Hands up if you suffer with allergies? Chances are, more than half of you will currently have your hand raised, and according to recent reports the numbers are rising. Allergy UK has predicted that one in four people living in the UK will suffer from an allergy at some point in their lives and while hay fever is the most common complaint, there are many other factors that come into play. Suffering from an allergy can be totally miserable- with sore and itchy eyes, skin flare ups and other symptoms making life that little bit more frustrating overall. With this in mind, we’re sharing three little tips for allergy relief- the natural way.
Improve your gut health
More and more research is emerging and experts now agree that the gut can be classed as the body’s second brain. Gut health plays a huge role in many aspects of your health- from emotional wellbeing to physical fitness- so it stands to reason that a healthy gut will improve your allergy symptoms overall.
Put (very) simply, a healthy gut will contain bacteria that prevents the development of food allergies, and studies support the fact that an imbalance in gut flora can lead to other allergies such as eczema and asthma.
There are several things that you can do at home to improve your gut health. Eat a plant based diet, avoid processed foods and opt for foods high in pro-biotic content. Try to avoid using antibiotics if you can. Read more here.
Nourish your skin
Itchy, red and sore skin is no fun at all. And when your allergy manifests in this way it can feel as though your entire body is either on fire or crawling with insects. Not good. So how can you help alleviate the symptoms and help your skin return itself to its former glory? Here are our top three tips for nourishing your skin:
- Hydration. What you put in your skin is so important as it will be absorbed into the body, and since you need to keep your skin moisturised and supple then applying a body lotion should be a vital part of your daily routine. Use gentle products that are natural as possible- no nasty chemicals that will only serve to further irritate your skin! We recommend our Organic Hand and Body Lotion in refreshing Grapefruit & Orange. We only use natural ingredients, no nasty additives and it smells devine!
- Gently cleanse. Steer clear of harsh cleansers that serve only to strip your skin of essential oils and leave it more sore and more irritated than ever. Opt for our Organic Unperfumed Soap Bar with Oatmeal for a gentle exfoliation to encourage new skin cells to grow (prefect for sensitive skin), or our soap bar with Shea from the Organic Range. The Shea gives your skin added hydration, and all our bar soaps are suitable for use on the face. See this post for more information.
- Soothe. When your skin is inflamed and sore, you need to opt for using ingredients that will soothe and calm. For this we highly recommend any of our Organic Lavender range. Our Organic Concentrated English Lavender Shower Gel is perfect for that first shower of the day, and thanks to the natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties of lavender, this is certain to help soothe your skin. There are a whole host of other reasons why lavender is excellent to use in the alleviation of allergy symptoms- read more here and view our Organic Essentials lavender range here.
Pay attention to your diet
Linking in to our first tip, what you plays a huge role in allergy symptoms and relief. Go for foods that are naturally anti-inflammatory- include lots of garlic, turmeric, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds. Steer clear from processed foods, dairy and alcohol. Caffeine is probably best reduced or avoided too.
Remember that allergy symptoms can vary from person to person, and if you’re suffering terribly it is always a good idea to get advice from a doctor. The tips share here will help to soothe and in many cases alleviate symptoms, but please don’t ignore anything more serious.
