Natural desensitization treatment for hay fever

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2006 by Sally J. Rockwell

Does hay fever make you miserable in the spring and summer months? If you begin to get sniffles and sneezes in the springtime, you may be reacting to tree, grass, and/or flower pollens, or even mold spores. Want to avoid the side-effects of taking prescription drugs or over-the-counter remedies? A natural way to desensitize yourself to those allergens is by desensitizing yourself with bee pollen treatments.

Why bee pollen? In the course of gathering honey from all types of flowering plants, shrubs, and grasses, bits of the plants' pollen stick to the bees. The beekeeper understands the therapeutic and health-enhancing values of bee pollen. He harvests the pollen for use as a time-honored home remedy for countless conditions.

Purchase local pollen, not pollen from a distant area, as an "allergy desensitizer." We are most likely to be allergic to the pollens to which we are exposed the most. Frequent exposure generally precedes an allergic response to a substance, whether it's a food or a pollen. In other words, those in colder climates are unlikely to be allergic to a tropical flower because we've rarely been exposed to its pollen. But local tree and grass pollens are generally the cause of all sorts of miseries like runny noses and red, watery eyes. These are the pollens that are detrimental to our health.

A traditional allergist desensitizes a person by giving the tiniest amount of an offending substance (allergen), via injections or drops. The allergist gradually increases the amount of the allergen over an extended period of time. Eventually, the immune system gets used to the allergen and no longer treats it as an enemy. Consequently, the patient no longer experiences adverse reactions when exposed to the allergen.

Not everyone has access to an allergist or has insurance that covers allergy shots; others can be sensitive to the preservatives in various allergy injections. If any of these conditions apply to you, you might want to try this natural desensitizing trick. Check with your doctor first! DO NOT try this remedy if you have ever experienced a severe reaction to bees or pollens.

Purchase a small amount of local bee pollen and place just one tiny bead under your tongue and let it dissolve. On Day 2, place two beads under your tongue; Day 3, three beads, and so on. Work up to about one-quarter teaspoon a day, then continue with that amount. You may grow to like the stuff and want to sprinkle the pollen on your cereal, salads, etc. It may be too late in the year to be of much help for the spring grasses and trees, but the remedy might work for the summer-flowering plants. If you are only bothered in the springtime, then begin this protocol in January or February (even March). The sooner you begin, the better chance you will have of becoming desensitized. You are likely to have a pleasant, tissue-free spring.

I first tried this procedure about 20 years ago, and I remained symptom-free--no hay fever or stuffy nose--for about ten years. Now, I repeat the process every few years to remain clearheaded and symptom-free.

As a bonus, if you're allergic to wheat, you may find you're likely to become less reactive to the entire grass family foods: wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, millet, and so on.

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Sally J. Rockwell, PhD

docrock1@earthlink.net