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June 2011 |
| In this issue |
 Seasonal Allergies
Winter colds may have dried up, but sniffles and sneezes can continue throughout the warmer months for many. According to some estimates seasonal allergies affect up to 25% of the general population in Western societies. Though popularly called 'hay fever', symptoms of watery, itchy eyes, burning throats and congestion of the sinuses and nasal passages are only rarely caused by hay and are usually only accompanied by fever if the person is also suffering an infection. These symptoms, known medically as 'allergic rhinitis', aren't just experienced in summer, either. Grass pollen levels are at their highest between May and August and other airborne allergens, such as moulds, fungi and tree pollens can make many sufferers feel like they have a cold for much of the year. For many, such allergies can make them more susceptible to colds and 'flu, and conditions such as sinusitis and ear infections. What happens when I
sneeze?
- Keep a symptom diary , recording where
you were and what you were doing during an attack and what symptoms
you experienced. This will help you plan your anti-allergy
strategy much more comprehensively than guess
work. - Remove your outdoor clothes away from
your bedroom and wash your hands and face on returning home after
being out they may be covered in pollen. - Drink lots of water . Water is a natural antihistamine and being dehydrated can lead to the production of even more histamine. If plain water is rather unexciting for you, try Red Bush/Rooibus, a caffeine-free tea with antihistamine properties or try infusions of other plants which also have antihistamine properties (see below). - Reduce stress . 2010's Hay Fever Health Report by Professor Jean Emberlin showed that 71% of those with the worst symptoms reported higher than average stress levels. - Consider supplementation . Vitamin C is the main antioxidant in the cells of the respiratory passages and acts as a natural antihistamine. Patrick Holford, founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, suggests four 1000mg tablets of vitamin C daily for rhinitis sufferers. Bioflavanoids (such as quercetin) are compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, and can boost vitamin C's ability to relieve hay fever symptoms. Bromelain, a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes found in pineapples, is also a natural anti-inflammatory, and Magnesium , a mineral involved in around 300 enzyme-related processes in the body, is used by some allergy sufferers with success. - Sluice out the sinuses . Nasal irrigation using a neti pot (a small, teapot-like receptacle with a long spout used to deliver saline solution) is a technique which dates back to ancient India and nowadays is used over the world to relieve symptoms of rhinitis, sinusitis, and other conditions associated with the upper respiratory passage. Long term use of saline solution may dry out the passages, however, so a convenient and more gentle alternative is Weleda's Rhinodoron , a simple, effective nasal spray with soothing aloe vera. The aloe vera forms a coating on the nasal passage acting as a barrier to the pollen. - Assess your options . Many sufferers report that herbal medicine has been effective in addressing their seasonal allergies. Drawing on their extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, a herbalist will view your symptoms with regard to your overall health and wellbeing and will tailor a prescription specifically to you. You can find a herbalist close to you at the National Institute of Medical Herbalists' Herbalist Finder . Others use acupuncture to control their allergies. In 2008, a study in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine randomly assigned over 5000 people with allergic rhinitis to receive acupuncture for a 3 month period or to a control group that received no acupuncture. The authors of this trial concluded that treating patients with allergic rhinitis with acupuncture led to clinically relevant benefits. Herbal hay fever
relief Essential oils and homeopathy are often very useful components of an anti-allergy strategy. Visit the relevant sections on our website to find out how homeopathic remedies and aromatherapy may help symptoms of allergy and hay fever. Understanding what is happening in the body and how to cope is very important to people with allergies and those around them. Allergy UK has a number of factsheets available on a range of other specific allergies, intolerances and sensitivities.
Rather than preventing the production of histamine, antihistamines block the action of histamine at receptor sites. Quercetin inhibits the release of histamine by mast cells, which are especially numerous in the parts of the body in promiximity to the outside world. Quercetin is one of a group of nutrients known as flavonoids (also called bioflavonoids), which are a group of compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their colour and which have been found to have many health benefits. Bee pollen, which is taken by many as they feel it helps reduce the allergic reaction, also contains quercetin. Quercetin belongs to the family of flavonoids known as Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs), which are powerful antioxidants and help the absorption of vitamins C and E in the body and prevent and reduce inflammation. OPCs therefore have potential applications in a range of conditions from joint troubles and allergies to ageing. Many herbs and foods contain small amounts of quercetin, such as onions, apples, black and green tea, capers, berries and brassicas such as broccoli. Solgar's Quercetin Complex includes quercetin in a formula with Ester-C Plus (a patented, pH neutral form of vitamin C that is gentle on the stomach) and bromelain, a natural enzyme derived from pineapple which has been the subject of much research regarding its potential to inhibit inflammation. Quercetin is one of a number of flavonoids found in Nettle (Urtica dioica)a familiar plant which herbalists often use as part of an overall anti-allergy treatment plan. Abundant in ditches, shrubberies and verges, nettle's heart-shaped leaves and tiny, hollow needles that release stinging chemicals are familiar to almost everyone. Nettle has been used both as a food source and medicinally for thousands of years - the Ancient Greeks and Romans used it for a wide variety of medicinal purposes - and the plant's leaves are used to make infusions, tinctures, compresses and ointments. Infusions and tinctures of nettle have been commonly used to provide relief from allergy symptoms for centuries and in 2009 a study published in the peer reviewed Phytotherapy Research identified the specific processes by which nettle inhibits the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. It may often also be used for its high levels of vitamin C, iron,
silica and potassium. In the past the nettle stems were used to
make clothing and bedsheets. Legislation on the sale of herbs has changed Due to the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive
(2004/24/EC) we are no longer able to dispense herbal tinctures
for internal use over the counter or on our website. This
means that most of the tinctures we currently sell will not be
available, unless it is recommended by a medical herbalist after a
private consultation. Medical herbalists still have
access to the full to the full range of medicinal herbs. Dried
herbs are also affected, though we are trying to keep as many
available as possible. You can find out more information at
the website of the European
Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioner Association (EHTPA)
and at the National
Institute of Medical Herbalists . References: Bourdin A
Vachier I and Chanez P (2009), Allergic rhinitis and asthma; united
disease through epithelial cells, Thorax 64 pp999-1004 | ||||||
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