March in Oklahoma is a nightmare for allergy sufferers. We are all running around sneezing, coughing, rubbing our eyes & blowing our noses! However, rather than turn to allergy medication, I turn to more natural ways of dealing with allergies. For me, it works. However, even with Allen doing all of this, he got his annual case of Bronchitis. He gets it every single March.
I am a HUGE fan of my neti pot. I use it once a day, as needed, for allergy & drainage issues. If you've never used a neti pot, it takes a little practice. The first few times, I had water running all over my face. It immediately makes a difference for me. And I believe it keeps me from getting a sinus infection, which I used to get every Spring. Here's a funny, but helpful, video on how to use a neti pot.
I use a humidifier almost year round. I really believe in them & have one for all three bedrooms.
At the first sign of a scratchy throat, I gurgle salt water. I remember watching my Grandma do this when I was a kid. I think she did it every night, year round. I just mix salt & warm water in a cup & gurgle repeatedly.
I drink lots of green tea, and eat lots of oranges & apples. All of which are natural antihistamines.
And the latest thing I've been doing is drinking 8oz water mixed with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. It taste horrible, but is said to have many health benefits. I don't do it daily, for fear of getting too much vinegar in my system. But I drink it occasionally, especially when my allergies seem to be flaring up.
I've also heard that eating local honey can help with allergies. I use local honey in my bread recipe so maybe that's helping me too.
I quit taking over the counter cold & allergy medications over a year ago & have been quite healthy doing all these things I've mentioned. Except for that pesky case of the flu I had. And once you get the flu, nothing helps! You just have to lie there and let your body take care of it, which is what I did.
I am not a doctor. I am just sharing what works for me.
