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Eyes
that stream, itch, swell, and are sore, red or puffy
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Noses
that stream and itch or feel continually blocked
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Sneezing
first thing in the morning - often on an ongoing basis, not just in
the hayfever season
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Feeling
bunged up and uncomfortable in the head, sometimes with alterations
in sense of smell or hearing
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What remedies are there that may help
alleviate symptoms?
Often, a combination of supplements
may help in alleviating the symptoms of conditions but please
read the comments below alongside
this important
notice concerning supplement medical claims) |
Bioforce
Luffa Complex - for all eye and nose symptoms
Bioforce
Euphrasia (eyebright) - for eye symptoms
Higher
Nature Butterbur - for all types of allergic rhinitis
Bioforce
Urtica - for red rashes and itching skin
BioCare
Vitamin C - as a natural antihistamine
|
Bioforce Luffa Complex - for all eye and nose
symptoms
|
Luffa
Complex is a combination preparation derived from a number of tropical
plants, which, Bioforce say, are known to prevent and alleviate the
symptoms of allergies, particularly hayfever.
More details
here
|
Bioforce Euphrasia (Eyebright)
|
Euphrasia
has been widely used in Europe since the 17th Century. It has a place in
literature with Milton, in his poem Paradise Lost, describing how
the Archangel Michael used 'Euphrasy' to clear Adam's sight.
It has
long been used for conjunctivitis, inflammation of eyelids, and hayfever.
According to medical
herbalist Ed Smith, use of eyebright
benefits the eyes. The herb contains flavonoid
pigments that specifically affect mucous membranes
in the eyes and nasal passages, he notes. "The
flavonoids in eyebright are anti-inflammatory and
stabilize mast cells, the lining in nasal passages,"
says Smith. "These cells make up the tissue that
usually reacts to allergens."
"Use of eyebright can
help break the allergy cycle caused when you breathe
in pollen and your body overreacts with burning eyes
and runny nose", says Smith. He states that this
inflammation increases your sensitivity to pollen
which then intensifies the inflammation. He
goes on to say that use of
eyebright can break this allergy cycle.
David Hoffmann author
of The
Herbal Handbook
(Healing Arts Press)
calls eyebright an excellent remedy for the problems
of inflamed mucous membranes. The combination of
anti-inflammatory and astringent properties makes it
relevant in many conditions, he notes. Used
internally, it is a powerful anti-catarrhal (helps
the body remove excess mucus) and may help relieve
congestion. Best known for its use in eye
irritations, it can relieve inflammations, stinging
and weeping eyes, and is valuable in conjunctivitis,
he says.
More details
here
Dr Alfred
Vogel, Swiss Nature Doctor, had this to say about Butterbur: "The
medicinal use of Petasites (Butterbur) goes back to the Middle Ages, or
even earlier. The more we study the plant the more impressed we become
with its good effects on a whole range of complaints, and the
therapeutic spectrum of its active substances.
"Petasites
has a wide range of applications as an analgesic (a pain-relieving drug)
and excellent results have been reported in connection with its use for
headaches, migraines, menstrual cramps, toothache, painful wounds and
many other aches and pains."
Butterbur
has been used for hundreds of years to help whooping cough and various
respiratory conditions.
In 1998 a
Polish clinical study found that Butterbur was very helpful in improving
lung ventilation, and a Swiss study recently found Butterbur to be as
effective as antihistamine drugs for treating hayfever. Their study was
published in the British Medical Journal, where they concluded "We
believe butterbur should be considered for treating hayfever,
particularly in cases where the sedative effects of anti-histamines need
to be avoided."
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Bioforce Urtica (stinging nettle)
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Dr Alfred Vogel wrote in The Nature Doctor: "It is
most appropriate that nature has given this plant the
protection of stinging exterior. Without it, we would
probably never have the opportunity to benefit from its
healing power. Animals, with their instinctive knowledge of
what is good for them, would not leave us even one leaf.
"The stinging nettle is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron
and other important minerals."
Bioforce produce a tincture of stinging nettle (Urtica) for
use as a herbal antihistamine useful in cases of allergies
such as hayfever or urticaria.
More details here
|
Vitamin C - antihistamine
|
Way back in 1949 S Ruskin and
colleagues showed that, of sixty hay fever patients given
1,000 to 2,250 mg of ascorbic acid daily along with a few
milligrams of vitamin B3, 50 percent taking the lower
dose, and 75 percent taking the higher dose, showed
improvements.
W Dawson and colleagues presented a
series of papers on the effects of vitamin C on bronchial
spasm. They showed that when spasm was induced in guinea
pigs, broncho-constriction could be prevented by vitamin C.
More importantly, they showed that this action is
dose-dependent; at low levels it may potentiate the
effect of spasmogens, such as histamine, and at higher
concentrations it inhibits their spastic effects. This
dose-related smooth muscle phenomenon may explain some of
the conflicting clinical results of the past six decades.
Dawson W, et al. The nature of
the antagonism of bronchospasm in the guinea pig by ascorbic
acid. Jour Pharmacy Pharmacology, 1965;17:595-596.
Dawson W, et al. Actions of
sodium ascorbate on smooth muscle. Brit Journ
Pharmacology Chemo, 1967;31:269-275
Bieolory L and Gandi R reported in 1994
that since 1973 there have been 11 clinical studies of
vitamin C supplementation in asthma.
From their review they found that seven
of the studies showed significant improvements in
respiratory measures and asthma symptoms.
They also found vitamin C appeared
to be dose-dependent, and suggested the data indicated
supplementing the diet with 1 to 2 grams of vitamin C daily.
High-dose vitamin C therapy may also help asthmatics by
lowering histamine levels.
Bieolory
L;Gandi R. Asthma and vitamin C. Annals Allergy
1994;73:89-96.
Johnston CS, et al.
Antihistamine effect of supplemental ascorbic acid and
neutrophil chemotaxis. J Am Coll Nutr
1992;11:172-176
More of a pandemic really! Now that the
kids are back at school, you may need some Delacet.
Healthpol
Delacet |
