As spring transitions to summer, your enjoyment of the outdoors may be tempered by congestion, itchy eyes, sinus headaches, and sneezing. Seasonal allergies have a way of making a great day average, with the need for tissues and medication, all due to airborne pollen.
You have an alternative to over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants. Dr. Ziyang Zhou and the Pine Mountain Chinese Acupuncture & Herb Clinic team in Austin, Texas, can put the power of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to work for you, using a holistic approach to allergy treatment that focuses on rebalancing your body's conditions.
Today, we’ll look at five TCM approaches for seasonal allergy relief. These can reduce or eliminate your dependence on pharmaceutical alternatives, which can carry their own side effects.
A key component of TCM, acupuncture helps balance energy throughout your body. The fine needles stimulate important points in your body to adjust the flow of Qi, the vital energy that flows through your body.
Allergies are a dysfunction of your body’s immune system, which mistakenly reacts against otherwise harmless substances, called allergens. Acupuncture stimulation of specific points in your body improves the immune system’s natural responses and reduces the effects of allergens. Better still, you can start treatment before allergy season to ease the onset of symptoms.
Based on your unique allergy symptoms, Dr. Zhou can create an herbal remedy to support respiratory health, strengthen your body’s defenses, and reduce congestion, easing the symptoms that plague you year after year.
Immune system performance, lung health, and stress are closely connected in the practices of TCM. Qi Gong and Tai Chi are two meditative practices that reduce stress, which is a known suppressor of the immune system.
When combined with breathing exercises, Qi Gong and Tai Chi help you relax, improve your breathing, and improve your overall wellness, all while balancing your immune system.
Altering your diet as you go through allergy season can also help your body’s response. In TCM, certain foods are thought to increase inflammation while simultaneously boosting mucus production, leading to congestion and difficulty breathing.
During allergy season, cut back on these foods:
Instead, add these items to your diet:
The benefits of a change in diet work best when combined with other TCM allergy strategies.
Any holistic medical care looks at all aspects of your life and health. When it comes to easing your seasonal allergy responses, keep these general health points in mind to boost the effects of your TCM treatments:
Contact our team at Pine Mountain Chinese Acupuncture & Herb Clinic to learn more about how we can help you reduce your reliance on allergy medications. Call or click to book your consultation today.
