Alergies

[Amethyst Rose]

Merry Meet,

I've been wondering for a long time if there are any herbal remedies for allergy symptoms.... any natural antihistamines?
I have year round allergies to pollen, dust, lint, dust mites, and furry animals (of which I have two, but I love them too much to choose my comfort over their company).
My symptoms include stuffed nose, sinuses and sneezing. In extreme cases I have asthma like symptoms and rash from cuddling furry animals (mostly bunnies).
I can deal with the asthma, because it happens very rarely, however, I can honestly say I can't remember the last time I didn't have a stuffed nose. Over the counter drugs don't work anymore, and the only things doctors give me are nose sprays which I hate.
Anyway, if anyone can think of anything that I might try, I'd be eternally grateful. :)

[Rosabelle]

i would love to find out how help soar throats! i have had a really bad one recently and my throat is killing me so someone please help!! :)
Beautiful Rose (Rosabelle)(that is what my name means in french, i only just noticed that)(hehe)

[Kaylara]

I know that this sounds wierd, but get honey made by local bees. There are minute pollen particles in the honey, and if it is made locally, it may help you to stop your allergies. Take a spoonful or two a day.

Hope this helps!

Blessed Be!
Kaylara

[mol]

Originally posted by Kaylara
I know that this sounds wierd, but get honey made by local bees. There are minute pollen particles in the honey, and if it is made locally, it may help you to stop your allergies. Take a spoonful or two a day.

Hope this helps!

Blessed Be!
Kaylara

Hmm...never thought of this...good idea.

[Lynnaea]

Originally posted by Amethyst Rose
Merry Meet,

I've been wondering for a long time if there are any herbal remedies for allergy symptoms.... any natural antihistamines?


I took a class in herbal medicine given by a former nurse that has been studiing with a Cherokee medicine man. I never tried this myself, but she said that wild blackberry roots are a good antihistamine. Make a decoction, that is crush the roots and simmer for about an hour in water. Drink as a tea. Like I said I dont have this problem, but it is in my notes from class.

Honey was also mentioned, you already had a reply about honey. To work, it must be honey gathered in your area so it has the local pollens.

Here in this part of TN there is a great interest in herbal remedies, I usually take a class or two every summer, if I find anything else in my notes about allergies I will share.

[Lynnaea]

Originally posted by Rosabelle
i would love to find out how help soar throats! i have had a really bad one recently and my throat is killing me so someone please help!! :)


Slippery elm bark, make into a tea and sip. Also honey and lemon, take sips as often as you want.
There is a medicianl tea I have seen in the health food stores called Throat Coat, I don't remember who the manufacturer is. But it has slippery elm, licorice, and some mint.

There is also Golden Seal for an antibiotic, you could take that in a tea, add some salt and gargle.

[Amethyst Rose]

Wild blackberry root, hey? Well, I guess it's time for me to make a trip to the local health store and see if they have any. If not, I'll have to dig up some of my cousin's blackberry bushes :)
Thanks for your help!

[Yvonne Belisle]

I hadn't even thought to ask about natural remedies for our allergies! Thank-you both my 3 year old and I are on breathing machines for asthma a lot. I will get some honey and try it. And moving to PA blackberry root should be easy to get.

[Lynnaea]

You know, I find this alot. We become so acustomed to going to the doctor and taking whatever poison they prescribe without question. Here we are trying to learn the old wisdom and we forget to use what we are learning.

My teacher said the medicine works the best that has the most energy put into it. If you grow the herb, or find it growing wild, gather it in season, crush it or dry it, prepare the tea or tincture, you are putting more thought energy into the cure than if you take those pills.

On the other hand the cost of the pills, plus the cost of the doctors visit, the trip to the drug store, converted into how many hours you had to work to pay for modern medicine probably comes out more. But during those hours you were working to earn the money you were not thinking about the cure, you were thinking about whatever your career needs you to do.

[Mariposa De La Luna]

I've heard of local honey but not the other things. This is great info.
My 2 cents on this that no one has mentioned is where to get it. I know my local natural food store sells local honey at about $4.50 a pound. Your grocery stores don't usually carry it and their honey is way more costly. Also look at farmers markets, but i find theirs is costly too. Also local bee pollen is supposed to work.

[Lynnaea]

This can be a problem if you live in a city. Those of us that live in the country are lucky to have the small general stores scattered though the hills that sell the local farmers products. I would take a drive into the country and stop at some of these stores and ask. If you don't see any on the shelf, usually there are some old men hanging around talking politics and the lastest price of hogs and such, ask them if they know of a beekeeper in the area. I got a gallon of sourwood honey (12 pounds) for $26.00 recently, I'm making mead out of it.

The search is part of the cure, the more effort you put into the preparation (so my herbal medicine teacher tells us) the better the medicine will be. Just as in magic, there has to be "intent", the mind must be involved. Think of herbal medicine the way the Native American traditions think of it, whether used for healing or whether used for magic, both uses are called "medicine".

[Amethyst Rose]

Originally posted by Lynnaea
You know, I find this alot. We become so acustomed to going to the doctor and taking whatever poison they prescribe without question.

This is very true.... the whole reason I was interested in a herbal remedy was because there seems to be nothing else that doctors and pills could to for me. I figure that if my body is so used to chemicals that they don't work anymore, then it's time to open my eyes and look to nature for what I need.

[Kaylara]

I wish my fiancee' thought like this... Every time I cough a little, he pushes me to go to the doctor. (When I know the doctor is going to say:"you have a cold, that'll be $200.00 please. Cash, we don't accept your HMO)

I look to herbal remedies first and formost (not to mention herbs that will keep my immune system up!)

I have found that the best cure, is preventing the sickness period, by taking preventative medicine.

BB,
Kaylara

[Lynnaea]

My herbal medicine teacher (formerly a RN) says to use the physicians for what they are good for, they are very good at sewing a person back together after a bad accident. They are also pretty good at diagnosis. But for internal workings of the body, the herbalists have thousands of years of knowledge.

[belladonna23]

I also have asthma, and allergies. It sucks being allergic to the furry little critters I love so much. I take a homeopathic allergy pill by SunSource. They are all natural and drug-free. If I am really congested I take hot baths in eucalyptus and camphor. I had never heard to use locally grown honey. Kaylara and Lynnea are geniuses :D!! I will have to try it, although it might be hard to find here in the city!