Hay fever is troubling more people than usual this year and whilst it may seem to be about surface symptoms only, it is really a deep-seated complaint. Commonly prescribed and over-the-counter sprays and tablets that suppress hay fever symptoms may bring temporary relief but they never get to the root of the problem. They are also associated with many side effects and are the least helpful option for long-term improvement. The majority of hayfever symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, blocked nose etc. are caused by histamine levels in your body soaring in reaction to the pollens from flowers, grasses, shrubs or trees that are around at that particul time of year Taking some natural products with their own antihistamine action can help to provide relief but homeopathic remedies to match your own symtoms provides the best help:
Treating yourself with homoeopathy during an ACUTE phase of hay fever is easy as long as you know which remedy that matches your symptoms. Relief is usually rapid and all remedies are safe for use with babies through to the elderly when given according to instructions. Look through the remedies below to see which one matches your symptoms. You need a 30C potency. If there is no improvement by 3-4 doses, just reassess your symptoms and choose a different remedy that matches your symptoms more closely.
Allium cepa: Opposite symptoms to Euphrasia, below.
Arsenicum album (Ars): Burning or itching in the nose, eyes or throat is a strong indication. Discharges from both eyes and nose will be burning (but check to make sure that Allium cepa or Euphrasia is best indicated. Symptoms improve in the open air, although sensitive to light. (Euphrasia, listed below has the opposite symptoms).
Euphrasia (Eup): A classic remedy for hay fever where there is lots of sneezing with streaming eyes and nose. If the water from the eyes burns the cheeks and the discharge from the nose is not too bad, this remedy is needed. (Allium cepa has the opposite symptoms). The remedy is indicated if the symptoms improve in the open air – obviously away from pollen – like Allium cepa.
Natrum muriaticum (Nat-mur): Initially, there is a streaming, bland discharge from both the eyes and nose with lots of sneezing. Later, there is nasal discharge that is thick and clear like the white of an egg with loss of taste and smell. Can bring great relief to the type who gets easily burned, feel generally miserable, uncomfortable, blotchy and irritated in the sun.
Nux vomica (Nux-vom): This is one of the best remedies for when there is lots of sneezing, streaming from the eyes and nose, and an irritable mood. (If you are good tempered about your symptoms, it is unlikely to help!) Symptoms are worse in dry air and relieved when the atmosphere is damp.
Pulsatilla (Puls): The main indications for this remedy are a weepy, needy, state of mind with discharges that are thick, bland (not acrid) and green or yellow. Pulsatilla frequently has one side of the nose blocked or congested.
Sulphur (Sulph): Watery, burning nasal discharge, or a blocked nose, when outside. Frequent sneezing. Blocking of nose on alternate sides. Burning pain in eyes. Symptoms worsened by warmth and becoming warm in bed. Better for being in open air. Can be lazy, opinionated, and desire sweets, alcohol, and spicy food.
Some Sleep Tips For You
Sleep or a lack of quality rest are areas of heath that can affect the rest of the body. Sleep deficiency is associated with heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure, so making sure that the quantity and quality of your sleep time are right is important for your general health and wellbeing.
Sleep hygiene is vital ~ ideally sleep in a dark room, without any devices. No blue light interference can make all the difference to your sleep quality and rest. But for those who still struggle, there are supplements which can also help.
The minerals zinc and magnesium are both required to convert tryptophan to serotonin and then to melatonin, which controls circadian rhythm (body clock). Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland in the 'third eye' area of the brain and is guided by the action of the lack of light upon it, making it even more helpful for you to sleep in a room that is as dark as possible.
Sour cherry is a good natural source of melatonin and may help reduce time taken to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. Vitamin B6 also affects serotonin as well as increasing GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter needed to facilitate dropping off. Herbal supplements such as 5HTP to improve serotonin; adaptogens (to reduce stress) and chamomile, which mimics the sedating effects of some medications are also helpful for those struggling with lack of sleep.
As with all supplements however, making sure you purchase a reputable brand will ensure that you get the most effective form of nutrient you need, so please ask your homeopath or local independent health store for recommendations.
The Vaccination Issue
Before considering whether you or your family should have a seasonal ‘flu or a covid booster jab, or indeed any 'recommended' vaccine, remember there are other much SAFER & NATURAL (and certainly painless!) options to prevent you from getting ill this winter:
1) You can take a homeopathic 'flu prophylactic;
2) You can use homeopathic remedies to help your overall constitution and/or herbal remedies and supplements to boost your immune system, particularly Vit D3;
3) Make sure your diet contains plenty of Vitamin C, Zinc and Omega 3 and 6;
4) Get as much sunlight as possible.
5) If you do decide to go ahead with a vaccine, then its advisable to consult a qualified homeopath who will be able to prescribe remedies to counteract any side effects.
All vaccinations contain potentially toxic chemicals such as aluminium, mercury and formaldehyde, amongst other substances such as animal by-products, as well as the live disease microbe or virus. These can skew our immune systems so there is no guarantee that you won’t get the disease that you’re trying to avoid in the first place, and the risk of an adverse reaction to the jab itself is increased. The website http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html gives details of what’s in vaccinations. Travel vaccinations are (mostly) only recommended and NOT compulsorary so think twice.
It is important that you make an INFORMED choice for yourself about having ANY vaccination and don’t feel bamboozled or pressurised into having this potentially damaging cocktail of chemicals needlessly introduced into your system. Remember that the seasonal flu jab contains the previous year’s strain of flu as its active ingredient, and so will NOT offer any protection whatsoever against the current year’s mutated version of the virus. Over-use of the flu vaccine and other anti-flu drugs applies genetic pressure on flu viruses so that they are more likely to mutate into a more resistant strain.
You are frankly, better off without travel vaccinations. If you are concerned, consult your homeopath for advice. Vaccines and prescription medicines are huge business for the major pharmaceutical companies who are quite shameless in their tactics to boost 'big pharma' sales.
