Sweet Allergy Relief

Along with gorgeous blooms and afternoon sun showers, springtime brings back to millions the visitation of the pollen allergy-induced stuffy nose, teary eyes, sneezes and sore throat.  Over-the-counter medications provide relief to many. Yet, sweet relief is also being claimed by a number of holistic health practitioners and allergy sufferers who have turned to local honey for help.

Locally produced honey contains bits of pollen specific to the area in which you live or work.  Just as allergy shots provide your body with limited exposure to an allergen, ingesting the pollen in local honey can desensitize your immune system to it, providing you with stronger resistance, leading to the prevention or calming of allergy symptoms.

For the purposes of this treatment, local honey is honey produced within twenty miles of your home. This honey will have been gathered from bees working on plant species closest to your neighborhood. The honey needs to be raw and unfiltered.

It is recommended that a couple of teaspoons of honey a day be consumed, ideally beginning a couple of months before hay fever season starts.  As you continue to enjoy this sweet medicine, be sure to ask your honey producer or distributor if the honey was recently harvested, as this will contain pollens that are currently airborne.  This treatment is recommended for children five and older, and adults.  As with any over-the-counter or alternative remedies, if symptoms become aggravated, discontinue its use.

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Terri Hall lives in the Hudson Valley with her family. In addition to writing, Terri works with public television and radio stations/networks in the area of new media, and leads workshops on authentic and empowered living.

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