Hay fever affects around 7.8 percent of people over the age of 18 in the U.S., and worldwide, between 10 and 30 percent of the global population, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Otherwise known as allergic rhinitis, hay fever is a common condition that can seem a lot like a cold, with sufferers experiencing sneezing, congestion, a runny nose and sinus pressure. Hay fever is caused by your body having an allergic response to airborne substances, for example, pollen. Depending upon the particular substance you are allergic to, you may experience hay fever at different times of the year, as reported by Medical News Today.

Some people also experience itchy eyes, a sore throat and even hives, and those that experience bad symptoms of hay fever will inevitably search for a way to alleviate the symptoms. But it seems that antihistamines, a popular treatment for hay fever, may actually cause problems with your body's ability to heal.

Antihistamines prevent your muscles from healing

According to the Daily Mail, antihistamines have recently been shown to cause drowsiness, in addition to blunting the body's ability to help muscles recover. Research from the University of Oregon has found that antihistamines blunt or limit the body's gene responses necessary for helping your muscles to recover after vigorous exercise.

After you hit the gym, over 3,000 different genes work together to aid your body's recovery by boosting muscles and blood vessels. But if you suffer from hay fever and have taken a high dose of antihistamine, almost 27 percent of your gene response is blunted.

Histamine is a substance that is found in your body and reacts to pollen, mold and other allergens. If you suffer from hay fever, it is likely that your body is producing too much histamine; that's when you can have uncomfortable allergic reactions. But histamines also work to relax your blood vessels and increase blood flow during post-exercise recovery.

This latest study has found that there is a link between histamines and how your body changes after exercise. Professor John Halliwill explains, "We were looking for pathways associated with the growth of new blood vessels. ... We saw evidence of that, but we also saw gene expression associated with glucose uptake by muscles, restructuring of muscle in response to exercise, immune responses, and intracellular communications."

The study found that antihistamines had no effect before workouts, and a low effect immediately after exercise had finished. However, three hours after a workout, 795 of the genes usually involved in muscle recovery responded with lower levels of expression.

Natural remedies for hay fever

If you are a sufferer of hay fever and want to avoid taking over-the-counter antihistamines, there are several natural home remedies you can try. You can take some very simple measures to limit your exposure to allergens, for example by avoiding the outdoors between 5 and 10 a.m., which are peak times for pollen.

According to Healthy and Natural World, there are certain essential oils that can also help alleviate your symptoms. Lavender is a natural antihistamine, and has strong anti-inflammatory properties that will help to treat most allergic reactions. Another option is peppermint, which has pain relieving, soothing and cooling properties, helping to open your airways and ease congestion. Use these essential oils topically or in a diffuser for best results.

There is a great deal of evidence to support the use of homeopathic medicine instead of over-the-counter drugs, and treating hay fever using natural products can have better results – without the risk of interfering with your body's ability to heal.

Source:
courtesy of NATURALNEWS

by Sarah Landers

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