Breathe Easy Again: Conquer Allergy Season Naturally

If your eyes are itching, your nose is running, and your throat feels scratchy as soon as the wind shifts—yep, you’re probably dealing with seasonal allergies.

You’re not alone. But instead of reaching straight for the over-the-counter meds, let’s talk about how herbs and simple remedies can help you feel better naturally.

What’s Actually Happening During an Allergy Response?

Before we jump into the herbs, let’s take a second to understand what’s happening in your body.

When you’re allergic to something—like pollen, dust, or mold—your immune system sees that substance as a threat, even though it isn’t harmful to most people. It reacts by releasing histamines, which are chemicals that cause swelling, itching, sneezing, and all those other frustrating symptoms.

It might feel like your body is working against you, but it’s actually trying to protect you! These symptoms are your body’s way of trying to flush out or get rid of what it thinks is harmful.

Knowing this, we can work with herbs that naturally support your body — helping to calm that over-the-top response without shutting down your immune system completely.

Naturally supporting allergy relief during the allergy season

Here’s a list of some really great herbal allies you can look to during allergy season. You can grab a check list of these herbal helpers here to print and keep handy.

Nettle Leaf – Natural antihistamine, reduces sneezing and inflammation. One of the best-known natural antihistamines. Nettle helps stabilize mast cells, which are responsible for releasing histamines in the first place. You can drink it as a tea or take it as a tincture.
Plantain Leaf – Soothes irritated tissues and calms the respiratory tract. Great for soothing irritated mucous membranes and calming inflammation.
Eyebright – Eases itchy, watery eyes and nasal symptoms
Goldenrod – Supports respiratory function and fights inflammation. Often unfairly blamed for allergies (it blooms at the same time as ragweed, but isn’t wind-pollinated), goldenrod is actually a helpful herb for sinus congestion and watery eyes.
Local Honey – May help build tolerance to local pollen. Remember herbs include our foods! If you’re not allergic to bee products, taking local honey can help your body slowly get used to local pollens over time.
Licorice Root – Soothes irritated mucous membranes (use in moderation). Lictorice is 30 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way. Add a little to a tea blend to help sweeten it.
Quercetin-rich foods (like onions & apples) – Natural antihistamine support.
Ragweed Tincture – Yes, seriously! Helps desensitize your body to allergens. Read on.

The Worst Offender and the best help: Ragweed (Ambrosia)

If you’ve ever suffered from fall allergies, you can thank ragweed for most of it. It’s one of the most common and allergy-triggering plants in the Ambrosia family, releasing billions (yes, billions) of pollen grains into the air each season.

But here’s the cool part: in tincture form, ragweed can actually help reduce allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to it. It’s a classic case of “like treats like”—kind of like a homeopathic principle. The key is starting with a small dose. Start with just a drop per day. Maybe work up to 2 drops per day and see how you do. Stay very low dose, especially if you’re super sensitive.

Tip: If you’re able, grab a handful and check out it’s aroma. It smells lovely! It truly is amazing!

🍵 DIY Allergy Relief Tea Blend

Here’s a gentle herbal tea you can sip throughout allergy season. And as always you can adjust these herbs to suit your taste.

🌟 Bonus Tips for Getting Through Allergy Season Naturally

While herbs can offer amazing support, there are also a few simple habits you can add to your daily routine to help lower your exposure to allergens and ease your symptoms even more:

Rinse your sinuses.
Using a saline rinse or neti pot can gently flush out pollen and dust from your nasal passages.
Shower and change clothes after being outside.
Pollen sticks to your skin, hair, and clothes. A quick rinse can make a big difference.
Keep windows closed during high pollen times.
As tempting as fresh air is, it can bring a lot of pollen inside. Early morning and windy days tend to be the worst.
Use an air purifier.
Especially in your bedroom, where you spend so many hours each night.
Boost your hydration.
Water helps thin mucus and keeps your respiratory system working smoothly.

Small changes, combined with herbal support, can really help your body handle allergy season a whole lot easier. 🌸

The Takeaway

Seasonal allergies don’t have to run your life. With the right herbal allies, you can support your body from the inside out and reduce those frustrating symptoms. Whether you try a daily cup of allergy tea, experiment with nettle tincture, or explore the power of ragweed tincture, there are natural ways to feel better—without the foggy side effects of conventional meds.

And you don’t have to use the same remedy everyday. Mix it up a little and see what you can make that you can really enjoy while helping reduce those allergy symptoms.

Would you like help making a ragweed or nettle tincture? Let me know in the comments or check out my herbal tincture class here for step-by-step guidance.