How Getting Local Honey Can Improve Your Allergies
Seasonal allergies are a very common malady. In the United States alone, more than 50 million people experience seasonal allergy symptoms every year. And despite how common allergies are, there's still no simple cure for them, although there are lots of medications on the market that can help to temporarily relieve symptoms. If you are among the many people who get a runny nose or itchy eyes when the plants start to wake up and spread their pollen every year, you might benefit from adding local honey to your diet. Local honey is an all-natural alternative to allergy medication that helps some people experience less sneezing and irritation when the pollen count outside is high.
What Causes Seasonal Allergies?
Seasonal allergies are caused by plant material in the air -- mostly pollen. All types of plants, from trees and grasses to flowers, release pollen, which means that different allergens are present in the air in different geographic regions.
Why do some people experience allergy symptoms after breathing in pollen, while others are fine? The answer comes down to how each person's immune system functions. If your immune system registers the pollen as a foreign invader that could be dangerous, it responds by going on the attack. As a result, your airways swell, your eyes water, and your nose runs. Some people's immune systems are more sensitive than others, which causes a stronger allergic reaction.
How Local Honey Can Improve Your Allergy Symptoms
If you have seasonal allergies, you are probably familiar with the rows of different allergy medications available at the drugstore. But did you know that local honey could help you treat your allergies at their source, so you will not have to rely on pills and nasal sprays to cover up your symptoms? It might sound strange, but treating seasonal allergies with local honey is based on the same principle as immunotherapy (also known as allergy shots).
The idea is that by exposing yourself to increased amounts of the pollen that causes your allergies, you'll train your immune system to recognize it. Once your immune system learns that pollen is not actually a dangerous pathogen, you will be able to breathe the air outside without your immune system mounting a defensive reaction against it.
Of course, you cannot reach for just any bottle of honey you find at the supermarket and expect it to help your allergies. The honey must be made from the pollen of the plants in your area. Raw honey is the best choice if you can find it. You may not be able to find raw local honey on store shelves, so be sure to check other avenues like your local farmer's market. Once you have your local honey, aim to eat at least a tablespoon of it every day during allergy season.
Keep in mind that this remedy works better for some people than others. Whether it will work for you depends on what type of plants you are allergic to. Most honey is made from flower pollen. If you are mainly allergic to tree or grass pollen, or if your allergies are being triggered by something different like air pollution, honey may not do much to improve your symptoms. If local honey does not help you, consider asking your doctor about immunotherapy to ease your allergy symptoms.
Paige Williams is a Public Relations Specialist representing Local Hive Honey. With a degree in Integrated Marketing Communication, she shares her knowledge with the readers. Can be reached at cwilliams@highervisibility.com
