Bees cured my Spring allergies

Every Spring, as other people are celebrating warm weather and basking in the sun, I get hit with itchy eyes, nose and throat, runny nose and congestion headaches.

In the past I wouldn’t hesitate to pop antihistamines, but since I’ve been pregnant and nursing, I’ve suffered through it. This Spring I’m determined to find a holistic cure for my hay fever.

At the first sign of hay fever I steeped a box of Stinging Nettle tea in 2 quarts of water and let infuse overnight. I added a tsp of honey (since I’m diabetic) and lemon juice and, with high hopes, drank a cup morning and evening. This didn’t work. Soon as the trees really started to bloom I was knocked down. I also noticed I always felt worse after drinking coffee or alchohol.

My husband brought home a generic Walgreens brand of antihistamines and I took them. Ahh. Time to regroup. I found this great article on Herb’s Place News on the body’s immune reaction to pollen and how it triggers the release of histamine, which produces an inflammatory reaction. Understanding this helps in knowing how to manage it naturally. I immediately went to honeygardens.com to order my bee pollen and propolis spray. I also decided to make an exception in my diabetic diet for honey and to eat it abundantly so long as it is hay fever season. So far, the tea has worked it’s magic. I can’t wait to try the pollen and purple loosestrife eyewash.

Here’s my new daily plan:
* Stay hydrated. Drink 1 gallon of water with a bit of sea salt (to mimic body fluid)
* Eat 1 tablespoon of bee pollen
* Eat local, raw, unfiltered, unheated honey
* Drink the allergy relief tea (see below)
Extra Credit
* Rinse eyes with purple loosestrife saline eyewash
* No more coffee or alcohol.
* Improve my gut health by consuming more kefir and yogurt

For purple loosestrife eyewash recipe go to herbcraft.org . You can’t buy purple loosestrife. It grows wild and prolifically. Since I am not familiar with it, I’ll have to wait until next weekend to pick it during a foraging lesson with the Suburban Foragers.

This tea brought me instant relief from itchy eyes and throat and cleared my head.
Allergy relief tea:
1 cup of hot water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp local raw unfiltered unheated honey
30-40 drops of tincture of Stinging Nettles
1 bag of Stinging Nettles
Add all ingredients together and let steep for 10 min.