What do my wonderful fellow raw foodists use for allergy relief? I have been raw for less than a year so I am still experiencing allergy symptoms, but no longer want to run to the pharmacy for a typical medication or nasal spray. I have symptoms both outoors and indoors (thanks to my adorable dog, Buddy). Any suggestions?
Hmmm, that's interesting that you're still getting allergies. I'm fairly new to raw foods, but I've been eating them heavily this spring, and I've had basically no allergy symptoms. This is really unusual for me, since I've nearly always had allergies. It's pretty amazing that I've been allergy-free, since here in Kentucky there's so much pollen that it looks like it's snowing. I've also heard that nettle is good for allergies, so I would definitely recommend trying that.
Unheated local honey (within 5 mile 10 k area), fenugreek, feverfew, fennel, mullein, reishi, astragalus, cat's claw (uncaia tomentosa the bark of the root), neti pot every morning, drink lemon water every morning. I don't have environmental allergies, but try some of those things, I think they'll help you. Are you using any herbs that have caffeine? I think caffeine helps make us morepredisposed to allergies.
The skins of citrus have a natural antihistamine (I forget what it's called) so you could juice whole citrus or do what I do which is scrape with my teeth and eat the white insides of the orange peel. 2 oranges a day seems to be working pretty well for me. I don't have allergies as bad as I did before i was raw but this is my first spring in Albuquerque and there seem to be some new things my body is not used to and is reacting to.
You could also look in your healthfood store for a homeopathic remedy, especially one that is made locally and specifically for the allergins in your region.
And if you have the money, consistent (every 2 weeks) acupuncture treatments can do wonders for allergies in my experience.
Have you tried a neti pot? It's a way to do a nasal rinse with only saline water. It's helped my daughter with her environmental allergies by actually rinsing out the nose and sinuses.
My daughter is nine. I think for a cold, it would only work as a preventative measure, not much help after they've got the bug. If I see her exhibiting the beginning of a cold, I immediately take out any processed foods she might be eating, no matter how "healthy," take her as Raw as possible, and put her on rest. She's usually able to fight it off with just those 3 measures. Of course, it's easy for me to do, since she's homeschooled.