issue 26 // volume 42

life & style // no. 17

 

Combating those nasty allergies

> Natural remedies to help alleviate allergy symptoms

Lauren Paulsen
Senior Columnist

 

[: that season again. The
season when many people’s
eyes turn red and itchy and
feel like sandpaper. The season
when sneezing becomes the
most common occurrence
and where nasal passages
become so clogged not even a
plunger feels like it would work.
Unfortunately for thousands
of people, spring becomes a
dreaded time, rather than the
beautiful rebirth it should signify.
Thankfully, because allergies
happen to be so common, much
research has gone into finding
ways to combat them. Nature
herself has given us wonderful
remedies to help our ailments.
Research has found that
one of the most effective herbal
remedies is butterbur. Butterbur
works as a leukotriene inhibitor.
In doing so, it blocks some of the
chemicals in your body that cause
swelling in the nasal passage.
Prevention of this swelling helps
to keep your nose unstuffed.
Research indicates that it works
just as well as over-the-counter
antihistamines, minus the
drowsiness. In fact, butterbur has
been found to be so effective that
it actually can alter allergy testing
results. One big note of caution,
however, is not to consume it
raw, as it can be toxic. Instead,
look for capsules containing it.

Another very effective herbal
remedy is the leaves from a
stinging nettle. This herb also
works like an antihistamine.
Many people make a tea ora
tincture with it, but you can
also find it in capsule forms.

If you choose to use it in tea,
peppermint is a good choice to
add to the mixture. Peppermint

Keep those bugs away

 

has properties that help it act asa
decongestant, anti-inflammatory,
and even a mild antibacterial. If
you don’t like the taste of either of
these herbs, green tea can also aid
you in your fight with allergies.
It, too, acts as an antihistamine.
Another helpful supplement
that you can take are probiotics.
Research now indicates that there

> How to make your own natural insect repellent

Lauren Paulsen
Senior Columnist

 

pring has sprung, but not
everything is blooms and
blossoms. As the weather gets
warmer, undesirable insects,
such as mosquitoes, start to show
themselves. And if you are like
me, then any little mosquito bite
ends up a big problem. Even if
it doesn’t end up swelling to the
size of a baseball, mosquito bites
are still irritating, so preventative
measures are a must. But before
you go off and buy yourself
some insect repellent, think
about making your own. It is
quite easy and inexpensive, and
doesn’t have potentially harmful
chemicals in it like DEET does.
There are many herbs and
essential oils that you can use
that will repel insects. To make
a spray with the essential oils,
fill a spray bottle with half
boiled or distilled water and
half witch hazel. Depending
on how strong you want the

 

spray, add anywhere between
20-50 drops of your chosen
essential oils. Some oils that will
repel insects include lavender,
mint, eucalyptus, rosemary,
citronella, clove and lemongrass.
If you would prefer using
fresh or dried herbs, then
boil some water and add a
few teaspoons of the leaves
from the above plants. Mix it
together really well and then
cover it while it cools. After it
has cooled, strain out the herbs
and mix it together with a cup
of witch hazel in a spray bottle.
Another thing that you can

Image via thinkstock

do to keep insects away is to
rub lavender or leaves from any
plant in the mint family on your
skin. I have found eucalyptus
to be very effective, even when
commercial repellents were not.
You can also add vanilla extract
to the essential oil or herbal
mixes, or just rub it on your skin.
So there you have it. Mother
Nature’s own insect repellent.
Now you can enjoy your evenings
without worrying about nasty
bites, or smelling really weird
and chemical-y. Instead, you'll be
bug free and smell wonderful.

Illustration by Ed

is a link between the presence

of beneficial bacterial in the
digestive tract and reduced
allergy symptoms. Because this
research is still relatively new, it
is not known the exact reasons
why this occurs, but perhaps it
helps to keep your body systems
in better balance so they do not
overreact to allergens. It is a good

idea to start taking probiotics
several weeks before allergy
season occurs, to give your gut
flora time to develop into the
beneficial flora that you want.

Apple cider vinegar is
another useful natural remedy.
If you can stomach the strong
taste, taking two teaspoons daily
can help you greatly. This is
because apple cider vinegar has
properties that cause it to reduce
mucous production and to help
cleanse the lymphatic system.

Outside of these natural
remedies, it is also a good idea
to remove your clothes and take
a shower right after coming in,
as this will reduce the allergens
in your home. Investing in a
HEPA filter is a great idea to
keep the air cleaner, and an air
conditioner or dehumidifier
can help to keep mold down.

If you take morning exercises,
move them to dusk because
trees release the most pollen at
dawn. And if you are allergic to
dogs or cats, you can remove the
allergens they get on their fur
through their saliva by giving
them warm baths regularly.

So really, there are many
natural ways that you can combat
your allergies if you don’t like
taking a lot of medicine. Keep
in mind that everyone reacts
slightly differently to different
remedies, so you should try
several of these remedies to
find out what works for you.

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