Herbal Remedies for Allergies

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Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, helping to reduce nasal secretions and inflammation. Flavonoids such as quercetin, rutin, and hesperidin also have antihistamine properties and work well with vitamin C. Luckily, this vitamin and the flavonoids occur together in many favorite garden foods, such as berries, plums, citrus fruits, peppers, spinach, and broccoli.

Nettle is useful for reducing hay fever symptoms. Take a tincture made from the leaves. Use 2-4 mL three times per day. Nettle leaves can also be taken in tea or capsule form.

Angelica comes to the rescue for hay fever as well as other allergic reactions. It contains compounds that block the body's production of certain antibodies (IgE) that are made
as the result of an allergic response. Use about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of water for tea.

Many studies have proved licorice's ability to reduce allergic symptoms and decrease inflammation. Substances in this herb are able to enhance the body's cortisol, a hormone that decreases inflammation. Licorice makes your body's own cortisol last longer, reducing inflammation without ill side effects.

Chili pepper, or cayenne, contains capsaicin. This active ingredient helps desensitize the mucosa that line the airways, thus preventing them from secreting excessive fluids and becoming inflamed when exposed to irritants.

In larger doses taken for long periods, licorice can deplete the body of potassium unless it is deglycyrrhizinated. In susceptible people taking large doses, licorice can raise blood pressure.

Allergies can cause a great amount of discomfort -- but with some simple herbs, taken as teas, capsules or eaten in foods, you can find relief from the symptoms of hay fever and other allergies.

For more information about the subjects covered in this article, try the following links:

To see all of our herbal remedies, visit our main Herbal Remedies page.

To learn more about treating common medical conditions yourself, go to our main Home Remedies page.
For more information about what nettles can do, visit Nettles: Herbal Remedies.
To learn more about treating allergies at home, check out Home Remedies for Allergies.
To learn more general information about allergies, go to our How Allergies Work page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gayle Povis Alleman, M.S., R.D. hold degrees in both alternative and conventional nutrition. She manages nutrition education programs and teaches nutrition in the community. She is also a freelance writer and speaker in the area of food, nutrition and health, specializing in holistic nutrition to promote optimum health.

ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS

Silena Heron was a naturopathic physician with a family health-care practice. She was a nationally recognized specialist in botanical medicine who had taught throughout the West and Canada since 1973. She was founding chair of botanical medicine at Bastyr University and on the faculty for six years. Additionally, Dr. Heron was an adjunct faculty member at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. She was the founding vice president of the Botanical Medicine Academy, an accrediting organization for the clinical use of herbal medicines.

Eric Yarnell, N.D., R.H. (A.H.G.) is a naturopathic physician and registered herbalist in private practice specializing in men's health and urology. He is an assistant professor in the botanical medicine department at Bastyr University in Seattle and is president or the Botanical Medicine Academy. He is the author of several textbooks including Naturopathic Gastroenterology, Naturopathic Urology and Men's Health, and Clinical Botanical Medicine; He writes a regular column on herbal medicine for Alternative and Complementary Therapies.