Sneezing season. The pain. The struggles. The itchiness.
Time to become Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer when it’s warm and sunny outside. Time to sneeze more than receiving endless “bless you.” Time to become a hermit and stay indoors when the flowers are beautifully blooming outside.
Welcome to spring, people with Hay Fever’s worst nightmare!
Okay, jokes aside, allergy season is the worst! I have been suffering from Hay Fever for years, and every time spring comes along, I turn into an itching, sneezing, swollen tomato. Sometimes, people also mistake my uber-red eyes for after-crying eyes. But hey, at least I get more hugs! To add icing on the totally saccharine cake, allergy medication does NOT work for me. In fact, it aggravates my symptoms (I literally become a zombie). Hence, as a health nut, the natural thing for me to do is dive into research and turn towards natural remedies. A kind reminder that everyone is uniquely different, so what works for me might not work for you, like how allergy pills might help some people avoid sneezing season but not others (like me).
Below are some methods that have helped me combat the uncontrollable spasms of itchiness and achoos. Although these remedies are not magical cures, I’m grateful that my atrocious symptoms are alleviated, even if momentarily. I have also categorized them according to the symptoms and made the layout nice and simple to follow. From sufferer to sufferer, I sincerely hope this helps!
ITCHY THROAT:
As my throat itches 24/7, I need to find ways that provide fast and lasting relief. Here are my top relievers.
Warm milk with ginger and/or turmeric powder, along with cinnamon powder. I came across this remedy this year and decided to try it out. Miraculously, it works wonders! I now drink this every morning with my breakfast, and it combats the itchiness for 2+ hours! However, I can’t guarantee this method’s effectiveness with cold milk, but feel free to try it out, especially as you’ll never know the outcome if you don’t try. According to research, this remedy works due to cinnamon and ginger’s antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. They’re also great for boosting the immune system. Ginger is also famous for combating the nasty phlegm stuck in the nose and throat. (Eww but phew!)
Chew super spicy or minty gum and take deep breaks in and out. You’ll suddenly feel like your esophagus just cleared up. Really let that minty-ness go through your throat and you’ll feel super refreshed.
Drip some peppermint essential oil on your mask. Although you can also rub it under your nose, this might sting or cause some skin insensitivities, so I highly recommend using a mask or cloth. Peppermint essential oil is my go-to itchy throat combater. Ask anyone who knows me in school and they’ll say that I emanate an aura of peppermint in Spring. I have previously tried pollen allergy-specific oils on Taobao, but sadly, they either don’t work as well as peppermint essential oil. Another boost of peppermint essential oil is that it enhances productivity as it keeps you awake, stimulates the brain, and reinvigorates you.
Tea! I have tried numerous kinds of tea, and my top choices are lemon-ginger, nettle, chamomile, peppermint, green tea, and rooibos. For the latter ones, I commonly use teabags, but for lemon-ginger, I use freshly sliced lemon and grated ginger. I tend to add a lot of ginger because I’m a fan of the spiciness.
Lozenges and/or throat candy. My greatest apprehension with this is getting diabetes, hence why I usually opt for sugar-free ones. But even so, try not to overeat these and stick to the recommended use. (I know it’s hard but think about your long-term overall health!) My favorite brands are Zirkulin Propolis Halspastillen, Sambucol Black Elderberry, Strepsils, Prospan, Dr Dünner, and Comvita. (I ranked them in order of preference). My two favorite Chinese brands are Wang Wu Shan and Jin Sang Zi Hou Bao. I’m currently eating a Zirkulin lozenge as I write this article.
Throat spray. I have mixed feelings about throat sprays. Firstly, please, please, please read the ingredient list before purchasing any, because long story short, I recently used one with pollen in it, and the result was not pleasant (think a closed-up throat and worsened allergy symptoms). For the past week, I’ve been using Nature’s Answer: Black Elderberry Extract Spray. Although it does help momentarily, the long-term downside is that the spray makes my throat utterly dry, even after I drink tons of water. I don’t know if this is the case for everyone, so these sprays might help you, but I’m returning to the good-old essential oils and lozenges.
ITCHY EYES:
Icepacks! This is my go-to reliever for itchy eyes because it works like magic! At school, I usually go to the nurse’s office to get some icepacks and place them over my closed eyes. This can also be done at home, just make sure to cover the freezing icepacks with some tissue paper.
Teabags! After drinking tea, you can reuse your tea bags by steeping in some boiling water, squeezing out excess water, and placing them over your closed eyes.
Eyedrops are quick relievers. I usually use them when the itchiness gets atrociously bad, so bad that I want to gouge my eyes out, or before bed.
Allergy glasses (available on Taobao. Search for 花粉过敏眼镜) or normal glasses. I would strongly encourage wearing sunglasses when going outdoors.
RUNNY NOSE:
I don’t usually suffer a lot from runny nose, hence why this list is shorter than the previous two.
Again, peppermint essential oil drops on masks work wonders.
Nasal spray.
Nasal filters. I have yet to try this, but I saw a few on Taobao.
IMMUNITY-BOOSTING:
Effervescent tablets, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, Zinc, Iron, etc. A funny story: in German class, I recently came across the word teuerUrin, which translates to expensive urine. This is because of the claim that high doses of vitamin C (or any other supplements) won’t necessarily contribute to one’s overall health as the body can’t absorb the excessive nutrients. But expensive urine can be avoided by sticking to the recommended dosage.
Electrolytes’ benefits are quite similar to that of effervescent tablets, but these provide more energy due to the presence of electrically charged particles (ions). Electrolyte balance is very important as it works alongside the body’s homeostatic mechanisms. Think of electrolytes as batteries for your powerless cells! I prefer drinking sugar-free electrolyte powder, but electrolytes are also found in sports drinks. However, I don’t usually recommend sports drinks as they are loaded with sugar.
Manuka honey. Try to opt for UMF 10+ or MGO 50+ ones. But do note that although the higher the number equates to better results, it also means that the price will increase alongside.
Furthermore, I want to highlight that these three methods also help with combating an itchy throat!
These are just some suggestions, and while they work for me, they might or might not work for you. I would highly recommend trying a few out to find the best fit! But at the same time, please triple-check the ingredient lists for potential allergens and stay safe! I hope you’ll have a less sneezing season!
Images: Pexels, Helena Zhao
