Of course, over-the-counter medication like antihistamine tablets or nasal corticosteroid sprays help to keep hayfever symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, itchy red eyes, and skin rashes at bay.
If you want to take it a few steps further, we have collected additional tips and natural allergy remedies that will help you to deal with your allergies better. From integrating new practices into your routine to more mindful living, try these 7 suggestions to lead a happier, allergy-reduced life:
Drink more
If you struggle with a stuffy nose or postnasal drip due to your allergies, try to drink more liquids. The goal is to let the extra fluid thin the mucus in your nasal passages and bring you some relief. Water and juice work well, but warm beverages like tea or soup will give you the added benefit of steam â read more about steam therapy below.
Breathe easier
Steam therapy involves inhaling water vapor. By breathing in the warm, moist air the mucus in your nasal passages, throat, and lungs gets loosened. If you struggle with allergy-related sinus infections, steam therapy can relieve the symptoms of inflamed, swollen blood vessels in your nasal passages.
Try natural antihistamines
Next to classic medication in tablet and spray form, there also some foods and plant extracts which have a similar effect and work as natural allergy remedies. The most popular ones are stinging nettle, quercetin, bromelain, butterbur, vitamin C, and probiotics.
Use your mask
Donât worry, this isnât about Covid â but a N95 respirator mask can still be useful for allergy sufferers exposed to large quantities of allergens. Examples would be a pollen allergy patient working in their garden, or a dust mite allergy sufferer vacuuming and dusting their house. N95 masks block 95% of small particles and can help you to get through these tasks more efficiently without sneezing your way through it all.
A balanced diet
Eating well seems to be the key for many health-related ailments, and it seems like certain foods act as natural allergy remedies when youâre dealing with allergies. An overall healthy diet including fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts is helpful to control allergy symptoms. Researchers are still trying to figure out the exact link, but studies point into the direction of certain foods helping to control underlying inflammation in the body and dilating air passages, which brings relief for allergy patients with breathing issues.
Wash it away
This tip is especially useful for pollen allergy sufferers. Especially during peak allergy season, pollen will get stuck on your hair, skin, and clothes whenever you go outside. When you come home, you bring these irritating particles into the house with you, so make sure to change your clothes, take a shower, and wash your hair to stay on the safe side.
Avoid smoke
Cigarette smoke can be a huge irritant and make your allergy symptoms even worse â for example an itchy nose or watery eyes. Make sure your house is smoke-free (ask smoking family members and visitors to smoke outside), choose smoke-free restaurants and hotels, and avoid smoky nightclubs.
By the way: aerosol sprays, wood-burning fireplaces, and scented candles can have a similar effect as cigarette smoke.
