{"id":29,"date":"2010-05-26T06:55:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-26T06:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.organicmamacafe.com\/?p=29"},"modified":"2013-09-08T20:58:43","modified_gmt":"2013-09-09T03:58:43","slug":"allergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.organicmamacafe.com\/home\/2010\/05\/allergies\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Allergy Relief"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my early twenties, I had such severe allergies, they’d morph into sinus infections four or five times\u00a0a year. It was bad. My GP and the\u00a0two\u00a0 ENT<\/a>‘s I visited had no advice for me beyond the prescriptions they wrote for allergy meds and antibiotics. Their inability to educate me pushed me to start asking questions. These questions were the catalyst that led me to my current passion for organic living and a gentler approach to everyday maladies.<\/p>\n

My philosophy for healing has certainly changed over the years from going for the “big guns” (pharmaceutical) to learning to nourish myself through live changes, whether physical or otherwise.<\/p>\n

As I have studied options other than those we have come to expect from allopathic medicine (what you’re likely to receive when going to an M.D.). Rather than taking pharmaceuticals every time I experience a malady these days, I look for ways to nourish my body with food, sleep and connection with people who love me. While there is certainly a place for drugs, in my experience, listening to my body and spirit and making healing life choices have yielded far more powerful and life changing results than popping pills.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, here’s what’s I did. I made changes over time, so don’t feel you have to do it all at once.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0<\/span>Eliminate chemical cleaners from\u00a0the house.<\/span>
\nYes,\u00a0I mean\u00a0no bleach.Vinegar, baking soda and\u00a0good old hot soap and water work great for cleaning.<\/p>\n

2. <\/span>Remove fabrics that harbor dust from the house\u00a0<\/span>–
\nlike carpet, un-washable drapes and pillow covers, goose down pillows and comforters. We have tile and wood in our house and all my fabrics are washable.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0Pay careful attention to soaps\/fragrances and makeup that touch the skin.\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe use unscented laundry soap and shampoo. I wear minimal makeup and the ingredients in it are\u00a0edible – like olive oil and fruit extracts.<\/p>\n

4. E<\/span><\/span>liminate\u00a0foods like citrus, dairy, wheat, sugar and\u00a0caffeine during allergy season<\/span>
\nand then add them back in one at a time over a few weeks time to see if any of them seem to exacerbate symptoms.\u00a0My big triggers were dairy and\u00a0citrus and I don’t consume\u00a0either during my worst allergy times.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Tr<\/span><\/span>y homeopathic <\/a>remedies.<\/span>
\nMy\u00a0 Naturopathic <\/a>doctor prescribed one for me that\u00a0looked like pollen and it worked! I took a little under my tongue daily for about a month. I couldn’t believe the difference it made – nearly immediately.<\/p>\n

6. Tr<\/span><\/span>y local raw honey.<\/span>
\nHoney contains local pollens that help build the body’s immunity to allergens. Plus, it tastes delicious!<\/p>\n

7. Try<\/span><\/span> Nettle (Urtica Dioca)\u00a0infusion<\/span>
\n(a strong tea)\u00a0and my symptoms definitely subside if I drink it regularly. While one can buy herbs in capsule form, my personal preference is to make a tea, infusion <\/a>or tincture with them. It’s an acquired <\/em>taste. Rob says it tastes “earthy” but I’ve grown to love it. I add peppermint to mine.<\/p>\n

8. Flu<\/span><\/span>sh daily with a netipot.<\/span>
\nKeep your sinuses moist and “dusted”.<\/p>\n

*As always, I\u2019ll remind you that I am not a doctor. \u00a0I’m simply sharing common sense choices I have made for myself & my family. I have taken the time to research any health decisions I make and have consulted with my local herbalist or doc when appropriate. I encourage you to always do the same before choosing to take or administer\u00a0any kind of remedy,\u00a0whether herbal, prescription or off the shelf at a local drugstore.*<\/em><\/p>\n

That said, the reason I love herbs is that they are usually far more gentle on our bodies than\u00a0over the counter prescriptions and remind our bodies how they are supposed to work!<\/p>\n

Try some of these and breathe the air without fear of sneezing!!!<\/p>\n

Love this? Take the time to share it with someone!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"