When Charlotte’s trees start to turn green, many of us suffer from congestion, sore throats, headaches, sinus pressure and itchy, watery eyes brought on by allergies. Here are some natural remedies that will hopefully offer some relief:

Tea

To relieve itchy, watery eyes, brew a cup of warm lemon and ginger tea and pop in a bit of local honey (more on honey’s benefits below). This will soothe your symptoms and also tastes great.

Move

To break up congestion, get moving! Although you may feel lethargic from your allergies, getting up and moving a bit helps break up congestion and boosts energy levels.

Honey

Year-round, choose local, raw honey. A teaspoon or two a day may act as a low-cost, pain-free series of allergy immunology injections. Honey from your area contains bits of pollen from your area and may increase your immunity to local allergens. For more on the many benefits of honey, click

Due to its antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties, honey can also be a powerful immune system booster and help improve digestion. For more on the many benefits of honey, click here.

Quercetin

Six weeks before allergy season, begin building up your quercetin levels. Quercetin is a phytochemical acting as a natural antihistamine. Found in apples, red onions and black tea, quercetin stabilizes histamine-releasing cells so they won’t trigger symptoms when allergens such as pollen are present. Take three tablets daily for six weeks to build up your level to an effective one.

As with all of our health tips, please consult a doctor for serious issues, this is just our two cents based on others’ research and life experience.