The food supplement quercetin, a bioflavonoid, has been shown to relieve or prevent hay fever and allergy symptoms, and the nutritional support offered by vitamin/mineral supplements is important as well. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, and large doses during hay fever season may bring relief. Orothomolecular physicians recommend as much as 5 to 20 grams of vitamin C taken in 4 to 8 doses over 24 hours for this condition.
Salt is another decongestant. To treat hay fever symptoms, drink an 8-ounce glass of water followed by a pinch of salt on the tongue every 15 to 30 minutes until symptoms subside. The same strategy will work for asthma.
Mechanical aids make a difference, too. Breathe Right nasal strips are a familiar sight in professional football games, where players use them to keep nasal passages clear when plastic mouth guards interfere with normal respiration. Advertised as a drug-free way to relieve snoring as well as nasal congestion due to allergies, colds and deviated septums, these strips are sold in drugstores and in health supply catalogs.
A simple way to break the hay fever cycle without drugs is to go on a week-long cleansing juice fast, drinking only water and freshly prepared raw fruit and vegetable juices and eating no solid food at all. If you're like most hay fever sufferers, your sneezing symptoms will diminish or disappear, suggesting a link to food sensitivities.
