Relieving Hayfever
With the hay fever season now beginning, I thought it was time to get my annual hay fever sermon out there. I'll try to give you the short version and the long version here.
Here is the short (one paragraph) version:
There are a lot of products that can help with Hay Fever. But if you don't know where to start and want an all in one kit, I would give the Hay fever 'Get Your Sanity Back' Kit a bash. The is a kit which I put together which consists of three products - LVC6 (Liposomal Vitamin C and Quercetin), Oxylift* and Lung Health**, all of which I discuss below. When purchasing the kit, you get 10% off compared with purchasing the products individually and the cumulative benefits of all three products. If you go to the web page, there is a nice video discussing one person's experience using just LVC6 (Liposomal Vitamin C and Quercetin) for his hay fever, and just purchasing that alone is certainly an option. But I really think that combining the three elements of the kit together will work better still. Ideally it's best to start using the kit BEFORE the hay fever kicks in, to get ahead of the game, in order to prevent the symptoms from gaining a grip in the first place. But in reality, I know that most people will only act when they are already sufferring, which then makes it a harder, (but far from impossible) to get on top of it.
* If you decide to try the kit, but prefer to have the very similar Oxygen Elements Max instead of Oxylift, just say so in the comments field when you checkout your order. Don't bother emailing us to ask us which one is better, as the only answer we will be able to provide is that the best one is the one that happens to work better in your case. At the end of the day, they are similar to one another. There is some discussion of the differences here.
Now for the detailed version:
The truth is that there is a wide spectrum of products that can help people who suffer with hay fever, and some people have to experiment to find what works best for them. The Hay fever 'Get Your Sanity Back' Kit is a great combination, and if that helps you, you may not need anything else. But as you all appreciate, individual results vary with everything. So the following article ventures into a full range of products that can help people who suffer from hay fever. It is based on an article originally written in 2007 though since then I have updated it on a yearly basis, so it now bears almost no resemblance to the original article.
1. Lung Health - a dedicated botanical for allergies and breathing difficulties.
Lung Health is brought to you by Global Healing Center (GHC). It is a blend of powerful botanical ingredients and essential oils that support normal function and cleansing of the lungs, sinuses and respiratory tract and promote clear and easy breathing. Made with menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon blam, tulsi and other ingredients, it leaves you just a few sprays away from easing respiratory discomfort. The suppliers web site has nearly 500 reviews for this product, most of which detail encouraging personal results. (We currently have just 19 reviews, but we are a much smaller company than they are).
2. Flood Your Body With Oxygen!
“This morning when I woke up my hay fever was so bad that I could hardly breathe as I was so blocked up. So I put two drops of Oxygen Elements Max into the cap of the top of my mineral water bottle with a few ml’s of water. I turned my head back as far as possible and poured the water down my throat, but tried not to swallow it for 30 seconds. Within two minutes I was breathing clearly again…it was absolutely amazing.”.
This is what one of our walk in customers reported to us during a warm spell.
Please be aware that this customers “chucking down the throat” technique was her solution, and it worked. But we normally recommend and prefer customers to take it consistently, as recommended on the label (7 drops 3 x per day in a little water or juice) for best results. Some people need to take double or even triple the dosage to get fast relief from acute symptoms, so consider that too. On the other hand a few super sensitive people (maybe 1% of customers) only need minimal dosages - such as 2 drops at a time - and still get the benefits. So do experiment and find what works for you.
Customer review on Oxygen Elements Max for hay fever
This is quite a long read but please bear with me as I want to fully explain how Oxygen Elements Max has effectively 'cured' my hay fever. I'm 42 years old and first came to London in 1989. I had a very bad allergy problem which was diagnosed by a 'specialist' as being allergic to the fumes and general urban environment of smoggy/dirty London. He prescribed a steroid spray which did relieve my symptoms and told me I would be on it for life. To make matters worse, every summer I get very bad hay fever attacks. It's the most miserable time of the year for me, experiencing the usual symptoms...nasal cavities itching like mad, runny eyes, blocked nose and terrible trouble trying to get to sleep at night. I'm an actor and do lots of voice over work for television and radio so it needed to be addressed for professional reasons too.
Last Feb after seeing a nutritionist I was told I suffered from candida. I was put on a strict detox diet, I cut out refined food, starved my body of sugar and basically ate really well. I also took advanced probiotics (and later) supplements from the Finchley Clinic. Then at the end of March I started to notice that people around me were sneezing...but I wasn't. I kept asking my girlfriend if it was the hay fever season because I wasn't getting any symptoms. I thought it must be my detox and general healthy eating plan. Then I read your article about the guy who had been taking Oxygen Elements Max and it had severed his hay fever symptoms. That's when I realised that I had been taking it too. About two weeks ago (mid June 07) I did start to get some symptoms and was a little disappointed thinking it was going to massively kick in again. However I decided to quadruple the Oxygen Elements Max dosage (i.e. 28 drops) to see if it would help and it did. I was so happy that every time I sat on a train and saw people sneezing I just wanted to say ''hey, I know how you feel, try using this product'' etc but decided not to as people may think I'm some sort of weirdo! A friend came over last week and although I wasn't suffering, had a hay fever attack. I gave her 28 drops and she said she felt much much better. I am now convinced that the main reason for my apparent 'cure' is the Oxygen Elements Max.
I do think the detox / probiotics and general healthy eating plan has helped, but without question and with no doubt whatsoever, after starting to get a bit 'sneezy' Oxygen Elements Max has cleared my symptoms within about 20 minutes. Being as this has not been designed to actually relieve hay fever symptoms per say, and is in fact meant for general health and well being, I will be taking this supplement for life.
Customer review on Oxylift for hay fever
I would not want to be without this product! I've been taking it for a few years now and to be honest I can't remember what prompted me to start, but one very noticeable effect was that my grey hair went back to its original colour! I can only imagine all the other benefits if it does that! Seriously, I have good energy levels, my hay fever has gone, I very rarely get colds and when I do I up the dose and it goes quickly.
How can the oxygen products help reduce hay fever and asthma?
It's simple really. When the mucous membranes in our noses our noses, throats, ears and lungs are properly oxygenated, they are better able to operate effectively and healthily. As a result of this, they are less susceptible to inflammation and discharge. Products such as Oxygen Elements Max and the very similar Oxylift have a strong decongesting effect and so even if you are totally clogged up, they may provide relief from the discomfort of hay fever and asthma. We receive many reports from customers on how they have been helped. For the same reasons as given above, they can help with other problems connected with some kind of congestion. A poignant example concerns one lady phoned me and related a quite remarkable story concerning how her husband had been “cured” of sleep apnea.
3. Liposomal Vitamin C and Quercetin
Combining Vitamin C and Quercetin in a liposomal form, ensuring almost perfect absorption as a result of the unique and industry leading liposomal process discussed in previous newsletters. There is a more detailed discussion about the benefits of Vitamin C and Quercetin for hay fever below. And as I mentioned above, I have also uploaded a useful short video on the Hay fever 'Get Your Sanity Back' Kit page detailing one person's experience using this product for his hay fever symptoms.
4. MSM, hay fever and allergies
MSM is basically nutritional sulphur. It has countless benefits for health, but in relation specifically to hay fever, I am now going to cite Dr Stanley Jacob M.D. from his book “The Miracle of MSM”.
I have seen hundreds of allergy cases clear up with MSM, including my own. Years ago, I experienced the typical miseries of a seasonal grass-pollen allergy. From mid-April to mid-July, I required the usual antihistamine relief. In those days, the antihistamine medications often created a side effect of drowsiness. Today, they are less likely to do that. But way back then, it was a price you paid for relief. If I didn’t take medication, my eyes burned, my nose ran, and I developed nasal congestion, making it difficult to breath through my nose. Often the symptoms would persist throughout the day.
I started taking MSM more than twenty years ago, and it relieved my problem entirely. No eye irritation. No runny nose. No congestion. No problem at all through allergy season. I have continued to take MSM for all these years and have not had to resort to an antihistamine even once.
My son Stephen, who is now 46, developed severe pollen allergies about ten years ago at just about the same age that I did. His hay fever came on so strong that he had to take time off from work. Stephen had constant sneezing. His eyes reacted terribly. When this happened, I recommended he start taking MSM.
Stephen says the following about his experience with MSM: “I took about a gram. Within a few days there was a marked decrease in severity, and my condition continued to get better, although I was never completely free of symptoms. After that I started taking MSM every year from the middle of May through July. I could basically control the symptoms although sometimes the pollen was so bad that I had severe attacks and couldn’t work.
“In time I learned that if I started taking the supplement well before the start of allergy season and also doubled the dosage I could get even better control. I now have about 65 percent relief, I would say. Even this past season, which was extremely dry in Portland, I did quite well. I haven’t had to take any time off from work for about four years thanks to MSM. I know I would do even better if I increased the dosage but when I do I get some intestinal reaction. My father and a lot of other people I know can take much more than I can. That’s just my particular comfort zone.”
For some individuals, 1 or 2 grams twice daily may be enough to bring pollen allergy symptoms under control. Others may require 3 or 4 grams twice daily. In general, relief is usually obtained within a range of 2 to 8 grams a day. Always start with a lower amount of MSM, and increase your dosage slowly to avoid the possibility of gastrointestinal discomfort. Should you develop any discomfort, such as increased or loose stools, just reduce the dosage.
For the common pollen variety of allergy you may not need a very high dosage. In some resistant cases, you may have to double the dose, and even double it again. Do this slowly. When you reach the effective level, you will notice rapid relief of allergic symptoms.
I have often been asked the question, “What if I keep increasing the dosage and the allergic symptoms don’t go away?” My answer is always the same: “Nobody bats a thousand.” It just doesn’t work for every person. But it works for many. In pollen allergies it works for most.
For best results, take the MSM in divided doses during the day. My recommendation is to take your doses in the morning and early evening. The evening dose is important because pollen tends to accumulate in the nasal passages at night and thus upon awakening you experience sneezing, coughing, and burning eyes. MSM taken in the evening will often prevent this from happening. But don’t take it too late. It may give you energy and keep you awake.
The following chapter of the same book is devoted to MSM and relief of asthma. Whilst we do not have space to quote at length in this article, suffice it to say that Dr Jacob’s maintains that MSM brings wonderful relief for this related condition too.
We provide MSM in both powder and capsule form here
5. Colostrum, hay fever and allergies
Colostrum also helps in many cases, as it’s an anti-inflammatory and an immune system balancer. This is another product on which we get reports of relief from asthma, hay fever, sinusitis etc (as well as conditions as diverse as depression to heartburn to infections). There is enough to say about this remarkable immune balancing product to write an entire book. You probably don’t have time to read an entire book, but five minutes glancing at the reviews found on this product on our web site, should satisfy all but the most ardently sceptical that this product could produce powerful effects.
Here are a couple of examples of how this product has helped some people :-
Sinusitis
“I use bovine colostrum successfully for upper respiratory infections of all types, especially for sinusitis, which is a frequent health difficulty in Sedona where I practice. For example, a carpenter, age 42, consulting me for the treatment of sinus congestion, which comes on him once annually, responded right away to my prescribing capsules containing bovine colostrum.”
“For many years, I have suffered with sinus problems that were so bad they gave me toothaches. I was on antibiotics and eating ibuprofen for the pain. After taking colostrum, the problem did a turn-around. If skeptics could only know how really thankful I am that I found colostrum.”
Hay fever & Allergies
“I have had seasonal allergies for many years since moving to Georgia: pollen, grass, mold, dust, and some food allergies. Every year I would fear the seasons Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Often I would have severe sinus infections also. All of the medication prescribed by my general doctor and allergist only gave me partial relief, plus I had tremendous side effects: dry eyes, dry mouth, nose bleeding, itchy skin, and drowsiness. I could not believe the almost immediate relief I got from Colostrum, with none of the side effects. I am a retired RN, and believe me, I am not easily convinced by all the hype of supplements. But colostrum has made such a great difference in my overall health and well-being.”
Please note, colostrum is unsuitable for vegans.
6. Probiotics
One fifth of the population are allergic to birch tree pollen1. OptiBac Probiotics For Daily Wellbeing Extra Strength contains L. acidophilus NCFM® and B. lactis Bi-04. A recent clinical trial2 has shown that this specific probiotic combination reduced the symptoms of nasal irritation in birch tree pollen sufferers. So why suffer if you're allergic to birch tree pollen?
1. University of Worcester, National Pollen & Aerobiology Research Unit
2. Ouewhand, A.C et al. (2009) Specific probiotics alleviate allergic rhinitis during the birch pollen season. World Journal of Gastronenterol; Vol. 15 pp.3261 -3268
Each capsule provides 20 billion live probiotics.
This product may also help those with a severe imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the intestines for example: -
- Those on long term antibiotics
- Those who suffer from conditions such as IBS, or IBD (eg. Crohn's Disease)
- People with skin conditions such as eczema or acne
- People with busy lifestyles
7: Vitamin C (as a single nutrient)
Vitamin C can also be very useful for relieving hay fever. This is because of its anti inflammatory properties (yes, Vitamin C is not just for boosting the immune system when you have a cold or flu). But it usually needs to be taken in quite high dosages to relieve allergies - up to 10g per day. For this reason, it might be worth considering Vitamin C powder as it's much better value for money in the quantities required. 1 teaspoon (5 grams) twice a day often brings tremendous relief within hours of beginning this regime. Children may take half this dosage. Try it!
8. Quercetin (as a single nutrient)
Quercetin is an antioxidant particularly know for being anti-inflammatory. It is found in apple skin, black tea, onions and a number of other foods. With hay fever it is thought to work by preventing the release of the inflammatory chemical histamine from immune cells called mast cells. Histamine is the molecule involved in allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itching. When I was reviewing and updating this article (the 2016 version), I found a nice little article on Vitamin C and Quercetin for hay fever in The Daily Mail which more or less says the same thing.
A therapeutic dosage for hay fever is often around 2 capsules two or three times per day, which is above the suggested dosage on the label. We sell a couple of "quercetin with something else added" products, but we would have to say Global Healing's Plant Based Quercetin is a superb product. Watch the video on the web page to learn more about why I say this.
9. Curcumin
A 2016 article in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology conducted a human trial of the effects of curcumin on a group of 241 subjects who received either oral curcumin or placebo over the course of two months.
The researchers used nasal symptoms and airflow resistance (to measure how much air was moving through the nostrils) to determine the therapeutic effect of the curcumin. At the end of the study, those subjects who received the curcumin showed reduced signs of sneezing and runny nose, as well as less nasal congestion.These symptoms were reduced by approximately 70 percent and persisted after the trial had finished
Source: Wu S, Xiao D. Effect of curcumin on nasal symptoms and airflow in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2016 Dec;117(6) 697-702. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1081120616310547
10. Diet
Milk products and alcohol should be strictly avoided if you are a hay fever or asthma sufferer, at least during the hay fever season. Avoiding wheat often helps too, as does avoiding smoking. Some find that drinking more water can also help reduce hay fever and summer allergies.
I hope this helps. There are in fact more products we provide that can help, but there is a limit to how much I can squeeze into one newsletter.
Best wishes
Mark G. Lester
Director - The Finchley Clinic Ltd
www.thefinchleyclinic.com
