It’s getting around to Hay fever season again, a problem at The Retreat because we are sitting in the middle of fields and fields of grass and pollen filled plants. The only over the counter treatment for hay fever is Antihistamines in tablet or nasal spray forms. The problem is they make you tired, leave a funny taste in your mouth and you still feel awful even after you’ve taken them. I have compiled a selection of my own favourite remedies that I use when hay fever starts to affect me. I still take an antihistamine on really bad days but these home remedies go
Local Honey
a long way to helping me feel a lot better.
The most important is Honey.
Try to find some locally produced honey ( within 10 miles of your home ) and take a teaspoon daily from about a month before the hay fever season starts.
You can put it in tea or just a glass of warm water or spread it on toast. As long as you take it regularly, it contains local pollen and helps to build up an immunity to the pollen near your home that may affect you, be it either tree pollen or grass.
Lemon Honey syrup
One of my favourite methods of using my local honey is in homemade Citrus Honey syrup. It’s a really simple process, you take a small jar, add slices of lemon ( or any of your chosen citrus fruit ) and pour your local honey over the top, stirring it all in. Seal the jar, leave for a couple of hours and the citrus juices thin the honey making a wonderful citrus syrup. You can use it by the teaspoon as a cough remedy or add a spoon to boiling water or tea to make a lovely drink. Orange and cinnamon are a lovely combination with the honey too, making a sweet and comforting syrup.
The reason for choosing citrus syrups is that Vitamin C is great for hay fever treatment. Vitamin C is a known natural antihistamine and can be found in oranges, lemons and grapefruit. They also contain bioflavonoids, which have powerful anti-allergy effects. The combination of vitamin C and bioflavonoids provides a natural decongestant and antihistamine for sufferers and helps alleviate symptoms effectively. Oranges are a good dose of vitamin C or you can take a supplement of 1000 mg daily.
Another very simple but effective trick for helping to prevent the pollen from irritating you is to rub Vaseline on the inside of your nostrils, it effectively traps the pollen preventing from travelling any further into your nasal passages and causing a reaction. I find this works really well if I have to be outside in the garden for a while.
Finally my last suggestion, particularly if you have major sinus problems with your hay fever is to try Hopi Candles ( Thermo Auricular Therapy ). 
This treatment is really effective at helping to relieve pressure on sinuses and helps to get the sinus fluid moving again. Its a wonderfully relaxing therapy, it also includes a gentle facial and head massage and many of my clients fall asleep, relaxed on the couch listening to the gentle sound of the candles.
None of these remedies are a replacement for Antihistamines, however they do all help to relieve symptoms and make you feel less like a giant, red nosed, watery eyed, sneezing mess. On some days I can just get by with my home remedies, on others I need to take a tablet, its all about finding what works best for you, and spoiling yourself a little too. Oh and make sure you buy the lovely soft balm hankies too!
Author Info
No Comments