It’s allergy season — again.
But if you’re like many of us, allergy season seems like it never ends. If it’s not pollen, it’s mold. If it’s not mold, it’s dander, dust, and so on.
Fighting allergies can seem like a never-ending battle. They can be seasonal, environmental, food-based, skin, or medicinal.
Whatever type of allergies you have, you want them gone so that you can live a normal life. When you’ve tried everything else, check out these four unique ways to combat allergies and reduce the symptoms that come with them.
1. Medical Marijuana
The recent legalization of medical marijuana has spread across the country. Consider applying for an MMJ card to help with your allergy symptoms if it’s in your state.
Cannabis and allergies? Yes, it’s the real deal.
Cannabis compounds, called cannabinoids, balance the body’s immune system. You’ve heard of these referred to as CBD and THC, but they’re not interchangeable.
How THC and CBD Reduce Allergies
THC is the psychoactive component and is only available with an MMJ license unless you’re in a state with legal recreational weed. CBD oil, however, doesn’t have psychoactive effects and is available over the counter in all 50 states.
Both of these cannabinoids can reduce allergies similar to or better than medicinal antihistamines. THC suppresses the response to allergens in your immune system, delaying the length of time it takes for your body to respond to an allergy. CBD treats the symptoms by regulating the production of white blood cells, which respond when an allergen hits your body.
CBD can also step in and stop your airways from closing — the cause of coughing and breathing issues that come from allergies. Medical marijuana and CBD products come in various methods.
If you’re not interested in the typical “joint-based” cannabis, you can make your own edibles, like these cannabis-infused lollipops suggested by Veriheal.
2. Try Butterbur
Butterbur is a natural, alternative method of treating seasonal allergies. The plant is found in marshes in Europe and parts of Asia and North America. It has been a staple of holistic medicine for centuries.
The name comes from the large leaves that characterize the plant and were often used to wrap butter to keep it fresh. Today, we use all the parts of the butterbur plant to treat health conditions, such as migraines and other types of headaches.
If your allergies don’t include plants in the daisy family, you can try butterbur as an allergy treatment. Currently, it’s recommended for nasal allergies in oil extract or pill form.
3. Change Your Diet
When was the last time you had a food allergy test? Our bodies develop and eliminate allergies with time. It’s possible that something you’re eating doesn’t agree with your immune system anymore. You might have never had a problem with bananas before, but now, your body sees something in the fruit as an invader!
Knowing what you should and shouldn’t be eating based on your allergies can help you avoid foods that trigger your allergies. In the meantime, switching to a healthier diet full of fresh veggies, fruits, and nuts (provided you’re not allergic to them) can reduce your allergy symptoms, too.
4. Learn the Advantages of a Good Nasal Rinse
Sure, it might sound a little yucky, but a good nasal rinse can clean out the mucus from your nose and soothe your allergy symptoms.
Nasal rinses are designed to safely eliminate bacteria from the sinus area. It thins the mucus, which reduces the annoying post nasal drip that comes with many allergies.
You can buy a rinse kit over the counter, use a neti pot, or grab a nasal bulb. A quick and easy recipe for nasal rinses is three teaspoons of iodide-free salt mixed with one teaspoon of baking soda and eight ounces of distilled water. Use the neti pot or bulb to flush one nostril at a time while leaning over a sink.
Conclusion
Allergies run the gamut from mild and annoying to severe and potentially deadly. No matter what type you have, you know that triggering your allergies can spoil a good time.
If you’re tired of constantly fighting the battle of your body versus allergens, try these four unique methods of combating the symptoms. You might just find you can breathe easily again!
