Healing Naturally through Alternative Medicine
Natural Allergy Cures Article
Ask the Acupuncturist: Natural Allergy Cures (as seen in the Hopkinton Crier Newspsper 4/2/08)
Q: I get horrible allergies this time of year. What can you do with acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine, or what can I do myself, to prevent suffering from the itchy eyes and runny nose?
A: Allergies are very common this time of year. Luckily, Traditional Chinese medicine & other natural healing supplements can be very helpful in reducing or eliminating the symptoms of allergies whether they are from animals, dust, or seasonal pollen, etc. As a practitioner of holistic medicine, the evaluation of WHY the person is getting the allergies in the first place is the MOST important question that we can have the answer to. This is true because there can be many different presentations of allergy symptoms. Some of these can be itchy eyes, runny nose, cough, wheezing, itchy red skin, clogged ears, “foggy headed” feeling, etc. Depending on what the symptoms are and the underlying constitution of the person seeking help, one would choose different approaches for optimal results.
As a preventative measure for nasal symptoms, I strongly recommend a Neti pot. This is a small tea pot looking device that you fill with a mild saline (warm filtered water & sea salt) solution that acts like a shower for your sinuses. It works great, and improves your sense of smell as well! For an itchy, runny nose a Chinese herb which is also local to us is magnolia pussy willow. Yes the little fuzzy buds on the magnolia tree are a fantastic local remedy, that also happens to be seasonally available. Interesting how nature provides the correct remedies for the correct seasonal afflictions. This herb works great for eliminating the sneezing, itchy, runny nose allergy symptoms that many suffer from. ( We do not recommend taking them straight from the tree, however!)
When addressing the red itchy eyes of springtime one of my personal favorites is Ju Hua in Chinese or yellow chrysanthemum flowers. A handful of these can be simmered in 2-3 cups of boiling water for a few minutes and then taken as a mild tea, which can also be used as a warm wash for severe eye symptoms. Make sure as with all herbs that you are buying ONLY the highest quality herbs available, and that you are using the correct species and part of the plant (please e-mail if you have questions).
When it comes to nutritional supplements, the choices for the treatment of allergies are many. One which I will mention here, and which I have personal experience with, is quercetin. Quercetin has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity because of its ability to directly inhibit several initial steps in the inflammatory process. It inhibits the release of histamine and other allergic/ inflammatory mediators and therefore reduces symptoms. The correct dosage range for quercetin is 200-400 mg 20 minutes before meals, 3 X per day. Another great, and inexpensive, herbal remedy is stinging Nettles. These help the body to produce antihistamines, thereby reducing your histamine response (with symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes and throat, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.). Let me know what your response is to these “home” remedies for allergy symptoms.
In addition to the above methods, changing some of your dietary habits may be helpful. In particular the omission of dairy would be helpful if you tend to be a person that produces excess phlegm. The reason for this is because dairy products (with the exception of butter) tend to be a mucus forming food. This is especially true if your digestion is weak or your immune system is weak. This is true because allergens are seen as foreign invaders to the immune system. If the immune energy system is overloaded with allergens it can’t perform its job and then symptoms result.
Acupuncture and a properly prescribed Chinese herbal formula can be invaluable in correcting the underlying CAUSE of the inflammation (i.e. the immune system not being strong enough to “fight off” the allergen attack). As you can already see the pollen building up on the car windshields outside, if you are an allergy sufferer now would be a good time for a little preventative medicine. I hope this information helps you and you find yourself having a spring of breathing freely!
Sincerely,
Geoff DePaula M.Ac. Lic.Ac. Dipl.C.H.
Root & Branch Oriental Medicine
77 West Main Street, Suite 205
Hopkinton, MA 01748
www.RootandBranchOM.com
508-435-8184
Q: I get horrible allergies this time of year. What can you do with acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine, or what can I do myself, to prevent suffering from the itchy eyes and runny nose?
A: Allergies are very common this time of year. Luckily, Traditional Chinese medicine & other natural healing supplements can be very helpful in reducing or eliminating the symptoms of allergies whether they are from animals, dust, or seasonal pollen, etc. As a practitioner of holistic medicine, the evaluation of WHY the person is getting the allergies in the first place is the MOST important question that we can have the answer to. This is true because there can be many different presentations of allergy symptoms. Some of these can be itchy eyes, runny nose, cough, wheezing, itchy red skin, clogged ears, “foggy headed” feeling, etc. Depending on what the symptoms are and the underlying constitution of the person seeking help, one would choose different approaches for optimal results.
As a preventative measure for nasal symptoms, I strongly recommend a Neti pot. This is a small tea pot looking device that you fill with a mild saline (warm filtered water & sea salt) solution that acts like a shower for your sinuses. It works great, and improves your sense of smell as well! For an itchy, runny nose a Chinese herb which is also local to us is magnolia pussy willow. Yes the little fuzzy buds on the magnolia tree are a fantastic local remedy, that also happens to be seasonally available. Interesting how nature provides the correct remedies for the correct seasonal afflictions. This herb works great for eliminating the sneezing, itchy, runny nose allergy symptoms that many suffer from. ( We do not recommend taking them straight from the tree, however!)
When addressing the red itchy eyes of springtime one of my personal favorites is Ju Hua in Chinese or yellow chrysanthemum flowers. A handful of these can be simmered in 2-3 cups of boiling water for a few minutes and then taken as a mild tea, which can also be used as a warm wash for severe eye symptoms. Make sure as with all herbs that you are buying ONLY the highest quality herbs available, and that you are using the correct species and part of the plant (please e-mail if you have questions).
When it comes to nutritional supplements, the choices for the treatment of allergies are many. One which I will mention here, and which I have personal experience with, is quercetin. Quercetin has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity because of its ability to directly inhibit several initial steps in the inflammatory process. It inhibits the release of histamine and other allergic/ inflammatory mediators and therefore reduces symptoms. The correct dosage range for quercetin is 200-400 mg 20 minutes before meals, 3 X per day. Another great, and inexpensive, herbal remedy is stinging Nettles. These help the body to produce antihistamines, thereby reducing your histamine response (with symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes and throat, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.). Let me know what your response is to these “home” remedies for allergy symptoms.
In addition to the above methods, changing some of your dietary habits may be helpful. In particular the omission of dairy would be helpful if you tend to be a person that produces excess phlegm. The reason for this is because dairy products (with the exception of butter) tend to be a mucus forming food. This is especially true if your digestion is weak or your immune system is weak. This is true because allergens are seen as foreign invaders to the immune system. If the immune energy system is overloaded with allergens it can’t perform its job and then symptoms result.
Acupuncture and a properly prescribed Chinese herbal formula can be invaluable in correcting the underlying CAUSE of the inflammation (i.e. the immune system not being strong enough to “fight off” the allergen attack). As you can already see the pollen building up on the car windshields outside, if you are an allergy sufferer now would be a good time for a little preventative medicine. I hope this information helps you and you find yourself having a spring of breathing freely!
Sincerely,
Geoff DePaula M.Ac. Lic.Ac. Dipl.C.H.
Root & Branch Oriental Medicine
77 West Main Street, Suite 205
Hopkinton, MA 01748
www.RootandBranchOM.com
508-435-8184
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