The time of year when plants bloom and pollen flies everywhere is fast approaching.
I know that if you suffer, you can probably describe the symptoms better than I can, but for those who don’t know, hay fever can result in people with sensitivity, suffering from itchy and swollen eyes, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat and catarrh.
It can be mild, or it can make the victim’s life miserable during the period of time that the pollen of the plant they are allergic to blooms.
If I have a patient with hay fever, visit me at the clinic for the first time this time of year, I treat the symptoms, but I make sure that the following year they come to see me to start their herbal medicine course about a month before their plain hay. fever season
The logic behind this is to allow the mucous membranes in all those areas that I have already mentioned to tone up. In a person suffering from hay fever, the pollen attacks the lining of the eyes, nose, and throat, irritating these linings and causing inflammation. The body’s natural defense mechanism is to first sneeze, to try to expel the irritant from the airways, and then increase the amount of mucus produced in these areas, to try to “wash” the irritants out. Inflammation of the membranes results in itching and mucus production, watery eyes and nose, and runny nose. Therefore, if the mucous membranes are already toned before the beginning of the hay fever season, the victim will not have hay fever or the symptoms will be greatly reduced.
I have an excellent success rate treating people suffering from hay fever at my clinic. Remember that there is no such thing as a magic cure or 100% successful treatment. All people respond differently to medications, whether orthodox or herbal.
My dietary advice is to drastically reduce the amount of dairy you eat and drink plenty of WATER.
We humans eat too much dairy in a day as it is an “easy” meal, starting with milk in cereal at breakfast, perhaps cheese and yogurt at lunch, and perhaps ice cream at dinner. dinner, as well as milk in tea and coffee. Dairy is a difficult food for human adults to digest, only babies have the enzyme to break down milk in the digestive system. A large amount of dairy products in the diet can lead to already inflamed mucous membranes, along with increased mucus production. So, as Mr. Spock would say, “it makes sense Jim” * (if his name is not Jim, substitute his own name here *).
The herbs I use to treat hay fever are herbs that tone the mucous membranes and protect them from the outside world, as well as herbs that help calm the immune system.
The first on my list are:
Eyebright, an excellent herb for toning mucous membranes.
Elderflower, is anti-inflammatory and anti catarrhal.
Marshmallow leaf, calms and protects the mucous membranes since it is an herb that contains mucilage.
To this I would normally add something to calm the body as the immune system has now revved up and will overreact to everything.
So depending on the patient, either Pulsatilla or Passiflora, both of which are mild relaxants and I think they work well to calm the immune system.
I use all of these in tincture form, as tinctures are nice and easy to use, but you will probably be able to find an over-the-counter preparation that contains most of these herbs.
If you are buying an over-the-counter preparation, make sure it is licensed as it has then gone through a rigorous testing process.
If you have any other conditions or are already taking orthodox medications for anything, or are pregnant, consult a qualified herbalist or your doctor.
The herbs I have mentioned above are all safe herbs taken in the correct amounts, but Pulsatilla cannot be used fresh and Passiflora cannot be used during pregnancy.
Sounds a bit like a minefield, but really it’s just a matter of knowing what you’re doing and if you don’t, there are professionals who will help you and won’t charge you too much.
Linda Bostock
herbal doctor
herbal health information