Ayurvedic Approach to Seasonal Allergies

Allergies affect a large percentage of the population and can significantly limit our daily activities. Although the body can manifest allergic reactions to many things, including food, medicines, and other external agent, in this article we will discuss the common phenomenon of environmental or seasonal allergies.

You may wonder why one person can spend an afternoon walking through blossoming fields without any symptoms, while others can’t step out the front door without experiencing severe allergic symptoms. Heredity is one of the major distinguishing factors.

However, from an Ayurvedic perspective, there are three influential factors and treatments to consider when dealing with seasonal allergies:

Strength of the individual’s digestive fire – this is one of the most important factors for our health where we take in energy and information from our environment, extract whatever is beneficial to us, and eliminate everything we don’t need. Ways to increase our digestive fire are:

  • Meditation – When we calm the mind and body, we are less likely to respond to external agents aggressively while increasing our ability to take in nourishment from our environment.
  • Conscious Breathing – Take an inhalation that is slightly deeper than normal. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting your throat muscles. This has a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system and helps release feelings of irritation and frustration.
  • Detoxify your Body – One Ayurvedic herb that is helpful in treating allergies by cleansing the digestive tract and removing toxins is Triphala.

Reduce absorption of external allergens – We are in constant dynamic exchange with our external environment. When our environment has high exposure to allergens, it becomes difficult to control symptoms. A simple way to reduce possible effects is

  • Use a neti pot – This container will allow warm salt water to flow in one nostril and out the other. Perform this saline rinse once or twice daily to flush out any material that has come into the nasal passages.
  • Lubricate your nostrils – This Ayurvedic practice known as “nasya” consists of applying a few drops of vegetal oil to the nasal passages. The oil forms a protective layer that prevents allergens from attaching themselves to the nasal membranes.

Balance your “dosha”– Follow a dosha pacifying diet according to your unique mind-body constitution. Find out your dosha by visiting: https://jothivita.com/dosha