I have not thought a lot about natural nose sprays until this year. Until this year, my allergies were largely resolved. The last time I experienced seasonal allergies was in 2012, right before starting the GAPS diet. Read about my healing journey here.
I really wish I could understand what is going on with my body this year. As I said, I have not dealt with seasonal allergies since 2012. After beginning the GAPS diet, they disappeared until this year. I have been receiving chronic homeopathic care for a few years, so perhaps my care has “brought out” allergies in my body that had not completely healed.
Natural Nose Sprays: Neti Pot
The neti pot is the first natural allergy relief I started to try several years ago. It does help. However, I have found that if I have any sort of congestion, the saline either drips very slowly out or does not drip out, providing little relief. This is just my experience; maybe yours is different. If you do decide to purchase a neti pot, I would recommend one that is made of natural material like ceramic or stainless steel. Then you will not have to replace the pot.
Natural Nose Sprays: Nasal Rinse
The NeilMed sinus rinse is the next thing I tried and I found much greater relief with it than with the neti pot. You squeeze the bottle and the pressure from it is so great that it rinses out your nose very quickly, even a very clogged one. This is why I prefer the NeilMed sinus rinse over the neti pot. I get immediate relief. Be sure to always use distilled water in a nasal rinse or a neti pot.
Natural Nose Sprays
For natural nose sprays I have tried some, including Xlear. I have tried the nasal rinse packets as well as the spray. My preference is Xlear for the sinus rinse packets because they have xylitol in the ingredients. Xylitol helps prevent that burning sensation in your nose. I would say that the spray is a little helpful, especially if you are managing your allergies pretty well. However, if you are suffering a lot like me, you may need something more. The worst part of the day for me is right before bed or when lying down. The act of lying down seems to clog up my nose pretty quickly.
I am embarrassed to say that I have had to resort to less natural nose sprays – Zicam extreme congestion and Zicam sinus relief. Please have pity on me because I really hate to resort to unnatural means when it comes to my health. However, my nose was completely blocked at night and it was very negatively affecting my sleep. I was very desperate. Nevertheless, I do try to get away with not using it if my nose is not completely blocked. I only do one spray per nostril right before bed, if needed. If you have better natural suggestions than above, please let me know in the comments!
Other Relief
I have heard that taking up to one tablespoon of raw local honey and/or local bee pollen can help with allergies. You will need to build up to one tablespoon of bee pollen a little bit at a time. Some people start with one to three pellets, then slowly build from there depending on if they have a reaction. If you do have a reaction, definitely back down. Please let me know if any of you have tried this method in the comments!
Above, I mentioned about homeopathy. Homeopathy is great helping with allergies, but it can be a slow progress. It is hard to be patient. Finally, I want to revisit the GAPS diet. I do believe and know it is a very valuable diet for healing. Personally, I healed from many health issues by going on it. However, I think it is possible that I did not stay on the diet long enough or that I need to revisit it. That being said, it would be very difficult for me and for my family to go on the GAPS diet at this time and very expensive for our budget. This is why I am sticking to chronic homeopathic care and my other natural remedies in the hope that healing will kick in soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbRESYMSakA
