Ah-Choo! Natural, Kid-friendly Approaches to Seasonal Allergies
Springtime is a stuffy time of year for individuals that suffer with seasonal allergies. You may notice all the tree pollen floating through the air or coating your windshield in the morning. You may notice symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, headache, shortness of breath, rashes or fatigue. These symptoms are often confused for the common cold virus, but they may actually your mucus membranes attempting to eliminate a different foreign invader. Allergic symptoms may not only be due to just pollen, though. We need to consider your “allergic load,” which is an accumulation of anything your immune system considers foreign. Some foreign invaders can include animal dander, food allergies/sensitivities, high histamine foods, smoke from forest fires, or mold exposure.
The goal for managing seasonal allergies is 4-tiered:
- Reduce allergen exposure
- Support the cleansing organs
- Correct the Immune response
- Decrease inflammation
First off, to reduce allergen exposure, stay indoors during high pollen count days or try to focus on how you can clean up the space you can actually control- your bedrooms, bathrooms, car, family room, etc.
- Use HEPA Air Filters in main rooms
- Vacuum frequently, ideally with a HEPA filter vacuum
- Change your cabin filter in your car 2 times per year
- Clean windowsills with vinegar to prevent or treat mold growth
- Change pillow cases nightly
- Decrease foods that are common allergens. Try an elimination diet where you cut all of the following out for a few weeks then slowly add one at a time: strawberries, eggs, peanuts, dairy, shellfish, almonds, gluten, tomato, artificial dyes/additives
- Decrease high histamine foods. All foods have some level of histamine, but levels increase when food ages or spoils. Food with the highest histamine counts include leftovers, vinegar, alcohol, aged cheeses and yogurt, canned fish, smoked meats, bananas, legumes, peanuts…
Next, to support your cleansing organs, we want to focus on ways the body eliminates toxins. Those who want to get ahead of allergies would benefit from optimizing function and elimination of the liver, lymphatic system and lungs.
- Daily movement- 20-30 min per day minimum
- Eat whole foods, organic, mostly plants
- Drink plenty of water- half your body’s weight in ounces of water
- Deep belly breathing
- Talk to your naturopathic doctor about more specific, efficient therapies.
In order to correct an overactive immune response, we aim to balance cytokine responses. Cytokines are the body’s biologic messengers, which tell the immune system to increase or decrease inflammation. I have many foundational treatments focused on balancing the body’s cytokines, but the following recommendations are a great start. Quality sourcing and dosing is important in order to get your effort and money’s worth. Try to get physician-grade supplements for the following:
- Fish oil: anti-inflammatory for immune system, nervous system, skin, etc
- Probiotics: good bacteria for the entire microbiome, not just for digestion.
- Vitamin D3: year-round supplementation is necessary in the Pacific Northwest
We have many tools to decrease inflammation in regard to seasonal allergies. I love using anti-histamines in a supplemental formula that contain:
- Stinging Nettles: growing NOW! Harvest wearing gloves to prevent getting “stung” by its leaves. Dry the leaves for tea or sauté with other greens and use as you would spinach. Nettles are incredibly nutritious.
- Quercetin: a flavonoid found in onion skins.
- Bromelain: anti-inflammatory found in pineapple
- Turmeric: a great, broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory
If you are unsure if your child is experiencing seasonal allergies, please consult with their physician for an exam. Though over-the-counter medications may be safe and effective for most individuals, it is important to understand why your child is symptomatic. As shown, Naturopathic Doctors have endless approaches to managing allergies. Not only do we want your littles symptom-free, we want to address the cause and aim for prevention in the future.
