Seasonal Allergies

The Bane Of Spring

As the days become longer, and the air becomes warmer, our thoughts turn to spring. Along with the promise of warmer days, the first buds of spring often bring the itchy watery eyes of seasonal allergies.

One in 5 Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. Over the counter allergy treatments cost us approximately 17.5 billion each year. I, like the rest of you, cannot comprehend that amount of money. I can however tell you that far exceeds the balance of my checking account.

The problem with over the counter medications is that they treat the symptoms rather than the underlying causes of the symptoms. Allergic symptoms are caused by histamines. A histamine is a chemical produced by the human body. It causes blood vessels to dilate and become easier to penetrate. This makes the body swell in order to protect the affected area. This histamine response is an important part of our immune systems. However in some cases our bodies can mistake harmeless substances for toxins. While no one knows why, this will often happen with harmelss pollens. This causes us to sneeze, and our eyes to swell up and begin to water and itch. The post nasal drip down the back of our throats then causes a cough. You may know this reaction as hay fever.

Practitioners of herbal medicine seek out and treat the underlying cause of your symptoms. In turn the symptoms disappear. In order to understand herbal medicine it is important to realize that the main differences between western medicine and traditional herbalism is their “medicines”. Up to 70% or more of western pharmaceuticals are derived from plants. One would think that means pharmaceuticals and herbals are the same; but that is not remotely the case. Western medications are lab synthesized versions of the active ingredient of a plant. These man made compounds ellicit a specific response from the body. In other words, they cause the body to do something. Herbal supplements support the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Herbalism is a more holistic approach to body wellness. I could wax poetically about this subject all day, but to save you from boredom, my narative about herbalism will stop there.

My son suffers from hay fever. We have tried allergy shots as well as numerous OTC and prescription medications. Even with all of these things, he suffered miserably each spring. I decided to experiment with herbal remedies to treat the underlying histmaine response in order to alleviate his symptoms. The next blog post details his treatment.