Treat Underlying Causes, Not Symptoms
Naturopathic doctors associate allergies with weakened adrenal, immune and digestive functions in the body. By supporting and improving these functions, we can reduce or completely eliminate the hay fever symptoms. While naturopathic doctors will usually begin a natural therapy like stinging nettles 1-2 months before the season starts, they will also be addressing other aspects of your health to get at the underlying causes of your allergic reactions.
Start with Good Nutrition
Simply being in good health can ease allergy symptoms a great bit. And good health starts with excellent nutrition. Your doctor will work with you to determine if you are sensitive to certain foods – making you also sensitive to airborne allergens. By identifying and removing those foods from your diet, you can begin to experience a reduction in your allergy symptoms as well as an improvement in your overall health. Some common culprits include wheat, caffeine, alcohol, food coloring, dairy products, red meat, peanuts, sugar, chocolate, citrus and bananas. We typically will recommend adding more of other certain foods to your diet, such as leafy greens and dark yellow vegetables.
Add Supplements, Vitamins, Herbal Medicines
To strengthen your nutrition and support various functions of your body, we recommend supplements and vitamins that can act as strong natural antihistamines. Our recommendations are always customized to the individual patient, but can include bioflavonoids, Vitamin C, probiotics, flaxseed oil, zinc, Vitamin E and more. There are an abundance of herbal medicines that can act as antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, anti-congestion and more. When used appropriately and at the correct dose for the individual patient, high quality herbal medications rarely cause side effects.
Homeopathic and other Naturopathic Remedies for Seasonal Allergies Naturopathic doctors employ a variety of other therapies for the relief of seasonal allergies. Tailored to the specific patient, the remedies prescribed might range from homeopathic remedies to castor oil packs to neti pots. Desensitization through the use of raw local honey is another option. But, when the nasal mucous is causing pressure, headaches and grogginess, we typically suggest a procedure known as nasosympatico. During this 10-20 minute therapy, we apply essential oils to the nasal passages. The oils stimulate the sinus to eliminate the mucous. The results are fairly immediate.
Imagine being able to welcome spring with open arms – and open windows! You can stop to smell the flowers and enjoy being outside again. By addressing the whole person – not just the allergy symptoms – naturopathic medicine can help you live an allergy-free life. Call today for a consultation.