Have you ever had a stuffy nose or itchy throat for seemingly no reason? This is because there are many different pollutants and particles floating in the air that we unknowingly inhale on a daily basis that cause these reactions. Thankfully, there is a natural remedy to this congestion that you probably already have in your pantry. But first, lets take a deeper look at what causes your airways to swell up.
What is Histamine?
Histamine is the body’s natural response to allergens. Although you may think “allergens” only effect people who have allergies to thinks like peanuts and pet fur, there are many allergens out there that cause histamine reactions in majority of people. These can include dust, mold, cigarette smoke and even chemicals from cleaning products.
Your immune system releases histamine in the cells located in the lungs and nose whenever you inhale an allergen. Histamine then attaches to the receptors of nearby blood vessels causing them to dilate and enlarge. It also binds to receptors found in the tissue of the nose, which is what causes the redness, swelling and itching that many people experience.
Antihistamines
In response to the general discomfort that these histamine reactions cause, people often look towards medication to help them. These can range from steroids to allergy shots, but one of the most common medications used to treat these reactions are antihistamines. These are drugs that reduce or block the release of histamine, which usually stops allergic reactions fairly effectively.
However, despite the fact that they are able to rid you of your allergenic symptoms, they often provide you with a whole new set of side effects that you will experience when taking antihistamines. Here are some of them:
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Restlessness or moodiness (in some children)
- Trouble urinating or not being able to urinate
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
With all of these side effects, I wonder how many people are buying more drugs to help them cope with their antihistamines. Thankfully, there is a readily available, natural antihistamine that does not come along with all of these unpleasant side effects.
Oregano for Lung Cleansing
Everybody knows that oregano is naturally rich in many beneficial nutrients, but did you know that it could also cleanse your respiratory system? It is a rich source of carvacrol, flavonoids and terpenes, all of which are natural decongestants. It also contains rosmarinic acid, which is incredibly useful for treating allergenic reactions.
An article that summarized a study conducted on rosmarinic acid’s ability inhibit allergic irritation found that it was very efficient at doing so. Researchers found that rosmarinic acid was able to reduce the fluid build up and swelling that occurs during an allergy attack. This makes it incredibly effective at reducing the unpleasant symptoms caused by histamine.
The best way to consume oregano to get it’s antihistamine benefits is by drinking diluted oregano oil. In order to do this, hold one sip of water in your mouth and tilt your head back with your mouth open. Squeeze two to three drops of the oil in the water and swallow, then chase it with some more water.
It is advisable not to do this more than three times a week, as oregano has very strong antibacterial properties that kill both the good and bad bacteria in your body. Let us know how using oregano helped you treat your histamine reactions.