Ayurvedic Allergy Relief

India’s traditional herbal remedies can help ease breathing.

By Lisa James

March 2007

A runny-yet-congested nose, nonstop sneezing fits, itchy eyes: They’re all typical harbingers of spring for someone who suffers from hay fever. Known technically as allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies discombobulate more than 25 million Americans each year, leaving them unable to easily breathe, concentrate or sleep.

Many sniffling victims seek relief in over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications, which, although sometimes helpful, come with such possible side effects as drowsiness or headache. What’s more, treating hay fever’s symptoms is not the same thing as correcting the unbalanced immune response that causes those symptoms in the first place.

That’s where the herbal remedies used in Ayurveda, India’s traditional medicine, come in. The basic idea: Bring immunity back into balance, which gives hay fever’s miseries a chance to subside.

Overactive Immunity

In a world full of bacteria, germs and other threats, the body needs a staunch defender. That’s the immune system’s job; this exquisitely coordinated collection of cells and chemicals identifies invaders and dispatches or neutralizes them.

Problems ensue when the immune response goes into hyperdrive and “defends” against stuff that doesn’t pose a health threat, such as the pollen plants shed in springtime. When this happens the immune system triggers the breakup of what are called mast cells; these cells, in turn, release a flood of chemicals, the best-known of which is histamine, that inflame the lining of the nasal passages. As a result, you start reaching for an endless stream of tissues...and wishing for 12-month winters.

Toxin Reduction

Where Western medicine sees the chemistry of inflammation, Ayurvedic medicine sees toxic accumulation: Incomplete digestion forms a toxin called ama, which can interact with bodily organs or functions to form a more hazardous contaminant called amavisha. Amavisha interferes with the body’s adaptabil­ity to change, such as the seasonal changes that herald pollen release—and an allergic reaction occurs.

The Ayurvedic allergy answer starts, naturally enough, with detoxification through the consumption of organic produce, daily exercise such as walking and getting enough sleep. In addition, a number of herbs—which are traditionally used in combination—have been found to rectify what Western medicine knows as immune imbalance. These include Indian gooseberry (Phyl­lanthus emblica, which is loaded with vitamin C), haritaki (Terminalia chebula, known as a powerful detox agent), bedda nut (T. bellerica), Indian walnut (Albizia lebbeck), ginger (Zingiber officinale), Indian long pepper (Piper longum, an expectorant) and black pepper (P. nigrum).

This herbal blend—now available in capsule form—is designed to stabilize mast cells, clear airway passages for better breathing and inhibit the inflammatory chemicals that account for allergy symptoms; although tests are ongoing, in early studies this mixture has indeed eased discomfort and reduced inflammation (IJCPR 2004, IJTR 2004). One big contribution modern research has made to herbalism lies in standardization—providing precisely calibrated levels of each herb’s active ingredients so that you get reliable amounts of these substances in every capsule.
If spring makes you sneeze, take heart. Ayurveda’s ancient remedies and today’s science have teamed up to offer herbal relief from pesky seasonal allergies.