When patients in my clinic ask me how to relieve sneezing, itching, coughing and runny noses, the first thing I do is speak with them about histamines.
Let me show you why…
When your immune system thinks it’s found something that doesn’t belong, it reacts defensively. Your body starts to release chemicals, one of which is histamine. Itching, sneezing and even hives are all signs that histamines are at work.
Histamines are vital to almost all of your higher brain functions, including your sleep cycle, hunger patterns, immunity, learning and memory.1
Most people are in the habit of taking over-the-counter cold and allergy medications when they start itching and sneezing. These will usually have antihistamines in them, which are supposed to stop symptoms like a runny nose.
But histamines are so vital to how your body functions that you should be very careful about interrupting how they work. So there are a couple of things you should be aware of before you run to the drug store to get an antihistamine.
Antihistamines don’t work for very long, if at all. Many studies show that they don’t treat symptoms any better than a placebo.2
And a new study says that people who took prescription antihistamines weighed significantly more than those who didn’t.3 Now, I don’t know how their antihistamine use relates to their excess weight, but it’s just one more reason to be suspicious about what these things are doing to us.
Instead, visit your local natural foods store and look for several herbs that are excellent alternatives to over-the-counter medications. One is nettle. It’s one of the most often used medicinal herbs in the world.4 And whether you drink it as tea, or take a capsule, it’s loaded with quercetin, which prevents the release of histamines.
Here are a few more herbs that can help relieve coughing, itching, sneezing and congestion:
Marshmallow Root – Used in traditional European cough medicines, it’s known to relieve irritation of mucous membranes and helps the body expel excess mucus.
Burdock – Both the seeds and the root help soothe the mucous membranes. It’s also used to treat colds and sore throats.
Acerola Cherry – Considered a “superfruit” because there is so much vitamin C in each one (8 times more than an orange), this cherry is excellent as a natural antihistamine.
Capsicum – While also loaded with vitamin C, capsicum has lots of quercetin, as well.
White Pine – Also known simply as pine bark, this herb eases congestion and stimulates circulation. It’s also a powerful antioxidant.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
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