Can you use local honey for allergies?

Spring is coming, which means sun, green grbad and … a nose that does not stop running.

Yes, when the days and temperatures warm up, these miserable symptoms of seasonal allergies also stand out. And if you have any, you've probably tried all the remedies (scream Flonase, Zyrtec and literally any other over-the-counter allergy medication).

But what about something a little more … natural? Say, darling, for example. Is not local honey supposed to help eliminate allergies? You can not expose yourself a little to local pollens (to which you are allergic), but immunize against them? It would certainly be much more convenient than spending money at the pharmacy …

So wait, honey can clear your allergies?

I hate to carry bad news, but no. "Although the taste is excellent, urban legend wants local honey to eliminate seasonal allergies because it contains local pollen," says David Erstein, MD, certified allergist and immunologist in New York.

While the local honey Is contains pollen, it does not actually contain airborne pollens that cause seasonal allergies (trees, grbades and weeds, which are scattered in the air). And if you like scientific data, well, there are not really any recent studies that are valid or reliable to support the local theory of honey against allergies, says Dr. Erstein. Bummer.

And even if the local honey made Purvi Parikh, MD, allergist and immunologist in New York, and spokesperson for the Allergy and Asthma Network. Basically, your hope is that honey will cure your allergies.

Ugh, good. What about remedies that actually work?

Where do I start? Your first step should obviously be to contact your doctor who is aware of your symptoms and can make recommendations on the remedies based on your medical history.

From there, you can try to limit your symptoms (and ultimately improve your life) during the allergy season by limiting the time spent outdoors when the pollen count is high, to change clothes immediately after being out and take a shower before going to bed, says Dr. Erstein. .

Drugs, such as non-drowsy oral antihistamines (Zyrtec or Allegra) and steroid-based intranasal sprays (Flonase or Rhinocort), may further reduce symptoms. (PS: Doctors advise to start these drugs a few weeks later before the allergy season begins).

With respect to permanent remedies, doctors can change your response to allergens through an anti-allergic immunotherapy (exposing your body to increasing amounts of allergen to enhance tolerance), says the Dr. Erstein.

"Allergic immunotherapy is your best chance of altering your body's response to environmental allergies because it usually helps 80% of people treated," says Dr. Erstein. "Unfortunately, allergic immunotherapy takes time to do and represents a big commitment." (A typical immunotherapy treatment includes weekly injections of a few months at first, then monthly infusions of three to five years, explains the Dr. Erstein).

The bottom line: Local honey will not help your allergies, but over-the-counter medications and other treatments like allergic immunotherapy can do that.