After a very unusual winter, experts are predicting that allergy season may arrive earlier than usual—and could be more intense for those who already struggle with seasonal symptoms.
I'm writing this Allergies 101 post to offer help understanding seasonal allergies! A big part of our success when using herbal remedies and healing foods? START EARLY !!
Spring means different things to different people.
For me? It’s renewal… and the joy of foraging fresh spring greens. 🌱
But for many, spring brings something else entirely:
watery eyes, scratchy throats, and constant runny noses.
If you’re someone who deals with seasonal allergies, this post is here to help you understand what’s happening in your body—so you can prepare early and support yourself through the season.
What Are Seasonal Allergies?
When your symptoms flare up in spring (or fall), what you’re experiencing is often called allergic rhinitis.
This happens when your immune system overreacts to something you’ve inhaled, like tree pollen.
There are two main types:
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
Triggered by outdoor allergens like tree, grass, or weed pollen. - Perennial allergic rhinitis
Occurs year-round and is caused by indoor allergens such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander.
Why Allergies Feel Like a Cold
Allergy symptoms can feel almost identical to a cold:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Itchy or watery eyes
But unlike a cold, allergies are not caused by a virus. Instead, they’re the result of your immune system going into overdrive.
What’s Happening Inside the Body?
When you inhale an allergen (something your body sees as “foreign”), your immune system responds by producing IgE (Immunoglobulin E)—a specific type of antibody.
These IgE antibodies attach to mast cells, which are found in areas like:
- The skin
- The nasal passages
- Mucous membranes
When triggered, these mast cells release chemicals that lead to inflammation and classic allergy symptoms.
How Common Are Allergies?
Allergic rhinitis is very common—affecting more than 1 in 5 people in North America.
Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and many people with allergies also experience asthma or other respiratory sensitivities.
Allergic rhinitis can cause many more symptoms, including the following:
- Fatigue
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Dry cough
- Sneezing
- Post-nasal drip
- Red, itchy, and watery eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Itchy mouth, throat, ears, and face
- Sore throat
- Stuffy, runny nose
- Headaches, facial pain or pressure
- Partial loss of hearing, smell, and taste
Causes:
Our immune system is designed to fight harmful substances like bacteria and viruses, but in allergic rhinitis, it over-reacts to harmless substances -- like various molds, pollen, and pet dander -- and promptly reacts. This reaction, which may feel more like an "attack", is called an allergic reaction.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen and spores (depending on the season and area) as they are carried on the wind.
Sources include:
Grass pollen (late spring and summer)
Tree pollen (spring)^^
Fungus (mold growing on dead leaves, common in summer)
Ragweed -- the most common seasonal allergen (fall)
Year-round allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction to airborne particles.
Sources include:
Pet dander
Dust and household mites
Molds spores (growing on wall paper, carpeting, upholstery and even house plants)
Personal care products
Perfumes
Household cleaning products**
^^Trees that are known to cause severe allergies include ash, birch, cypress, elm, hickory, maple, oak, olive, poplar, sycamore and walnut.
**Chemicals found in many household cleaning products can aggravate or even cause allergies.
Scientists from the University of Michigan have found that people who commonly used triclosan products are more likely to have issues with hay fever or allergies. ANOTHER reason why it's NOT a good reason to use anti-bacterial soaps, laden with triclosan.
With the rise in both allergies and asthma, sales of medications to treat these maddening + irritating symptoms are growing. If you’re like many, this allergy season, you have stocked up on your favourite allergy medication and manage to control symptoms with the recommended daily dose of ‘chemical’ help. Allergy meds, like all pharmaceuticals, come with a wide variety of side effects** and have an affect upon the liver, over time and so alternatives can be life-enhancing ~ a GOOD thing!
Allergies 101 : Side Effects of Allergy Medication
** can include unpleasant smell or taste, nasal irritation and nosebleeds
** can include mouth and throat irritation and oral yeast infections.
** eye drops may increase your risk of eye infections, glaucoma and cataracts.
** Side effects of antihistamine nasal sprays may include bitter taste, dizziness, drowsiness or fatigue,
** dry mouth, headache, nasal burning, nosebleed, nausea, runny nose, sore throat, and sneezing.
A Gentle Place to Begin
There are many ways to support the body during allergy season, including:
- Herbal allies
- Nutritional support
Understanding what’s happening in your body allows you to make small, supportive changes early in the season—before symptoms fully take hold.
Herbal Allies can strengthen the body overall, to improve immune + digestive systems function; herbs to actually help the body to NOT react to or become sensitive to specific allergens.
THE most important herb that I use in my herbal medicine "pantry" for seasonal and year-round allergies is "stinging nettle".
Learn all about how to enjoy nettle herb here. There are other anti-allergy herbs. I have several articles about anti-allergy ideas for you. Here's ONE.
Nutritional Support is very helpful as well. Do you know that we can actually choose foods which can help us to bring our body back to balance. Here's an article all about
"anti-allergy foods"
TIP: Ingest a teaspoonful daily of locally harvested bee pollen and honey. Do this before and during 'your' allergy season. Take one-half to a full teaspoon once a day. This is a very effective way to prevent seasonal allergies by immunizing yourself against local airborne pollens Most health food stores will sell local honey. Otherwise, check out your local farmers market! Support local bee-keepers!!!
Here's to our health --
Here's to getting organized and making lifestyle adjustments to support ourselves..
Carol xo
Leave a Reply