Top 10 natural hay fever remedies
Do you suffer from hay fever? If so, try these natural approaches, recommended by our health editor, to ease your allergy symptoms
It’s that time of year again – hay fever season. You may notice symptoms as early as March when the tree pollen season starts. This is followed by grass pollen season, then weed pollen – which can continue into September.
What’s the problem with hay fever?
Let’s face it, the runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes and throat associated with hay fever can make summer a little more difficult – especially when you want to enjoy a picnic in the park or long bike ride. As such, many of us find ourselves reaching for antihistamines – over the counter medications designed to reduce histamine production. For some, these lead to drowsiness and become less effective as the season wears on.
Luckily, there’s plenty of other things you can try to help minimise and manage the most dreaded of hay fever symptoms.
Natural ways to reduce hay fever include...
1. Minimise pollen exposure
2. Create a pollen barrier
3. Try zeolite to reduce histamine
4. Wash away pollen
5. Try nasal saline
6. Use a filter
7. Try quercetin
8. Try allergy shot therapy
9. Be careful with cut flowers
10. Plan your garden wisely
What are natural remedies for hay fever?
1. Minimise pollen exposure
It may seem obvious but avoiding long periods of time on green and grassy areas when the pollen count is high can help to minimise aggravation of symptoms. Simply keeping windows shut during the day will limit your exposure to pollen when you’re inside. In particular, keep your bedroom windows shut to minimise residual pollen, causing symptoms at night that might disrupt your sleep.
2. Create a pollen barrier
Applying a balm or oil around your nose may help trap pollen before it can enter your nasal passage and trigger symptoms. There are many natural balms designed for this purpose, however everyday olive oil works just as well. Similarly, wearing wraparound sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat when outside helps prevent pollen reaching your eyes or settling in your hair.
3. Try zeolite to remove histamine
Zeolite is a natural clay-like substance that binds to histamine in the digestive tract and directly eliminates it via the stool. By reducing levels of histamine in the body, zeolite helps to reduce common allergy symptoms like itchiness and a blocked or runny nose.
While there are many zeolite powders available, experts suggest using natural clinoptilolite zeolite, as it has been the most thoroughly researched in this area. Read our guide on a low-histamine diet.
4. Wash away pollen
Taking a shower or bath after being exposed to pollen may be helpful in removing it from the body. Changing and washing your clothes immediately will also help to reduce your exposure.
5. Try nasal saline
Items such as a neti pot or saline nasal spray may be super helpful at clearing clogged nasal passages. These can be used 1-2 times daily and found at most health food stores or pharmacies.
6. Use a filter
When pollen season is in full swing, plugging in an air purifier may help to capture airborne particles such as pollen, pet dander and dust mites, helping to further reduce allergy symptoms.
7. Try quercetin
Quercetin is a natural compound found in lots of common foods, including onions, turmeric, dark berries, red wine and citrus fruits. It’s been shown to reduce the release of histamine in the body by stabilising the cells that release it. While quercetin may be consumed through diet, many find that regular use of a quercetin supplement early in allergy season may be quite effective. Speak to a nutritionist or health professional to find the right option for you.
8. Try allergy shot therapy (subcutaneous immunotherapy)
Allergy shots essentially work like a vaccine. They are a form of exposure therapy that helps patients become desensitised or more tolerant towards their allergen – in the case of hay fever small amounts of pollen are injected into the body, allowing the immune system to create antibodies and stop symptoms from occurring. While this may be a great option for some, it takes a big commitment and is generally done early in the season. Speak to your doctor or an allergist for more information.
9. Be careful with cut flowers
While there’s nothing quite like a fresh vase of flowers to brighten up a room, this thoughtful gift can be an allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare. If you’re buying flowers for someone with seasonal allergies, try to avoid high pollen varieties such as lilies, daisies and sunflowers in favour of more hay fever-friendly varieties such as peonies, roses or hydrangeas.
10. Choose garden plants wisely
As with flower bouquets, the plants you choose for your garden may have a big impact on how you feel during prime allergy season. Trees such as birch, oak, cedar and mulberry are known to be major culprits for triggering allergies, and aster, chamomile and dahlia may be high in pollen too. Instead, try plants like antirrhinum (snapdragons), gladiolus, cornus and roses, which tend to be less troublesome.
Enjoyed this? For more on allergies…
All you need to know about seasonal allergies
What is hay fever?
10 foods to support your seasonal allergies
Allergies in children
Top 20 low-histamine foods
How do you manage your hay fever symptoms? Share your natural remedies in the comments below…
All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our terms and conditions for more information.
Kerry Torrens is a qualified Nutritionist (MBANT) with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last two decades she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.
