Allergy - Natural Herbs for Allergies- Your Plan B?

Have you been considering natural herbs for allergies? Natural medicines and alternative treatments are gaining in popularity not only for allergies but for many other ailments. Many of today's medicines cause side effects that can be as dangerous or uncomfortable as the symptoms you are trying to treat in the first place. The typical treatments for allergies usually revolve around antihistamines and decongestants. Antihistamines are well known for making you drowsy. I have found that Benadryl does help to manage my allergies but I often find myself choosing which one to use because if I use some of the ones with higher levels of antihistamines I don't want to drive. I can get that sleepy. Decongestants on the other hand can lead to higher blood pressure. This is especially dangerous if you have a heart condition. Thankfully you may be able to treat your allergies in a more holistic way. Natural herbs for allergies can be the answer and can actually help to prevent the symptoms before they start. This can be an effective way to manage many of the seasonal allergies that are common today. What Should You Do First? Modifying your lifestyle before diving into any treatment is a good idea. Even natural herbs for allergies can cause problems or interact with other medications. What can you do to reduce your allergy symptoms? Keep windows closed Use air conditioning Stay Indoors Airborne allergies like pollen can be controlled by doing the above. At night it is important to control your environment since many times people have trouble sleeping because of their allergy symptoms. If these approaches are not providing you with the allergy relief you need it may be time to try natural herbs for allergies. Natural Herbs to Try Before trying any of these natural herbs for allergies please consult your physician. Herbs can have side effects too, and they can also dangerously interact with other medicines. Natural herbs that have been known to help alleviate allergy symptoms include: Stinging Nettle Butterbur Quercetin Stinging Nettle works as a natural antihistamine without the drowsiness. This herb reduces the histamine production of the body. The immune system triggers the production of histamine which is the chemical produced by the antibodies in the body. The immune system in case of allergies has mistakenly identified your allergen as something that is harmful which is why the histamine is produced. Histamines are also responsible for the allergy symptoms like coughing, runny nose and watery eyes. When your body cannot produce as many histamines your symptoms are reduced too. Natural food and vitamin stores are a good place to find Stinging Nettle. There are other natural herbs for allergies that work like Stinging Nettle to reduce the body's ability to produce histamines. Butterbur is one that is harder to find here in the U.S. but may be worth tracking down. Quercetin is another good natural herb for allergies. It also has the added benefit of acting as a natural antioxidant that can reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Advances are being made every day on different ways of treating and preventing allergies. Allergies have become so common that it is rare that someone in the family is not affected. Natural herbs for allergies can be your Plan B when you can't get the relief you need from over the counter treatments or when the side effects of using the standard antihistamines and decongestants are too dangerous for you. Ask your doctor, he may be able to recommend even more options than those we have given you above. Marilyn Franklin writes for AllergyFiles.com where you can find more info on allergy relief. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Franklin Allergy - Grass Allergy Grass allergy is one of the most common and prevalent form of allergy that affects people with histories of it during certain seasons. Grass allergy normally occurs all throughout the spring season and during the onset or ending of the summer season. Grass allergy is somehow directly linked to hay fever, because their symptoms and causes are somehow similar to each other. Grass allergy can also take the form of an inhalant kind of allergy similar to asthma. It is noted that in the United States alone, about 30% of overall yearly allergy reported or recorded is in the form of grass allergy. Grass allergy is caused by an allergen that invokes discomforting reaction upon body contact. Cause of grass allergy The most usual allergen or substance that cause or triggers grass allergy is pollen. Pollens are very tiny and small particles of ovulation structures owned by plants. During your primary education and even in your previous Biology classes, you have encountered the word pollen on subjects related to the proliferation or reproduction of plants' flowers. Take note that pollens are so tiny and light that they can stick to the tiny feet of butterflies. Pollens are most of the time flying or are carried out in the air especially during summer and spring when trees, flowers, and mostly, grass pollinate. Because pollens are so light weight and they are carried over through the air, people can inhale them. Inhaling pollen can cause or trigger adverse reactions to the person. Symptoms of grass allergy Manifestations that indicate the onset of grass allergy are usually identified with breathing disorders. The most common symptom of grass allergy is severe or constant dry cough. Usually these cough will occur with sore throat. It can never be mistaken for a common viral colds or cough. The person with grass allergy also experiences difficulty in breathing. It s because the air passages are narrowed or constricted as a result of the body's defense mechanism against grass pollen. It can be noted that since the air passage constriction is a body defense mechanism, it is not dangerous. The danger occurs when the person experiencing it panics and feel a thriving discomfort. Itchiness which can appear in several areas of the body can also occur at the onset of a grass allergy attack. In rare occasions, fever can also be detected. However, in such occurrences, immediate help from doctors and medical practitioners should be sought to detect the presence of complications. Fevers indicate the presence of viral and bacterial attacks in the body and should therefore be immediately attended at to avoid further complications. Treatment and prevention of grass allergy The most effective treatment for grass allergy is also its most potent prevention. That is, to avoid the grass allergy causing allergens, which are usually grass pollen. To avoid exposure to grass pollen or the possibility of grass pollen inhalation, people with histories are advised to stay indoors especially during summer and spring when grass pollens are carried out in the open air. Doctors also advise such people to install a working air conditioner in their home and room to make sure the ventilation is good and the probability of air contamination with grass pollen is reduced. Otherwise, medications are available both through prescription and over the counter. Allergy shots can immediately relieve and soothe the symptoms. Antihistamines are also usually prescribed to curtail grass allergy development among patients. ---------------------------------------- Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes. -----------------------------------------