Common Allergies - How Can Ayurveda Treat Them?

Neti helps remove the congestion as well as the allergens that are irritating the nasal passages and the sinuses. The best breathing exercises for allergies are anuloma-viloma, bhastrika and kapalbhati and these should be practiced for half an hour daily to benefit. And use ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper to rejuvenate and stroke digestive fire. An ayurvedic cleanse is also a great way to get rid of the toxins and reset the digestion.

Dairy has the same properties as excess Kapha and phlegm- it's cold, heavy and dense and so you fall victim to more allergies. Stay away from cold dairy like ice creams and cold milk even in the hot summers and sparingly consume warm dairy products, like a yummy fresh mozzarella cheese over your pizza or a hot cup of milk.

These herbs have a warming quality just like spices like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper which support the digestive fire. These also reduce the kapha dosha in the body. Stick to warm, cooked vegetarian foods, made with ghee to aid in digestion. In Ayurveda, eating warm and cooked foods gives the digestive fire a chance to rejuvenate. Avoid eating raw foods and non-vegetarian foods during a seasonal change like spring as at this time the digestion is slow, so your body can t digest these foods properly resulting in accumulation of toxins in the body and hence more allergies.

Nasya is the Ayurvedic practice of putting herbal oil drops in the nostril. This practice helps lubricate dry nasal passages and also delivers the benefits of herbs directly to the nose to keep allergens like dust and pollen from directly irritating the nasal lining. Do nasya every night before going to bed for at least a month to see the benefits.