10 Natural Cold & Allergy Remedies

Go Green in 2014: Week 18

Jim Lukach / https://www.flickr.com/photos/65047661@N00/

Allergy season is in full force, and excluding the occasional dry throat, I have been able to avoid it so far. If you are suffering from a cold or seasonal allergies, you might be wondering how you can naturally relieve the symptoms or - if they haven't gotten to you yet - avoid them altogether. The following tips don't guarantee perfect results, but they can certainly help.

Is it a cold or allergies? Find out here.

Dietary changes

1. Eating nutritional, organic foods can potentially ward off colds and allergies. This is something you can do all year-round to help ward off sickness, and to lessen symptoms when you are unable to avoid them.

2. Avoid fruit (especially the peels) when allergy symptoms are in full force. While fruit can help keep you healthy, the pollen on many fruits can exacerbate symptoms if you are already experiencing them. If nothing else, remove the peel before eating it.

3. Consider incorporating probiotics into your diet to ensure a healthy gut. Probiotics help keep your digestive system healthy by repopulating your gut with good bacteria. You can take them either in pill form or by consuming fermented foods, such as yogurt.

Oral remedies

4. Local honey is believed to help prevent seasonal allergies, and it can relieve symptoms. It is believed that consuming honey from local bees can help acclimate you to the pollen in your area, which lessens allergy symptoms. Whether this is true or not, I do know that honey is a wonderful natural remedy for a sore throat, among other cold and allergy symptoms.

Y.S. Organic Bee Farms - Organic Honey

5.  Apple cider vinegar can help reduce mucous production and relieve symptoms. It may not taste the best, but if you can choke down a couple teaspoons a day, you might find yourself feeling much better within a couple days.

6. Nettle leaf is a natural antihistamine and can help soothe allergy symptoms. Nettle leaf is often consumed in tea form.

7. Quercetin is a natural bioflavonoid that is believed to help stabilize mast cells. This keeps them from releasing histamine, thus relieving allergy symptoms.

Relieving congestion

8.  Oil pulling is an ancient practice that has recently been discovered by many. It involves swishing oil (such as olive or coconut) in the mouth for twenty minutes, and has many benefits, including loosening mucous. If done daily, it could even help with avoiding colds and allergy symptoms.

Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

9. The neti pot is recommended by traditional and natural doctors alike. I have not needed to try it, but I have heard good things about this method. To use the neti pot, you pour a solution through the spout into one nostril and let it flow out the other; this process cleans out the sinuses. You can either buy the solution or make your own at home.

10. To relieve chest congestion, boil a pot of water and breathe in the steam for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to cover your head with a towel to trap the steam. I have had wonderful results with this natural remedy, especially when I added a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to the hot water. It will loosen up the congestion and help to clear your lungs.

~ ~ ~

**Disclosure: Although this post may contain affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Your challenge: This week, if you experience seasonal allergies, consider the ways you can relieve them naturally and incorporate these ideas into your daily routine.

______________________________________________________

**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**