Its spring time again! And along with the beauty of budding trees and blooming flowers comes the burden of allergy symptoms.
The most common symptoms of allergies include sneezing, runny nose, cough, wheezing, red eyes, and sore throat. These symptoms are often a result of inflammation in the body that is triggered by pollen in the air.
A lot of people turn to prescription or over-the-counter antihistamines for relief. There are, however, some natural alternatives to control allergy symptoms.
One of the most well studied herbs to assist with allergy symptoms is the herb butterbur. Butterbur (or Petastites hybridus) is a European herb related to the sunflower that has been shown in multiple studies to assist in controlling the symptoms of allergies just as well as prescription antihistamines! Just one 50 mg tablet twice a day can control mild to moderate symptoms without the drowsiness of traditional allergy medicines.
There is a catch. Butterbur is known to cause mild to moderate allergic reactions to individuals with allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies. There is also a mild risk of side-effects including belching, diarrhea, and mild drowsiness. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under the age of 16 are not advised to use this herb. This herb does come with some herb-drug interactions so please be cautious if you take any prescribed therapies.
As with any herbal or over-the-counter supplement, please speak to your healthcare provider before using.
For many people, butterbur is a safe and effective natural remedy for seasonal allergies.
In good health!
Joshua
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Butterbur. (2011, December 1). Retrieved May 5, 2015, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/butterbur
Feature, C. (2009, October 19).
Seasonal Allergies: Many Natural Treatments Can Work. Retrieved May 5, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/…/featur…/relieve-allergies-natural-way