Herbs for Spring allergies - An Ayurveda Perspective

Are you a person who is super excited about the arrival of spring, still worried about flaring up of allergies at the same time. Then this is for you. We will be discussing the herbs that can help you ease through the allergic reactions.

Ayurveda classifies allergies according to Dosha, depending on which are triggered according to individual constitution. It’s important to know your basic constitution before taking any Ayurvedic Medicine.

Tips for Soothing Vata allergies -

Vata allergy will be generally dominated by abdominal discomfort like burping, constipation, wheezing or headache, as well as sneezing, ringing in the ears, joint pain and even insomnia.

Saying this, let’s look how one can use herbs for pacifying Vata type of allergy ?

1. Ginger - Having a cup of ginger tea can help all the abdominal troubles due to distorted Vata. Ginger’s heating qualities make it useful for treating Vata imbalances. It’s better to use fresh ginger rather than dried in the form of the spice.

2. Triphala - it’s a combination of three fruits, which include amalaki (indian goose berry), Terminalia chebula, and Terminalia Billerica. It gently cleanses and detoxifies the body without irritating the colon. Have 1 tsp Triphala powder with 1/2 Cup hot water before bed.

3. Aswagandha - This potent drug is rejuvenative and calms the nervous system. It ensures good sleep and has ability to bring back Vata to normalcy. It can be consumed along with milk or can even be taken in the form of capsules.

Tips for soothing Pitta allergies -

When Pitta becomes aggravated or excessive, you may experience heartburn, inflammation, skin rashes, hot flashes, and irritability. You can use soothing and cooling herbs as part of an overall Pitta-balancing lifestyle.

Now let’s check out the herbs for Pitta allergic symptoms-

1. Shathavari which is Asparagus racemosus is a cooling potent drug for Pitta. It’s so soothing that it’s even advised during pregnancy. The recommended dose is 500 to 1,000 mg twice daily.

2. Bacopa or Brahmi has a  cooling effect on the physiology that helps balance the Pitta dosha. Recommended daily dosage is 1-3 mg in a day.

3. Manjishta is another herb which pacifies Pitta. Take 1 tsp of Manjishta mixed with half glass of water three times a day.

Tips for soothing Kapha allergies-

Kapha allergy symptoms include irritation of the mucus membranes, hay fever, cold, congestion, cough, sinus infection, water retention, bronchial congestion, asthma, and even sleeping disorders. The person can always feel sluggish and lethargic .

Let’s check how to pacify the Kapha allergies.

1. Drinking lightening and clarifying teas such as ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, or clove can also help to liquefy, dry, and eliminate excess kapha.

2. Intake of raw honey can help soothe the Kapha allergies.

3. Herbs include Turmeric (500 mg in a day), punarnava and the combination of 3 peppers called Trikatu.

It’s important to consult your Ayurveda physician before administering Herbs for curative effect. The details provided here are meant for the basic knowledge of herbs to cure allergic reactions.

It’s always good to include spices like Turmeric, cinnamon, basil, coriander, cumin, pepper etc in Spring. All these spices have the ability to improve digestive power and fight against any inflammatory reactions.

Health Tips for Preventing spring allergies -

1. In case of allergies to skin in Spring, external application of Aloe Vera called as Kumari in Sanskrit can be used. It soothes the skin and provides relief from skin problems.

2. Drink water boiled with ginger throughout the day.

3. Exercise and practice breathing exercises.

4. Nasya - an authentic Ayurvedic treatment of instilling nasal drops like Anu Thaila can be done daily after bath. ( 2 drops in each nostril )

5. Spring cleanse - follow a detoxify diet and go for a Virechana ( Purgation) for total body cleanse.

This can help to ease the allergic symptoms in Spring.