It’s that time of the year again – allergy season!  It seems that the older I get, the worse my sinuses get – this year has been really bad.  I take my allergy medicine daily but my allergies seem to get worse instead of  better – what’s wrong with this picture?

I ran across these natural spring allergy cures in a recent health article and I’m going to give them a try:

Take Vitamin B5 - Up to 75% of people with spring allergies are also sensitive to dust mites, which can grow like wildfire in the spring.  Solution: A daily 500-1,000 mg. dose of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) will “kickstart” your body’s production of anti-inflammatories that help you handle dust mites without sniffling and sneezing.  Note: Always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement.

Drink Less Alcohol – Limit yourself to 3 servings of wine, beer, or cocktails weekly and you’ll be less reactive to pollen!   Why? Alcohol contains yeast, grains, and other compounds that many people are sensitive to and your immune system can overreact if it’s hit with these triggers plus pollen at the same time.

Orange Juice and Nuts - Enjoying 1 cup of orange juice and 2 oz. Brazil nuts daily will dampen airway inflammation as much as 40%!   Why? Orange juice is rich in vitamin C and Brazil nuts are packed with selenium – together these nutrients “kickstart” production of glutathione (a compound that keeps inflammation in check, even when pollen levels skyrocket).

Soothe Your Sinuses with an Herb - Taking 1,200 mg, daily of stinging nettle dampens your body’s production of inflammation-triggering histamine, making it up to 50% more effective at relieving allergy-triggering sinus symptoms (like congestion and postnasal drip) than Claritin or Allegra!

Bonus Tip: Eating 1-2 cups of yogurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus (bacteria that reduces inflammation) helps stop reactions to pollen before they start!

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