5 Powerful Spices As Home Remedies For Seasonal Allergies
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Adding these easy to find common everyday spices to your meals is a simple home remedy for seasonal allergies that can help ease the symptoms and make you enjoy the outdoors a lot more.
Allergies can suddenly attack your system without you even realising that your body has adversely reacted to something.
For years I was under the impression that I had a perpetual runny red nose and sniffles at the tender age of late 30ties, to off-set my cold-flu free healthy childhood years!!
It was only later I realised that I was not compensating for my early years but instead I was penalised for being allergy-prone.
Itchy swollen red eyes, clogged head, water-dripping nose (not a pretty sight) can make you very miserable.
You resort to over-the-counter pills for relief but do they actually help in strengthening your inner allergen warriors!?
Drugs provide temporary relief and of course you should take them if you are a heavy allergy sufferer, but simple natural home remedies can help build your immunity and fight those irritating allergens.
There are many natural anti-histamine agents present in everyday food items that you may already have in your fridge or cupboard that can be effective as home remedies for seasonal allergies.
Studies and research suggest that the active compounds present in spices and herds can be put into medicinal and therapeutic use.
I have listed 5 common everyday spices that I add to our meals and drinks to help me and my family cope with seasonal allergies and bring back the spring to our lives!
What Are Seasonal Allergies and When is Allergy Season
I never thought I could have allergies as I have always been in good health.
It was only after moving to Switzerland that I noticed itchy eyes, embarrassing sniffles and sneezes around people. I looked like someone not needing to disguise for Halloween, coz I looked the horror part naturally!!
Many teas and tablets later, a trip to the doc confirmed I was allergic to every single tree, grass, plants including dogs and many fruits and Nuts!
Wonder if they do an anti-kids and hubby test too :-), sure that would be a supersize Positive !!
Today more and more people suffer from allergies due to the harsh environmental changes exposing the body to allergens!
As if we allergy suffers were not suffering enough, the global climate crisis is likely to make allergy season longer and nastier.
The allergens in the air tend to peak during the change of season.
Broadly speaking there are typically 3 allergy seasons depending on where you live.
- Spring – beginning late Feb to end May
- Summer – mid June to end Sept
- Autumn or Fall – early Oct to end Nov
During spring, the flowers and pollen are the main cause of irritation and is regarded as the worst time of the year for most seasonal allergy sufferers
It is the grass and trees that release pollens during the summer months which could trigger allergy symptoms.
And when you thought the worst was over, the weeds and other autumn flowering fruits and buds during fall become the allergy causing offenders.
Does winter give you relieve then?
Well, it depends on whether you react negatively to other irritants like dust and mould which are also environmentally caused.
Wondering ‘When does allergy season end?’
It depends on what type of environmental allergens you react to.
Since each season throws a different type of allergens into the air, it is difficult to say how long does an allergy season last.
When your body is exposed to allergens, it confuses the immune system making it release histamines that attack cells in the body causing it to swell up and release water.
Hence the watery eyes, nose and swelling of glands.
If you suddenly wake up with sniffles, annoying sneezes or puffy eyes it may not be an aftereffect of a late night out, instead, it could be your body reacting to an alien attack!
Natural Remedy For Allergies From Your Kitchen Shelf
I read a lot on home remedies to help alleviate the symptoms of hayfever and allergies.
The prolonged use of over the counter pills have a detrimental effect on our bodies, hence was looking for an alternative route.
In my quest for search, I read many articles on different kinds of food and teas that you can take that promises to ‘cure’ allergies.
I am a firm believer in natural remedy but I also take the word ‘cure ‘ a bit cautiously unless scientifically proven.
‘Remedy’ counteracts symptoms, while ‘cure’ is the solution!
When I suggest people to add a specific spice, herb or any other food to their diet, its mostly as a supplement to alleviate symptoms and NOT a cure!
Secondly, I also am not a great advocate to ask people to use ingredients that they may find difficult to buy or never use again!
We all have busy life’s, a trip to a supermarket is a task in itself let alone going to specialist stores to look for ingredients. Unless of course, there is an online option for it!
Some people recommend using Stinging nettle, Ginko, Moringa, Holy Basil as brilliant natural anti-histamine supplements. They truly are, but they can be a bit hard to find.
So I thought I will instead pull out ingredients that I have in my kitchen cabinet and share my experiences with you!
5 Remedial Spices & Herbs That Relieve Seasonal Allergic Symptoms & How To Include Them In Dishes
To effectively combat seasonal allergies, intake of a natural antihistamine a month or two before the season begins can be most helpful.
My advice would be to include and add these spices to your dishes whenever possible.
If you are unsure of how to cook with spices this stepwise guide on cooking with spices for added flavour and health may give you some tips.
However a word of caution.
Before you take any spices mentioned here or any others, make sure you do not have an intolerance to them. After all, they are supposed to help relieve allergies not trigger it further!
Here is my list of Top 5 everyday spices & herbs that are normally found in most kitchen drawers as seasonings.
Turmeric
There has been so much talk about the benefits of this golden spice that I think most households will start keeping them now.
Studies have shown that the active agent in Turmeric called curcumin fights histamine releases and boost the immunity system.
Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe the inflamed glands caused by allergies.
Uses In Food
Add a tsp of turmeric to most food you eat, be it soups, marinades, stir-fries, casseroles anything. Turmeric is more of a colouring spice as opposed to a flavouring spice, therefore, it has little impact on the flavour but is great for health.
Make Turmeric milk by adding a tsp of turmeric to warm milk and drink it every day before the change of season to help built up immunity.
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Nigella Seeds
Few people may know this by the name of black cumin, black caraway, or even black sesame seeds.
The active ingredient called Thymoquinone and protein Kinase C help fight against allergies and respiratory discomfort like asthma.
It is also known to be beneficial in combating skin infections and flairs caused by an allergic reaction.
Uses In Food
Add 2 tsp of nigella seeds to your stir-fried vegetables.
Grind and add it to soups. It really goes well with lentil soups.
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Capers
These unassuming looking savoury fruits have an abundance of good quality. It is high in natural antihistamine agent, Quercetin that prevents an allergic outbreak.
Quercetin is a flavonol that helps to relieve allergies by reducing the inflammatory response in respiratory airways.
Uses In Food
Capers can be added to salads. You can also make caper pesto and use it as spreads and dips.
Capers go very well with fish. Add them to your stews or fish bakes.
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Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds come from the aromatic fennel bulb.
These sweet-scented seeds contain many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, quercetin, and flavonoids, which all help to effectively treat allergic symptoms.
Uses In Food
Fennel seeds can be eaten raw. You can munch on a teaspoon or two of fennel seeds few times a day.
Make fennel tea by boiling fennel seeds in water for about 5 minutes.
Grind fennel seeds and add as a flavouring to curries, salad dressing or soups.
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Thyme
How many times have we used Thyme in our pasta dishes, grills or dressings?
It is full of vitamin C, flavonoids, and antibacterial properties which makes it an ideal antihistamine to fight off inflammations and neutralize histamine activity.
The anti-microbial properties of Thyme inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi in your body.
Uses In Food
Use Thyme in your salad dressing, marinades for fish and meat, sprinkle a generous amount on pasta dishes.
You can also add thyme to many base sauces, stews and curries.
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Other Suggested Foods as a Home Remedy for Seasonal Allergies
Some of the most active natural anti-histamine agent present in many foods are Flavonoids, Quercetin, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C and Bromelain to name a few.
It may surprise you to know how easily you can or already are consuming these beneficial minerals and enzymes that help build our immune system and wade off allergens.
You do not need to go for a special trip to a specialist health food store to buy any of these items. They may already be there in your fridge or cupboards.
Few everyday food items that you can start taking more of during the period of seasonal allergies are:
Vegetables
Onion, garlic, ginger, green peppers, sweet potatoes, raw carrots, spinach, broccoli, lemon,
Fruits
pineapple, apples, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwifruit, banana, papaya, blueberries, orange, peaches, pomegranate, dried apricots, mangoes
Seeds and Nuts and others
hemp seeds, Brazil nuts, bran cereal, soybean, quinoa, walnuts, almonds, salt
Fish
Salmon fish, fish egg, halibut, cod liver oil, mackerel
Herbs
Watercress, tarragon, basil, parsley
To Conclude
Increasing your intake of natural antihistamines at the beginning of the allergic season can help you get relief when experiencing unwanted allergic symptoms such as headaches, itching, congestion, and sneezing.
However, these natural home remedies for seasonal allergies may not work for everyone the same way. The effect of natural anti-histamine components depends on the severity of your allergy.
These can be a supplement to your medication but not replacements in case your allergic symptoms are acute.
Always seek medical advice in case of doubts about your symptoms.
When you experience allergic symptoms, be sure to try the natural antihistamines listed in this article. You will be glad you did!
Share your Thoughts
Are you surprised to learn how unknowingly you have been benefiting yourselves by eating these common food items almost everyday?
All you need to do is perhaps include a bit more in your diet and enjoy the joys of fresh air!
Thankful for every click to share:
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Awesome info….I need to try some of these for my son.
How interesting. Thank you for sharing this. It very helpful to know these natural remedies.
Interesting that several of these spices have quercetin in them. I started taking quercetin with bromelein this year and it has been a huge help with allergy symptoms for me. I also didn’t want to remain dependent on conventional allergy medicines and wanted a more natural alternative. Amazingly, quercetin works better for me than any of that over the counter stuff ever did.
I’m forwarding this to a friend of mine. Her son suffers from horrible allergies. This is so helpful!