With the passing of the Spring Solstice, depending on which part of the country you live in, Spring weather will soon be here. Along with the sunshine, new buds turning into tender, green leaves and fragrant flowers blooming, comes the dreaded season of hay fever and allergies! Sneezing, sniffling, itching eyes, runny noses and sinus congestion are just some of the annoying symptoms that rear their ugly heads this time of year. If you pay close attention, you may also notice your digestion becoming sluggish and your body retaining water. What causes these symptoms and what can be done to stop taking daily decongestants or antihistamines to make it through the day without feeling terrible? Ayurveda provides valuable answers to root out allergies from your system.
Kapha (the earth and water elements) accumulated in the body during the winter, under the influence of the Spring sunshine, gets melted and circulates as toxins in the body. The toxins attract outside allergens, much like sweet nectar from a flower attracts honeybees, that cause an allergic response. Below are ways to clear out the toxin-causing allergies from the stomach, lungs and body.
Cleansing Diet. It’s an excellent idea to undergo a cleansing diet for about fifteen days before and fifteen days after the change of season comes on. This diet should consist of a warm, soupy foods made of barley, mung dhal, cooked vegetables, white or red rice and warming spices such as turmeric, black pepper, pipalli, hing, cumin and coriander. Repeating a mung dhal or kitcharee fast once a week during the spring is a great way to keep kapha at bay. Drinking warm or hot water or chai tea made with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves also works to breakdown and eliminate the excess kapha. Having a shot of fresh ginger, turmeric and aloe vera in the morning provides the added benefit of igniting the slow digestive fire and removing toxins.
Avoid Aggravating Foods & Allergens. In addition to avoiding known outdoor allergens such as grasses and pollens, it’s best to avoid foods which aggravate kapha (heavy, oily, sweet and cooling foods) such as: meats, seafoods, dairy products like milk, yogurt, ice cream and cheese, wheat, cucumber, coconut, watermelon and anything sugary. It’s also a good practice to eat a light, energizing meal for breakfast, a light but nourishing meal for dinner at least two hours before bedtime, and have the biggest meal at midday when the digestive fire is highest.
Nasya & Nasal Rinse. Using 2 to 3 drops of sesame oil or a tridoshic herbal oil in your nares daily in the morning helps soothe nasal passages and supports mental clarity. Nasya should not be used by pregnant or menstruating females. Nasal rinse or neti pot use clears the nasal passages of allergens, dust and mucus by pouring warm salt water over them.
Gargles. Gargling with warm salt water with a tiny pinch of turmeric, neem or ginger adds the benefit of natural antimicrobials.
Ayurvedic Herbs. There are many herbs which pacify kapha and other aggravated doshas during allergy season. All are best used under the guidance of an ayurvedic practitioner. These include: Trikatu, Punarnava, Triphala, Ginger, Sitopaladi, Talisadi, Bibhitaki, and others.
About three years ago, I found myself suffering from horrible allergies. I blamed moving from Michigan to Colorado and the dry climate with its different pollens, as the cause of my new found illness. Like many, I started taking allergy pills, even doubling the dose, but found myself sneezing and itching my eyes at the same time as I yawned from the sleepy-side effects of the antihistamines. Then I started learning Ayurveda and things began to change. It took a little over a year of good eating habits, cleansing diets, hot water, ginger and other spices, and herbal medications. But I’m happy to say I haven’t taken an allergy pill (or antacid for that matter) in almost two years! While Ayurveda is not a quick-fix, it’s also not a bandage. Rather, it has withstood the test of time for working its magic. I hope Ayurveda can help you successfully combat your allergies – wishing you all a happy, healthy, allergy-free Spring season!
Uma Hingorani,
Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ashoka Holistic Ayurveda, LLC
