Though spring is the most beautiful of all seasons, it also brings along with it a handful of health woes. Fresh grass, blooming trees, flowers and weeds release pollen into the air in what is known as the natural process of pollination, which leads to allergies that continue to affect people not just in the season of spring but throughout summer. Runny nose, itchy eyes, hay fever, mood swings, low blood pressure, asthma and congestion are some of the major symptoms. Moreover, with the change in temperature, falling prey to seasonal flu is also common.

Every flower, tree and weed release pollens, but different individuals have different reactions to these pollens. For some people cottonwood trees and ragweed might cause problems, while for others grass could instantly trigger a few symptoms. Hence it is important to recognise the triggers for your allergy problems.

While there are numerous medicines that can help you treat seasonal allergies, resorting to natural home-made remedies can prove to be as effective without any side effects. So here is a list of easy home remedies which will help you fight the seasonal allergies:

1. Refreshing Citrus Drinks

Majority of the allergies arise during spring when the scorching heat of the sun gets harsher every passing day. This also makes you want to binge on refreshing cool drinks. Citrus fruits can not only energise and refresh your body but they also contain good amounts of Vitamin C, which aid in fighting seasonal allergies by boosting your immune system. So make sure you include these fruits in your daily diet.

2. Red Onion Water

Onions contain a water soluble chemical compound called quercetin, which is known to reduce the amount of histamine produced by the body, therefore reducing symptoms of allergies. When you inhale pollen, your body immediately releases a chemical compound called histamine, which triggers the immune responses in the body. As such antibodies are released that fight against the allergens. But the release of histamine also causes certain reactions in the body, which are what we experience as symptoms of allergy, such as sneezing, etc. Onion is nature’s version of an anti-histamine. Quercetin also acts as a bronchodilator, opening up airways and helping you breathe easier.

3. Apples and Walnuts

Walnuts are a daily snack that you can enjoy to help ease allergy symptoms. Being high in magnesium content, they help curb down wheezing or coughing. Their vitamin E content can boost immunity and protect the body from reacting to allergens. Apples, like onions, contain quercetin, and naturally reduce the production of histamine. Several studies have confirmed that an apple a day really does keep allergies at bay.

4. Hot and Spicy Food

Hot and spicy food tends to make the mucus secretion in your nose thin down, thus making the nose cleaner and clearer. This enables you to breathe more efficiently.

5. Nettle-Peppermint Tea

This tea helps in lowering blood pressure, relieving arthritis, and fighting seasonal allergies. Peppermint contains a type of flavonoid called luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, which helps inhibit the activity and secretion of anti-inflammatory enzymes, such as histamines, and reduce the dreadful discomfort that comes along with them.

Tips For Allergy Prevention

1. Avoid opening the window as allergens will fly into your house and settle on everything.

2. The line drying your clothes can contribute to allergies as pollens stick to it and consequently stick to your clothes and you.

3. At the end of the day, take a shower with cold water. It will rinse away any pollen stuck on your hair or the skin.