For the month of May I would sneeze, weeze, itch intensely and sometimes could not breathe because of the pollen in the air. I started to get allergy shots twice a week to build my immune system. After one of these visits to the doctor, my throat started to tighten and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I had to run back into the doctors' office so that he could give me a shot of adrenaline and basically had to save my life. Turns out, he had injected me with a little too much and my throat was closing. After that day, I stopped getting shots.
As my allergies continued to worsen, the next option for me was over the counter allergy medications. You name it, I have tried it. Most of them made me so sleepy that it was difficult to get through the day. My allergies were controlled, to a point, but I never felt like myself and it is hard to live with no energy day after day. I had to make a choice, either suffer from the allergies or be sleepy all the time. So, I decided to go a completely different route, all natural.
Since I woke up every morning horribly sick from my allergies, my first step to fight them was to make sure my bed was allergy free. Most of us spend at least 8-10 hours a night breathing in all of the chemicals that make up our bed. I threw away all of my old linens and bought an organic sheet set and hypoallergenic pillows. A lot of people don't understand the importance of buying organic, but it is just like organic food, the cotton is grown naturally rather than with chemicals and pesticides, which creates a healthier environment, therefore healthier breathing. I felt the difference the first night I slept in my hypoallergenic bed and since then, I don't wake up sick anymore, it is amazing. In addition, washing your sheets at least once a week will keep them dust free.
While some foods can aggravate your allergies, a nutritious diet can help fight them off. Here are some foods that I started to eat that have been helped me fight off my allergies. An important anti-inflammatory, omega-3 fatty acids are essential and some examples of good sources are salmon, cod, haddock and flaxseed oil. I love fish, and eat it 2-3 times a week, but if you don't, start taking omega-3 fish oil supplements twice a day. You can get them in an odorless form and you will never know the difference.
A good source of antioxidants, which helps reduce inflammation, is fruit juice. I buy fresh juices from the refrigerator section at the store because they are healthier. You have heard it over and over again, but it is true, eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily, organic if you can as to eliminate the pesticides. Fruits also contain antioxidants, especially berries. I try to include a fruit and/or vegetable with every meal.
Another big change I made was increasing my fiber intake. A high-fiber diet keeps your colon healthy and flushes out disease. Any bread that you eat should be whole grain and high fiber. I also eat lots of nuts, especially almonds which encourage movement in the colon and good bacteria. When you don't get enough fiber through your colon, the bad bacteria can cause food allergies and chemical sensitivities. Another bacteria fighting food that I eat daily is yogurt. Choose one low in fat with less than 10 grams of sugar.
And lastly, green tea is essential in fighting your allergies naturally and has worked very well for me. It contains an anti-allergenic compound called EGCG, methylated epigallocatechin gallate, which blocks the cell receptor responsible for allergic response. Green tea also fights allergens and is best in loose form, but if you can only get bags, that is fine, just get it. I bought myself a beautiful tea pot, a few pounds of loose tea and started to drink 2-3 cups per day and my allergies were reduced dramatically within 3 weeks. If you stop drinking it, your allergies will come back, so you must maintain your green tea consumption to continue to fight off your allergies naturally.
Personally, I have been dedicated to exercising 5-6 days a week for the past 20 years and recommend that this also be a part of your healthy lifestyle. Combining all of these changes goes hand in hand with working your heart muscle and maintaining that mind and body connection. Positive thinking will take you farther than you can imagine and will directly affect your health, including your allergies.
Today, I live nearly allergy free and I believe it is because of these changes I made in my life. I no longer have to take any drugs and live each day full of energy. It certainly wouldn't hurt to incorporate these healthy, natural changes into your life. If you consistently eat well, drink green tea and surround yourself with anti-allergens, you will build a stronger immune system and will see a big difference, if not completely cure yourself of your allergies, naturally.
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