One of the most important daily regiments that allergy sufferers need to do is a nasal cleansing rinse. Rinsing out the sinuses and nasal passageways with lukewarm saltwater is an inexpensive, natural and comfortable way to relieve irritated and inflamed tissue. I recommend doing this at least once a day during allergy season, however when pollen counts are highest, or following gardening or lawn mowing, nasal irrigation should be repeated to remove any pollen residue that inevitably produces mucous and congestion.

There are many different nasal rinsing apparatus available on the market; netty pots, Nasaline, and my personal favorite The Rhino Horn. The Rhino Horn is plastic, which has its pros and cons, a pro being that it does not break easily (like a ceramic netty pot) and it travels well. Not to mention, the shape of the Rhino Horn is ergonomically correct in that when the apparatus is held up to the nostril, the saltwater solution flows freer through the sinus passages and out the other nostril.

In addition to rinsing the sinuses, natural remedies that I have found to be most effective for treating seasonal allergies are quercetin and essentially fatty acids. Quercetin stabilizes mast cells so that histamine is not readily released. A dose of 250-500mg three times daily is most effective when allergy season is at its peak.

Essentially fatty acids are effective in reducing inflammation in mucous membranes. The ideal essentially fatty acid blend for allergies and asthma is a combination of borage oil and fish oil (EPA and DHA). I recommend Nordic Naturals Complete Omega 3-6-9 Liquid at a dose of 2 teaspoons per day.

–Dr. Keri Marshall MS, ND is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in holistic pediatrics and women’s medicine.