Seriously? It's February and here I sit completely run down and miserable because I have been battling allergies. Seasonal allergies in the middle of winter. Two weeks now I have been wrecked. My car is covered in pollen to the point that it appears yellow instead if it's original baby blue. I suppose that's the downside to living in sunny Florida...my brain is melting and draining through my nose.
A while back I was prescribed prescription grade Allegra along with Flonase. They work to a certain degree but then for whatever reason I am having a terrible reaction to the Allegra and my chest is becoming congested from it. This seems seriously counterproductive in my opinion. Plus, I hate taking pharmaceuticals! Sometimes, though, we get in this state of not caring what we have to do to feel better. Since I don't want to have to take the drugs forever I have begun a natural protocol to alleviate these horrible allergies.
The downside to allergy drugs, and most pharmaceuticals in general, is they don't actually cure the issue, but rather, trick your body into being able to deal with the symptoms. If you happen to be one of the unlucky folks that have a nasty reaction to the drugs themselves, you're up a creek because as soon as you stop taking the drugs the allergies come back with a vengeance. Seasonal allergies are caused by an aversion to the pollen released by certain plants when they bloom. You inhale this pollen and your immune system doesn't reconize it so it flips out and you become a sneezing, coughing, puffy eyed disaster of a human being.
So, what is the solution? Honey! Raw, local honey to be exact. It does take some time to really be effective but the whole idea behind taking honey to relieve seasonal allergies is completely sound. You see, raw honey still contains bits of pollen from the bees who created it. If it's raw local honey then that pollen comes from your surrounding area. By taking this honey everyday you are introducing this pollen to your immune system a little at a time and this allows your immune system to develop a key of sorts to prevent any further adverse reactions to this pollen. It's similar to the idea of innoculations against disease without all the scary unknowns of innoculations. Honey, in general, is an excellent immune system booster also.
So, every morning I have been taking about 1/3 of a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of raw local honey all mixed together. It's quite the wake up call, I have to admit. The apple cider vinegar might seem a bit strange but the addition of this is create alkalinity in the body which supports immune strength in a very big way. I use Bragg in particular because it still has the mother in the bottle which is used in making vinegar and includes a healthy dose of probiotics.
Now, this is not a get healthy quick plan by any means. It can take a few weeks to build up the immunity against seasonal allergies in this manner but once it's done, you're golden. Another, supposedly quicker way is to take straight bee pollen if you can find a local supplier. This pollen can come in crystal and powdered form and should be taken in very small doses to start.
I am continuing to drink nettle tea (high in Vitamin C) as well and have gone back to taking a daily Vitamin B Complex. The Vitamin B Complex is excellent in supporting immune health, increasing energy, and has been an integral part of my natural thyroid health plan.
Do you have a natural protocol for dealing with seasonal allergies? If so, please share!!