I was stuck on Zyrtec and Sudafed daily. I wanted badly to find something natural that would work.
I tried taking alfalfa pills, but I'd have to take around 15 a day for it to touch my allergies.
Next, I tried local honey. But, at $20 a quart it's almost as pricey as the pharmaceuticals!
I read about certain herbs that would help with allergies, and here's what I found:
I already took horehound in my natural cough drops. They worked wonders for my sore throat, and helped to clear up congestion. It's great for combating every day allergies and post nasal drip.
Then, I learned that Nettle and Goldenrod can combat histamine and inflammation. (Please note that if you're allergic to any flower in the daisy family, you'll want to avoid using Goldenrod!)
Lastly, I found that Goldenseal works in tangent with Horehound and Goldenrod to remove mucus, plus it's antibacterial and antifungal.
Mixing these together and taking a tincture of it daily helps to control those awful allergies!
Please, be careful when using herbs that you've never taken before. Put a drop of the tincture on your skin and watch for any adverse reactions. Another caution, don't go our and forage for your herbs unless you are trained to do so- some plants can be extremely harmful! It's better to order from a reputable source.
Tincture recipe:
High-proof alcohol (80-100 proof)- vodka or brandy works well.
dried Goldenrod, Nettle, Horehound, and Goldenseal herbs
A quart sized mason jar with a tight-fitting lid
Small, dark glass bottles for storing the tinctures
A fine strainer
Fine cheesecloth or muslin
A bowl or glass measuring cup with a spout
A small funnel
Start by filling your mason jar about halfway with the herbs; use equal parts of each dried herb.
Now, fill the jar with your alcohol. You want at least 2 parts alcohol to one part herbs.
Now, set your jar in a cool, dark, dry place. If you have trouble remembering, label the jars with the date and what is in them, or mark the date on your calendar.
During the first week, give the jar a small shake every day to make sure that all of the herbs are getting into the alcohol. Let the jar set in your cool, dark place for 6 weeks.
Strain the herbs out of the alcohol through a fine mesh strainer with a piece or two of muslin or cheesecloth. You want to reserve the liquid without any herbs left in it.
Using the funnel, pour your tincture into your tincture bottles.
Label and store away from direct sunlight.
Take a half a dropperful, 30 to 45 drops, daily.
If store properly, these tinctures can last 7 to 10 years!
