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It’s that time of year again— Allergy Season. This has always been a struggle for me, and this year is no different. Here in Spearfish we had a snow day at the end of May and since then the temperature has been all over the place! The continued change in the barometric pressure means I get regular sinus headaches. It’s not fun, and I know I am not the only one suffering from the whirlwind of weather changes. I posted about this on my Instagram last week and thought I would write out a longer piece on why I use the products I do and what works for me. Hopefully it will help you.
7 Tips for Surviving Allergy Season
CBD Oil
I use Blue Ridge Hemp CBD Headache Oil when I am fighting any kind of headache. I find it works exceptionally well for the pressure headaches I get during seasonal changes. Using the oil on my temples, forehead, and the back of my neck also relieves muscle tension that makes my headaches worse — I also find it helpful to take a few deep breaths in and out to relax my facial muscles when I am stressed and scrunching up my face as I work. Additionally, I love to use the Blue Ridge Hemp CBD Bath bombs to relax. They are great to de-stress after long days when my muscles and joints need some extra TLC.
Kombucha
I drink locally made Scobi Kombucha daily to help balance my gut with amino acids, probiotics and antioxidants. The makers of Scobi Kombucha only use the highest quality fresh, and organic ingredients, ensuring a quality product. Kombucha does an excellent job balancing the overall pH levels in the body which promotes whole body health and alkalizes the system. This helps with allergies because when the immune system is strong so too is your ability to adapt to the environment around. Kombucha helps to repopulate healthy gut flora in the body allowing you to get all the key vitamins your body needs like Vitamins B and C. I’ve been drinking Kombucha daily for almost two years and it has greatly improved my overall health.
Natural Remedies
I have been using my Iaomai Allergy kit from Wholistic Health Care, owned by my friend Andrea Coulter, this season and it has made a huge difference for me. This kit comes with three remedies that help you deal with the causes and symptoms of allergies. They address the physical and emotional side of your symptoms for holistic care. Andrea, the products’ creator, does an amazing job at describing and explaining her remedies — I recommend you check out her video here. These are the descriptions from her website for the three remedies in the kit I use.
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- Physical Allergy Release helps your physical body release and properly discharge all your allergy symptoms. Release congestion, sneezing, itchy water eyes, etc.
- Drainage & Immune combo helps boost and balance your immune system and its allergic reactions. It is vital to be able to help your body properly discharge the congestion. Also helps strengthen the body from further reactions. Did you know a weak liver and kidney may be the biggest trigger for allergy flair ups? This remedy supports every organ and system responsible for allergies. Helps to quickly reduce your symptoms.
- Fear of Anger Release to help you let go of the emotional barriers that hold on to your allergies. By freeing your physical and emotional symptoms associated with why you have allergies, you can completely remove this health concern once-and-for-all.
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Local Honey and Pollen
Eating local honey and bee pollen from Sunrise Hives helps my immune system find balance. Being new to living full-time in the Black Hills it seems like my allergies are even more aggressive this year. I know my body needs time to adjust to the new environment and consuming local honey and foods helps it adapt. By consuming local pollen through the honey and right from the bee pollen I give my body a chance to acclimate to the plants and pollen in the area. And did you know bee pollen is full of protein, antioxidants, and vitamins? It’s absolutely a locally-produced superfood.
Probiotics
In addition to the natural probiotics I get from kombucha, I also take a daily probiotic supplement from BIOHM Health and use their Super Greens in my smoothies. I didn’t know anything about gut health until I returned from a month in India in 2015, and just couldn’t get my digestive health figured out. After almost a year of tests, medicines, every alternative medicine and treatment, BIOHM probiotics were the first thing that really made a difference — they helped me feel so much better!
Your gut and digestive systems are responsible for turning food into fuel, and they need the right balance of bacteria and natural flora to do their job at peak efficiency. That’s why supplementing my diet with probiotics has become one of the most important parts of my daily routine. All the good bacteria and fungi in each BIOHM capsule help to break down digestive plaque which means your body and immune system can go back to keeping you healthy! If your curious to know more, check out the Why BIOHM page where you’ll find some helpful images and FAQs, or feel free to message me if you’re wondering how BIOHM can help you.
Movement
During allergy season, some days my head hurts so bad that Downward Facing Dog isn’t a great idea. But there are so many other ways to move my body. I’ve been doing more Yin Yoga and allowing my body time and space to heal itself. On days when my head feels better I can do a more vigorous practice. This also helps get the blood pumping and clear out my system. Listen to your body on a daily basis and find the movements that make you feel good. Even if it’s just taking a short walk, getting up and getting moving will help you feel much better than remaining sedentary.
Sleep
Ah, sleep. The one thing we can never seem to get enough of. So many of us feel like we’re too busy to get a good night’s rest, but you need to make time for it. I always try to get to bed on time, but especially during allergy season — if I can get a good night’s rest, my body is in better shape to deal with allergy symptoms the following morning. Sleep is when our body recharges, processes everything from the day, and it’s one of the most crucial aspects to whole-body health. Make sure you get your Zzzzzs!
Dealing with Allergies as Naturally as Possible
I try to use as many local, small-business, organic and plant-based solutions as I can to help me live in balance with the world around me. It’s not always easy, but I am finding as I get older I’m much more aware of my body and what it needs. I know when my body and system shift into dealing with allergies, seasonal changes, and anything else the environment throws my way.
Changing my attitude so that I’m trying to find balance using the methods above has been a huge improvement over trying to fight my body and the environment around me. Using these tools and finding ways to adapt to my world helped me as the seasons change and allergies strike. It has been a process with lots of trial and error, but I am happy with my routine and grateful that I am feeling much better this allergy season.
It’s great to learn that getting a good night’s rest will help with surviving allergy season. My wife and I are moving to a warmer area and we are wondering how to best prepare for the spring season. I’ll be sure to change my sleep schedule during allergy season so I can be healthier.
You know, sleep is just so important no matter what you are dealing with! Good luck with your move!