By Amanda Box

Sneezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes…

You recognize the symptoms. When seasonal allergies arise, they are just plain miserable!  Maybe ragweed is the culprit, pollen or even mold.  Sneezing through spring and itching through summer sends many of you running to your local drugstore for allergy relief or to get a prescription for something even stronger from your doctor.

allergy by flickr parrchristyThe problem is that these chemical based drugs don’t address the root allergen issue.  Furthermore, their effects don’t work long term and they can have many side effects, including drowsiness.

2 Weeds That Combat Allergies

I always say that God gave us the best medicines. The cure to what ails you could be growing in your own backyard!

When I was a child, I remember getting stung by stinging nettles.  I hated those stinging “weeds!” Little did I know that years later those “weeds” would naturally relieve my allergy symptoms!

Nettles are very rich in nutrients and contain many nourishing vitamins and minerals, which makes them great for many ailments, especially seasonal allergies.  Nettle also helps treat inflammation, reduces histamine levels and is particularly effective for hay fever.  It works even better if you start taking it a month or two before allergy season starts.

Another “weed” or herb that is great for allergies is eyebright.  In fact, as it’s name implies, eyebright does “brighten” your eyes.  If you have itchy, inflamed or watery eyes, eyebright could be your saving grace.

Eyebright and nettle pair well together, even against hay fever, and are found in many herbal allergy blends.  Another great way to take stinging nettle and eyebright is by drinking them in tea.

allergy teaA great allergy relief recipe is:

  • 1 bags of nettle tea and/or
  • 1 bag of eyebright tea
  • 1 Tbsp of local raw honey

Steep the tea bags in a cup of boiled water for a minimum of 10 minutes, up to 4 hours.  Add honey and stir.  Drink this brew 3 times a day.

Sweet Relief

Bees make some of the best allergy remedies available.  Local raw honey can build your immunity towards allergens in your area.  The tiny bits of pollen allergens in the honey act similar to allergy immunology injections.

You want to make sure the honey you use has not been heat filtered because heat can destroy the essential nutrients.  If you know the beekeeper, you can ask how it’s filtered.  Otherwise, it should specifically say “raw” on the label.

Also, the honey should come from as close to your home as possible.  The closer the beehives are to your home, the more likely they will contain the very pollens that you need to boost your immunity weaknesses. One (1) tablespoon a day is a great dose for allergy prevention.

Just a teaspoon a day has shown dramatic results in allergy studies.  Some allergy sufferers received 100% improvement from regular bee pollen intake! Again, it’s best to get your pollen from a local beekeeper.  Non-local pollen can still naturally boost the immune system, but is not near as powerful against seasonal allergies as local pollen.

Fight Nature With Nature

Nature’s allergens can be relieved from nature’s immune builders.  It’s amazing how simple it really is! Free of side-effects and harmful chemicals, nettle, eyebright and bee products can give your body the nutrients and immune system boosters it needs to fight and win the allergy battle.

While the season of rebirth brings so much beauty—baby birds, bunnies, and it also brings misery to millions of allergy sufferers… If you know someone who is bracing for the sniffles, sneezes, and wheezes this season, share these natural remedies they may have never thought of!

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