Gretchen

If you are looking to help relieve seasonal allergies using more natural methods, try our herbal tea and a gentle massage!

Tea is hydrating, which can help thin mucus and the warm steam also helps with sinus pressure and congestion. This tea has simple to find ingredients you can find at many health food stores or even grow at home! Nettles provide antioxidants and may have an antihistamine effect. Peppermint has anti-inflammatory properties, helping to relieve sinus congestion. Chamomile is anti-inflammatory and antihistamine. Adding raw honey for local pollen and sweetness finishes off this lovely tea. If you are not a fan of peppermint or want to switch things up, feel free to swap out for a slice of fresh ginger another antihistamine and anti-inflammatory option!

Allergy Relief Tea

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon dried nettle leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaf (swap for 1 slice fresh ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon chamomile flowers
  • 1 teaspoon local raw honey

Instructions

  • Boil water and allow to cool to around 180F
  • Place herbs in a tea infuser or teapot
  • Pour hot water over herbs
  • Cover and steep for 5-10 minutes.

Gentle massage can also work to help open up sinus passages and help them drain. Try these few pressure points to help relieve allergy symptoms.

  • Start with some gentle pressure on either side of your nose where the upper corner of your eyebrow meets the eye socket. Place fingers on the upper ridge of your eye socket and let the weight of your head apply gentle pressure helping to relive sinus congestion. Massage in a circular motion, or just hold for around 10 seconds.
  • Next move your fingers down your nose to where your nostrils meet your cheeks, apply light pressure and rotate in small circles for 5-10 seconds.
  • Move to your cheekbones, placing your middle and index fingers in line with your pupils just under the cheekbone, press upwards gently and then sweep out towards your ear along the cheekbone, up to your temples, over your eyebrows and back down your nose to the cheekbones. Repeat several times in both directions.
  • Finally find the small indent at the base of your next above your collarbone. Push or tap lightly down into the hollow space on either side with your fingers several times. This helps start lymphatic drainage to relieve pressure.