Things You'll Need:
- Healthy foods
- Supplements
- Patients (natural Cures don't work over night)
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Step 1
Best immediate relief from painful itching or swelling are ice cubes. Rubbing them over the affected areas until they melt will give you the immediate relief you'll need (repeat as needed).
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Step 2
Let’s start with the immune system. There are many nutrients that aid an immune system in need, vitamins A,C,D,E as well as zinc to name a few, but possibly the most important is vitamin C. It’s definitely a nutrient you want on the front lines when your immune system is in battle; it’s vital to a strong healthy immune system, as well as effective at detoxifying the body when taken in larger doses (always consult your health practitioner for a proper safe dosage).
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Step 3
Since every allergic reaction causes an inflammatory response within the body, you'll need to address that. This can be accomplished with flavonoids which are found in many fruits and vegetables. They have an amazing ability to reduce inflammation within the body, and recent studies have uncovered their ability to act as antioxidants. A great example of a flavonoid is Quercitin, and there are many great food sources containing this nutrient. Some of the foods with the highest levels per serving are apples, onions, leafy greens such as kale, and even black tea; I like black current tea since the black current berry is a good food source. You can also get higher doses from a supplement which can be found at most any health food store (always consult your health practitioner for a proper safe dosage).
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Step 4
Another good natural remedy worth mentioning for combating inflammation is Turmeric, an ingredient in curry and yellow mustard. It’s been used within the Indian culture for many years, and has only recently started to become recognized by western civilization. Although it can be found in supplement form I get my daily dosage in spice form; I recommend organic.
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Step 5
Your digestive system is another area that needs your full support during these trying times. Proper digestion is vital in preventing allergic reactions, and you can help support this by giving your body the enzymes and healthy bacteria (probiotics) it needs. A great digestive enzyme for such a task is Bromelain, and a great food source for this is pineapple. It’s best to stick with the whole uncut pineapple when possible, since it starts to lose its nutrients rather quickly once it’s been cut into. Both Bromelain and Probiotics are key players when it comes to proper digestion, and both are readily available in supplement form and can be found at most health food stores (always consult your health practitioner for a proper safe dosage).
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Step 6
Finally to address the “mind” part of “body and mind” when it comes to coping with allergic reactions, the secret weapon is breathing and when done properly can be a very effective tool. To control your breathing to the point of having absolute control over the body’s most fundamental actions, whether it’s slowing the heartbeat or increasing the body’s tolerance to pain, is at the core of many ancient beliefs. Controlled breathing is used in meditation, yoga, martial arts, as well as in childbirth. The key here is to breathe from your diaphragm not your chest, and this can be mastered by placing the palm of your hand over your stomach as you breathe concentrating on every breath. I’ve used this technique many times, and in combination with the remedies above I have found it to be amazingly useful.
