Erika Bragdon is a Certified Essential Oil Coach from the Essential Oil Institute.
Seasonal allergies can make you feel miserable year after year and you might feel like you don’t have any choice but to reach for the allergy medication so you can function.
But there are actually some natural home remedies for seasonal allergies that can be very helpful at relieving symptoms.
Both my husband and 8-year-old son deal with seasonal allergies every spring (sometimes in the fall too) and we’ve been able to relieve their symptoms using all natural remedies without any medication.
To be honest, my husband is a little stubborn and more reluctant to follow my natural remedy protocol, so he hasn’t experienced quite as much relief as my son has. Joshua, on the other hand, is like a whole new child this year. The sneezing, congestion, and red watery eyes that have plagued my poor boy every spring since he was 3 are gone.
In previous years, we turned to over-the-counter and even prescription medications to help him (Children’s Zyrtec, Flonase, etc.), but even that pharmaceutical regimen didn’t fully relieve his symptoms; it only masked the symptoms and on really bad pollen days, Josh was still miserable.
As I’ve gradually moved our family to more natural options, this year, we’ve added a few things to our natural toolkit to help with seasonal allergies and the results have truly been amazing.
I use these natural tools for seasonal allergies:
5 Natural Home Remedies for Seasonal Allergies:
#1 Aller-Free Herbal Tincture
Aller-Free is an herbal formula from Herbal Energetics containing organic and wildcrafted herbs, including nettle leaf, goldenrod, astragalus, Osha root, bayberry root, licorice root, and marshmallow root, along with raw honey and flower essences.
In our experience, this natural remedy for seasonal allergies works well for fast allergy relief, though it works even better when taken at least once a day.
Aller-free has worked wonders for relieving Joshua’s seasonal allergies. I give him 1/2 to 1 full dropper full in the morning and at night. In fact, now that we’ve used it regularly for the past month, I’ve noticed we can even skip a day (yes in peak pollen season here in New Hampshire) and Joshua is still symptom-free.
Even my often reluctant-to-take-natural-remedies husband has experienced relief using this herbal blend when he takes it. (So much so, that last week, he asked me for his own small bottle so he could bring it to work with him.)
If I had to pick just one all-natural remedy for seasonal allergies, it would be Aller-Free; it’s been THAT amazing.
You can find Aller-Free here.
#2 Essential Oils
Essential oils are another great home option for seasonal allergies and there are different ways you can use them for your family.
My favorite essential oils for seasonal allergy relief are:
- peppermint – may help reduce sinus congestion
- lemon essential oil – may help break up mucus
- lavender essential oil – a natural antihistamine
Ways to Use Essential Oils for Allergy Relief:
#1 Simply add one or two drops of the essential oils to your hand along with a carrier oil, rub your hands together, and breathe in.
#2 Add 1-2 drops of each essential oil to your diffuser. I love this diffuser.
#3 Apply the oils topically with a carrier oil or make an easy essential oil roller blend.
I include these three essential oils in an easy-to-make DIY essential oil roller blend for seasonal allergies. Find out how to make it here.
I rub this essential oil blend on Joshua’s back and the soles of his feet daily.
#3 Saline Nasal Spray
A saline nasal spray can help wash away mucus and help relieve discomfort.
Joshua suffered from chronic congestion ever since he was a toddler and he had a prescription for Flonase nasal spray for when the congestion got really bad.
When we switched to a gluten-free and dairy-free diet a couple of years ago, Joshua’s congestion all but disappeared, but it still came back during the spring months when his seasonal allergies acted up.
As I’ve gradually moved our family to more natural remedies, I found a saline nasal spray, called Xlear Nasal Spray. The ingredients are purified water, xylitol, saline, and grapefruit seed extract.
It’s worked really well for Joshua in relieving any seasonal allergy congestion. In fact, when he started using it, he was mildly congested and it helped almost immediately.
Now he uses the saline nasal spray only on an infrequent as-needed basis, but it’s great to have an all-natural alternative in my medicine cabinet.
#4 Raw Honey
Local raw honey contains enzymes that can help reduce histamine flare-ups due to pollen in the air. While studies seem to be uncommon and inconclusive, there are many people who will testify to how amazing raw honey can be as a natural home remedy for seasonal allergies.
Raw honey is not the same as the honey bear at the grocery store; the honey bear is not raw and you will not see the same benefits.
It’s also important to find raw honey from your area because this honey will be made by bees pollinating the same kinds of plants and trees that are bothering you. This will, in theory, expose your body to very small amounts of the allergen and help your body to almost desensitize.
For more info and to read some testimonials on the benefits of consuming raw honey for seasonal allergies, read this article.
We buy raw local honey from the health food store in town and I give Joshua 1-3 tsp a day. It’s hard to measure the exact amount and we use a regular spoon and estimate. I’ve been giving Joshua the raw honey for about 3-4 months now and I definitely think it’s contributed to his reduced (almost disappeared) seasonal allergies this year.
One note: It’s helpful to begin taking raw local honey at least a couple months before pollen season begins where you live to help your body increase it’s tolerance gradually. Raw honey won’t relieve symptoms as quickly as some of the other natural remedies listed here.
#5 Histaminum
This simple homeopathic remedy for allergy relief is a more recent discovery (2019) and it’s been amazing. My son takes maybe 1 dose of Histaminum every couple of weeks during the spring and he experiences no more allergy symptoms!
Find Histaminum here.
Those are the 5 most helpful natural home remedies for seasonal allergies we’ve used in our family with great success. I hope you can find relief too!
Sabrina says
Thanks for your sharing. Before that, I alway use raw honey for my children and my family whenever weather change. It’s so great. From you, I know some great way to protect family heath.
Erika says
Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as raw honey can help?! Thanks for sharing, Sabrina!
Sammy Dolan says
I had no idea that lavender essential oil is a natural antihistamine, I’m going to try out your DIY Essential Oil Blend on myself and my Daughter. We both suffer from seasonal allergies, some relief would be nice!
Erika says
I didn’t know that either until recently. Isn’t it amazing? Let me know how it works. I hope both you and your daughter feel better!
Evan says
Haha at first I thought you were saying I should rub honey all over my kid!
Erika says
That would be one sticky kid! They’d probably love it though. You and me?not so much! 🙂
Kate says
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! My 8yo has developed a seasonal allergy. Every year for 3 or 4 years, it seems to get worse. I’m reluctant to use OTC meds. I’ve used EOs in the past, but they haven’t done quite enough.
I just received my order of aller-free, and I’m really hoping it will do the trick. Wish I’d had it last week!
Just wondering, do you give it to your son neat or add it to a drink? My boys are used to getting flower essences in their milk, so I’d like to try this trick.
Which brings me to my next question. Do you notice milk having any adverse effects?
Thank you again for sharing this information!
Kate says
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! My 8yo has really been suffering this year. I’ve tried EOs in the past, but they haven’t been doing enough to relieve his symptoms.
I just received my order of aller-free. I’m really hoping it will do the trick!
I was just wondering if you give it to your son neat, or if you dilute it in a drink? My boys are used to getting flower essences in their milk, so I’d like to try this trick.
Which brings me to my next question. Do you find that milk has adverse effects?
Thank you again!
Edward Morrison says
Nettle has such a negative image, but it’s one of the most incredible herbs you will use once you add it to your repertoire. From relieving arthritis (link), lowering blood pressure, and (of course) helping seasonal allergies, it performs a wide variety of functions thanks to its (find property names.) The peppermint contains a type of flavonoid called luteolin-7-O-rutinoside which can help inhibit the activity and secretion of anti-inflammatory enzymes, such as histamines, and greatly reduce the dreadful discomfort that comes along them.
TagBand says
Great article! I always use home remedies and i definitely going to try your DIY home remedies on my self because I suffer from seasonal allergy. Thanks for sharing and please keep sharing.