Hay fever patients dread spring. The blossoming of nature leads to unpleasant complaints: Sneezing, impeded nasal breathing, mucus in the throat, difficult breathing, coughing up to asthma and swollen itchy eyes are the most common physical symptoms. But the worst for most people with pollen allergies is the dull head, fatigue and feeling of reduced performance.

Kapha time is hay fever time

In Ayurveda, these symptoms belong to an excess of Kapha. In contrast, Kapha in balance means vitality, resistance, physical and mental life energy.

In spring, nature awakens. Everything becomes green, moist, juicy, lively and colourful. Wonderful fragrances surround us, cheerful birdsong delights us outdoors. Natural Kapha is characterised by growth and abundance, by enticing stimuli for all five sense organs.

Why do many people react to such pleasurable things in life with pathological symptoms? The Ayurvedic texts explain that body channels blocked by ama (waste products) lead to a backlog and excess of kapha. Excess kapha means accumulation of mucus, swollen and itchy mucous membranes. The body tries to counteract this with an increase in pitta. This leads to additional inflammatory reactions on the mucous membranes and often also to fever-like conditions. This is where the name "hay fever" for pollen allergy comes from.

Therapies in Ayurveda

Ayurveda knows three important therapy strategies.

Rasayana therapy

The word Rasayana means "measures that keep the humours flowing". This refers to keeping the body in balance through appropriate lifestyle measures such as a healthy diet, moderate and regular exercise and intake of herbal and mineral supplements. The most important rasayana in Maharishi Ayurveda is Amrit Kalash. Very good studies show that especially the Amrit Kalash paste MA 4 is an excellent "radical scavenger". As such, this high-quality herbal paste prevents the deposition of waste products in the body channels and reduces the backlog of kapha and ama. Regular intake of Amrit Kalash throughout the year can significantly reduce allergic tendencies.

 

Shamana therapy

Shamana literally means "soothing or mitigating application". With proper Shamana therapy, symptoms of illness can be alleviated. The normal function of the mucous membranes is supported. This is done through Kapha-reducing diet and medicinal herbs that maintain healthy mucosal function.

For allergy sufferers, strict adherence to a Kapha-reducing diet is of great importance throughout the allergy period. The most important aspects of such a diet are: Omitting Kapha-propagating and heavy foods such as meat and meat products (sausage), fish, eggs, milk and all dairy products except Ghee.

The tastes of pungent, bitter and tart, which are mainly found in spices, fresh spring herbs and the first green leafy vegetables, should be abundant in every meal. But not only the quality of the diet is important for balancing Kapha. Quantity is at least as important, because large quantities, no matter what the food, increase kapha. Small amounts of food at meals reduce Kapha.

To balance kapha, it is also important to take at least 5-hour breaks between meals. During the Kapha time of the day, in the morning between sunrise and 10 am and in the evening between sunset and 10 pm, one should either not eat at all or eat very lightly (liquid, mushy, warm, well seasoned).

Medicinal herbs that promote normal mucosal function include black basil (tulsi) and liquorice, absolute classics of Ayurvedic herbal medicine. Other important herbal remedies for normal mucosal function are also ginger and turmeric. All of these medicinal plants are processed into a high-quality product in the Ayurvedic food supplement MA 1788.

As a soothing local therapy for the nasal mucous membranes, the nourishing MP 4 nasal oil and pure ghee for the eyelids can be used during the day.

Shodhana therapy

Literally "purification or cleansing treatment". These forms of therapy are grouped under the term Maharishi Pancha Karma. The millennia-old Ayurvedic classical texts claim that properly performed Shodhana therapy eliminates diseases at their root.

Among the most important applications, besides cleansing and purifying the gastrointestinal tract, is "Nasya therapy". During a Nasya treatment in our Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre, the head, neck, shoulders and chest are first massaged with high-quality medicinal herbal oils according to the classical model. This is followed by inhalation with essential oils and heat packs over the sinuses and bronchi. After these preparatory applications, cleansing oils are applied to the mucous membranes by the trained therapist, often leading to violent secretions from the nasopharynx.

Such an application takes about 2 hours and should ideally be repeated three to five times at short intervals before the start of the hay fever season after a dietary preparation of about one week. You can find more information here.

If allergy symptoms have already started before a Nasya application is possible, you can always do a "herbal detox". This simple one-week home cure has been proven thousands of times and results in reducing waste products and mucus in the body, reducing inflammation and strengthening the digestive fire Agni.

Choose the measures that are right for you to beat your allergy. Maharishi Ayurveda gives us optimism: allergy is not a lifelong fate, but an imbalance that, like any other functional disorder in life, has a chance to come back into balance. Take your chance!

 

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