Key Points:
Is it a cold or hay fever?
Ways to ease congestion.
Ways of supporting your immune system.
How to reduce pollen exposure.
If you get a runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes in spring, you might be dealing with seasonal allergies.
Here are some simple, research-based habits that can help ease your symptoms.
Is it a cold or allergies?
Colds and allergies can feel similar, both can cause sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes or throat.
The difference is how long they last.
A cold usually goes away in about a week, while allergies can hang around for weeks during pollen season.
The flu often brings high fever, tiredness, and body aches, which allergies don’t.
Washing your nose with a salty water solution (called a saline rinse) can help clear out pollen, mucus, and dust.
Studies show this can ease sneezing and congestion in both adults and children.
You can buy a nasal rinse kit or make one at home using clean, boiled water and salt.
Do this once a day when allergies are bad.
People low in vitamin D often have worse allergy symptoms.
Research shows that taking vitamin D can help reduce a stuffy or runny nose.
You can get vitamin D from sunlight, foods like salmon or tuna, or from a supplement (always check with a health professional first).
Oregano, thyme, ginger, and turmeric may help reduce inflammation and support your immune system.
They also make your meals taste great, try adding them to teas, smoothies, soups, or stir-fries. Herbal medicine that can help includes the use of Echinacea, Andrographis, Astragalus, Elderberry, Olive leaf and Licorice root.
Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and plant compounds that support your immune system.
Things like apple skin, berries, broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens, garlic, pumpkin seeds and citrus can help reduce allergy symptoms.
Eating locally grown honey has also been shown to help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.
🟢Look after your environment
Keep windows closed on windy, high-pollen days.
Shower and change clothes after being outdoors.
Wash bedding weekly to remove pollen and dust.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated to help your body clear mucus.
Stress can make allergy symptoms worse.
Try deep breathing, gentle yoga, making time for hobbies to relax your body and mind.
In Summary:
Seasonal allergies can be annoying, but small daily habits can make a big difference.
Taking care of your diet, your environment, and your stress levels helps your body stay balanced, so you can enjoy the warmer seasons again!
If you’d like some guidance to uncover the root causes of your symptoms and support your body naturally, I’m here to help, book a consultation.
References:
Hechtman, L. (2018). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine (2nd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Lane, Y., & (2024). Vitamin D supplementation and allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medical Sciences, 61(2), 355. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci6100355
Moradi, S., Khazaei, H., Tarlan, M., Jasemi, S. V., Joshi, T., Aneva, I. Y., Farzaei, M. H., & Echeverría, J. (2024). Natural products for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: focus on cellular signaling pathways and pharmacological targets. Frontiers in pharmacology, 15, 1447097. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1447097
Yamprasert, R., Chanvimalueng, W., Mukkasombut, N. et al. Ginger extract versus Loratadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Med Ther 20, 119 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-2875-z
Pellow, J., Nolte, A., Temane, A., & Solomon, E. M. (2020). Health supplements for allergic rhinitis: A mixed-methods systematic review. Complementary therapies in medicine, 51, 102425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102425
King, D., Mitchell, C., & Harvey, R. (2015). Saline irrigation for allergic rhinitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Li, G., Liu, X., Ren, Y., Yang, H., Sun, X., & Huang, H. (2024). Vitamin D and allergic diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, 15.
Petrova, G., & Nguyen, T. T. (2022). The role of diet and nutrition in allergic diseases. Nutrients, 15(17), 3683.