Best Herbs & Nutrients for Seasonal Allergies

The spring season might be a time of warmth and new beginnings for some …. but if you suffer from seasonal allergy symptoms, you probably also approach the springtime with a little bit of dread.

Seasonal allergies affect millions of people around the world and can leave you feeling stuffy, uncomfortable, and ultimately not in any mood to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery the new season has to offer.

Luckily, you don’t need to suffer in silence anymore! In this article, we’ll go over why you might be suffering from seasonal allergies, and how to give your immune system a boost with the right herbs and nutrients.

Why do I suffer from seasonal allergies?

Seasonal allergies are annoying at best and completely detrimental for your quality of life at worst. Common seasonal allergy symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes
• Running nose
• Congestion

So why does this happen to begin with? As it turns out, seasonal allergies come down to one important bodily reaction: inflammation.

Your immune system is one of your body’s most important systems. Its main goal is to keep you healthy by identifying foreign substances like bacteria, viruses, and other microscopic “invaders” that can potentially get you sick. Once your immune system recognizes an unfamiliar compound that may present a threat to your health, it launches an inflammatory reaction. Blood flow increases to the site of the danger, carrying along cells that can break down those threats.

Under normal circumstances, this immune response is incredibly important for keeping your body safe from harm. Unfortunately, many instances can cause this inflammatory response to get out of control, as is true in the case of seasonal allergies. 

During the spring, the air becomes full of airborne proteins as Mother Nature turns over a new leaf. In people with seasonal allergies, the pollen from plants, mold spores, and dander from shedding fur, can trigger the immune system, which identifies these foreign substances as a threat. This then triggers the release of histamines, which are chemicals largely responsible for irritating allergy symptoms as they increase blood flow, trigger nerves to cause itching, and narrow smooth muscles in the airway, making it harder to breathe.

Seasonal allergies are thought to be genetic and run in families, although there’s also some evidence that allergies can develop depending on someone’s exposure to specific pollen or other irritants. In addition to the common springtime allergies, some people also experience seasonal allergies during the fall allergy season when trees and plants shed their dead leaves.

Herbs for allergies

Luckily, you don’t have to accept allergies as a fact. Instead, you can give your immune system a boost with the right herbs and nutrients!

Your immune system is complex and dependent on a variety of factors including your diet and supplements. By loading up on anti-inflammatory nutrients and herbs, you can give your immune system some support against those symptoms.

Some important nutrients and herbs for allergies include:

Burdock Root: Burdock root has long been used in traditional Chinese medicinal practices for a variety of ailments, including soothing allergy symptoms. Burdock root, also known as Actium lappa L, has compounds like onopordopicrin which are thought to exhibit an anti-allergy effect in the body. Burdock root is also thought to “detoxify” blood and promote blood circulation, which may also help provide relief.

Probiotics: You might not initially link your immune system to your gut health, but as it turns out, these two are very closely connected. In fact, a huge majority of your immune system actually resides in your gut! The microbes in your gut play a variety of roles in protecting your system from foreign and invading pathogens, and there is even some evidence that the use of probiotics can bring relief to some people who suffer from allergies.

Polyphenols: Polyphenols are a group of natural compounds found in plant-based foods that play a variety of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant roles in the body. In the case of seasonal allergies, the polyphenol quercetin is especially interesting because it is thought to help stimulate the immune system, decrease pro-inflammatory compounds, and even inhibit histamine release! Quercetin is found in a variety of foods including herbs, tea, red wine, onions, and grapes.

Supplements for allergies

If you are in need of serious allergy relief, you may benefit from adding nutritious anti-allergy supplements like AllerFree™  into your routine.*

AllerFree™ is an all-natural, herb and enzyme-based allergy supplement that features herbs like burdock root and stinging nettle leaf that can help support your immune system from those allergic reactions. What’s more, it also contains a carefully curated blend of plant enzymes including protease, amylase, and lipase. These enzymes are normally used to help your body break down the nutrients that you eat, but when used in between meals they are also thought to help break down and neutralize those harmful histamines!*

The bottom line

Allergy season can be hard — in many cases, affecting your quality of life, making you prefer to stay indoors and miss out on all of the bright possibilities of spring and fall rather than suffer with those annoying and debilitating symptoms. Luckily, you can support your immune system in the fight against seasonal allergies by eating plenty of anti-inflammatory nutrients and herbs.