#295. 5 Habits to Ease Seasonal Allergies (Without Overusing Antihistamines)

It’s common to reach for antihistamines without really thinking about it. They definitely have their place and can be really helpful when symptoms are bad. But taking them every day is something we still don't fully understand, especially when it comes to long-term effects.

If you deal with allergies for months each year, it’s worth pausing and exploring strategies that might be more sustainable.

Many healthy habits that support overall health can also help manage inflammation, immune function and allergy symptoms. They’re not always as quick as taking a capsule, but they can make a real difference over time.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

• Why seasonal allergies seem to be getting worse
• The role and potential risks of antihistamines
• 5 daily habits that could ease allergy/hay fever symptoms

Quick note about nettle: I didn't find much strong research, but that doesn't mean it couldn't help some people. It just shows how much more there is to learn.

Sources

• Antihistamines: Sue et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2024. PMID: 38935035.
• Vitamin D: Malik et al. European Respiratory Journal. 2015 
• Dietary diversity: Nakamoto et al. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2019
• Fibre: Sdona et al. Clinical and translational allergy. 2022
• Polyphenols, chlorophyll, quercetin, vitamins C, D and E: Pellow et al. Complement Ther Med. 2020
• Fruits & vegetables: Kusunoki et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2017 | Oh et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020
• Probiotics: Ried et al. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022
• Ginger & curcumin: Yamprasert et al. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 | Wu et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016
• Saline rinse: Wang et al. Allergologia et Immunopathologia. 2020
• Steam inhalation: Vathanophas et al. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2021