Hayfever

I have just returned from running my annual Yoga, Walking and Detoxification Retreat in Spain, a week of relaxing, healthy living in the sun. I love the summer but for some it can be a nightmare of sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses. These are classic hayfever symptoms. What causes hayfever and can it be alleviated naturally?

Hayfever is an allergic reaction caused by a trigger to pollens of flowers, grasses, hay and trees, all of which are particularly prominent in the spring and summer months. The triggers cause an increase in the levels of histamine production in the body. People often use anti-histamines to control their symptoms but sadly many anti-histamines can have strong side effects, commonly drowsiness but also dizziness, digestive upsets and lack of muscular co-ordination.

I often get asked what’s the alternative to hayfever medication? You need to consider short term measures to address current symptoms followed by a medium term plan. Here are five top tips:

• If you suffer an allergic sneezing attack one of the best things you can do to ease it is a face bath with some saline water. Ensure that the water enters the nose as this will help to ease the inflamed membranes. Use mineral salts or dead sea salts which are available from any chemist. Seawater is excellent!
• If your eyes water and go all puffy then I recommend using some chamomile infusion as your face bath. Make your own by simply adding some boiled water to a few teabags of chamomile and allow to cool. If you can get some dried Eyebright herb (from Neal’s Yard) then add a teaspoon of this in as well. You can bottle some of this infusion and using cotton wool dab it on around the eyes throughout the day. You can use the same liquid as a nasal spray (spray bottle available from Boots Chemist) and it is quite safe to use as an eyewash too.
• If you don’t have time to make your own then A.Vogel produce a Luffa Complex which has a combination of different herbal remedies to assist in alleviating hayfever symptoms as well as Potter’s Aller Clear eye drops, nasal spray and capsules (available from Nutri Centre 0191 286 0020)
• On a more medium/long term basis it is very important to boost the immune system via the diet. This means cutting down on wheat and cow’s dairy and to really help the body. I highly recommend giving up on the tea, coffee and alcohol, certainly whilst the symptoms are around.
• Using a local honey which contains pollens collected by local bees may also provide some ‘natural’ immunity. You could alternate this with some Manuka honey (look for UMF 10+ or above) which has shown to have many beneficial properties for immunity.

On a long term basis gentle detoxification programmes can be very supportive to the body, helping boost immunity. If the hayfever symptoms are just not shifting then it may be worth working alongside a herbal or naturopathic practitioner to get you onto a deeper programme.

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Rumana Zahn is a Naturopath and Medical Herbalist and runs clinics in Newcastle (within a GPs practice), Darlington and Seaham Hall’s Serenity Spa. She is a leader within the field of Natural Medicine, writes and speaks extensively on the subject. She can be contacted on 01325 722803 or www.rumanahealth.com

Rumana is a member of the British Register of Complementary Practitioners.

 

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