Attention everyone: ALLERGY SEASON IS UPON US! Cue the incessant sniffling and sneezing, the itchy, watery eyes, and the overall misery. If you're like most of us and get annoying and downright debilitating seasonal allergies, you're probably desperate for a remedy that works. Most allergy medications have unpleasant side effects like drowsiness that can affect your day. Lately, more people are turning to all-natural remedies to manage their allergies. One option that many are consider is CBD.
Can CBD help with allergies? Is it a viable treatment option or just a fad? As someone that suffers from a myriad of allergies, from seasonal pollen to basically every plant on Earth, this piece is a little personal. So we're going to dive into the science behind taking CBD for any degree of relief against allergy symptoms. Hopefully, we're able to find some reprieve from the itching and sneezing. Keep reading to learn more!
WHAT ARE SEASONAL ALLERGIES?
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that more than 50 million Americans deal with various allergies each year. Most of them have seasonal allergies to pollen. Pollen allergies are among the most common types of allergies people deal with. And while most people experience the most intense of these allergies in the Spring, pollen allergies can be experienced year-round.
Most pollen that triggers an allergic reaction can come from grass, trees, and weeds. Those plants emit small, dry pollen that travels in the wind and ends up in your eyes, nose, and lungs. If you have a pollen allergy, it is likely as easy as walking outside and immediately feeling uncomfortable.
Each person can respond differently to various plants - with someone reacting more violently to it than others. For example, some people are heavily allergic to grass, so when grass pollen is released, they're likely to experience the most intense of symptoms.
The timing of allergies varies depending on where you live. In the northern part of the United States, grass pollen typically appears in the Spring and early Summer. However, in the South, grasses tend to release it's pollen year-round (READ: you're going to suffer all day, everyday).
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I'M ALLERGIC TO?
The only way to know for sure what you are most allergic to is to get testing done by an Allergy Doctor with either a skin prick test or a blood test. This is only necessary to pinpoint precisely what allergy triggers you have.
On a personal note, I took the skin prick test when I was 12 years old. The procedure went as well as you'd expect it to. My back was pricked by a small needle 75 times. In each wound, I was administered a highly concentrated liquid of 72 known trees, grasses, weeds, mold, and some types of food. With 3 controls, and 72 concentrated allergies administered, my body reacted violently to it and I fainted for a couple minutes. Beyond that scary experience, the doctors ruled out that I am allergic to 67 of the 72 types of allergies. So, to reiterate, potentially using CBD to find any degree of relief is important to me. Anyways, let's get back to the article.
Unfortunately, there's much you can do to prevent your allergies when it comes to pollen allergies simply because of how much of it floats through the air. Grass, weeds, and trees are everywhere, so avoiding them entirely will do you no good. Your best course of action is to find a treatment plan that helps you to manage and mitigate the severity and frequency of its symptoms.
WHAT ARE THE TRADITIONAL ALLERGY TREATMENTS AVAILABLE?
Regardless of what allergies you have, it's best to find a treatment option that can help you manage your symptoms and (hopefully) keep you as comfortable as possible.
There are several over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications available. From antihistamines to nasal spray and as intense as sustained allergy shot injections, it is possible to get to a point where your seasonal suffering is all but managed. It is important to note, however that all of these treatment options are not without it's side effects that may include but are not limited to:
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
Suppose you need to take your allergy pill in the morning to manage your daily symptoms, and your medication causes drowsiness. In that case, you may spend your whole day just trying to stay awake. This can be frustrating if you're trying to be productive. It may even be dangerous depending on what tasks you need to complete.
This is precisely why many are turning to more natural treatments, like CBD, for seasonal allergies.
CAN CBD HELP WITH ALLERGIES?
So, is taking CBD oil for allergies a viable treatment alternative? Lately, CBD has been popular for elevating one's wellness that may include potentially finding relief against a myriad of physical, and/or psychological discomforts. While there is a lack of definitive research on CBD's effects on allergies right now, cannabidiol's inherent properties give allergy relief incredible promise. In short, CBD's properties include:
- Antimicrobial properties
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Analgesic properties
- The ability to reduce airway inflammation
In 2005, a study revealed that CBD may have immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties in the respiratory system. This means that it could potentially act as a natural antihistamine. Drugs with anti-inflammatory properties can help alleviate symptoms like inflammation in the throat, mouth, and nose. Since CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it may likely relieve those symptoms.
A recent study showed that CBD helps to reduce airway inflammation in experimental allergic asthma. Asthma is often triggered by environmental allergens like pollen. This study revealed that CBD had effective immunomodulatory effects. The CBD treatment given to mice in the study decreased airway hyperresponsiveness. This means that it helped keep the airways from closing up due to their allergic reactions.
It's essential to keep in mind that although these studies show promising results, CBD is not recommended to replace asthma medications. If you have severe allergies and/or asthma, speak to your doctor about taking CBD in addition to your other medications for improved relief.
HOW TO TAKE CBD OIL FOR ALLERGIES
You have a few different options if you wish to take CBD for seasonal allergy relief. Most people opt to take CBD through a CBD Tincture Oil. This allows you to easily control your dosage and take consume said oil directly by mouth or by adding it to a food or a beverage. The most effective way to use CBD oil is through sublingual application. This means, the CBD oil is applied under the tongue and absorbed through capillaries, thus bypassing the stomach and digestive system for quicker onset of effects that last for up to a few hours. Simply take half- to a full-dropper worth of CBD oil under your tongue and hold it there for at least 30 seconds before swallowing.
Dealing with allergy symptoms through quick relief is essential. Taking CBD oil sublingually can prove to be an excellent, holistic and natural alternative to feeling your best even when the odds are stacked against you. Another great option is to eat CBD through either CBD Gel Capsules or CBD Gummies.
CBD ingestibles are just as easy taking CBD Tincture Oils. What you are sacrificing in terms of onset time, you are compensating with experiencing a longer-lasting and intense set of effects that can only set you up for relief that lasts for the entire day.
THE BEST CBD PRODUCTS FOR ALLERGY RELIEF
Now that we've discussed a few of the best CBD options for allergies, let's talk about our favorite CBD products. There are a few options we recommend for potentially alleviating symptoms related to seasonal or year-round allergies:
- CBD Tincture Oils: If you're looking for a tasty CBD oil with a potent and highly effective range of CBD, look no further. Our CBD Tincture Oils boast three flavors: Double Apple, Strawberry Watermelon, and Orange across four CBD concentrations - 250MG, 500MG, 1000MG, and 1500MG. Upon dosing these delicious and highly effectively CBD oils, you can expect the powerful effects CBD consistently delivers to onset within the 15- to 20-minute mark with effects lasting for up to 6 hours.
- CBD Gummies: Each sweet and fruity gummy contains 10MG of CBD. Whether the candy-like pieces are coated in a sweet and sour sugar powder or not, you can expect total, whole-body relief within two hours of dosing, with its effects lasting for up to 12 hours.
- CBD Gel Capsules: These easy and convenient CBD Gel Capsules boast an incredible 25MG of CBD per piece. And all that these capsules contain are hemp-derived CBD oil extracted from the finest American-grown industrial hemp, coconut oil, and encapsulated in an easily-swallowed bovine gelatin capsule. Similar to eating CBD Gummies, these need to be digested and processed by your liver before its effects are felt. Expect to start feeling the effects within two hours of dosing and experiencing relief for up to 12 hours.
ALLERGIES ARE NOT THE END OF THE WORLD
Like many things CBD can potentially help with, more research is needed to definitively claim that your ailment can be properly managed. Despite a few studies showing CBD's anti-inflammatory properties as being beneficial for curbing the overall misery that are seasonal allergies, more human clinical trials are needed.
At the moment, CBD looks like it may be an effective supplement to existing allergy medication as the inherent properties behind cannabidiol may help manage some of the symptoms that would otherwise create chaos and misery for allergy sufferers. It is important, however, to speak with your doctor before adding CBD into your daily routine as certain medications might not work as intended should you introduce the cannabinoid into your regimen.
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