3 Natural Ways to Reduce Allergy Symptoms—And More

When Is Allergy Season?

Summertime and the livin’ is sneezy. Allergies to pollen from trees, grasses, weeds, and flowers, as well as to mold, peak from March to November, depending on where you live—and the peculiarities of the year. Climate change is mixing up some traditional cycles. The allergy season is up to three weeks longer than it used to be in some areas, and pollen loads are greater. Around 30% of United States adults today contend with seasonal allergies, as do 25% of kids.

Symptoms of Allergies

Allergies do a lot more than make you stuffy, wheezy, and sneezy. Pollen and other allergens can damage DNA in the nose, sinuses, and lungs, causing inflammation that worsens allergic reactions and weakens immunity. Pollen can also cause an asthma attack. One U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study found up to 60,000 ER visits a year are linked to asthma-related responses to trees and grass.  

That’s why it is so important to take steps to reduce your allergic response ahead of time and control it when it hits. 

Best Supplements for Allergies

Three natural substances offer effective ways to tamp down your allergic response while building up your gut biome’s natural defenses against allergies.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a plant flavanol with antiallergic properties. It inhibits histamine release, reducing the load of inflammatory compounds and pro-inflammatory cytokines. It’s found in onions, apples, grapes, and my favorite, broccoli, but is very poorly absorbed by the body. That’s why I take a daily supplement to help boost my immune strength and allergy resistance. Studies show that between 250 and 500mg daily will tamp down an allergic response. 

Stinging Nettle  

Stinging nettle may inhibit inflammation and disrupt the histamine response. One study found that supplementing with 600 mg once daily reduced allergy symptoms better than standard antihistamines in a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial of 90 patients.

Probiotics

Lacticaseibacillus (formerly known as Lactobacillus casei), found in probiotics, may help restore balance to your gut biome. Everything from allergies to obesity, chronic stress, and a diet loaded with over-processed foods and sugars can damage the biome.  Restoring balance tamps down your allergic response because well-balanced bacteria in your gut can help calm body-wide inflammation and protect your gut lining from damage that can worsen allergies. One study even found making sure kids’ guts have sufficient Lacticaseibacillus reduces their risk of allergies and atopic dermatitis by age five. That’s nothing to sneeze at!

Simple Steps for Fewer Symptoms 

In addition to those natural therapies, try these easy lifestyle swaps to reduce your allergy symptoms.

• Monitor pollen levels and limit outdoor time during morning and evening when they spike.
• Wear a hat to prevent pollen from adhering to your hair. 
• Upgrade indoor air quality and use an indoor air filter and/or air conditioner—they both need a HEPA filter. 
• Wash your hair, shower, and change clothes after being out in pollen-dense air. You’ll be amazed at how much difference it makes.

Talk to Your Doc 

You should also see an allergist to identify what specifically triggers your allergic response and find out if prescription and over-the-counter medications may help. You may also benefit from allergy shots, also known as subcutaneous immunotherapy or sublingual immunotherapy (drops under your tongue). 

For more information on managing your seasonal allergies, check out “How to Relieve Allergies Naturally.”  That’s nothing to sneeze at!

References: 

1. CDC. More Than a Quarter of U.S. Adults and Children Have at Least One Allergy. www.cdc.gov. Published January 27, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220126.htm
2. Quantification Of Genomic DNA Damage In Lung and Nasal Epithelium and Response To Allergen Challenge - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (jacionline.org)
3. Estimates of Present and Future Asthma Emergency Department Visits Associated With Exposure to Oak, Birch, and Grass Pollen in the United States - PMC (nih.gov)
4. Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis - PubMed (nih.gov)
5. Roschek B, Fink RC, McMichael M, Alberte RS. Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis. Phytotherapy Research. 2009;23(7):920-926. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2763
6. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum | Probiotic Professionals | US. www.optibacprobiotics.com. https://www.optibacprobiotics.com/professionals/probiotics-database/lactobacillus/lactobacillus-casei
7. Clinic C. Home Remedies for Seasonal Allergies. Cleveland Clinic. Published April 26, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/natural-remedies-for-seasonal-allergies
8. Devkota HP, Paudel KR, Khanal S, et al. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.): Nutritional Composition, Bioactive Compounds, and Food Functional Properties. Molecules. 2022;27(16):5219. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165219
9. Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, Mondragon A del C, Regal P, Miranda JM. Probiotics as a Possible Strategy for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergies. A Narrative Review. Foods. 2021;10(4):701. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10040701
10. Nance CL, Deniskin R, Diaz VC, Paul M, Anvari S, Anagnostou A. The Role of the Microbiome in Food Allergy: A Review. Children. 2020;7(6). doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/children7060050
11. Hill D, Sugrue I, Tobin C, Hill C, Stanton C, Ross RP. The Lactobacillus casei Group: History and Health Related Applications. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2018;9. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02107