Medical herbalist Nicola Parker has a great alternative to hay fever antihistamines


I have had a lot of requests recently for a natural antihistamine. I feel like it’s a bit late in the summer for seasonal allergies, but the truth is hay fever can strike any part of the season and it’s hard to predict when we should be. wait there. In my clinic we tend to see occasional sick people throughout the season, but there is often a point where we see a sudden influx. Runny nose, sneezing and itchy, puffy eyes are becoming the hot topic of over-the-counter advice and in my private consultation room.

Pollen levels often rise after a period of rainy weather followed by a few early, hot summer days, ruining the bright sunshine for anyone sensitive to it. It is not fully understood why some people react to pollen and why others do not, but we do know that symptoms occur due to an overactive immune response. Histamine levels rise as your immune system responds to pollen, causing inflammation in the sinuses. The body sees the pollen as alien and begins to wage war on this harmless invader. It is this inflammation that causes itchy, sneezing, tickling nose and itchy and swollen eyes. To soothe this irritation, the nose begins to run and the eyes begin to cry.

Not everyone wants to use antihistamines for their hay fever symptoms. Some antihistamines make you drowsy, some people find them ineffective, and others are concerned about using these drugs for a long time. In these cases, people often turn to herbal remedies for symptom relief. Although I see people in my clinic for allergies, hay fever, and allergic rhinitis, some of the simpler solutions for pollen allergies are found in our over-the-counter remedies.

Hay fever
Hay fever

For many years now I have been working with a product called Pollinosan. It comes as a nasal spray and a small tablet that dissolves in the mouth. The Pollinosan remedy seems to ward off hay fever symptoms, so if you can anticipate the weather or keep an eye on pollen counts, taking it early enough means your symptoms are less likely to show up.

If you don’t notice the pollen count increasing in time, the good news is that these remedies work very quickly. Many years ago I saw my colleague recommending these tablets to a young man. His eyes were swollen and swollen. You could see her discomfort, as rubbing them only made the itching worse. He opened the bottle of pills and let a few dissolve in his mouth while his partner paid and started asking about an unrelated topic.

As she turned to leave, he made a joke about how he felt like they were already helping. The truth was that the swelling around his eyes had visibly reduced. As unlikely as it sounds that something could work so quickly, I had hesitated to believe him when he said the remedy has already started to work, but the visible signs are hard to dispute. This makes it a great remedy for those caught off guard by the pollen season!

Since then, I have spent many years recommending Pollinosan. One of the most impressive reports I get is that after taking it throughout the pollen season, the symptoms the following year are either absent or drastically reduced even without the cure. Looking at the ingredient list (as it’s not a self-made remedy), it appears to be made with different types of plant pollens. It’s as if it can reduce sensitivity to pollen by helping your body respond to it differently. We don’t really understand how it works and all of the information we have on it has been accumulated over the years from testimonials. Due to its success, it is my favorite over the counter pollen allergy remedy.

l For more information, or to make an appointment, with Nicola, contact his clinic on 01524 413733.

About Sherri Flowers

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