Allergies making you miserable? Find relief and healing with this easy, homemade Honey Ginger Allergy Relief Tea and get my 5 tips for minimizing the effects of allergies.
This post contains affiliate links, FYI. Also, PLEASE NOTE that I’m not a doctor, and have no medical training. This post is entirely based on my own personal research and opinions. ��
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been one of those people who was allergic to practically everything. Dust, trees, cats, weeds, flowers, flours, coffee, strawberries, dogs, hay, lettuce… You name it, I feel like I’ve probably reacted to it in some way at some point in time.
Due to the sad state of my immune system, croup, eczema, chronic sinus infections, bronchitis, asthma, and headaches have plagued the majority of my life. I’m not trying to whine or complain, I’m just stating the facts. And they’re not fun facts.
For all of you who suffer through allergies, be they seasonal or not, I thought I’d share a few of the things that help me get through the rough patches and keep my allergic reactions at a minimum.
#1 – Cut back on the grains.
Sadly, I don’t just mean gluten containing grains. Even gluten-free grains like rice, corn, and oats are hard on your digestive system, and therefore also on your immune system. Even though I love my muffins and bread, I can definitely tell a difference in the strength of my immune system when I cut out grains. Not only to I not get sick as often, my seasonal allergies are remarkably easier.
If you have any sort of allergies at all, I strongly suggest you check out the GAPS Diet. It’s a strict, gut-healing diet, and seriously has been a godsend for me and my family.
About two years ago, my family of 6 (at the time) did the GAPS and found immense healing through it (you can read all about that here). Even though we were only able to stay on GAPS for about 6 months, I was able to take my list of around 30 allergies down to about 10, and keep it generally in that area.
If you are in the same boat as me and can’t really afford to eat only meat and veggies like the GAPS Diet requires (I wish I could!), cutting back on as much grain as possible will definitely still help.
Need help eating grain-free? Here are some of my family’s favorite meals:
#2 – Stay hydrated.
And I don’t mean drink another cup of coffee. Actually, when you’re wrestling with allergies, caffeinated drinks should not be on your list of helpful things to consume. Neither should alcohol, since it’s also considered to have diuretic affects. This basically means that it causes your body to lose water, or the ability to retain the water you drink, therefore causing dehydration.
There’s no doubt about it, water is vital to life. And not only do we need it to stay alive, we need it to stay alive well. Water flushes out toxins in our bodies, and helps to thin out mucus from overactive sinuses, making it easier to expel it all, and relieving congestion.
#3 – Stay faaaar away from sugar.
“You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch Your heart’s an empty hole Your brain is full of spiders You’ve got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch I wouldn’t touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole”
In this excerpt from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss could’ve been describing how I feel about sugar. Except for the garlic part, ‘cause garlic’s amazing, y’all. But honest and true, everyone and their mom needs to stay as far away from sugar as possible, since any amount of sugar will lower your immune system. And if you have allergies, you need your immune system as strong as possible. Not that you don’t need a strong immune system otherwise… You know what I mean.
That being said, I don’t mean stay away from sweeteners. Dates, raisins, apples, bananas, stevia, local honey… these are all fine for you. In fact, honey is a good thing to add in to that hot cup of herbal tea you’re gonna brew at the end of this post. It’s full of vitamins and minerals, has large amounts of good-for-you bacteria and is anti-fungal, and probiotic.
If you’re looking for a good bunch of treats that are free of refined sugar, here are a few of my favorites…
#4 – Salt water
Salt water is really amazing. Some people swear by drinking it (sole water, anyone?). My husband is sure the using it in a Neti Pot helps him during allergy season. I can’t get a Neti Pot to work (I’m weird, ’cause it shouldn’t be that complicated), so I opt for gargling and rinsing with warm salt water.
No matter how you get the salt water into your system, it will benefit you. Salt naturally increases circulation, eases sore throats, and reduces inflammation, while its minerals help your body naturally detox. Just make sure the salt you’re using is not regular ol’ table salt! I repeat DO NOT USE TABLE SALT. It’s pretty much devoid of everything useful, even if it has iodine added. Make sure the salt your using has a little color. Grey or pink salts, such as Himalayan salt and real sea salt, contain magnesium, calcium, potassium and over 60 other trace minerals. Quite the boost for your immune system.
#5 -Honey Ginger Allergy Relief Tea
Ginger
With anti-inflammatory benefits that rival those of NSAIDs, ginger not only helps to lower the risk of infections, it also helps break down toxins buildup in your organs. Ginger root is also known to cleanse the lymphatic system, which is basically our body’s sewage system.
If your allergies are causing an overproduction of phlegm, ginger will help break it up, easing your congestion while giving your immune system a boost.
Lemon
All citrus are high in vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system and fills your body with antioxidants. Lemon especially helps to loosen mucus so that your body can easily eliminate it.
Apple cider vinegar
If you’re even a little crunchy, you probably know that apple cider vinegar has a million + 1 uses. But did you know that it helps to break up and reduce mucous in your body, keeping your sinuses clear? Its antibacterial properties are also useful for sore throats and keeping infections away. (Here’s the acv I like.)
Honey
Full of vitamins and minerals (niacin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C & B6, calcium, and iron, to name just a few), honey is also full of friendly bacteria, making it anti-fungal, and probiotic. To get the most benefits from your honey, make sure that it’s local and raw, if possible.
Bonus tip! Keep a clean house.
I’ve gotta admit, this one is hard for me, but it definitely deserves an honorable mention here. Living with 7 people in one little house means that I have a hard time keeping the stuff out, and keeping the stuff that’s here clean and tidy. But I know how important it is for my allergies (and sanity) to be dust and clutter-free. Dust is one of the most common allergens out there. If you struggle with it like I do, then a clean, minimalistic house is going to be your best friend. The less you have, the less there is to trap dust and other allergens. Also, the less you have, the less there is to clean, which is always a plus.
I’ve also learned from experience that carpet is bad for allergies. It traps dust and other allergens and – no matter how much you vacuum – it is hard to keep clean. (Vacuums also have this bad habit of stirring up the dust anyway.) If you have the ability to go carpet-free, do it – for your health.
In the end…
All allergies begin in your gut. If your gut isn’t happy, you won’t be either. If you’ve never taken steps to heal your gut , you should start there (here are 5 steps you can take now!). Adding in fermented foods (probiotics) and homemade bone broth to your diet are easy ways to help get your gut on the right track. And don’t forget to check out the GAPS Diet... It might just change your life.
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks! ��
Already got yourself a cold or sinus infection? Check out these helpful recipes…
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий