Sauna is a natural help against pollen allergy
Does sauna help against pollen allergy? The nose runs, the eyes water and the head seems to burst. If it is so far, good advice is often expensive. Sure, there are medications against it. But who wants to swallow tablets the whole spring? Is there not perhaps a gentle method against the symptoms? Yes, there is: the sauna. We tell you how and why it helps. We also give you a number of other tips against pollen allergy.
Training for the immune system
A pollen allergy is always an expression of a weakened immune system. The body can no longer process the information properly, evaluates pollen as an intruder, and the result is allergy. Bathing in the sauna is known to be a good workout for the immune system. The alternation between heat and cold hardens the body. In addition, the pleasant warmth boosts the metabolism, which in turn benefits the immune system. To benefit from the effects, you need to sauna regularly.
Alleviate allergy symptoms naturally
Start with the healthy sweat baths already in winter and enjoy the pleasant warmth also in spring. About twice a week, you should allow yourself and your organism this time out. This does not completely combat pollen allergies. But you will see that your symptoms are significantly alleviated.
But you can do your immune system even more good: why not visit the Kneipp pool? It may look quirky to wade through there in the stork gait. But it will help your body. The alternation between the outside air and the cold water gets your circulation going and nurtures your immune system.
Proper nutrition for pollen allergy
It goes without saying that you should eat healthy. This not only helps against pollen allergy, but also helps you otherwise to get through the year healthy. After all, the immune system needs many vitamins to function properly. Vitamin C and magnesium are particularly important.
Relieve stress
Stress is one of the main triggering factors of a pollen allergy. As a sufferer, you will certainly have noticed this about yourself: If it gets hectic at work, the nose runs particularly violently. Now, the hustle and bustle of everyday life cannot be completely avoided.
But you can counteract it with targeted downtime. The best thing to do is to take one evening a week and enjoy the pleasant warmth of the sauna. You will see: This works wonders against stress. After just a few minutes, all the tension in your body will be released. You come to rest, and also your brain can switch off all at once. Thus, the stress of everyday life falls off you within a few minutes.
If you want, you can additionally promote this effect with fragrances. The classic at this point is lavender. But also ylang ylang and sandalwood are true miracles of calm. Use these oils for infusion or let them evaporate slowly in the sauna.
Relaxation techniques as an alternative
If you want to do even more to combat stress, you should try different relaxation techniques. Yoga is particularly popular at the moment. The exercises require a high level of concentration and don’t give you a chance to think about everyday life. It’s quite relaxing. However, please do not overexert yourself. Only tackle the positions that you can easily perform. If you can’t do an exercise, so be it. It’s not about competition, it’s about you relaxing. Before you start doing yoga at home, take a class. Only an experienced trainer can show you how to do the different exercises correctly.
With salt water against snuffly noses
Sometimes, however, even the best prevention does not help and the nose runs. That’s when you need a handkerchief. But even in this case, a visit to the spa can give you relief. It is best to choose a spa with water that contains a lot of brine. This is nothing other than dissolved salt. The magic substance from nature makes your nose decongest and cleanses the mucous membranes. A pleasant side effect is that the brine also fights redness and you can relax in the warm water.
Nasal douche provides relief
If you can’t find the time for an extensive spa visit, you can do a nasal irrigation at home. It’s not as relaxing, but it’s just as effective. To do this, dissolve a heaping teaspoon of table salt in 250 milliliters of water. And then it takes a little effort: Hold your nose over the container and pull up the water. Admittedly, this is not pleasant. But the procedure flushes the nose clean again and you can breathe freely.
If you want to combat pollen allergies a little more gently, you can also reach for a sea salt nasal spray from the drugstore. This is less effective. On the other hand, it is easy to integrate into your daily routine. As a sufferer, you should always have a small bottle with you.
But beware: all that salt can dry out the skin of your nose. That’s why you should apply an oily ointment before sleeping. This will care for your skin overnight and prevent burning and itching as far as possible.
Fight the headache naturally
When pollen allergies strike, severe headaches plague many sufferers. Do not immediately reach for headache pills, because the ingredients are not healthy in the long run. Quick help is provided by a facial shower with cold water. This cold shock stimulates the metabolism and the circulation abruptly. The pleasant result: you clear your head and the pain subsides.
It is also helpful to rub mint oil on the temples and over the root of the nose. The scent turns off the pain receptors, so to speak. If you want, you can also enjoy an infusion with menthol in the sauna. It has the same effect on the organism. In addition, the scent clears the nose. But please cool down immediately afterward, otherwise the headache will come back quickly.
Avoid the pollen
The best remedy for a pollen allergy is still to avoid the trigger. This won’t always work completely. But you can at least minimize contact. For example, close the windows at night so that the pollen doesn’t disturb your sleep. Also, don’t cool the room with a fan, because that would just spread the nasty pollen around the room over a large area. You should always wash your hair before going to bed, because this is where pollen tends to get caught. The same applies to textiles, so you should not store your clothes in the bedroom overnight. If you have gardening to do, do it after a downpour. It cleans the air and you can breathe easier.
