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Problem plants

Plant pollens are the most common hay-fever triggers. The most prolific culprits are weeds such as ragweed, sagebrush, and thistle. More than 1,000 kinds of grass grow in North America, but only a few—including the Kentucky bluegrass that’s probably in your yard—produce allergic pollen. High pollen–count trees include oak, ash, elm, hickory, pecan, box elder, and mountain cedar. Regardless of what your child may be allergic to, symptoms are generally the same so many holistic pediatricians don’t recommend allergy skin tests. “Most pollen can’t really be avoided anyway,” says Randall Neustaedter, OMD.

Warm liquids soothe the
throat and nasal passages.
Sweeten herbal tea
with fruit juice or honey.

1Choose low-inflammation foods. If your child has food sensitivities—and many kids do but don’t know it—foods such as dairy and wheat can be mucus forming and inflammation promoting, which can create an imbalance in immune system function, says Neustaedter.

Consider limiting these foods before and during allergy season.

Also, add more antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods— such as nuts, fish, grapes, oranges, apples, and tomatoes—to family meals. Because they fight free radical cell damage (which interferes with the immune system), antioxidants can help boost immunity.

2Brew a pot of herbal tea. Warm liquids soothe the throat and nasal passages.

If your child prefers, you can sweeten tea with fruit juice, or try a natural alternative sweetener such as agave nectar or stevia.

3Clean up household air. Outside, pollen is impossible to avoid, but indoor air is another matter. Get a HEPA air filter, which removes pollen and dust from air, and run it in your child’s bedroom 24 hours a day. The portable models work fine in smaller rooms and cost less than $100. Also, on windy days and while your child is sleeping, keep windows shut. If possible, rip out old carpet and cover air vents with filters, vacuum frequently when your child is not in the room, avoid ceiling fans, and wash bedding and stuffed animals once a week.

4Rinse nasal passages. It might take getting used to, but rinsing the sinuses with warm saline (salt water) is an excellent, age-old natural remedy that helps reduce contact with pollen and lessens allergy symptoms. Look for nasal sprays containing saline or xylitol in the allergy section.