Spring Allergy Remedies

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Although our entire family has gone off allergy medications, this spring, when everything started blooming, we started sneezing and sniffling. So, I thought, It won't hurt to take some allergy medicine, just for the season. I mean, there comes a point where you have to decide--do I hold fast to the principle that I only put natural things in my family's bodies, as much as possible, or do I make an exception so we can function?

I decided to make an exception, so I drove over to the grocery store and started perusing the plentiful allergy medication selection. I'll get one that's the most natural, I thought, so I turned over the packages and started reading the list of ingredients.

I started with the children's options. I guess I wasn't sure what I would find, but I didn't expect to see ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, propylene glycol, red dye, and more. I quickly changed my mind. There was no way I was giving that stuff to my kids twice a day, every day.

We walked out of the store emptyhanded.

So, did I just hand out boxes of tissue and leave everyone to suffer? Of course not! We went natural, and I'm happy to say it's working. Taking supplements has reduced our allergies, and as a bonus, they're actually cheaper than the options we found at the grocery store.

If you're looking for an alternative to allergy medications, check out these natural remedies to reduce seasonal allergies. However, be aware. Just like it takes allergy medication several days to really get in your body and have an effect, some of these take time to start working as well. For several days, I didn't see much of a difference, but then the allergies did clear up.

1. Nettles and Eyebright
2. Quercetin (take with vitamin C)
3. Homeopathic saltwater nasal mists
4. Butterbur

What if you don't want to mess with individual herbs? We didn't, either. We found a couple of herbal supplements that had already combined the proper doses for us, and they work great.

For the kids:
REDD Children's Sinus Support. This comes in chewable tablets that taste great, but aren't filled with sugar and artificial dyes. The active ingredients? Vitamin C, Quercetin, Bromelain, Marshmallow Root Extract, Stinging Nettle, Barberry, Eyebright, and Ivy Leaf Extract. The price is about $15-$20 for 60 tablets, as opposed to Children's Allegra, which runs about $1.00 per tablet. We found this at Whole Foods, but it can also be purchased online.

For the adults:
A & I Formula. This comes in natural vegetable capsules, and contains Vitamin C, Quercetin, Stinging Nettles, and Bromelain. We actually buy this from our doctor, but you can also find it online. The price is $34 for 120 capsules. I take 2 capsules a day. Again, a great price.

In addition to herbal supplements, check out TLC's list of 10 Home Remedies for Allergies.

Do you already use a natural supplement or home remedy for seasonal allergies that you love? We'd love to hear about it! Please tell us about it in the comments below.

Note: I do always strive for honesty on here, so I want to honestly say that although natural supplements will help most allergy sufferers most of the time, some people with extreme allergies might need something stronger. My husband is one of those people. Before we went unrefined, he took Allegra all year long. Without it, he couldn't function. After changing our lifestyle, he was able to completely stop taking Allegra and now uses A & I, which works fine for him most of the year. However, he does have to "supplement his supplements" just for a couple of months in the spring when his allergies are more extreme than most. He hates that he has to take it, but he does have to be able to function. For the rest of us, though, with regular seasonal allergies, the natural supplements work great!

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