Locally grown honey can bring sweet relief during allergy season
brbr
By Tina Auten, Staff Writer
All it takesbris a quick look outside to see that spring has arrived. Bradford pear trees are covered with tinybrwhite blooms, the grass is not only green but needs to be mowed, and many of usbrhave itchy watery eyes and a red nose. brFor just as surely as spring brings warmer temperatures, wild flowers,brand budding trees, spring also brings seasonal allergies to many North Texans.
Due to thebrincreased pollen in the air as grass comes in and flowers begin to bloom,brspring is the most common time of the year for people to be impacted bybrallergies such as hay fever. Thebrcold-like symptoms include nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyesbrand can be miserable. For those withbrmild to moderate allergies, a trip to the drug store for over-the-counter antihistaminesbrdoes the trick even though it means putting up with the side effect ofbrdrowsiness common with antihistamines.
Fortunately,brthere are natural remedies for allergy sufferers that can work as well as thebrover-the-counter variety without the side effects of drowsiness. According to WebMd, the European herb butterbur has been tested in clinicalbrtrials and alleviates common hay fever symptoms. It can be purchased online or in stores suchbras The Vitamin Shoppe.
Hot spicybrfoods such as cayenne pepper, hot ginger, horseradish, and wasabi can thin mucous secretionsbrand open sinus passages. Drinking hotbrpeppermint tea can also provide relief for congestion. The essential oils in peppermint act as abrdecongestant and also contain mild antibacterial and anti-inflammatorybrproperties.
Eating smallbramounts of locally grown honey each day is thought to be a form ofbrimmunotherapy and is similar to gradually vaccinating the body againstbrallergens. Small particles of pollenbrspores (allergens) are present in honey. brOver time and with repeated exposure the body becomes accustomed to thebrpresence of allergens and instead of triggering an immune response (releasingbrhistamines which trigger an allergy attack), the body produces antibodies. Just one-two teaspoons per day of local (nobrmore than 50 mile radius of your home) honey can fight common springbrallergies. Local honey can be found atbrfarmers markets as well as grocery stores such as Central Market.
Note: A child under the age of one shouldbrnever ingest honey of any variety, as the intestinal tract isn't mature enoughbrto inhibit the growth of Clostridiumm botulinum, a type of botulism thatbrproduces a paralytic agent, and can be fatal. brAlways seek advice from a medical professional.