The best way to use this list is to scan and find the one or few that would make the biggest difference to you and your body at this time. Try to focus and do that one. They are simple but high impact, so don’t get overwhelmed! Choose one or a few that would be making a change to what you’re used to, and try them out. Happy Springtime!
1. Get Enough Rest
This is first for a reason. Ultimately, it is the wisdom of the body that heals. Let it.
Notice if symptoms are worse when getting less than 8 hours of sleep or when life is extra busy and you are overextended physically or emotionally.
2. Reduce, Limit, or Omit (as appropriate) food and drink that cause problems.
In addition to your allergens, the usual suspects that exacerbate allergies are alcohol, processed foods especially artificial colors and high sodium, wheat, dairy, coffee, greasy/deep fried foods, hydrogenated fats, and sugar. For skin rashes, skin allergies, or eczema, eliminate (until rash resolves) shellfish, chocolate, mango, and spicy food. These will aggravate any skin rash and make it more difficult to heal.
Notice if you get congested after eating or drinking a certain food or drink, such as alcohol, milk, or cold food.
Warm cooked foods may also be better than cold foods and iced drinks.
You may also notice that congestion comes from overeating OR going too long without eating (low blood sugar). Find what your body needs and take loving care!
3. Reduce Exposure to Chemicals and Synthetic Fragrances
This includes most cleaning products such as laundry detergents in addition to anything environmental that aggravates symptoms. Even if you have not “tested” allergic to grass, do not roll in it! We want to minimize the tax on the body, so it can clean the blood and lymph, and so that when exposed to an allergen, it can handle it without having a big reaction.
4. Be Aware that Stress Has a Direct Impact of Allergies
Too much stress, emotional or physical, will aggravate allergies. Addressing emotional issues in a compassionate, holistic, and honest way will often reduce or eliminate allergies. Overwork or too much physical stress will spend the body’s energy that it would otherwise be using for housekeeping and building immunity. Keeping life simple will help reduce symptoms and promote recovery.
Depending on your body type, stress will first tax one organ system, usually the digestive, liver, or heart/ kidney/adrenal. This is in addition to the stress the lungs already have from allergies. When organ function is compromised, allergy symptoms will be worse than if organs are optimally functioning. This will result in mucus (poor digestion), hormonal imbalance (liver) or vascular pressure in the head and face (kidneys, heart, adrenals).
5. Regular Exercise Helps Move Blood and Lymphatic System
Regular exercise and increased breathing rate increase circulation and help detoxify the blood and lymph, taking a burden off the body. The body is able to move metabolic debris out of the bloodstream by sweat, bowels, and improved circulation through the liver and kidneys. Certain yogic breathing techniques especially help open blocked channels that contribute to allergy symptoms. Shoulder stand can also help open channels that go directly to sinuses.
6. See if a Gallbladder Cleanse is Right For You
Dr. Hulda Clark refined a traditional olive oil cleanse that has helped many people reduce allergy symptoms by opening blockages, improving liver and gallbladder function, and promoting healthier intestinal flora. If you decide to do this 2 day cleanse, you will be surprised at what comes out! It’s a type of cleansing our culture doesn’t typically include in regular cleansing, like showering and house cleaning, but Dr. Hulda Clark believed regular cleansing could prevent many health problems, especially allergies and anything to do with blood and lymph. This cleanse also helps with chronic neck and shoulder tension.
7. Consider Working with a Holistic Practitioner
If you have a hormonal imbalance, blood sugar imbalance, or adrenal fatigue, addressing this holistically will also very likely reduce your allergy symptoms.
A practitioner such as a qualified acupuncturist or chiropractor can help assess and address underlying contributing factors, such as hormonal changes, compromised immune system, poor liver function, depleted adrenals, anemia, or high/low blood pressure.
8. Hot Shower and Essential Oil Sinus Steam
The heat, moisture, and medicinal qualities of herbs can be potent medicine to help clear sinuses and alleviate symptoms. Simply boil a pot of water on the stove with essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, chamomile tea, or oils of your choice and relax at the table with a towel over your head and the pot. Breathe the moisture in deeply through sinuses and also through mouth directly deep into the lungs.
9. Pay Attention To Having Too Much on Your Plate (in life in general)
Overwhelm, or “too much” floods the waterways of the body and often simplifying or cutting back on activities will reduce symptoms. For children with allergies or chronic sinus or ear infection, it is especially important to keep home life simple, orderly, and clean, and to establish routines and mindful, harmonious relationships.
Too much on your plate can include too much on your chest. A heavy heart will congest the entire upper body. This sounds esoteric, but emotional and heart healing is the key to healing allergies for many people.
10. Tap into the Powers of Nature for Immune Vitality
Plant medicine, like nature itself, is the most simple AND the most complex. At first plant medicine may seem “weaker” than conventional medicine, but they are just different, and they each have their place and value.
Over time, herbs build the body and health— like healthy eating and regular exercise—it can seem like nothing is happening at first, or like it’s not worth the effort, but we all know it’s the tortoise that wins the race.
We formulated Lucidia to be both fast acting and build long term immunity and health. We use our favorite herbs that are traditionally used for antiaging, longevity, beautiful skin and hair, healthy pregnancy, detoxification, throat and sinus health, and even spiritual cultivation. In modern medical terms, the herbs work on histamine response, lymphatic cleansing, liver support, anti viral, and show significant effect in anti-cancer research worldwide.
Another favorite example of the powers of nature is Japanese Forest Bathing. This doesn’t need to happen in Japan! It’s about understanding that even just walking in these potent trees such as cedar, juniper, pine, redwood—the volatile oils and fresh clean air that goes into the lungs is in itself a lung and immunity treatment. Wow! If you get a chance to walk with these trees, take your mask off and breathe it in!
A lifestyle of regularly “merging” with nature–through food, herbal medicine, and time outdoors has profound long term benefits—it’s fun and it saves us so much more than what it takes!
It’s simple but it’s a lot! That’s because this is medicine from the natural world—the most simple and the most complex. We hope this helps! Feel free to send us feedback or offer a positive review to help us and others better understand allergies.
