are good diet in fever.Ginger tea is beneficial in the Sneezing.

  2. BERNADETTE Reply

    CAN Bronchitis,COPD,n Hayfever be caused from a Compromised Respiratory immune system

  3. Jaygo Reply

    I quit smoking and drinking alcohol a couple months ago. Have been doing a lot of exercise and walking everyday since. Eating mostly fruit and veg now.
    But my god, I have NEVER had hay fever this bad. It is easily the worst I have ever experienced. Chemist rubbish isn’t working at all. The headaches border on unbearable and pretty much cripple me from doing anything productive. Am considering taking up smoking and drinking again just to get through this hayfever. Will try the:
    (Eucalyptus Oil
    Lavender Oil
    Peppermint Oil
    Australian Sandalwood Oil)
    I saw someone mention in another post. But if that doesn’t work, I’m afraid it’s back to the pack a day and six-pack a night.
    Any other suggestions? Obviously the change in lifestyle choices doesn’t work for everyone…

  4. Jean Davy Reply

    Hi I live in New Zealand and would like to buy Vogel Luffa Complex nasal spray, together with Haymax unfortunately It is not stocked here, can you by any chance supply it or tell me where it can be obtained..many thanks.

  5. rory gray Reply

    I have been taking ruta tablets to stop hey fever and it’s working great and no drowsiness,like antihistamines do,can this really be happening, relieved rory.

  6. sheree Reply

    I have hay fever I want to stop taking tablets what is my next option

  7. Andrew Reply

    Hello guys, as for me i used to be really terrible hey fewer sufferer, tried everything but nothing worked… apart one thing. Five years ago I decided to cycle to work, Monday to Friday 45 min each way, did it for 6 or 7 months. Next year my hey fewer was gone completely. I’m not cycling as much as I used to, but hey fewer never came back. I’m guessing cycling did really boosted my immune system into the level my hey fewer disappeared permanently.
    Hope it’s going to help, everyone who is willing to give it a try, it has to be 90 min 4-5 times a week, you need to really sweat it out. Andrew from London

  8. Victoria Belaid Reply

    Drinking green tea with honey in the morning has helped me a lot with hayfever. Every year, starting January 5th, I struggle with hayfever. It ends around April 20th. This year, however, I noted that hayfever was not accompanied with asthma and the hayfever itself was not as awful in past years. Since about a year I have been taking Vitamin B, Vitamin D, fish oils and magnesium. I think that these complements have made the difference.

  9. being Reply

    Thank you for sharing the information. I love using food as natural remedies. I find ginger tea, garlic, onion and sesame oil applied topical around my nostril helpful. I also got homeopathic remedies for hayfever from iherb.com to help with eye allergy to pollen and runny nose during spring time. I find iherb, a natural products superstore, has the best price and shipping. There’s also a $10 off purchase of $40 to new customers who use discount coupon code EJE156 (for those who are keen on trying homeopathic remedies). God bless.

  10. Paul Carter: acupuncturist/ herbalist Reply

    Hi nice article. I use acupuncture in Melbourne Australia for hay fever relief with great results. But I find giving lifestyle advise on food, relaxation and lifestyle to be the best prevention. Check out this article on home remedies and if your in Melbourne come down for some acupuncture for natural hay fever relief. Paul http://acupunctureaustralia.com.au/blog/natural-hay-fever-remedies/

  11. Dave Reply

    I have all the symptoms of Hayfever. i have never had it and now at 40 yrs of age – its hit me.
    The snot, tears and itching is driving me crazy. When does it stop…. Helllllpppp

  12. Gordon Rae Reply

    I really enjoyed this article and am open minded when it comes to acupuncture and alternative treatments. I use natural anti-histamines (butterbur) and a pollen barrier (sinubalm) and this combination has had such a positive impact on my life that all of my friends have noticed a vast improvement in my mood.

  13. Kylie Jane Houghton Reply

    Hi, I have had hayfever my whole life an the last two years has been the worst ever, i have tried the 3 year eradication program by an allergist and i am allergice to dogs n cats n wattle trees but nothing seems to help. I have to take about 2 phenergan to knock me out at night from continual sneezing, i took up smoking as that was the only thing that stopped it and the daily medication and phenergan is making me really depressed and putting on weight, will try anything. I think coke is the worst and yes less dairy and bread seems to work a bit!

    • Joe Barcy Reply

      I do also like to confirm that fresh garlic has helped tremendously. Just take 2 cloves of fresh garlic make a paste and drink with little warm water at least 2 twice a day. Avoid chewing garlic since it tends to be burn turn a little. Try this 1st thing in the morning and just before sleeping. Another thing has also helped is avoiding cold/icy water and soda/coke etc. Always drink warm water / room temp water.

      It will reduce the symptoms to 80-90% and my 10 years hay fever is almost gone.

  14. Bronte Reply

    Hi there,
    Do you know if the herbal, natural remedies you list are safe for children? My 7yr old suffers terribly from hay fever symptoms and we are yet to find anything to help relieve it.
    Cheers,
    Bronte.

  15. Miro Reply

    Hi there fellow allergy sufferers,
    thanks for the info on this site as well as the helpful comments. I’ve suffered from allergies for years and am in the process of suffering right now (spring in NZ). I’m trying a variety of methods at the moment including nasal irrigation with a salty solution, apple cider vinegar etc.
    The one time I had no symptoms of allergies whatsoever was after a 15 day complete water fast that I did at the beginning of spring. Although that was an absolute miracle in itself I am sure there must be simpler methods of containing and healing seasonal allergies and I am dead keen to discover them

  16. Fai Reply

    Hello.. Can Doxycycline cure hay fever?

  17. Lesley Reply

    Hi Enjoyed reading your blog….were do you get your luffa nasal spray from i cant find it anywhere i live in frankston melbourne 🙂

  18. Irena Reply

    Greetings,
    Hayfever – I am interested in the long-term effects on health?
    I hate taking medication at the best of times and am not very good with taking supplements for prolonged periods of time. My most alternative treatment once was my own urine dabbed into very, very red eyes – yes, it helped, like standing in a hot shower.
    I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in toilets and bathrooms…
    I eat a good diet ( do eat some dairy) and still, I get it and it is exhausting, makes me miserable, depressed and grumpy. What I don’t understand is the total absence of it during a recent trip to Europe (10 weeks) where I virtually rolled in flowers, luscious grass and waded through layers of birch pollen as it was Spring.
    Could it be my European ancestry? I only developed hayfever in my fifties, never ‘believed’ in it until it made my life a misery. Does anyone have any answers ?

  19. Brian pep0ers Reply

    I actually enjoy hayfever, the runny nose is great as i enjoy sniffing up my phlegm, call me weird, but everyone to their own..

  20. Ash Reply

    Hi all,

    A few years ago I also jumped on the natural remedy band wagon, however, my solution is less extreme. I simply bought the following, mixed my prefered portions into a separate bottle, then rubbed a spec under my nose twice a day. The four bottles will last you till they expire, & barely ever need Telfast. They are:
    Eucalyptus Oil
    Lavender Oil
    Peppermint Oil
    Australian Sandalwood Oil.

    I use Jurlique, but use whoever you want. I just mix them & off you go. Way cheaper than 2 tablets a day. Also fixes headaches, sore throats, insect bites etc etc. Been using that for 8 years now. Works a treat. Got all my friends & family on it too.

  21. Ashley Steele Reply

    Hello,

    I believe the way to cure hay-fever is just to tell yourself you don’t have it, go outside roll around in the grass & fields etc. Don’t take any medication… The first couple of weeks will be absolute hell, after that it gets much better. I used to be a horrendous sufferer, I may even have found a cure which worked for myself

    Regards, Ashley

    Hay-fever sufferer from 2004 – 2010

  22. Glory Reply

    Hi,

    I suffer from Hay fever. As am typing this mail my nose has been runing like a river since morning all the drugs I took couldn’t even stop it. It really messing me up and is rather inbarassing when you are taking to someone and you are cleaning your nose, sneezing etc… I am going to try the Garlic oil because I really can not cope with drugs I need a permenent solution to it.

    REPLY

  23. Heather Reply

    Hi I have suffered from hay fever the runny nose watery eyes and sneezing for over 45 years, tried everything, know what I am allergic to, so I avoid those things. Got a really bad dose at the moment on tablets but to no avail don’t want to be on antihistamines, any advice will be very much accepted.
    Thanks Heather

  24. Sam Reply

    Well this made it worse I got pink eye for the second time in 4 days. My mucus is too far up my nose and I can’t blow it out or swallow it. Sometimes I sneeze for about a minute. If I go outside to exercise my eyes implode even with allergy medicine. Then 10 eye drops for each eye helps for 30 seconds I have this every year and I’m never gonna get out if it unless plants cease to exist. Garlic is good and I eat it a few times a week but it dosnt do anything. It’s like a schedule i get this crap every march and may and I get a stomach irritation every November. gotta love life

  25. mahima chauhan Reply

    hi,this is mahima….i am 30 yrs old and from the time i had shifted to bangalore,India..i am continuously suffering from hay fever from the past one and a half year…i had taken allopathic as well as homeopathic treatment and got little relief but it was temporary…please help me coz i am really suffering a lot and had lost all hopes that i would ever be able to recover…i am pregnant and this problem has made these days of my life like hell….pls help me …i would be highly grateful to you….
    Thank you…
    mahima chauhan

    • Pulkit Reply

      Hi Mahima,
      I also suffer from the same allergies as you (thanks to wonderful Bangalore). I hope you are doing better now. There is a permanent remedy for allergy that is undergoing Immunotherapy where they change your immune make up but it is recommended if you plan to stay in Bangalore for a long time. If you plan on changing cities then temporary remedies which could be food based immunity improvements, avoiding outdoors in the evening, try eucalyptus oil in steam diffuser (for temporary relief) etc. You can see this blog here https://myspring-ingallergy.blogspot.in/
      Take care

  26. dong Reply

    Exercise cured my hayfever.

  27. Linda Reply

    Reading about the acupuncture prompted me write about my own experience. After 3 operations on a benign tumor in my head I suffered facial spasms. Only possible option given to me in the medical field was Botox. I decided to try acupuncture, out of frustration, and not only did it stop the facial spasms but it stopped my never ending . long running hayfever. Best ever

  28. Wam Reply

    Had hayfever all my life but as you say once you start eating healthier the better it gets. I’ve noticed that specifically getting rid of dairy during the hayfever season really helps. At first it is difficult but once you’re used to it it’s ok. Dairy is in more food than you might think so check all the lables as I don’t even want trace amounts in season. So no cheeses, milk, butter, yoghurts, etc. You’ll be surprised how many restaurants can cook lactose free for you if you ask.

    Cheers,

    Wam

  29. Emma Reply

    I haven’t suffered suffered hayfever for years due to drought conditions in Victoria, this Autumn (2011) have started to really suffer after our rainfall!! Also have slacked off on the veggies and garlic lately and will re-introduce honey (after a carbohydrate shock last year), will let you know if any difference.

  30. mary Reply

    hi,Wow, i ahve just discovered hayfever this year, at 53 years of age!!!!
    I refuse to put up with this and am madly tryn gto find a solution.
    I have been having freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 crushed cloves of garlic and 50 ml of aloe vera juice. I also have 3000mg of vit c, but to no avail.
    i eat a healthy diet mmmmmm very frustrating!!
    I am going ot try the Luffa spray and hay max, and will let you all know how it goes.
    love to you all Mary

  31. femi Reply

    Hi.
    Please, what is the difference between cold and hay fever? I have been sneezing for more than a year now. Though, antihisamines have been working for me. But cough have never accompanied the sneezing. Kindly diagnose what is wrong with me.

    • Mike Reply

      I personally believe that the major difference between the cold and hay fever is the rubbing of the eyes. If your eyes get itchy after you sneeze few times – then you have hay fewer.

  32. Sam Reply

    I suffer from Hay fever. It really messes up my day at work, and is rather inbarassing when you are taking to someone and your rubbing your eyes, sneezing etc… I am going to try this theory because I really can not cope with using tablets for the rest of my life.

  33. chloe Reply

    Hi. I always get really bad hayfever in spring, but now i also have the cold. Are there any common things that can help with both hayfever and the cold??? From chloe.

  34. Idris Reply

    I had a hayfever attack yesterday and I went straight to the grocers and got a clove of garlic, stripped down a piece and chewed it all. Never have I had such a pungent and strong flavour item of food as garlic. But instant result. My eyes opened up instantly, and sinuses cleared, however I felt like vomitting after having eaten that clove. I think I over did it with the quantity!

  35. Snow Reply

    Thanks for the sharing! I can’t say how much “pain” I have to go through during pollen seasons. I am going to try acupuncture and hopefully that would give me some relieve. Even though I have not try it yet but I do think Chinese Herbal Medicines would work the best because those are natural stuff from the Earth unlike those harmful pills that we have to take and yet not work. I did have personal experience with exercise though because it actually helped, i remember I persisted on running every single day for three months (gave up later) and I was not sick for once for a whole entire year, it was amazing.

    I’ll definitely try these suggestions and once again thanks for sharing with those of us literally dying from hayfever.

  36. George Reply

    Hi Ross!
    Thanks for your info re garlic and hay fever. I’d like to confirm similar results with garlic oil. For several years, here in south oz,I thought I was continually catching the flu with headaches and hoarse throat and I found relief using garlic oil capsules. Then I realized it wasn’t flu but hay fever and the oil was simply preventing the pollen irritating the throat . Then I tried any vegie oil with smilar results…but not as good as the garlic.
    Cheers, George B.

    • khan Reply

      i found these things to help me:
      exercise first thing in the morning before any food consumption, boost the metabolism,
      drink a squeezed lemon mixed with water last thing at night
      green tea to replace any other fluids your used to daily even cold green tea,
      Pure honey with the comb first thing after the morning exercise
      Acupuncture is excellent in helping increase the ability for the body to fight the hay fever.
      remember simple morning exercise, try typing in 15 minutes workouts or 20 min workouts. Its a simple concept “arm your body with the right weapons to fight off the hayfever”
      hope tis helps

      another

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