Ahhh, spring is in the air! Can you feel it? If you’re one of over 25 million Americans, you’re definitely “feeling” it… stuffy nose, tight chest, itchy watery eyes, relentless sneezing. Oh, the beauty of spring (and seasonal allergies).
While allergy medications can help, they come with a host of side effects that either leave you feeling like a walking zombie or make you so wired you lose your precious sleep. There has to be a better way to avoid seasonal allergies. Thankfully, chiropractic care and other natural, holistic remedies can help. Here we’ll share a few helpful tips to fight allergies naturally and enjoy spring to the fullest!
Why Do We Get Spring Allergies?
As the weather gets warmer, the plants start to bloom, and the spring winds pick up, allergens are everywhere. Tree pollen, grass pollen, dust mites, and mold are some of the most common allergens in spring, initiating this battle of congestion and malaise.
When we are allergic to something benign (such as pollen) the immune system responds with an overreaction. It recognizes the pollen as a harmful foreign invader and mounts an immune response by releasing histamine into the blood. Histamine triggers an immune and inflammatory response, meant to defend the body against this “harmful” substance.
This is one of the body’s most amazing ways of protecting us…when there is an actual danger (like a virus or parasite). In the case of spring allergies, however, the substance isn’t particularly harmful.
As a result, the body produces tons of protective mucus that turns to congestion and watery eyes, encourages us to sneeze to remove the “pathogens” from the body, and healthy tissues start to swell with redness, pain, and inflammation.
What’s at the Root of Spring Allergies?
Mild, short-lived symptoms are a normal response to exposure to new allergens in spring. In contrast, intense and lingering allergies are a sign that the immune system has gone off balance. So what’s at the root of chronic, intense allergies? It all comes down to your gut.
How healthy your gut microbiome is can be a clear indicator of how well your immune system functions, and vice versa. Those who experience intense or chronic allergies tend to have an imbalanced, overreactive, or weakened immune system. Because the immune system relies on a healthy gut to maintain its balance, the root of poor immunity and allergies often lies in the gut.
Studies show that those who have allergies tend to have a lack of diversity in their microbiota (gut bacteria). Scientists believe that having a thriving ecosystem of healthy, balanced, diverse gut bacteria helps improve gut health and immunity by reducing inflammation and calming an overactive immune response. How can you improve your gut microbiome to ward off allergies and strengthen your immune system? Read on to find out!
The Best Ways to Beat Seasonal Allergies Naturally
While modern medicine offers no shortage of over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications, or even allergy shots, many of us prefer to do things the natural way. If you like to take your health into your own hands too, here are some simple tips and remedies for managing spring allergies.
1) Avoid Allergy Triggers
It may sound obvious, but the very best way to avoid seasonal allergies naturally is to reduce your exposure to them. Avoiding your triggers won’t only reduce your symptoms – it will also help your immune system recover and regain its balance so you can eventually overcome your seasonal allergies. If you know what you’re allergic to, be sure to avoid areas where those allergens are common or stay inside on days with high pollen counts.
2) Restore Your Gut Health to Fight Allergies from the Root
To fight allergies, you’ll need to balance your immune system. To support your immune system properly, you’ll need to establish a healthy gut microbiome. Here’s how to heal from the root!
Start Fresh with a Cleanse
To jumpstart your gut health and immunity, use a comprehensive cleanse like the Ultimate Body Cleanse from Aceva. This 10-day program leads your body through various detoxification steps to clear out toxins and congestion, heal the gut, and restore balanced health. You’ll eliminate any inflammatory or allergenic foods to give your gut a reset. Then, you’ll restore the gut’s health with a specially-formulated shake and six physician-quality supplements.
Rehab Your Diet
There’s never a bad time to improve your diet, but right after an Ultimate Body Cleanse is a great place to start. Start by removing the foods that are causing your inflammation to surge. Remove or limit processed foods, chemical additives, saturated fats, alcohol, and, most importantly, refined sugar. Then, replenish with the good stuff. A healthy gut requires plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy dietary fiber, healthy fats, lean proteins, and a rich source of varied vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Support with a Probiotic
Eating foods that contain natural probiotics (like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and miso) is a great way to support your gut bacteria. But getting enough probiotics each day can be tricky. That’s why a high-quality probiotic can make all the difference! Aceva’s Ultrabiotic is a potent probiotic formula that improves the health, diversity, and resilience of your gut bacteria. The result? A thriving microbiome that then lays the foundation for a strong and balanced immune system – and fewer spring allergies.
Go All-In on Gut Health
If you suffer from indigestion, bloating, gas, constipation, and other tummy troubles in addition to spring allergies, you may need more comprehensive gut health support. With the Gut Reactions bundle, you’ll receive three products that put your gut health back on track: Candeva, Ultrabiotic, and Gastro Plus. Candeva helps restore a healthy microflora balance and eliminates overgrowth from high sugar diets. Ultrabiotic supports your gut bacteria with healthy probiotics, and Gastro Plus improves the pH and overall environment of the gut. Together, they offer a holistic approach to healing the gut.
3) Prevent and Manage Seasonal Allergies with Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is not just about helping you live pain-free. AlignLife Chiropractic can also help you improve your overall immunity and gut health with targeted treatment plans and simple lifestyle recommendations. Chiropractic care is particularly useful in reducing sinus pressure, improving lung function, and draining the sinuses. When the neck or facial bones are out of alignment, stagnation and inflammation accumulate in these areas. This makes what would otherwise be a mild reaction a more intense and drawn-out allergic response.
For those who suffer from chronic allergies, sinus infections, and sinus headaches, chiropractic care is essential to re-establish the correct form and function of your neck and sinuses.
Chiropractors can also help improve your body’s ability to respond to and clear away allergens and inflammation. They help you understand the root cause of your allergies so you can make the right lifestyle and diet choices to finally overcome them. Find your local AlignLife Chiropractor to see if chiropractic could help you!
4) Fight Allergy Symptoms with Strategic Supplements
If you know you are prone to spring allergies, it’s best to have some backup symptom relief. Our AlignLife Chiropractors recommend two powerful supplements that work to fight allergies and give you relief.
Aller-Aid Fights Allergies Before they Start
Wouldn’t it be great if you could stop those annoying allergy symptoms before they start? Aller-Aid does just that. This herbal formula works to clear the nasal passages and thin out sticky mucus before it overwhelms your respiratory system. This formula also helps to prevent the excess release of histamine to prevent the inflammatory response from happening in the first place.
Sine-Aid Reduces Allergy Symptoms
Stuffy sinuses driving you mad? The pressure of inflamed sinuses can often mean unbearable congestion, sinus headache, brain fog, and discomfort. Thankfully, Sine-Aid offers an all-natural, botanical remedy that decreases inflammation, thins mucus, relieves pressure, and drains the sinuses.
5) Allergy-Proof Your Home
Ready to take spring cleaning to a whole new level? One of the most important ways to naturally prevent and reduce allergies is to give your home a thorough detox. By clearing out dust and debris, you’ll improve your overall air quality and allow your lungs to breathe clean.
Get a fresh HEPA filter to trap air particles, pollen, dust, and other allergens in the home.
If you live in a wet area, a dehumidifier can help combat the mold-inducing spring rains and keep your house clear of mildew.
6) Breathe Easy with Aromatherapy
Essential oils are a simple and enjoyable way to fight spring allergies. Not only do they smell wonderful, calm the mind, and open your nasal passages, certain essential oils also have powerful effects on reducing the symptoms or severity of allergies.
Try diffusing oils in the air, using a congestion-clearing steam bath, or blending a few drops of essential oil with a skin-safe carrier oil to apply to the chest, back, or sinuses.
Use peppermint oil to reduce inflammation in the airways. Eucalyptus is antimicrobial and can be a great way to open the sinuses. Frankincense oil has been shown to reduce recurring seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Enjoy Spring Allergy-Free
Spring is one of the most refreshing, invigorating times of the year. But between the constant runny nose, the itchy eyes, and stuffy sinus headaches, spring allergies can steal the joy out of what should be a bright and beautiful season.
Don’t let spring allergies keep you cooped up inside! Use these natural wellness tips to boost your resilience to allergies this season. Reach out to your local AlignLife Chiropractor today for a customized wellness plan that helps you conquer your allergies all season long!
