I suffer from severe indoor and outdoor allergies daily, but I do not use pharmaceutical or drug store brand allergy medications to help treat and relieve my allergies. Instead, I use a combination of natural herbal remedies and supplements that act as natural antihistamines that help treat and relieve my allergies naturally and I will share with all of you allergy suffers what those natural herbal remedies and supplements are that help me.
Replacing Zyrtec with Butterbur
When my indoor and outdoor allergies are acting up and causing my immune system to go haywire with watering eyes, wheezing, constant sneezing, itchy hives and an endless runny nose I like to use Butterbur. Butterbur is an herb that contains an active ingredient in it known as petasin. Petasin acts as a natural antihistamine and works similar to the active ingredients in Zyrtec, but without causing the side effects of drowsiness and dizziness. Petasin has the ability to fight off the leukotrienes and histamines in the body that cause allergic reactions to pollen, mold spores, dust mites and pet dander.
The butterbur herbal supplement I like to use is Source Naturals Butterbur Extract Softgels because the supplement actually contains the active ingredient petasin. However, you can use whichever butterbur supplement you prefer as long as it contains petasin.
Now before taking butterbur it is best to talk with an herbalist or doctor first to find out if it is safe or not for you to take. Those of you with liver and kidney problems should not use the herb because it does contain an alkaloid in it that may cause further damage to the liver and kidneys. However, if your herbalist or doctor says the herb is safe for you to take ask them what the proper dosage is for you. My doctor recommended me to take three 50 mg butterbur softgels supplements a day so I take one in the morning, afternoon and night after each meal. This dosage helps me tremendously with treating and relieving my indoor and outdoor allergies.
Vitamin C for Combating Allergy Symptoms
Along with taking butterbur, I also take 6000 mg of vitamin C daily. The reason why I take such a high dosage is that I have severe allergies and an autoimmune disease so my immune system needs all the vitamin C it gets to help combat my indoor and outdoor allergies symptoms strongly. The reason why vitamin C is used to help treat and relieve allergies is because it boosts the immune system and acts as a natural antihistamine that relieves inflammation in hay fever and asthma suffers.
I can tell you that without taking my vitamin C daily with butterbur my asthma acts up severely and I have around three asthma attacks a day with constant wheezing so vitamin C is essential for control my seasonal allergies and relieving the inflammation in my airways.
However, before you take vitamin C daily it is best to speak with your doctor to find out what the best proper dosage is for you to take daily to help combat your allergies naturally. Sometimes taking too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea so it is extremely important to find out the proper dosage for you because you do not want to be running to the bathroom constantly.
Probiotics for Preventing Allergies
As well as taking butterbur and vitamin C daily, I take probiotics as well. Probiotics contain healthy bacteria that help keep the intestines and immune system healthy and strong. When the intestines are healthy they are able to help push out the toxins and waste from out body better, which also helps keeps the immune system healthy and strong. When the immune system is healthy and strong, it is able to fight of histamines in the body naturally.
The probiotic supplement I take daily is the Enzymatic Therapy Pearls because the supplement contains one billion active probiotics in each capsule. Now I take two capsules a day of this supplement because that is what my doctor recommends. You may use whatever probiotic supplement you prefer, or you could eat foods that contain probiotics in them such as yogurt and cottage cheese. You may also talk to your doctor to find out the proper dosage of probiotics you need daily to help keep your immune system and intestines healthy naturally.
Garlic as a Natural Antihistamine
Along with all the above natural remedies I use for treating and relieving allergies, I also use garlic. Garlic is a popular herb that contains powerful antioxidants in it that act as an antihistamine to help relieve a runny nose, wheezing, sneezing and water eyes due to seasonal allergies. The herb also helps boost the immune system so it is stronger and more able to help fight off allergy symptoms better.
The way I use garlic is by simply crushing three to five cloves up daily and using them in my meals such as stews, soups and veggie and meat dishes. However, if you do not like the taste of garlic you may use garlic supplements instead which you can find at local herbal shops.
Bottom Line
You see, fighting allergies off naturally can be done just as long as you know the right remedies to use and the right dosages. Stop taking those pharmaceutical and drug store brand allergy medicines that cause side effects and start treating your allergies naturally, safely and effectively.
