Has the fall breeze stirred up your allergies? ‘Tis the season in central Texas, it seems! If you’d like some help with allergies, new or recurring, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’ve ever suffered with allergies you know how allergy symptoms can affect all facets of life, from work productivity, leisure activities, sleep quality, and even the functioning of the immune system. Having a plan for overall support and some go-to products to manage allergy symptoms is essential.
Allergies greatly impacted me personally most of my life, causing migraines, skin reactions, and sinus infections until I discovered homeopathy in my mid-20s. Within a couple of years I was able to heal my environmental allergies completely with the use of homeopathy. In my healing practice I use homeopathy and mind-body healing strategies, I help individuals not only manage acute symptoms but chronic allergies.
If you’re feeling discouraged by allergies, I have good news. Homeopathy has many options that bring relief to acute allergies as well as help resolve chronic allergy patterns.
Allergies on the Rise
I’ve noticed an increase in allergies over the years, so I decided to investigate. I was actually stunned to learn that seasonal allergies in adults actually rose 280% between 2012 and 2021—jumping from 17.6 million to 67 million adults in just 9 years. That’s quite a shift!
Theories as to why include everything from nutrient deficiencies, to gut microbiome dysbiosis, to environmental toxins and many more. However, one thing’s for sure, if you’re suffering you’re not alone.
What Exactly Are Allergies?
Allergy symptoms occur when a person reacts to environmental substances, foods, or even life experiences that are not true threats and are harmless to most individuals. The most common allergens are pollen, dust mites, animal hair and dander, insects, mold, synthetic fragrances, medications such as penicillin and aspirin, and almost any food, depending on the individual. The most common food sensitivities include cow’s milk, egg whites, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame.
When symptoms are triggered, allergies can feel like a cold or other virus. Some of the most common allergy symptoms are sinus congestion, eye irritation, sneezing, and post-nasal drainage. However, allergies can manifest in other ways as well, including eczema, headache, brain fog, conjunctivitis, earache, and emotional irritation such as anger and anxiety.
One great benefit of homeopathy is we don’t need to know exactly what’s causing the presenting symptoms. Instead of treating a diagnosis or defined problem, homeopathy considers the whole person and supports the body’s healing response based on all symptoms of the individual.
What’s Happening in the Body
Although this article is focused on acute allergy symptoms, it’s important to recognize that allergies and allergic reactions of any kind are not truly acute situations. Although allergies can vary widely person to person, allergic reactions indicate that the body’s detox pathways are not working as efficiently as they should be.
Allergy symptoms represent the body’s attempt to excrete excessive toxins via an alternate pathway (such as skin, sinuses, throat, eyes, ears) because the primary detox organs (liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs) have reached the saturation point.
In my homeopathy practice I focus on detoxification and ensuring that the body’s drainage pathways (routes for the body to eliminate accumulated toxins, stress, emotions and traumas) are operating efficiently. Because of this focus, it’s typical for me to see clients’ allergies resolve or greatly decrease as we work together.
10 Homeopathic Remedies Most Widely Used For Allergies
Homeopathy is a wonderful alternative or adjunct for treating acute allergy symptoms because it works so quickly (if using the correct remedy/-ies), is economical, and anyone can use it safely. It’s non-toxic and safe for infants, elderly individuals, and during pregnancy.
It’s important to avoid over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants when using homeopathy, if possible. They tend to add another layer of energetic disruption and may antidote or blunt the action of homeopathic remedies.
There are many allergy symptoms and many remedies to consider. Below is a brief outline of the top 10 go-to remedies for allergies. If you do not find relief after trying homeopathy on your own, I recommend reaching out to a professional homeopath for guidance. Having the right remedy will make all the difference.
- Allium cepa: Allium is made from red onion, so the symptoms it helps to alleviate best are those you may feel when slicing an onion—watery eyes and nose, itchy soreness, sneezing. Keynotes include:
- Eyes water profusely
- Nasal discharge that flows like a faucet
- Nasal discharge causes irritation/redness of the skin; eye discharge is non-irritating
- Hay fever worse from warm rooms
- Symptoms tend to be worse on the left side
- Raw throat, hoarseness, painful with cough
- Arsenicum album: Allergic reactions bring upon exhaustion and cause irritability and restlessness. Keynotes include:
- Burning pains, especially in nose and eyes
- Thin, watery mucus
- Symptoms are worse on the right side
- Thirsty yet desires small sips
- May crave lemons
- Allergies return around the same time each year
- Apis: Allergic reactions that “shock” the system such as a bee sting or anaphylactic food-reaction. Keynotes include:
- Red swelling that can be hot to touch
- Swollen eyelids or throat
- Better with cold applications
- Anxiety
- Very thirsty for cold water
- Stinging sensations
- Euphrasia: One of the most important hay fever and cold remedies, especially when the eyes are affected. Keynotes include:
- Burning, irritated eyes
- Watery eye discharge that irritates the skin; non-irritating nasal discharge
- Light sensitivity with intense blinking
- Good for eye injuries
- Allergic asthma
- Cough during the day (better in bed at night)
- Dulcamara: The first remedy to think of when allergies or cold symptoms arise from damp weather. The healing focus of this remedy is on mucous membranes. Keynotes include:
- Worse from damp or cold weather, drafts and weather change warm to cold
- Sinus pressure headache
- Hay fever, especially during the fall
- Thick yellowish mucus affecting ears and nose
- Gelsemium: The primary symptom is weakness; the person looks “droopy and dopey”; also used for stage fright before a performance. Keynotes include:
- Patient appears timid, reserved, and quiet
- Eyes are droopy and eyelids heavy
- Headache from neck or back of head to forehead
- Head feels heavy
- Nasal inflammation
- Complaints often arise prior to a stressful event
- Histaminum: Histaminum helps the body discharge and reduce histamine levels whether from a digestive or airborne exposure. For best results add Histaminum to another well-indicated remedy (such as the ones in this list) based on specific symptoms. Keynotes include:
- All symptoms of the skin and mucous membranes related to allergic reactions
- Frontal headache affecting temples as well as nape of neck
- Heavy, compressive headache better by cold, pressure and fresh air
- Itchy sensations affecting scalp, throat, mouth, and skin
- Dry throat with feeling of constriction
- Natrum-mur: Natrum-mur is especially helpful for hay fever causing headache, “egg white” looking mucus, and colds that begin with sneezing. It is a go-to remedy for cold sores or fever blisters around lips and mouth. Keynotes include:
- Watery eyes, especially in open air or wind
- Sensation of a lump in the throat
- Headache worse from 10 AM to 3 PM
- Feels worse from light, sun, noise, or reading
- Symptoms often correlate with acute or unprocessed grief
- Nux vomica: Nux vomica is one of the most commonly prescribed remedies. A Type-A personality remedy for someone who overwords and overdoes things in general, often pushing themselves to do, think, or eat too much. Keynotes include:
- Worse from cold, dry wind
- Craves stimulants such as coffee, spicy foods, and alcohol
- Insomnia, especially 3 AM to 4 AM
- Sneezing and cold symptoms upon waking in the morning
- Helps with asthma symptoms that are brought on by allergies or extreme stress from overwork
- Silica: Silica is for the patient who has frequent colds and flus, chronic stuffy nose, sinusitis, and constipation. Keynotes include:
- Sinus headaches or migraines that begin in the occiput and radiate to the forehead or right side of head
- Worse from a stuffy, warm room
- Blocked tear ducts or styes
- Thick post-nasal discharge
- Chilly and worse from cold weather
- Cough worse with cold drinks, better with warm drinks
Additional tips:
- Take a closer look at dairy products.
During allergy season especially, consider taking dairy out of your diet. Dairy products increase our body’s production of mucus and can be an underlying cause of allergies or certainly exacerbate allergy and cold/viral symptoms. - DIY Allergy Tonic: Make this allergy tonic to drink 3X daily: in the morning, midday, and evening. Mix together 1 T apple cider vinegar and 1-2 T fresh lemon juice in an 8 oz. glass of warm or hot water.. Although not supported by medical studies, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest its helpfulness. The addition of 1 T local raw honey can boost its effectiveness, since honey works as an immune tonic, helping the body acclimate to airborne allergens.
- Prioritize gut health: Support your gut health with good food choices, rule out food sensitivities, and consider a simple GI Cleanse such as Global Healing Center’s Oxypowder GI Cleanse. Additionally, adding a gentle yet potent probiotic like Orthomolecular Ortho-Biotic can be a great addition to your allergy defense strategy, since 75- 80% of the immune system resides in the gut.
Other Helpful Products
Depending on your unique needs, there are many additional products to support acute allergies that can be used in tandem with homeopathic remedies. Some of my favorites include:
- DaVinci Laboratories Aller-DMG: A chewable vitamin and herb combination antihistamine. Similar to D-Hist, yet with the unique ingredients DMG, an amino acid that supports energy, the immune system and mental focus, and Perilla extract. Perilla extract has anti-inflammatory properties and supports healthy mucosal tissue responses to environmental allergens.
- Orthomolecular D-Hist: Another natural antihistamine similar to Aller-DMG in capsule form. You might find that one or the other works better for you personally since the combinations are slightly different. D-Hist contains the herb Nettle, very well known for its ability to calm and mitigate allergic responses.
- Allernone Allergen Drops: Broad-spectrum homeopathic immunotherapy combination that addresses allergies to trees, weeds, house dust and molds all in one bottle. The formula also contains a few additional remedies to help with sinus pressure and congestion including Kali bichromicum, Euphorbium, and Silica.
- Biostar Botanicals Cedar Serum: An immunotherapy herbal using the serum of the cedar tree to desensitize and calm immune system reactivity to cedar response and allergies. This is an amazing product! I’ve yet to meet a customer who has not benefited by using it. Note: It’s best to start the product 4-6 weeks prior to cedar season so that the immune system is prepared before the pollen is in the air. Since cedar season usually gets going in November, now’s the time to start taking this product! Check out Dr. Lauren Sanchez, ND’s* excellent Cedar Fever tips for more information. Biostar also makes a Ragweed and Oak serum that works the same way.
If I tried to list the complete array of unique and noteworthy allergy support products available at Peoples Rx, you’d be reading all day! Instead, please stop by a location near you and let one of our wonderful Wellness Specialists help guide you to the products that will work best for your specific needs.
You CAN Get to the ROOT of the Problem!
We are blessed to live in an age when many natural alternatives are available to alleviate acute symptoms and support health challenges. However, in my experience that’s where many individuals often stop–we get relief for acute symptoms without digging in deeper. Life is moving fast and the human tendency is to just keep running along until the next acute challenge gets our attention.
Allergies for example, feel acute–and of course they have that component, but there are chronic patterns at the root, such as an underlying toxin load that’s challenging the liver, kidney, or lymphatic system, a gut imbalance that has not received enough attention, or a life stress that needs handling. There are usually a myriad of contributing factors. However, if we learn to listen to our body-intuition, it will give us messages.
Holistic support including regular detoxification, proper diet, and tending to the mind-body connection, can make a huge impact on your long-term health and vitality. Acute strategies are essential, but remember that acute symptoms are messages worth paying attention to. Live today in a way that will set you up to have a healthy tomorrow. Your future self will thank you!
Jenna Blaze, DIHom, DSHP is a professional homeopath with 17 years of experience. She holds a diploma in homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy, and an advanced degree in Sequential Homeopathy, a specialized style of homeopathy that supports detoxification and the healing of chronic health conditions. Jenna is also a certified Shamanic practitioner through Ancient Ways Shamanic Training and Healing. After her own drug-free recovery from Lyme disease, Jenna created Deep Healing Homeopathy, her unique style of homeopathy and healing to support healing of physical and emotional trauma. She specializes in pediatrics, Autism Spectrum (ASD), women’s health, immune system rebuilding, and healing of trauma-induced physical illness. She is passionate about empowering others to take charge of their health and achieve optimal wellness. To learn more about her practice, see her websites: www.jennablaze.com and www.livingspiritwisdom.com.
If you have comments and/or questions about this blog, email us at blog@peoplesrx.com.