Sniffles, snuffles and itchy eyes: how to treat seasonal allergies with natural products

Better Nutrition, April, 2002 by Brenda Adderly

Pollen -- spring's "golden dust," Hal Borland of The New York Times liked to call it-can be one of the glories of nature. So small it "dances in the sunbeams," Borland wrote, pollen billows this time of year from the woodlands, settling on front porches and windowpanes to give everything it touches a sulfur-yellow glint.

Pollen's effect on the eyes, ears, nasal passages, lungs and even skin, however, is not so pleasant. From April on, one in every four Americans suffers from the sneezes, snuffles and itchiness of hay fever -- the catchall term for a range of allergic diseases, the most common of which is allergic rhinitis. An allergy is the acquired potential to develop adverse reactions to otherwise innocuous substances, called allergens. Besides pollen, these allergens can also include mold spores, dust and foods.

Fortunately, natural remedies exist that can spare you the sometimes-harmful side effects of many over-the-counter treatments. To pick the right one for you, it helps to have some understanding of how allergies develop. When allergens enter the body, usually through inhalation, the immune system reacts by releasing chemicals called histamines. These histamines are the body's SWAT team, with one mission and one mission only: to overwhelm pollen, mold, dust and other substances the body interprets as enemies.

Histamines can trigger a chemical reaction that can result in uncomfortable inflammation of the lungs, mucous membranes and sometimes skin. To the common sufferer, that means coughing, sneezing, wheezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and, most debilitating of all, persistent fatigue. For the unfortunate few, ear infections, sinusitis and asthma follow.

With almost 50 million Americans suffering from allergies, pharmaceutical companies have responded to the demand for relief with a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications. These medications are designed to treat allergy symptoms only, however, not underlying causes. Even the most effective over-the-counter products may stop your nose from running for a few hours. But when the medication wears off, the symptoms can return, often with greater severity.

Some medications also carry worrisome side effects. Over-the-counter and prescription-only products make some users drowsy and give others the jitters. Some users say the pharmaceuticals give them "brain fog."

Research conducted by the University of Iowa in Iowa City seems to support the conclusion that use of two common antihistamines -- diphenhydramine and fexofenadine -- can impair the performance of routine duties. The research, reported in the March 2001 Annals of Internal Medicine, found that the driving abilities of subjects who had taken diphenhydramine were more impaired than those who were given alcohol. Subjects who took fexofenadine performed better but still faced problems handling basic tasks necessary for safe driving.

Given these drawbacks, it's no surprise that many people turn to herbs, supplements and other, more natural means of resisting seasonal allergies. Natural remedies take one of two forms, either immune stimulators or symptom relievers. Two of the most popular immune stimulators are probiotics and CoQ10: Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria, such as Lactobaccillus acidophilus, that live in our intestines and are essential for the maintenance of strong immune systems.

"Probiotics are very important for both good health and fighting hay fever," says Allan Magaziner, a doctor of osteopathy and author of The Total Health Handbook. "They nourish the gastrointestinal track, where the immune system is located."

Many people assume that natural yogurt should be a rich source of probiotics, but there's some debate about whether it contains enough living organisms to be helpful. For that reason, hay fever sufferers should rely on refrigerated probiotic supplements like DDS-Plus or Primadophilus. Two or three daily doses of one billion to three billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria should help build up your immune system.

Better known as a nutrient for the heart, CoQ10 might seem an unlikely allergy fighter. But it also is a powerful antioxidant that has shown an ability to boost the immune system -- making it a favorite remedy for seasonal allergies. Take 30 milligrams (mg) two or three times daily. But be patient. Building up the immune system doesn't happen overnight. In the meantime, a number of other natural options can relieve your sniffles, sneezes, watery eyes and itching.

Vitamin C This well-known antioxidant is a natural antihistamine that can stimulate infection-fighting white blood cells. Because vitamin C is water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body, it should be taken at least three times a day in doses of 250 mg or more. A buffered supplement should reduce the likelihood of stomach irritation.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). A woodland perennial from the Pacific Northwest, stinging nettle can help relieve allergy sneezing, eye irritation and other allergy symptoms by reducing inflammation, as a 1990 double-blind study reported in Planta Medica (vol. 56) demonstrated.