Ask the Health Coach: Spring Allergies Are Killing Me. Help!

Maura offers allergy sufferers two at-home remedies.

Dear Maura,

My allergies are awful this spring. I can’t seem to find any relief, and I’m tired of over-the-counter meds. Do you have other suggestions?

~ Chrissie P.

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Hi Chrissie,

It’s like I can hear you sneezing and sniffling from here! So many people are complaining about allergies right now, so take heart in the fact that you’re not alone. The good news that I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.

The first is a Neti pot. (I think I just heard a loud “ugh” from half the readers!) Listen, don’t knock it ’til you try it. This thing works. Yes, it’s a little gross to start. And yes, the brain-eating amoeba thing is scary. But let’s be adults about it.

1. Get over the gross factor. I’m sure there are plenty other things in your life that you do that would be classified as gross.

2. Make sure to use filtered water.

If you don’t know what a Neti pot is, here’s the gist. It’s a nasal irrigatation system (sounds fancy, right?) that helps clear the nasal passages of dust, pollen and debris while at the same time calming inflammation. The NP can be used daily as a preventative measure to keep allergies at bay, helping to keep things clean and clear. But it can also be used when the nose is clogged from colds and infections.

It’s kind of like an adult science experiment where you get to watch all the snot run out of your nose. Simply put, the NP (which looks like a prop taken from the set of Aladdin, by the way) is filled wih warm, filtered warm and therapeutic salts. They’re easy to use: Insert the spout into one nostril and lean the head to the opposite side so the liquid can drain out of the other nostril. Repeat this, alternating sides, until the pot is empty. I’m telling you guys, it is sweet relief!

Moving on to the second remedy: raw honey. Honey is very powerful in nature, and a natural immune booster. But more importantly, raw local honey gives the body a small dose of local allergens so you can build up a resistance to them. It’s crucial that the honey is raw (meaning heating is avoided) so as to preserve all the natural vitamins, enzymes and other nutritional elements. And make sure what you’re eating is local (within 250 miles) because you want the honey from bees within your own environment. (It will do you no good to build up resistance to allergens from California because they aren’t what are making you sneeze. Get it?)

Try these two things regularly for two weeks, then let me know if you feel better.

Here’s to you not blowing your nose as much this spring,

MM

Have a question for Maura? Email us, and your question could be answered in a future column! Find more of Maura’s advice here.

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Maura Manzo is a yoga teacher and health coach specializing in integrating diet, health and wellness. She supports others in becoming their best possible selves. Maura is available for private instruction and coaching, as well as on-site corporate classes and speaking engagements. She is co-creator of the Beyond Asana 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training and the Art of Letting Go: Maya Tulum Mexican Yoga Vacation. Learn more about her teaching schedule, coaching practice and yoga trainings at MauraManzo.com.