| Cleansing the nose with salt water is an ancient Yoga | | | | desensitize yourself to local pollens. As with allergy |
| practice. But it is not exclusive to India. Scandinavians | | | | shots, your body gradually builds up tolerance by |
| have also used this home remedy to ward off colds, | | | | ingesting the pollen. There is, to our knowledge, no |
| relieve allergies, and prevent sinus infections. | | | | scientific evidence to support this hypothesis, and |
| Yoga practitioners use a neti pot, a ceramic vessel | | | | relief, if it occurs, may take several months. |
| that looks a bit like Aladdin's lamp. You put teaspoon | | | | Several researchers have looked into the possibility |
| of salt in warm water and then pour from the neti | | | | that honey itself might precipitate allergic reactions. |
| pot into one nostril. Do this over a sink, as the salt | | | | Finnish investigators found no increased risk when |
| water should then drain out of the other nostril. Once | | | | pollen-allergic patients were exposed to honey. |
| it has drained, repeat the procedure on the other | | | | Austrian Spanish scientist, however, did find that |
| side. | | | | some people are allergic to honey and experienced |
| Vitamin C | | | | symptoms such as itching or even anaphylactic shock. |
| Everyone thinks vitamin C is good for the common | | | | If you are considering honeycomb as a home |
| cold. But there is research suggesting that a large | | | | remedy, first make sure that you are not allergic to |
| does of vitamin C may reduce antibody allergens | | | | honey. |
| binding and diminish allergic symptoms. The best does | | | | Herbs |
| of vitamin C against allergies has not been | | | | There has been as much research on herbal |
| determined. | | | | treatments for allergy symptoms as there has for |
| Because the effect is fairly short, it probably makes | | | | some other ailments. Nevertheless, there are |
| sense to take 500 mg periodically throughout the day | | | | reporters that stinging nettle may be helpful against |
| up to a maximum of 2.5 of 3 grams. If you have a | | | | hay fever. It is a very popular herb in Germany, used |
| history of kidney stones, avoid this regimen, and if | | | | there for relieving symptoms of benign prostate |
| you experience diarrhea, reduce the dose. | | | | enlargement as well as for hives, which are an |
| Local Honey Comb | | | | allergic-type skin reaction. |
| There are reports that eating honeycomb that | | | | In one double-blind study, investigators tested |
| comes from the area where you live can relieve | | | | freeze-dried nettle in hay fever sufferers. More than |
| symptoms of allergy. The theory is that by chewing | | | | half of the subjects experienced significant relief of |
| a little honeycomb made by local bees you can | | | | their symptoms of congestion and runny noses. |