Allergy-drinks

Are you sneezing a lot? Is your nose running? Do you have the sniffles? Is your throat feeling a bit sore? Are your eyes red-itchy-watery? These are all signs that the season is changing, and our bodies sure have a distinct way of letting us know!

What causes seasonal allergies?

The changing seasons trigger many changes in the environment. Many plants release ‘spores or pollen’ into the atmosphere, there can also be animal allergens like pet dander or bee venom or simply dust or smog in the air. Seasonal allergies occur because our body’s immune system reacts to these foreign substances, which we call allergens. In response to these allergens, our body’s immune system produces antibodies because it perceives it as a threat and believes that the allergen is harmful to our body. We see our body’s ‘fight’ as seasonal allergies. So, our itchy, inflamed noses, eyes, sinuses, skin, or digestive systems are just our body’s response to the allergens present in our environment.

How severe an allergy is dependent on individual factors such as a person’s genetic makeup and/or lifestyle habits. For some, it can just be a minor irritation and for some, it can be potentially life-threatening if not tended to immediately. Since this is our body’s safety or autoimmune response, most allergies cannot be cured, however, there is good news, there are many treatments that can help relieve our allergy symptoms.

Natural remedies for seasonal allergies

Although there are many anti-allergy medicines available at the pharmacy to help you manage your allergic symptoms, here are a few natural home drinks for you to try.

8 Natural Drinks to help you manage your seasonal allergies:

1. Mint (Pudina) Tea

Mint is a natural decongestant; it helps decrease the secretion of anti-inflammatory enzymes like histamines that are the cause of immune reactions against allergens.

Ingredients:
• 1 heaped teaspoon of dried mint leaves or a few sprigs of fresh peppermint
• One cup of water
Preparation Method:

Boil the water with the dry or fresh mint for about five minutes, and allow the mixture to steep.

Strain if desired and drink.

2. Holy basil Tea (Tulsi Tea)

Tulsi is known for boosting immunity and has powerful anti-infective and oxidative properties.

Ingredients:
• A handful of dried or fresh tulsi leaves
• 4 peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 inch ginger, peeled
• 1/2 tsp honey
• One cup of water
Preparation Method:
1. Add the top 4 ingredients to water and boil for 5 mins.
2. Allow it to cool a little.
3. Strain, add one tablespoon of honey, and serve

3. Ginger Tea

Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help with infections and boost the immune system.

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
• 1 stick cinnamon bark
• 2 tsp licorice (Mulethi) root
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 cups water
Preparation Method:
1. Add the top 3 ingredients in water and boil and simmer for 5-10 mins.
2. Allow it to cool a little.
3. Strain, add the juice of one-half lemon, and one tablespoon honey, and serve

4. Turmeric Tea

Turmeric is a superfood with its anti-inflammatory and natural immune-boosting qualities.

Ingredients:
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons raw honey
Preparation Method:
1. Add all the top two ingredients to water and boil.
2. Simmer for 5-10 mins.
3. Allow it to cool a little.
4. Strain, add the lemon juice, and honey, and serve

5. Turmeric Milk

Ingredients:
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp sugar or any other sweetener
Preparation Method:
1. Add all ingredients together and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for 5-10 minutes
3. Serve

6. Besan Milk (Besan ka sheera)

Besan or Chickpea flour is high in vitamins and mineral content and is a great drink to help in the winter months, especially for sore throat, cough, and cold

Ingredients:
• 1 tsp ghee
• Handful of chopped cashews/ almonds
• 1 tsp chickpea flour or besan
• 1 cup milk
• A fat pinch of cardamom powder
• Two strands of saffron crushed (optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar or any other sweetener
Preparation Method:
1. Melt ghee in a saucepan.
2. Add in the besan and roast it on a very low flame till it turns slightly browned and emits a nutty aroma.
3. Add 1/4 cup of milk and stir continuously to make it lump-free. Add in the remaining milk and keep stirring.
4. Add in the cardamom and saffron and bring to a boil.
5. Simmer for a few minutes on low flame till slightly thickened.
6. Add the sugar and nuts. Serve warm.

7. Ginger shots

A ginger shot is a shot-sized (typically 1-2oz), super-concentrated health drink (best had shot-style – in one or two gulps). Its effectiveness comes from the anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties of its fresh ingredient – ginger. To make it even more potent, you can add additional ingredients like honey, lemon, turmeric, and/or cayenne.

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup chopped Fresh Ginger root
• 3-4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup Coconut Water
• A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Preparation Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and no chunks of ginger remain.
2. Strain well.
3. Serve. (Do not drink more than one shot a day!)

8. Jamu Juice

This anti-inflammatory tonic from Indonesia boasts tons of health and beauty benefits.

Ingredients:
• Fresh turmeric root – 125 grams
• Fresh ginger root– 20 grams
• Black pepper – a pinch
• Coconut Water – 4 cups
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
• Honey – 2 tablespoons (or any other sweetener)
Preparation Method:
1. Blend all top 4 ingredients until the mixture is smooth and no chunks of ginger remain.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice and honey and mix everything.
4. Strain well.
5. Shake and serve chilled, or warm. (Refrigerate for up to a week!)

What is your favorite go-to drink to fight allergies and boost your immune system?

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2 Comments

  1. Aryan Raj 05/11/2022 at 12:18 pm - Reply

    What an amazing blog. Loved the recipes. Thankyou so much

  2. Sushree Sangita Sarangi 14/11/2022 at 10:11 pm - Reply

    Very helpful post

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