[heelpin]

This might be a little off subject but how can you enjoy the great outdoors if you are suffering from allergies?

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5266334&section=news

 

[BlueRidgeBabe]

Well, heelpin, I feel for you! I'm sufferin' right along with ya. This spring has been truly awful for my allergies. I was out driving some land yesterday where the grass and weeds were waist-high, and had an attack so bad I couldn't stop blowing my nose the whole time we were out there. I then felt sick all night, and only marginally better today. I'm wondering how I'm going to manage living on a farm if my allergies are gonna be this out of control!
I recently started taking local bee pollen in an effort to build up my immunities. The homeopathic allergy tabs I take help a little, but not enough.

 

[goatlady]

BRB, you might try adding a dose of Mullein tincture to your regimen. Taken in the morning before going out will alleviate/prevent allergy sympyoms for 4-6 hours. Taken after you have symptoms if will get rid of them within 15 minutes.

 

[Jena]

i have had terrible allergies since i was in my early 20's. the last couple years, they have all but disappeared. it's like the more i work outside, the more immune i get to the pollen and stuff.

jena

 

[BlueRidgeBabe]

Thanks goatlady, I will definitely give the mullein a try. I have used tincture of nettles previously and it does help a little, though it didn't seem to prevent much. Can't use it much now, though, as I'm tryin' to get pregnant...it can cause uterine contractions. I'll read up on the mullein in that regard. Hope it works for me!

Jena, that's encouraging, thanks!

 

[goatlady]

BRB You shouldn't have a problem with mullein. It just gives mucous membranes a protective coating that allergens cannot penetrate. Very high is iron. Also has a calming effect on irritated and inflammed nervs so very good for coughs, cramps and spasms. It is supposed to be a good pain killer but I have not experienced that effect.

 

[Pigeon Lady]

I feel for all of you. For some reason I don't have any allergies and I'm really noticing that I'm the "odd" one.

Growing up (in England) I only knew of 2 kids in the school that had "hay fever" and one with Asthma. (This is a school of about 1000 kids) Now the kids of all my old friends have Asthma and very bad allergies. It's mind boggling.

My husband (American) and all his family suffer terribly. I breast fed our son until he was 2 years old because I wanted to give him a "good dose" of my antibodies. Don't know if it helped or not but so far ( he's 9 now)he's only had mild reactions to pollen. But then all of a sudden about a month ago he broke out in this awful rash. Huge welts that started to spread all up his legs and back and sholders. He was itching like crazy. Had to give him Benadryl. He'd carried a big potted geranium out to the porch for me and I was sure it must have been that. It went away but returned again a couple weeks later and I realized what it was. On both those days I'd mopped our new tiled floor with some Pine-Sol I'd found at the back of the cupboard! I usually just use water with a bit of bleach but decided it would be nice to have that pine smell. Poor kid I'd even continued on through the house and cleaned the bathroom with it. At least I was able to figure out the cause. No more Pine-sol for us.

This may be an off the wall theory but in England we all got a BCG inocullation as kids (against TB) My mother had had TB in her teens so when i was born I was immediately given a BCG shot (think I got two within a few months) and another at a later age along with all the other kids. When it came time for the booster at age 14 I was the only kid in school that didn't need to have it because the pre test had shown a huge immune response. I seem to remember my Mum telling me that they don't give the BCG shots anymore ( I may be wrong on this ) I can't help wondering if that shot had some effect against the develpoement of allergies.

Think I'll start a thread and see who on the forum has had this shot and if they have allergies. An informal "study". Please participate you never know we may learn something the scientists haven't come up with!

P.L.