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Natural Remedies for Allergies & Sore Throat

Allergies can be a full-time, or at least perennial, nuisance, making life miserable for those who suffer from them. There are the usual conventional remedies, of course, but a number of potentially powerful home remedies also exist. These include simple things like installing an air filter and laying out a welcome mat to herbal solutions--like eucalyptus and stinging nettle.

  1. First Things First: Clean the Air

    • You may find that your allergies disappear---along with the sore throat they bring---soon after setting up an HEPA air filter. HEPA stands for "high-efficiency particulate air," and HEPA filters can remove up to 98 percent of all allergens in the area they cover. To obtain a filter of the appropriate size, look at its clean air delivery rate (CADR); if the number is at least two-thirds of the room's square footage, the filter will likely do the trick. Many vacuum cleaners also have HEPA filters.

    Set Out the Mat

    • It sounds simple, but consider putting out a welcome mat to prevent irritants from entering your house. Pollen, mold, dust mites, pesticides, wood smoke and other irritants get carried into your home and office on people's shoes. A welcome mat encourages people to wipe their shoes. The best option, of course, is for people to leave their shoes at the door.

    Stinging Nettle

    • Stinging nettle, available at any herbal store, is one natural remedy for combating allergies. This perennial plant with small green flowers has long been used for its tonic, astringent and diuretic properties. When it comes to allergies, the plant's leaves and roots can help clean out the irritating toxins. Stinging nettle can be ingested as a tincture, in pill form, or even as a tea.

    Eucalyptus

    • Another herbal remedy involves eucalyptus. In particular, this herb helps to battle a sore throat---in two ways. First, it is a natural astringent---meaning it shrinks swollen tissue, in this case in your throat. Second, it is a natural inflammation reducer. For a sore throat, consider making a eucalyptus tea by dropping 2 or 3 tsp. of crushed eucalyptus leaves (available at any herbal or natural products store) into a cup of boiling water.

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