Spring has sprung, the green pollen that coats everything is back and unfortunately, so have your seasonal allergies. Watery eyes, runny nose, itchy throat, coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion…clearly, Mother Nature has it out for you.
Regardless of your symptoms, one thing is certain. You want—no, you need—immediate relief. Well, you can breathe easy. We’ve identified four natural ways that can combat allergens this spring.
Craniosacral Therapy
Come pay Restorative Physical Therapy a Wellness visit and let us help you with cranialsacral therapy. Craniosacral therapy involves the cranium, spine, and tailbone, or sacrum, which are connected by the dura mater, a connective tissue that also encloses the brain and central nervous system. Cerebral spinal fluid moves within the dura mater and this movement of fluid is known as the craniosacral rhythm.
Our trained Therapists can detect the craniosacral rhythm by gently touching the base of your skull and sacrum. Trained therapists check for disturbances in this rhythm which they can then balance with light touches. Your body’s natural healing abilities and self-correcting processes can be restored when cerebral spinal fluid flows freely. Light, gentle touches on the bones of the face as a part of craniosacral therapy can help reduce sinus pressure and alleviate pain caused by your seasonal allergies.
Contact us today about scheduling a craniosacral therapy session to help restore your body’s natural rhythm and healing!
Cut Dairy from Your Diet
Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, writes a weekly column for the Vancouver Sun, and recently, a reader with severe allergies asked Dr. Weil for advice on how to treat allergies without the use of medication. "The first [recommendation] is the elimination of dairy products," says Dr. Weil. "Milk protein, or casein, increases mucus production in most people and acts as an immune system irritant when allergies are present. Even if skin tests don't show a true allergy to milk, removing it from the diet often leads to improvement in such allergic conditions as asthma and eczema.
"Don't just switch to nonfat milk products, which have the same amount of milk protein as full-fat varieties. Non-dairy cheese substitutes made from soybeans and almonds may still contain casein. Read product labels carefully to be sure that they do not contain casein. However, you can substitute sheep's and goat's milk for cow's milk. Both have a different protein composition and don't cause the sinus, allergy and immune-system problems associated with cow's milk."
Improve you gut health
Studies show that your gut is a crucial part of your immune system, because it’s the first line of immune defense against anything that might come in through your food. There’s the evidence that probiotics help alleviate allergy symptoms by changing the immune response in the gut. This review goes over a lot of the previously published studies on probiotics for various allergic diseases. For seasonal allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies), most studies showed that probiotics helped improved symptoms by modifying the immune response.
Another way to promote healthy gut health is through IMT (Integrative Manual Therapy). IMT is a hands-on approach to healing. Our trained Therapists use their hands to help reduce restrictions in the muscles and soft tissues of our abdomen. IMT can help to promote normal circulation to the tissues of the gut as well as drainage from these tissues to promote healthier elimination of toxins.
Use Essential Oils
Our staff loves using essential oils for things daily and this time of year we LOVE Essential oils may be used as an alternative or complementary treatment for allergy symptoms. They're derived from plants and can be used in a variety of ways. Popular ways to use essential oils include: If you'd like to incorporate essential oils into your life to relieve allergy symptoms, here are a few you might want to try.
Diffusing them into the air
Using them in bath and spa products
Applying them to the skin when diluted
Spraying them into the air
Breathing them in directly from the container
If you'd like to incorporate essential oils into your life to relieve allergy symptoms, here are a few you might want to try.
Lavender
Lavender may help soothe your symptoms during allergy season thanks to the oil's ability to calm and reduce inflammation. One study concluded that the essential oil prevents allergic inflammation as well as the enlargement of mucous cells.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus oil is known as an anti-inflammatory and may help your with your congestion. The cooling sensation you experience while breathing it in or after it is rubbed on your chest may also help you feel relief as you combat seasonal allergies.
Tea Tree Oil
Just like Lavender and Eucalyptus, Tea Tree Oil can help with your allergy symptoms due to its anti-inflammatory actions. This oil also has antiseptic properties that have shown to help with allergic skin reactions such as hives.
Peppermint
Peppermint essential oil is known to reduce inflammation. This oil can help clear of your sinuses and make it easier to breathe. Combining peppermint, lavender, and lemon creates not only a great smelling blend, but also can be an effective and soothing allergy relief.
Lemon
Citrus-scented essential oils are often used in aromatherapy to boost alertness and energy. Lemon essential oil may also help clear your sinuses and reduce congestion, two common symptoms of seasonal allergies.
Using essential oils isn't without risk. The U.S. FDA doesn't oversee the purity, quality, and packaging of essential oils. We suggest you always purchase your essential oils from a reputable source.
If you are interested in trying any of these essential oils or others you may have heard of, give us a call 757-842-6562
Comentários