Natural Help for Hayfever
I had been aware of Weleda for some time, bought the odd hand cream, not paid too much attention to them either way … then a couple of years ago, I went along to a talk by the Weleda team on their company and products and they had me from there. At the time I was studying with a teacher who often referred to Rudolph Steiner during class, so when I heard that he started Weleda back in 1921 as a medicine company, to ensure the quality of ingredients were of a suitably high standard for the pharmacy, I was all ears. Then to find out the company not only grows their plants organically, but biodynamically, I was further intrigued and so it has gone on in discovering more and more about this amazing, humble company, that do little to shout about the care they show for the planet, that is infused in every decision they make. More details on all aspects of this in another blog, but as I am getting calls from clients for repeat orders for their Weleda hayfever remedies, I thought I would share a little about this subject, as the timing is relevant as we speak.
One in five people in the UK suffers from hayfever, 95% of whom are affected by grass pollen. The pollen season is divided into three main phases
Tree pollen : late March to mid-May
Grass pollen : mid-May to July
Weed pollen : end of June to September
It’s ideal if you can start to take the Mixed Pollen 30c Tablets a month before pollen season begins for you (easier if you know which pollen is your trigger), if in doubt, start taking around February/March time. By taking these you should feel a reduced sensitivity, so less symptoms or no symptoms at all
Showering and washing your hair at the end of the day and changing your clothing as soon as you get home can make a difference too, as pollen attaches to your hair and clothes during the day. Some will be sad to hear that it may also be best to stick to soft drinks in the balmy evenings, as alcohol contains histamine which sets off allergy symptoms in the body (don’t shoot the messenger!)
So there are three products I want to draw your attention to :
The combination of these has offered profound relief to my clients who normally suffer with hayfever and when I talk about some products that you should have in your cupboard as a staple, if hayfever is an issue for you, then these are your go to’s. I would recommend starting the Mixed Pollen Tablets as soon as you can, or about a month before you would normally start to notice symptoms. Use the Hayfever Relief Oral Spray if you feel an acute attack coming on and you will feel an immediate benefit and finally using the Rhinodoron Nasal Spray will soothe and calm the nasal passages.
Together they are my top 3 Hayfever products and ranging in price from just £6.95 to £10.95 you really can’t go wrong. Add to that, until further notice, to support customers in these challenging times, Weleda are offering 20% off on all over the counter medicines – you can sign up Weleda newsletter to my monthly email to be kept up to date with all future offers from Weleda
Helps with all sorts of stuffyness in the nasal passages, is cooling and refreshing, very moisturising and is isotonic, meaning that the salts are balanced and perfectly matched to our body salts Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride. It works with your body, so you can use as often as required.
It contains 100% natural Aloe Vera which is very soothing to mucous membranes, helping with inflamed sinuses in the nose. It is cooling and moisturising, it prevents the skin from drying out and reduces inflammation
Rhinodoron is suitable to use with all the family, from ages 3 months and over and is also one of the few medicines from Weleda that is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding
A combination of three homeopathic remedies, to target a broad range of symptoms
Alium Cepa – red onion – helps with allergies, weepy, burning eyes, runnny and red nose
Euphrasia – eye bright – allergies, eye disorders, conjunctivitis, watery eyes, swelling of the eyelids, prickling as if sand in the eyes
Gelsemium – yellow jasmine – eyes sore, red and achy, face hot, heaviness, flushed, itching of the roof of the mouth and throat, worse in humid weather/spring
For ages 12+
Consult your Doctor if you have an existing respiratory condition before use
Weleda’s Mixed Pollen 30c Tablets contain 18 different pollens. Pollens are painstakingly collected by hand, from trees, grasses and flowering plants from the Weleda biodynamic gardens in Derbyshire over a full growing season in order to collect as many different pollens as possible
Trees : Silver Birch, Willow, Ash, Oak and Walnut
Grasses : Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Fescue, Yorkshire Fog, Sweet Vernal Grass, False Oat Grass, Crested Dog’s Tail, Cocksfoot and Common Bent
Flowering Plants : Dandelion, Narrow Plantain, Common Sorrel, Wormwood and Sweetcorn
How do homeopathic remedies work?
Homeopathics are thought to work by triggering the bodies own healing capacity and follows the principle of like curing like. So, for example, if you were to cut a red onion in half, you would experience stinging, red eyes, a runny nose and perhaps start sneezing. Red onion is also know as Allium Cepa and this homeopathic remedy is used in hayfever relief and cold and flu relief where symptoms match. So it’s like a big game of snap.
Homeopathics are suitable from birth
Have no contraindications with other medicines
Are NOT licensed for use during pregnancy/breastfeeding unless under direct consultation with a qualified Homeopath.
When taking homeopathic remedies it is recommended that mint, coffee or any other strong flavours be avoided for 30 minutes either side of taking a remedy. For this reason use a mint free toothpaste such as Calendula Toothpaste
Weleda manufacture both natural medicines and natural skin care. All of the general sale medicines sold in the UK are made in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, working to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards set by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)
Also have a look at
Imagine taking a walk in a fresh, pine laden forest. Feel the strengthening vapours enliven you as you inhale, clearing the head and refreshing your senses. Ideal during episodes of mental or physical exhaustion, enabling a bronchial boost, you’ll breathe easier. Excellent for fatique, stress and nervous exhaustion of the spirit.
Top tip : To help you breathe more easily, pop half a capful into a small bowl of hot water by the bed at night and/or by your desk. You can also place a towel over your head and lean over the bowl and inhale deeply. Alternatively, for a cool compress, dilute as above, using cool water and a flannel
This is a soothing ointment to be gently applied to the skin around the eye but NOT in the eyes. An Anthroposophic medicine for the relief of tired or strained eyes.
Contains : Ananassa Fructus, Larch Resin and Lavender Oil
Consider a neti-pot. I’ve used several versions of a neti-pot over the years – one was like a big, fat syringe, with a rubber stopper on the end, you fill it with warm water and salt and squirt it up one nostril and it comes out the other – can make your eyes water a little, but it really cleans the pipes out, so to speak.
The other, more traditional version looks like a tiny little tea pot and follows the same principles, you fill with warm, salty water and tip your head so that you gently pour the water up into one nostril and out it comes the other side – soothing, cleansing and a really simple thing to do for yourself.
Lastly, check out a salt pipe – not just for hayfever, but also really good for general congestion and clearing out the lungs – like when they used to ship the old folk off to the sea, to breathe in the sea air, which is known to be good for the constitution. It’s like a little ceramic pipe, which you can either breathe in through your mouth and out of your nose, or for a stuffy nose, breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth – salt is know to be cleansing, antiseptic and healing – so check it out, I highly recommend one of these for your cupboard
For when you’re in the home or at work, you could also consider an air filter, make sure to get one that is proven to filter out pollens etc. Pollen grains are tiny enough to be carried as far as the upper part of our lungs, most are caught by the protective layer of mucous and carried out of our system again, but when pollen gets into contact with our immune system, the body can interpret that as a threat. White blood cells do their job and produce anti-bodies, causing the immune system to attack the pollen and set off hayfever symptoms. Catarrh and excessive mucus production attempt to bind the pollen and drive it out, while itchy, scratchy symptoms in the eyes and nose are caused by the production of inflaming histamine. Everyone has their own triggers, be that weeds, mosses, trees, flowers or moulds. So investing in a good air filter can at least give you some let up when you’re at home and help you to get a good nights sleep
Eating or drinking organic, locally grown honey has also been known to help, make sure to find a really lovely source
Sometimes people who have a reactive tendency are often allergic to a lot of things. So trying to lower your allergic threshold will help, so if you have food intolerances or reactions to mucous producing foods, you could consider seeing a Doctor or therapist and getting a food intolerance test done – anything to help you lower the overall burden on the immune system, so lowering your allergic threshold. Cut out any use of chemicals around the house – particularly sprays and air fresheners
Stress and emotional upset can also lower the threshold. If you are anxious, your body is more likely to be full of histamines, adrenaline and noradrenaline, so again, you are closer to the allergic trigger point. Just being aware of this and finding what works for you to manage your stress, be that yoga, relaxation, meditation, mindful breathing, anything that will help to bring down the sensitivity of the sympathetic nervous system – all will have a positive impact on your body’s stress levels. There can be an increase in allergies when experiencing stress. When your autonomic nervous system is in balance, you are less likely to trigger.
Hope that gives you some ideas and a little hope that you have several options available to enable you to enjoy, rather than dread, this beautiful time of the year
Helen x