First, it’s important to keep in mind that allergies of this sort are essentially the immune system over-reacting to exposure to an otherwise harmless trigger. The reason I mention this is because ideally, we would “heal” the immune system so it wouldn’t respond to the trigger as opposed to treating the symptoms.

To that end, studies suggest that probiotics or “friendly” bacteria found in the intestines, including L. acidophilus, enhance the immune system. It is thought probiotics have the potential to lower the risk of allergies. In fact, in a double-blind trial, supplementation with a probiotic strain during the pollen season significantly decreased symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal blockage, compared with a placebo. I recently recorded a podcastdiscussing probiotics that you may find interesting. For this discussion, I’ll say that probiotics may not offer immediate relief, but according to experts may help in the long-term to modulate proper immune response.

While nettle is a popular and time-tested remedy for seasonal allergies, it’s not the only one. Below is a brief discussion of four of the most popular and effective remedies I’ve found based on research and customer feedback. The following is taken from our e-com website http://www.vchoice.com and can specifically be found here.

Quercetin - is a flavonoid, a plant pigment responsible for the colors found in fruits and vegetables. Quercetin inhibits the production and release of histamine — a substance that contributes to allergy symptoms of allergic rhinitis, such as a runny nose and watery eyes. Quercetin seems to work better when used in conjunction with bromelain, a digestive enzyme found in pineapples.

Bromelain -Although not all experts agree, bromelain supplements may help suppress cough, reduce nasal mucus associated with sinusitis, and relieve the swelling and inflammation caused by hay fever. This supplement is often administered with quercetin.
Note – many supplements combine these ingredients together with Vitamin C. A few that come to mind are Quercetin Strength by MegaFood and Activated Quercetin from Source Naturals. I’ve had positive feedback on both of these in the past.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has been traditionally used to treat asthma and bronchitis and to reduce mucus. A recent study of 125 people with hay fever found that an extract of this herb was as effective and less sedating than cetirizine, a commonly prescribed non-sedating antihistamine. The study lasted only 2 weeks, and while it shows promise, it is not known what would be the effect of using butterbur over a longer time period.
Note – you’ll often find Butterbur sold as a remedy for migraine headaches as it has also shown great promise here.

A final supplement that merits inclusion is called Aller-7. Aller-7 is a combination of seven different herbs that has been studied for over ten years. Aller-7 has shown the ability to reduce allergy symptoms to any airborne allergen. Here is a link to the manufacturer’s website. We do offer Aller-7 at Vital Choice. One note about Aller-7 – it is most effective when taken prior to allergy season. That is, ideally it would be taken at least 7-10 weeks prior to the onset of seasonal allergies. On a personal note, my wife’s co-worker found Aller-7 significantly reduced her year-round allergies and, as a result, she was able to reduce multiple medications she had been taking.

Now, with all this said there are a few more options I’d like to offer. Do you know specifically what your husband is allergic to? We’ve had great feedback on the bioAllers line when the allergens are known. For example, bioAllers offer a specific remedy for Grass Pollen, Pollen Hayfever, Tree Pollen, etc. One customer combined several of these on his own and had great success!

For your husband’s itchy water eyes, you may want to look for Similasan’s homeopathic eye drops. Click here to view some of the options. I’ve used Similasan products before and found them to be quite helpful. I don’t think these products will be as effective in the long-term as some of the others I’ve mentioned, but for short-term relief they can be really useful.

Finally, inflammation plays a role in this process, thus many experts recommend an anti-inflammatory diet and supplements including a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids (from fish and flax oil for examples) and lower in omega-6 (wheat, corn, dairy products and meat for example).

I hope this helps. I wish I could offer a ‘one-size-fits-all’ remedy that works 100% of the time, but unfortunately the right remedy is sometimes as unique as the individual taking it. If you’d like to discuss any of these options is greater detail, please don’t hesitate to write or call – 440-885-9505.

Best of health,
Michael