Many of us suffer from seasonal allergies including pollen allergy and test out remedies to this infuriating repetitious issue. Over-the-counter and/or prescription medications come laden with their own crummy side effects and can include symptoms of dry mouth, dry eyes, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, rapid heart rate, etc. But why replace one problem with another when nature gifts us with its bounty to clear our heads and calm allergic responses all the while being safer than synthetic drugs?

Seasonal allergies occur due to an immune system response that is caused by an intolerance of histamines. Mast cells, part of our body's immune defense, release what are called mediators. Histamines are one type of mediator that has an important chemical function in our body such as dilating blood vessels, muscle contraction and heart rate. 

When histamines are released it creates an allergic response - defending against what mast cells deem as foreign “invaders” - such as pollen, dust, pet dander, dust mites, etc. During this attack, mast cells alert the immune system creating an inflammatory build-up in our body that can include a constriction of airways and affect the nose, throat, lungs, ears and sinuses. The triggered inflammatory response cause seasonal allergy symptoms that include skin irritation, itching, sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, swollen and irritated and itchy eyes, itchy throat and fatigue. Sigh. 

But don't despair, below we will share with you an effective non-invasive, complementary treatment in the form of aromatherapy and when used appropriately, has lower toxicity and little to no side effects! Continue reading about how to integrate essential oils into your life hacks and remedies to combat allergic reactions. 

*see below: Notes of caution

Essential oils have natural components that have shown in many studies that they reduce mast cell and histamine response with their anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties relieving congestion to open up the airways. When single oils are joined together in an essential oil blend such as Combat Allergies, their natural power to alleviate the body's allergic response is multiplied.

What Essential Oil Helps Best With Allergies?

The efficacy of certain essential oils to combat allergies works in a few different ways to calm the body's reaction to foreign substances as anti-histamines, anti-inflammatories, analgesics, immune system support and antimicrobials. 

• Eucalyptus- Globulus essential oil is well-founded in its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, expectorant, sedative and bactericidal effects. But further studies of Eucalyptus oil has been shown to reduce allergic reaction by suppressing mast cell degranulation in topical allergic dermatitis as well as relieving sinus and allergic rhinitis symptoms. [3.4] 
• We are all familiar with the fact that Lavender essential oil (Lavendula angustifolia) is well known for its analgesic, anti-anxiety and antimicrobial properties. But when it comes to seasonal allergies, it is Lavender's anti-inflammatory property that assists with allergy relief and asthma. The purpose of an anti-inflammatory is to eliminate the aggressive agent and any potential subsequent tissue injury. Lavender has the ability to inhibit the immune system's inflammatory response. [5,6]
• Frankincense- Serrata oil among many of the Boswellia species has a multitude of properties that support us in regard to seasonal allergies which include analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, expectorant and immune support. Boswellia serrata has been used extensively in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of arthritis, asthma, ulcers, and skin diseases as well as inflammatory diseases including bronchial asthma. These traditional uses are backed by modern scientific studies. [7, 8]
• Brock University research study has shown that “components found in Rosemary appear to inhibit the process leading up to an allergic reaction.” And further adds, that Rosemary- Moroccan “alters activation of proteins within mast cells that lead to inflammation, but reduces chemicals that produce the typical inflammatory symptoms many people with allergies experience.” [9,10]
• In the realm of essential oils, immune system and allergic response, Cypress- Italian (Cupressus sempervirens) supports the system as an anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, decongestant and anti-infectious agent. It has the ability to support the breath and open up the airways in a similar fashion as Eucalyptus -Globulus and Frankincense -Serrata. [11,12]
• Chamomile- Roman (Anthemis nobilis) is a necessary essential oil to keep at the ready in your medicine bag. From relieving allergy symptoms, including seasonal allergies of hay fever and other plant pollens, it can also calm symptoms of asthma as well as be effective for treating allergic skin reactions and conditions such as acne, eczema, rashes and dermatitis. [13]

Where Do You Put Essential Oils For Allergies?

It's not necessarily where you put essential oils for allergy relief but how you use Combat Allergies essential oil blend. Here is a list of ideas to put to use to relieve your allergy symptoms. Inhalation is one of the most effective ways to reduce allergies. When essential oils are breathed in through the respiratory, they have the ability to circulate throughout the body within 20 seconds, getting straight to work. 

Inhalation Techniques

1. Steam inhalation. Add 1-2 drops of Combat Allergies essential oil blend to a glass or ceramic bowl of steaming hot water.  Drape a towel over your head and close your eyes, place your face about 8-12 inches over the bowl, and breathe in deeply for several minutes.
2. Diffuse: General use is to place 6 drops per 100 ml of water. However, depending on the diffuser, we recommend following the manufacturer's instructions. If you can set your diffuser to run for certain time periods, try letting it run for 60-minute intervals. 
3. Essential oil Nasal Inhaler: follow our simple instructions on the product page for personal inhaler use.
4. Mio Mist Diffuser: This convenient little personal device is spectacular for taking on the go while traveling, or even just back and forth to work. It lets out a stream of vapor and essential oils for 1 minute at a time. To fill the product, please read and follow the Mio Mist instructions.
5. Make a Room Spray: Blend 15-20 drops of Combat Allergies with a high-proof grain alcohol (such as Everclear) in a 4 oz glass bottle with pump spritzer and let sit overnight. The next morning, add distilled water to the top, shake and use it around the house and even on your clothing.
6. Place a drop of the blend onto the palms of your hands, rub your hands together vigorously and cup the hands over the nose, breathing in deeply 4-5 times. Otherwise, to avoid getting the oils on your hands, place a drop or two on a tissue or cotton ball and hold it close to your nose, and breathe the oil in deeply a few times.

Topical Application

Using Combat Allergy in a carrier oil or unscented cream can be used topically on the chest and upper back covering the lung area. Absorption of the essential oil through the skin into the bloodstream combined with inhalation of the topical oils can give a double whammy to any allergy. 

1. Topical Cream or oil: Blending at a 5% maximum dilution into 1 ounce of carrier oil or unscented cream equates to a maximum of 30 drops of essential oil single or blend. To read more about safe dilutions, please read this blog post. 
2. Bath Salt blend: In a bowl, blend 6 drops with 2 cups of epsom salts, ½ cup of Baking Soda and ½ cup of Castille soap for a luxurious skin softening bath that will calm itchy and irritated skin. 

What Helps With Allergies Instantly?

Hands down, inhalation is the most effective remedy to get essential oil components into your bloodstream where they can get to work calming inflammation, mast cell proliferation and histamine response. By inhaling you also gain the benefit of reducing congestion in the lungs and sinuses and help to slow and stop the flow of any post nasal drip. 

Do Essential Oil Diffusers Help With Allergies?

Yes, diffusers surely help to ease allergy symptoms. Diffusers are one of a kind especially ultrasonic diffusers which allow the dispersal of essential oil molecules to infuse into the air where you can breathe them when needed. Ultrasonic diffusers such as Edens Garden Terrazzo diffuser is not only niquely decorative but it allows for a number of intermittent settings - starting and stopping the flow of the oils so that you dont get overwhelmed by them.   

*Notes of Caution:

• Because this essential oil blend contains Eucalyptus globulus, it is not recommended for children under the age of 10 due to its 1,8 cineole content. 
• For the same reason, it should be used with caution with asthmatics as it has potential to restrict breathing. Before widespread use, have the asthma sufferer smell the oil straight from the bottle to test out how their breathing reacts to the oil blend. If it keeps their breath open, they are good to go. If it restricts breathing, it is recommended to use a blend that does not contain the component 1,8 cineole. 
• Because essential oils are powerful enough to be effective when inhaled or applied topically, we do not recommend ingestion unless advised by an aromatherapist. Please note that many may suggest ingesting essential oils, but research shows that casual ingestion may lead to unwanted side effects regardless of purity, quality or brand. These include stomach irritation, dizziness, headaches and nausea among other things. This does not mean that ingestion is never applicable, but it is rarely necessary.

We would love to hear about how Combat Allergies works for you and your family by leaving a review on the product page.  

SOURCES: 

1. Mast Cells and Their Progenitors in Allergic Asthma https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00821/full
2. Antihistamines https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/21223-antihistamines
3. Eucalyptus oil reduces allergic reactions and suppresses mast cell degranulation by downregulating IgE-FcεRI signalling https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7708995/
4. Effects of Eucalyptus Aroma Therapy on the Allergic Rhinitis of University Students https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO201436351073538.page
5. Lavender essential oil inhalation suppresses allergic airway inflammation and mucous cell hyperplasia in a murine model of asthma https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320514005177?via%3Dihub
6. Anti-inflammatory effect of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil prepared during different plant phenophases on THP-1 macrophages https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-021-03461-5
7. Effects of Frankincense Compounds on Infection, Inflammation, and Oral Health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9268443/
8. Boswellia Serrata https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563692/
9. Brock team discovers rosemary extract inhibits allergic process https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2020/07/brock-team-discovers-rosemary-extract-inhibits-allergic-process/
10. Attenuation of allergen-mediated mast cell activation by rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32202360/
11. Bioactive compounds, pharmacological actions and pharmacokinetics of Cupressus sempervirens https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00210-022-02326-z
12. Cypress Oil: What You Need to Know https://www.healthline.com/health/cypress-oil#benefits
13. Chamomile https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/chamomile