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Seasonal Allergy Treatment Recommendations?

 
Timothy Norton
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I hope that I am not the only one that experiences this, but I have allergies!

I'm talking about the itchy scratchy eye watering kind of allergies. When the pollen is flying, my eyes are crying kind of allergies.

I have for years relied on over-the-counter allergy treatments but figure I could expand the personal repertoire by accessing the collective knowledge on Permies.

Please share with me your wisdom so I don't have to be as miserable when I go out to play in the garden.

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Anne Miller
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My first thought when I saw the title ... nettles.

AKA Stinking nettles:

https://permies.com/t/52035/Nettle-allergies

I am sure that folks have lots of suggestions that I am looking forward to.

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James Alun
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One thing I’ve heard of and need to try, is eating local honey.

I believe the idea is that you’re introducing the immune system to the trigger in a weaker, less threatening form similar to how vaccines teach the immune system about viruses.

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Mark Reed
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I think there might be something to the local honey idea from trying it a bit myself but mostly second hand from others. I do have a treatment for the itchy, red eye which I am very prone to. I just keep a supply of sterile salt water in the fridge. Thats all it is, distilled water with just enough sea salt that it tastes mildly salty. I boil it to guarantee it's fully sterile and keep it in the fridge in an old glass ketchup bottle. It certainly is not a permanent cure but wiping my eyes with it, or pouring a little bit in them relieves the itch and redness completely and immediately and lasts for several hours.  Basically, the same thing as the over-the-counter saline products but cheaper and more effective and doesn't have anything in it other than water and salt.

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G Freden
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I tried drinking nettle tea one year but I can't say that really worked.  The friend who told me about it said it worked for her dad.  However, a little further research and I discovered that stinging myself with nettles does work.  It works pretty quickly, within a minute or two, but I have to do it a couple times a day.

I also tried going very low carb a few years ago;  I've actually be low carb for years now but I went really strict and cut out all fruits, most dairy (still ate butter), and all starchy veg like carrots, pulses, sweet potatoes, etc.  This worked the best.  I didn't even get hay fever while eating this way.  I only go really strict like this during my hayfever season which is June/July (grass pollen), and eat my usual diet the rest of the year.

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r ranson
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A trick I learned in Japan is to wear a mask during allergy season.  It's amazing how fast it helps.  Wash face to get off the spores, etc.  Put on a clean mask with a good fit (they have disposable ones just for this, but a cotton or cotton/silk one works).  Instantly gets rid of about 90% of my allergy symptoms.

And for about 10 years I got weird looks when mowing the grass with a mask on.  Then 2020 happened and it's suddenly acceptable to wear a mask anywhere I like.  

Given the increasing number of people I see wearing masks in the garden around town when no one else is around - I suspect using them for allergy relief is catching.  

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r ranson
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Nettle tea is awesome for most people.  I have a lot of people who harvest our spray-free nettles for making tea and tinctures.

For me, mint family plants like nettles increase allergic response.  I don't know why that is.

But a weird thing, increasing brassicas in my diet, dramatically reduces my allergy symptoms.  I've been having broccoli every day this spring and only had to have an allergy pill twice - both for man-made allergens - despite having one of the worst pollen seasons in our lifetime.  

I guess it's about finding what works for the individual body.  Try lots of things.  Observe.  Adjust.  

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James Alun
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r ranson wrote:
And for about 10 years I got weird looks when mowing the grass with a mask on.  



When I was a caretaker, I used my rubber mask with replaceable filters that I got for fibreglass insulation. It was a bit sweaty but I could breathe!

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Timothy Norton
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There is a gentleman that I know who puts on what is essentially an entire Tyvek suit along with a mask when he mows his yard every week.

Thank you everyone for your ideas so far, keep them coming!

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Nancy Norwood
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I suffered every year from May until frost in October. Decongestants often dried me so much I got sinus infections. A saline nose spray gave a bit of relief. About fifteen years ago, in January I began eating a whole food plant-based diet. Then, in July, I realized I had no seasonal allergy symptoms! None since then. I attribute it to not having dairy. It can take several months for dairy to be cleared from your body, so have patience. Fortunately, there are now so
many non-dairy alternatives available that the benefits of no more miserable “hay fever” far outweigh the cautions.
 
Ashley Redding
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This is what came up. Ironically I have the Eucalyptus oil Dr. Bronners soap!
Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-13-980.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-13-980.jpg]
Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-20-628.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-20-628.jpg]
Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-29-715.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_2024-06-03-17-23-29-715.jpg]

Budding permie fanatic.

 
Joseph Lofthouse
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I'll make a list of things that helped me...

No pets in the house
Drinking more water
Getting rid of carpeting
Avoiding super dusty chores
Reducing omega-6 oils (soy, corn, canola, vegetable)
Eliminating processed foods
Increasing omege-3 oils (fish)
Losing weight
Running
Neti-pot
long hot showers
herbal teas with mint, licorice, mallow, mullein
menthol-lyptus  candies
more sleep during trying times



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Adaptation Agriculture: Video Course, Community, and Seed Share

 
Meli Mot
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I agree with avoiding dairy, omega 6 (seed oils, pork, chicken), sugars and starches. Also i apply shea butter to my nostrils and eyelids which does a great job trapping pollen. And avoid kicking up pollen in the act of cutting or moving flowering bushes (goodness, lesson learned there).
 
Melissa Ferrin
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During covid I discovered two things that helped a lot.
1) wearing a mask, even a homemade cloth mask. In Mexico, we wore masks everywhere for a long time (over 2 years, so two pollen seasons). My need for Claritin was cut by  80%!
A room air purifier was installed in my classroom. I later got one for my bedroom.

pax amor et lepos in iocando

 
Devin Lavign
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Something to remember about local honey is that you need raw honey. Also it's a preventive not a cure. It works best if you start using honey BEFORE allergy season. This gives your body time to recognize the pollen before it's all over the air.

"Where will you drive your own picket stake? Where will you choose to make your stand? Give me a threshold, a specific point at which you will finally stop running, at which you will finally fight back." (Derrick Jensen)

 
Ashley Redding
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Joseph Lofthouse wrote:I'll make a list of things that helped me...

No pets in the house
Drinking more water
Getting rid of carpeting
Avoiding super dusty chores
Reducing omega-6 oils (soy, corn, canola, vegetable)
Eliminating processed foods
Increasing omege-3 oils (fish)
Losing weight
Running
Neti-pot
long hot showers
herbal teas with mint, licorice, mallow, mullein
menthol-lyptus  candies
more sleep during trying time



You can have pets, just don't let them in the bedroom. I grew up allergic to EVERYTHING and I didn't get sick with this rule.

Budding permie fanatic.

 
M. A. Carey
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I mostly get the itchy, watery eyes in the autumn from ragweed. I use over-the-counter allergy eyedrops. I buy the Equate brand at Walmart. It's a small bottle but lasts me 2 or 3 seasons because only ragweed bothers me. I keep it in the refrigerator and that makes it very nice and cooling to my eyes. For any sneezing, I just use generic like Equate allery relief pills. But I mostly only need the eyedrops.
 
Marco Zolow
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I see comments about honey. I don't see any about bee pollen. I have been taking bee pollen, starting in late February or early March, for several years now. For some reason, maybe the same as why honey is helpful, I have very minimal hay fever symptoms from using the bee pollen. It might be an acquired taste for some. At this point, after several years, I enjoy the flavor. I just take a little pile in the palm of my hand and pop it into my mouth. Usually twice a day, though when I am just starting I might take it more often than that. Works like a charm for me. Anyone else ever try bee pollen for hay fever?
 
G Freden
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r ranson wrote:

For me, mint family plants like nettles increase allergic response.  I don't know why that is.



Not long after I wrote about nettle tea not working for me, I remembered your reply as I had an actual allergic response to it!  I've eaten nettles and drunk tea loads of times--I'd even been drinking it several times a week up until this happened.  It was so strange:  I hadn't eaten anything yet that day, being busy working around the house and garden;  I made some nettle tea at around noon and almost immediately got a very scratchy throat and felt sick/faint.  About 20 minutes later I threw up twice (only liquid obviously), had an episode of diarrhea, and then after two miserable hours felt back to normal.  

I had been picking my own nettles for tea and the only thing I can think of is that the ones I picked that day were flowering, so maybe the pollen was the culprit.  Regardless, it made me very wary about taking it again.

Trying to achieve self-reliance on a tiny suburban plot: http://gardenofgaladriel.blogspot.com

 
Jill Dyer
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My go-to is also honey - sourced locally and still in the comb - consume small amount of honey and wax.  Another thing that works for me is applying a small dab of Vaseline to the nostrils.  And yes, the mask, now it's 'fashionable'    Hope you find something that works for you.

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