GESUNDHEIT!: Soon, wastebaskets throughout America will be
buried under mountains of soggy tissues as tens of millions of
allergy victims race to pharmacies and drugstores to buy medicines
to stop their maddening nasal drip-drip-drip and halt their
uncontrollable bursts of sneezing.

But antihistamines and decongestants can cause drowsiness, and
other side effects.

Is there a better way to make it through the sneezin’ season
safely and comfortably? ð

According to an expert in the medicinal uses of wild spices, the
answer is “yes.” In fact, he says the solution to your allergy woes
may be as near as your own kitchen pantry.

“Many ‘hot’ spices and their extracts, like oil of oregano, are
powerful tools for opening clogged sinus passages, halting mucus
secretion, and taming allergy symptoms,” says Dr. Cass Ingram,
author of The Cure is in the Cupboard.

Dr. Ingram says one reason hot and spicy herbs and oils help
alleviate allergy symptoms is because they kill fungus, a hidden
culprit behind many so-called “allergic reactions.”

“Most people incorrectly assume they are allergic to pollen,
dust, or animals – but what they experience is a reaction to fungus
in their sinuses,” says Dr. Ingram. “The sneezing, runny nose, and
sinus inflammation are not allergic reactions, but immune system
reactions.”

Some people develop allergies to fungi and, for others, fungi
triggers an immune system responses while simultaneously reducing
the immune system’s ability to fight off other invaders like
dander, dust, and pollen.

Dr. Ingram offers these simple tips for surviving the sneezin’
season naturally:

1. Allergy symptoms vanish when you kill the fungus. If your
eyes and nose water during allergy season, apply some wild oregano
oil near your nose and place some drops under your tongue. ð

2. Wash your hands often. Put a few drops of oil of oregano in
pump soap. Bar soap tends to collect bacteria if left in the open
air in bathrooms. If using bar soap, add the oil directly on the
soap.

3. Drink plenty of water. A few drops of oregano oil in water
will fight congestion.ð

4. Stick with soups and juices.

5. Crude raw honey assists in the release of mucous, is a
natural immune tonic, and helps soothe sore throats while
preventing or halting coughs.

6. Avoid nasal sprays. They cause damage to the sinus
membranes.

Worth a try, eh?