Summer allergies are the only bad thing about this time of year. You want to head outside and get some vitamin D, but your eyes are itchy, your nose is blocked, and you can’t stop sneezing.
Don’t worry, there are loads of great natural treatments out there that’ll definitely work…right? You’ve seen them on the news, big influencers have posted about them, so they’re bound to be legit.
I hate to break it to you but there are loads of summer allergy myths out there that everyone believes. The good news is, we’re debunking them today! If you suffer from hayfever and want some relief, DON’T try these things:
Myth 1: Local honey cures your allergies
This is probably the biggest misconception and it’s posted everywhere! The supposed idea is that local honey contains pollen. So, ingesting this gets your body used to the local pollen, developing a tolerance to it. As a result, you no longer suffer from summer allergies!
Sadly, there’s no scientific evidence to support this. Honey contains such low levels of pollen that it won’t have an impact on your body at all. Having said that, it is very good for you and might ease some symptoms. Generally, eating natural honey is a good health habit to get into as it’s rich in antioxidants and helps soothe sore throats.
If you take it for allergies, it won’t cure them – sorry!
Myth 2: Rubbing Vaseline around your nose stops allergies
There’s a tiny bit of truth to this treatment but it’s still nowhere near as effective as people make out. Here, the concept is that Vaseline acts as a shield around your nose. When pollen particles get close, they are caught in the jelly and don’t make it up your nostrils.
It sounds genius, but it just isn’t effective at all. You might stop a tiny amount of particles from getting up there, but most will still make it into your nose. You’re going to keep experiencing symptoms, so don’t believe this is a great cure for allergies!
Ironically, if you want to block pollen from entering your nose, there are better ways of doing so. Wear a protective face mask as this can stop pollen particles in their tracks. People have been doing this for years during allergy seasons in other parts of the world, so give it a try.
Myth 3: Drinking ginger tea soothes your allergy symptoms
Ginger is one of those food substances that people recommend for everything. Got a cold? Drink some ginger tea. Feel queasy? Snack on some ginger. Suffering from summer allergies? Brew up some more of that tasty ginger tea!
The main reason ginger is recommended for allergies is that it has anti-inflammatory properties. In theory, this means that it reduces inflammation and can stop some of the main symptoms associated with hay fever. Realistically, it just doesn’t work. Ginger tea will not help your hayfever other than maybe soothe a sore throat.
In fact, no teas are going to help with allergies. Some people swear by chamomile tea, but this also won’t work. Allergies are caused by a response in your immune system. To treat them, you need to tackle this response and prevent it from being as extreme. Ginger tea – or any tea for that matter – will not do this.
What can you do to treat summer allergies?
If none of these natural treatments work, what the heck can you do to treat summer allergies?
There’s no need to fret; there are various treatments and medications out there to help. Before you purchase or use anything look for an allergy specialist in your area. Get looked at and have tests done to figure out what you’re actually allergic to. It could be pollen, but it could also be something else.
From here, you’re able to get proper treatment in the form of antihistamines. This medication is designed to stop your immune system from overreacting when it encounters allergens. Therefore, you shouldn’t see the common symptoms you usually face. Other options include steroid nasal sprays to reduce inflammation in your nasal passages, and eye drops to ease the itching.
So there you go: three big summer allergy myths debunked. A lot of us suffer from allergies every summer and they ruin the whole experience for us. It’s good to know that there are some treatment options out there, but equally that you shouldn’t waste your time on these “natural” remedies. Most of the people that try them will be taking allergy medication as well. Any “results” they see are probably more down to the antihistamines than anything else!