If you’ve been outside lately in Northwest Arkansas, you’ve probably noticed the yellow sheen of pollen all over your car (and everything else)! I love living in the Natural State, but sometimes nature presents challenges we don’t enjoy dealing with, like allergies.

In Northwest Arkansas, we have a wide range of allergens from the pollen to mold that forms from all the rain we’ve been having. We have spring allergies and we have fall allergies. Each person has his or her own sensitivities but one thing we all have in common is, there are natural allergy treatments available!
 

Why use natural remedies?

I know there are many different over the counter allergy medications, but did you know those medications just treat symptoms and can have annoying side effects? Allergies are a histamine response, which means it is your immune system fighting against a perceived invader. The stronger your immune system, the better it can fight against the allergens with less discomfort for you.
 

6 ways natural ways to fight allergies

A Google search will give you all kinds of suggestions for how to treat allergies, but these six are what I would consider the most successful—and easy—to follow.
 

1. Feed your immune system well

A key way to protect your body and your immune system is consistently quality nutrition. This includes not only the foods you eat, but the liquids you drink (or don’t drink). Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins. Avoid sugar, processed foods, and grease. It’s also vital for you to drink enough water and to reduce the amount of caffeine you drink. Without quality nutrition, your body will not be primed to protect you from disease and problems such as allergies.
 

2. Chiropractic care

Your spine and nervous system controls everything in your body, including how your immune system functions. If you’re spine or other joints are out of alignment, even a little bit, it can reduce your body’s ability to protect itself. By getting regularly scheduled chiropractic adjustments, you are priming your body to protect your immune system.
 

3. Saline rinse

A simple saline rinse (Neti pot, etc.) can rinse out the allergens in your nose and soothe your nasal passages, thus making you feel a lot better. You can purchase a variety of nasal rinses at your local pharmacy and make sure to follow the directions for your safety.
 

4. Local honey

There are varying opinions on whether or not eating a small amount of local honey will help your allergies. The idea is that the more locally made your honey is, the more likely it is to contain small amounts of the flower and pollen allergens near you that are giving you grief. By eating a small amount of the local honey, you are helping your body establish a better immunity to those allergens. Either way, the honey in hot herbal tea can help soothe your aching throat!
 

5. Clean house

Every single time you come in from outside, you bring a little bit of pollen and other allergens in with you. The same is true for your pets. The allergens get caught in your air filtration system and can recirculate. It’s important to make sure your house and indoor air quality is clean to reduce the problem. Frequent hot showers can also help cleanse your body of allergens and the steam can help open up your nasal passages.
 

6. Avoid additional irritants

Our bodies, especially our immune systems, respond more harshly when they have more than one thing attacking it. If you avoid harsh chemicals, trigger foods, and other things that can irritate your system, it will lessen the overall symptoms you’re experiencing. This could be a great time to explore natural cleaners for your home, vehicle, and your own body.
 

Let me help

Many of these tips you are able to easily accomplish on your own, making it easier to take charge of your health and to feel better! When it comes to getting a chiropractic adjustment, I’m here to help. My gentle, precise adjustments will work with these other remedies to relieve allergy symptoms so you can get back to enjoying life!