By Richard Malik, ND
As published in the Lakeville Journal, Millerton News, & Winsted Journal
23 May 2006

Allergy symptoms are often aggravated in the spring as the warmer weather encourages trees to bloom. However, allergy symptoms can occur at any time of the year. Trees bloom in the spring, grasses in the summer, and weeds in the fall. In winter, our exposure to indoor allergens like molds, dust mites, and animal dander increase as we close our windows and spend more time indoors.

Symptoms of allergy include runny nose; watery, itchy eyes; asthma; and itchy skin. These complaints are common today – more common than they were a few decades ago. Some research shows that decreased exposure to infectious organisms may be the cause of this increase while others contend that increased levels of environmental toxins are the culprit.

When helping allergic patients in my practice, I use naturally occurring substances like vitamins, bioflavonoids, plant extracts, and dietary supplements to address the symptoms and underlying causes of allergy.

Quercitin and Vitamin C are two natural antihistamines. While the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C is less than 120mg, I find 1000 to 3000 mg can be effective for allergy symptoms. Be aware that high doses of vitamin C may cause abdominal pain or diarrhea. If this occurs, the daily dose may be reduced or split into smaller, more frequent doses. Great vegetable sources of vitamin C include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and green peppers. Quercitin is a common bioflavonoid found in apples, onion, tea, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, kale, and collard greens. The standard dose of supplemental quercitin varies depending on the form, but ranges from 200-500mg three times daily.

Each person has different factors that contribute to their allergy condition, but most people benefit from keeping their bedrooms clean and as allergen free as possible. Reducing the total allergen load can be achieved by using an effective vacuum cleaner, using an air purifier, cleaning bed sheets regularly, using hypoallergenic bedding, and keeping animals out of the bedroom if dander is an aggravating factor.

Even foods may play a role in seasonal allergies. Sometimes allergies improve when certain foods are removed from their diet. The most common culprits include wheat, dairy, corn, soy, chocolate, and eggs. For some patients, chronic health complaints will improve or even resolve when an aggravating food is avoided.

There are many tools in the natural medicine chest for helping patients with seasonal allergies – I could go on and on. In my experience, the causes of allergies and the solutions vary somewhat from patient to patient. The strategy of using natural anti-histamines, reducing allergens in the bedroom and avoidance of aggravating foods is an excellent way to start.

Please keep in mind that while natural medicines can be supportive for severe allergic responses, they are not a replacement for emergency medical care. Emergency medical treatment is necessary with anaphylactic reactions and when the breathing passages are too obstructed to allow adequate oxygen for body tissues.