The plane trees of Melbourne…achoo!

(Not to mention elm, birch, beech, ash!)

Melbourne, and indeed many parts of Australia are in full glorious bloom. Our city and country streets look magnificent. These wonderful tree beings provide not only beauty and peacefulness, but also life-giving oxygen and reduced greenhouse gases.

But, for a brief period quite a number of Australians find their hay fever symptoms particularly bothersome at this time of year.

What can we do to reduce the unpleasant itchy eyes, ears and noses, sneezing, sore throats and excess mucous production? Hug a tree for its many blessings, and take the following!

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids are a natural anti-histamine. (Examples of bioflavonoids are rutin, hesperidin, and quercetin.) Best in powder form, with vitamin C in a calcium ascorbate form. Helps to reduce inflammatory responses and fights allergic disease. Half a teaspoon, twice per day with meals.

Take a blend of herbs containing Albizia, Scutellaria baicalensis, Zingiber, Piper longum etc. These herbs which come in various forms, tablets, liquids, raise one’s threshold to external allergens. Great to start even before the hay fever season commences.

High dose fish oil reduces the inflammatory cascade. Ensure each capsule contains 1000 mg of EPA/DHA with EPA content being at least 400–500 mg and DHA 200–300 mg. Two capsules twice per day.

Lastly, there are particular strains of probiotics specific to allergy – Lactobacillus paracasei Lp-33 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG). These moderate overactive immune responses and regulate excessive inflammation. One capsule daily.

That will enable us to enjoy the beauty of springtime without a watery eye or sneeze!