Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis

Allergies affect many people daily and impact their lives profoundly. Pollen is among the most common seasonal allergens, known to many as "hay fever." Experts usually refer to pollen allergy as "seasonal allergic rhinitis."

Seasonal allergies generally start or worsen at a particular time of year, including spring, summer, and early fall. The airborne spores from indoor and outdoor fungi/ molds and pollen from trees, grass, and weeds spread widely, triggering allergy symptoms. 

With the unusual weather in California this year, including the damp-cloudy and rainy weather, more people will suffer prolonged seasonal allergies. This weather or temperature change causes the pollen particles to absorb moisture and burst open before washing them away, allowing them to enter the lungs' small airways. Mold spores are also more prevalent in the air and, once attached to the mucus membranes of your sinuses, can elicit strong immune responses. 

In the case of exposure to mold and fungus, we suggest a yeast-free diet immediately along with anti-fungal nutrient like caprylic acid—an extract from coconut in the Yeast Control supplement to stave off and inhibit fungal and yeast growth within your body that can spread and menace your respiratory, intestinal and other systems. 

Seasonal allergies cause cold-like symptoms without exposure to a virus. Symptoms may include a runny nose, congestion, sneezing, sinus pressure, itchy eyes, and throat without fever. The differences between the common cold and allergies are onset and duration; allergic symptoms start immediately after exposure to allergens and last until an allergen presents.

Anyone can develop an allergy to a common substance. Those that are particularly susceptible and have another allergic condition, such as asthma or eczema, may have inherited the tendency as a family trait. 

This immune sensitivity develops after exposure to the substance. Health complications from repeated hay fever attacks can become even more severe. Chronic sinusitis – inflammation of the sinus cavities can occur, nasal polyps or nasal growths. In addition, a significant percentage of people with hay fever have or develop asthma.

Despite no family history of allergies, the general increase in allergic conditions relates to the increased amount of environmental toxins and pollutants to which we are all becoming more regularly exposed. A combination of environmental pollution and exposure to household chemicals may weaken the body's resistance. If this occurs, it lessens the body's ability to control its response to allergies.

In Western medical care, taking daily allergy medications blocks the body's release of histamine, which causes allergy symptoms such as itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose. However, using them sparingly is essential, as they dry out mucous membranes and increase sensitivity to antihistamines. After taking antihistamines for over a month or so, they become less and less effective. The side effects include headache, constipation, drowsiness, and nose and throat dryness.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, hay fever results from a weakness in the Lung and Spleen's immune systems. The treatment for hay fever aims to naturally reduce histamine, enhance the oxygen flow to the lung cavity and boost the immune system to fight off any pathogens entering the respiratory system. 

At the Tao of Wellness, we have successfully treated many patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis with acupuncture, herbal, and nutritional therapies to achieve immediate and lasting results in controlling allergic responses. 

Here are three traditional Chinese herbs used for seasonal allergies:

Xanthium Fruit

(cang er zi)

Siler Root

(fang feng)

Magnolia Flower

(xin yin hua)

These herbs work synergistically to eliminate the allergen by restoring the health of mucus membranes and reducing histamine production while balancing the immune system's overreaction. These and other herbs are found in Allergy Tamer.

In addition, nutritional supplements like Quercetin, a natural extract from the skin of apples can help lower histamine and reduce allergy symptoms. 

If seasonal allergies are an issue for you and your loved one, discuss this with your practitioner at Tao of wellness. We can help develop a treatment plan to help you experience allergy relief naturally and efficiently. We also recommend a low histamine diet and other lifestyle suggestions to help those struggling with allergies.