Allergies are one of those things that can stay hidden all winter long, and then once spring hits you are back to sneezing, coughing, and blowing out a clogged nose. Out in the west our allergy symptoms can mix in with wildfire season, which seems to be becoming longer and longer. Starting as early as April and ending as late as December now in the western states. There can be a host of reasons for allergic symptoms to arise. Sometimes it’s year long and can be caused by pet dander, mold, or food sensitivities, not just the pollen, blooming, flowers or growing grass. 

Allergies can cause other symptoms besides the typical overflow of mucus, such as moodiness, tiredness, and headaches. 

As easy as it is to reach for over the counter medications when allergies come on full force–which heck, there is always a time and place for benadryl when there is a severe histamine, or allergic reaction taking place that needs to get under control. However, it can be nice to have herbal and natural ways to tame the burden as well. Sometimes you can get the body to a place of healing, or understanding when to take your herbs so that's your allergies may not affect you as harshly each year!

Try supplementing with herbal remedies, and regimes for added allergy relief. At Rooted we carry shop curated teas, tinctures, essential oil blends, and offer supplements, and kits, like our Gut Health Kits (caring for your gut health can go a long way while dealing and maintaining life with allergies–we’ll get to that in a bit), or our Sick Day Essential Oil Kit.

If you’ve already been slammed with the snot, sneezing and pressure to the head of allergy season. First of all, I am sorry, second let’s show you a few of our favorite remedies we’ve crafted to relieve your symptoms. 

Re-Leaf & Blossom Tincture

Blended for headache and allergy relief. Made with valerian, feverfew, goldenrod, and mugwort, this tincture is good for anyone experiencing sinus infections, runny nose, migraines, or headaches. The tension relieving properties of valerian make this a nice blend for when there is sinus pressure, or a headache forming from active allergies. The gentle aromatics of goldenrod help to dry and relieve the snotty or drippiness of allergies, keeping sneezing and blowing the nose at a calm. The properties of mugwort help to dispel the tight feeling of allergies, relieving the sinuses and airway passages. Feverfew is another drying herb that helps to soothe the comings and pressure of headaches.

Sneeze Ease Allergy Relief Tea

Made with Mormon tea, yarrow, elderflower, nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, osha leaf, sage leaf is great for when sneezing, drippy snot and coughs have a grip on you from seasonal allergies. This drying and tension relieving tea can help to tighten up those leaking mucous membranes. Mormon tea is a drying wildcrafted herb with a tiny bit of perk for opening and awakening a tired and tension filled head. Yarrow flowers and leaves bring in circulation and an aromatic flavor for keeping mucous thin and moving in the sinus cavities. Elderflower has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect on the tissues of the respiratory, and nervous systems. Stinging nettle leaf acts as a sort of antihistamine, helping to lessen the allergic response of whatever is bugging you, while being deeply nourishing in essential vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C, D, and K. Dandelion leaf also is densely nutritious, free radical fighting, good for allergies with its drying actions, useful for liver, bladder, and kidney health, and should be valued as a superfood. Osha leaf is supportive to the lungs, helping to keep them open and clear. Sage leaf is highly aromatic and drying, which is useful when things are thick with snot and needing a fresh clearing.

Ingredients: Mormon tea, yarrow, elderflower, nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, osha leaf, sage leaf

Use 1 tablespoon per cup of hot water. Steep 5-15 minutes, strain and enjoy warm or iced. For stronger brew, steep overnight and consume strained tea in the morning.

Smoky Lungs Brew

Use when the air is thick with smoke from wildfires, irritation from wood burning stoves, or for a relief from smoking. This tea is also wonderful when colds, or allergies come on, and there is dryness in the lungs, nose, or throat. Marshmallow leaf helps to hydrate the tissues with its slick and slippery actions. Linden is another demulcent herb, we use the flower and leaf from the linden tree, it is also softening and tonifying to the heart. Shatavari is another name for a wild asparagus root native to India, and popularized from Ayurvedic medicine. It too is demulcent and helps to moisten up tissues, as well as strengthening women’s reproductive health, and useful for the respiratory, digestive, and immune system’s. Hibiscus is full of antioxidants and vitamins, while providing a cooling relief to the body. Cedar leaf helps to penetrate the tissues of each system delivering each herb to where it can be benefited in the body. Plantain helps to heal inner and outer tissues while clearing infection, it is also moistening to the tissues aiding in relief from inflammation. Usnea is great for the support of the respiratory system, bringing hydration and its super powerful antimicrobial properties.

Ingredients: marshmallow leaf, linden, shatavari, hibiscus, cedar leaf, plantain, usnea

Cough it Out

Is a soothing roll-on oil for coughs, colds, allergies, clogged noses, tight chests, sore throats, or inflamed lymph nodes. The herbs help to relieve coughs, pain, and open the sinuses. Cottonwood is anti-inflammatory and pain relieving, while also being helpful for preventing or healing chappedness. Alder catkins and twigs are used for their ability to soften and release swollen lymph nodes. Piñon needles, resin and twigs are helpful in expectorating coughs. Yarrow provides a warming circulation to the area with strong vapor-like opening aromatics.

Cottonwood buds, yarrow flowers, alder cones & catkins, piñon resin infused safflower oil, essential oils of yarrow and piñon.

If you happen to be deficient in Vitamin D, this may be a good place to start. Studies are showing that those low in Vitamin D can have more issues with allergies, including

 Vitamin D has a role in regulating immune system cells and the release of chemicals that can produce allergy symptoms. So, get that natural sunshine in and consider a supplement like our Big Dose of Vitamin D. You can also add mushrooms to your diet , as they are being found to have Vitamin D as well!

Big Dose of Vitamin D

While we know this powerhouse vitamin is great for boosting your immune system, did you know that it can also act as a natural antihistamine? Oxidative stress is a factor in allergies, so the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C can help in the treatment of your allergies! Pretty cool, huh? 

You can get Rooted Apothecary’s Vitamin C:  C-What You Need supplement online - but don’t forget to reach for fruits and veggies that are high in Vitamin C like: 

If you are one of our Plant Camper Students you’ll know that foraging in the spring for greens and conifer needles will also aid in your intake of Vitamin C. These wild greens and needles are packed with nutrients and some have double the Vitamin C as the greens you’d find at your local market or grocery store. A lot of these foods are also high in Quercetin and Bromelain which also help to aid in the facilitation of inflammatory responses due to allergies. Both of these can also be taken as in supplement form:

Gut health can play a role in allergies as well. Eating clean is always the first step in supporting your gut, followed by Billionaire Probiotics to help the good guys do their job along with Love Your Guts and Face to help restore and rebalance the digestive system, liver, and skin. You can also take it as a bitters before meals, to help stimulate and encourage digestion. Check out our Gut Health Kits for a way to revamp and balance a disrupted digestive system. 

The Billionaire Probiotic

The Billionaire Probiotic is a combination of 16 beneficial strains of Lactobacillus, Lactococus, Bifidobacterium and cultures including the clinically researched Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 that supports gastrointestinal and immune function. Also included in the synbiotic blend is a short-chain FOS prebiotic fiber, which is well tolerated and works synergistically with probiotics to flourish in the intestinal tract. These probiotics are resistant to both acid and bile and undergo a patented cryoprotectant stabilization process for shelf stability. Probiotic dose should be taken in between meals.

Love Your Guts & Face

This tincture restores and rebalances the digestive system, liver, and skin. Take it as a bitters before meals, to help stimulate and encourage digestion.

Oregon grape leaves & root, burdock root, milk thistle seeds—comes in two versions: made with cane alcohol, or our alcohol free version is made of glycerine.

15-30 drops in water or directly in mouth. Administer 3-5 times a day, preferably before all meals.

This may be used to help clean up guts, liver and skin.
**May be helpful in deworming and parasites.

Herbal Steaming is when you fill a pot with water, add some aromatic herbs like thyme, oregano, sage, conifer, sagebrush or whatever hits. The steaming vapors of the plants when inhaled help to open and hydrate stuck and dry airways in the nose, throat and lungs.

Another way to to get the stuck mucous out is to use a saline solution in a netty pot . You can mix your own with a small amount of salt in warm water to rinse through.

We know ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) is a great immune system booster, but it also can be a great allergy ally due to its ability to help break up mucus and support lymphatic drainage. When used to make a Fire Cider you get to rev up your ACV with plants like peppers, onion, ginger, garlic, horseradish, citrus fruits, conifer needles and so much more. Make it spicy hot, or just super dang medicinally tasty.

Here is a full recipe for Fire Cider in a previous blog!

Local Honey, bee pollen and propolis are another way to get your local allergens into your in small homeopathic-like doses. Bees help to pollenate plants, and a lot of times those are the plants that are agitating us. So a little bit of local honey, bee pollen, or propolis during allergy season can be a huge hit!

Eucalyptus Oil and Frankincense Oil can help to reduce inflammation and improving detoxification when you’re having an allergic attack. You can also add the essential oils to your favorite carrier oil and rub behind your ears and under your nose. However you choose to use your essential oils, just don’t ingest them, it’s not safe no matter what the internet says!

Clarity Blend and 4 Witches Blend are also great to have on hand as well. The Clarity Essential Oil will awaken the senses and illuminate the mind with the smells of rosemary, mints, and a touch of conifer, while the 4 Witches Blend includes a historic mix of lemon, cinnamon, rosemary, clove and eucalyptus.