It’s springtime again, which to many is a dreaded time of year because that also means allergy season. In those of us with Lyme disease and co-infections, springtime is also dreaded because we are more susceptible to flares during this time or even, in the worst case scenario—relapses. This is because when the immune system comes into contact with an allergen, it detects it as a foreign invader and begins producing excess histamine and cytokines in an attempt to attack it, thus causing the immune system to work harder than usual, which then places the entire body system under excessive stress. Since your defenses are down and you are more vulnerable than usual during this time, it makes it a prime time for stealth pathogens like Lyme disease and Lyme disease co-infections to attack –including any remaining that may be hanging out in cyst form even after you are in remission.
This does not mean you should panic, though. Rather, it merely means that finding a truly effective way to treat your allergies is of the utmost importance. To many with severe allergies, the previous sentence is likely to prompt eye rolling –and rightfully so. You’ve probably tried everything to stop bothersome allergy symptoms during allergy season, and nothing has completely done the job. I know this feeling well, as I have spent decades in the exact same position, until this year when I explored a new avenue of allergy treatment that, in the past, had seemed too simple, affordable, and “hocus pocus” to seriously work.
However, I was willing to try just about anything this year after exhausting every last route of allergy treatment including allergy shots, prescription allergy medications, over the counter allergy medications, and natural allergy treatments like quercetin, vitamin C, and Neti pots (the latter three worked the best of all the aforementioned treatments, but not well enough to actually allow me to go outside. Rather, they resigned me to feeling good only if I remained inside). So, I tried the homeopathic route this year, and am pleasantly surprised with the results.
Usually, by this time of year, I am bedridden with allergies. However, thanks to finding the right homeopathic remedies, I am not only not bedridden due to allergies right now but I can also actually leave my house without any negative consequences. For the first time in twenty-seven years, I can honestly say that I know what it is like to enjoy this time of year. So, if you are a severe allergy sufferer like me and past treatments have failed you or only offered subpar relief at best, then it is my hope that the following homeopathic remedies that I have found to be of tremendous benefit to me may also benefit you as well:
· Homeopathic Histaminum Hydrochloricum: I have found Homeopathic Histaminum to be a powerful remedy for stopping my histamine reactions. It is, in my opinion, the most important remedy to keep on hand when allergies are a threat. In short, Histaminum is a safe homeopathic antihistamine that does not cause drowsiness and is void of any other known side effects. It may be taken daily, as a preventive, in which case the standard protocol is to dissolve two to five pellets under the tongue every four to six hours, up to three times a day. Typically, a potency of “30c” is used. Alternatively, I have found homeopathic Histaminum to be useful for stopping full-blown histamine reactions and to halt my histamine related symptoms including, but not limited to, itching, sneezing, congestion, swelling, respiratory distress, and eye irritation. In this case, the standard recommended protocol is to dissolve four to five pellets under the tongue every fifteen minutes until symptoms subside. [1]
· Homeopathic Euphrasia Officinalis: Homeopathic Euphrasia, which is the homeopathic version of the herb eyebright, has been utilized since the middle ages as a tool for treating all sorts of allergies and allergy related symptoms, such as sinus issues, eye irritation, ear infections, congestion, and swelling of the nasal passages. [2] Euphrasia, still a well-known and widely used homeopathic remedy for allergies, is thought by health care practitioners to be generally best suited for allergies where the symptom picture is largely dominated by eye irritation, causing symptoms such as sensitivity to light due to inflammation, swollen and inflamed eyes (often accompanied by frequent blinking), conjunctivitis, and itchy, red, watery, and/or dry eyes. I have found this remedy to also be helpful for managing allergy symptoms that accompanying eye related symptoms, such as thick mucus and discharge, coughing, pains in the body, headaches, and a stuffed up or runny nose. The standard recommended protocol for using homeopathic Euphrasia to treat allergies in the same as the one listed above for homeopathic Histaminum. [2]
· BHI Allergy Relief tablets: BHI Homeopathic Allergy tablets have officially replaced my previous daily allergy medications, as I feel they are far more effective at controlling my allergy symptoms and they are void of nasty side effects like drowsiness. While some take the above two single homeopathic remedies on a daily basis, I now mostly use them on an as needed basis for additional support, which I have rarely had to do since starting the BHI Allergy tablets. The tablets are a combination of homeopathic remedies that are often used to treat allergies. Each remedy has varying potencies. The ingredient list is as follows:
“Each tablet contains 16.7mg of Antimonium Crudum 10X, Arnica Montana Radix 6X, Fomicum Acidum 8X, Graphites 10X, Histaminum Hydrochlorium 8X, 12X, 30X, 200X, Ignatia Amara 6X, Lappa Major 8X, Ledum Palustre 8X, Lycopodium Ciavatum 6X, Pix Liquida 10X, Selenium Metallicum 12X, Sulphur 12, Sulphuricum acidum 30X, Tellurium metallicum 10X, Thuja Occidentalis 6X.”
If taking BHI Allergy tablets daily for preventive measures during allergy season, the recommended dosage is one tablet every four to six hours, three times a day. For acute allergic reactions, the recommended dosing and frequency is one tablet every thirty minutes to an hour until symptoms subside, at which point you can continue with standard dosing. However, it is important to note that the manufacturers advise against taking more than twelve tablets in twenty-four hours. [3] (**I have no affiliation with this company and receive no incentive of any kind for endorsing their product**)
References:
1. Plotner, B. “Holistically Stopping a Histamine Reaction”. Nourishing Plot. March 11, 2015. Accessed March 8, 2017 from http://www.nourishingplot.com/2015/03/11/holistically-stopping-a-histamine-reaction/
2. “Homeopathy Euphrasia Eyebright”. Herbs2000.com. Accessed March 8, 2017 from http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/euphrasia.htm
3. 3) “MediNatura, BHI, Allergy, 100 Tablets”. iHerb.com. Accessed March 9 from https://www.iherb.com/pr/medinatura-bhi-allergy-100-tablets/5435