According to Terence Davidson, M.D., in the "Handbook of Nasal Diseases," allergies affect nearly 40 percent of Americans. Described further as inflammation of the lining of the nose, resultant symptoms include congestion, sneezing and itchy and watery eyes, nose and, often, the palate. Airborne irritants, including pollen, dust or mold, initiate inflammation in sensitive individuals, leading to the release of histamine. Conventional medications like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) block histamine. Natural remedies vary in their mechanisms. Naturopathic medicine promotes a holistic approach to health with minimal use of surgeries and drugs. Please make sure to consult your physician before attempting natural allergy alternatives at home.
Nasal Lavage
Davidson believes in nasal lavage as an effective treatment for allergies. A Neti pot is the commonly used tool for irrigation. As a non-invasive, simple and inexpensive procedure for clearing allergens from the nasal lining, nasal lavage washes away the thickened, pollen-saturated mucus stuck in the nose.
Quercetin
Quercetin is identified as an antioxidant common to many foods in a 2002 monograph by Thorne Research. The monograph describes quercetin's action in the treatment of allergies as "mast cell stabilizing." As part of the immune system, mast cells provide an intermediate step in recruitment of other immune cells, nutrients and other healing components. Mast cells are triggered by the allergic response and release histamine as a result. Quercetin's action is compared to that of the prescription medication, cromolyn sodium. The article "Natural Treatment of Perennial Allergies," published in the "Alternative Medicine Review," describes quercetin's efficacy as enhanced by the concomitant use of the pineapple-derived enzyme, bromelain.
Perilla Frutescens
Perilla frutescens is a Japanese garnish, likened to the parsley of American dishes. It has been recently studied for at least three mechanisms beneficial in attenuating the allergic response. According to the article "Perilla: An Allergy Fighting Herb," published in the journal "Advances" in orthomolecular research, perilla seed is rich in oils that are anti-inflammatory, especially within the respiratory tract. Additionally, the extract rosmarinic acid, abundant in the perilla plant and also found in other culinary herbs, like basil and rosemary, inhibits the release of histamine from mast cells. Furthermore, the article reports that perilla is a potent inhibitor of a pathway that elicits inflammation in the body.
Plant Sterols
Two subsets of the specific or acquired immune system, noted as the helper cells, exist, according to a 2003 paper titled "Suppression of Allergic Reactions by Dehulled Adlay in Association with the Balance of Th1/Th2 Cell Responses." These two subsets are known as T-helper 1 cells (Th1) or T-helper 2 cells (Th2). The allergic response is considered to be due to a predominance of Th2 cells over Th1. The paper notes that in shifting the predominance to Th1, effective allergy relief could be attained. In the article "Power Plants, Plant Sterols may be the Immune Breakthrough of the Decade," Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D, confirms the theory that too high Th2 can result in allergies and maintains that plant sterols can indeed rebalance the immune system by regulating the ratio of Th2 to Th1.
Local Honey
Local honey, honey that is harvested within a few miles from where you live, is touted by some as a natural treatment for seasonal allergies. "Boston Globe" writer Judy Foreman addresses this theory in her article "Does Eating 'Local Honey' help Prevent Allergies," published in a June 23, 2008 issue. While no scientific studies exist to confirm this idea, Foreman interviewed Leonard Bielory, M.D., an allergist/immunologist at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, who established his belief in local honey based upon other correlate studies of the allergy-honey connection.
