Butterbur: Mother Nature’s Allergy Cure
If you suffer from allergies, you might find relief by taking nature’s original antihistamine. Learn more.
If you suffer from allergies, you might find relief by taking nature’s original antihistamine. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a member of the daisy family, native to Europe, North America, and Asia. It is also known as butterfly dock, bog rhubarb, blatterdock, and exwort. It has traditionally been used to treat a variety of ailments, including headaches, inflammation, and asthma.
Can Butterbur Ease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms?
Recent studies have confirmed what our ancestors already knew: butterbur can significantly improve seasonal allergy symptoms, including runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion. Butterbur may even work as well as, or better than, other popular over-the-counter allergy remedies.
An antihistamine works by blocking the production of histamines, compounds in your body produced by your immune system to fight off disease. People with allergies produce histamines in response to non-threatening particles, such as dust or pollen. For an antihistamine to work, it must be taken prior to exposure to an allergen, or on a regular basis throughout allergy season.
Because butterbur is related to ragweed, it should not be taken by people with ragweed allergies. In its natural form, butterbur contains chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic to the liver and kidneys. Most commercially sold butterbur supplements have had these chemicals removed, and should be safe to take. Just be sure, as with any supplement, that you carefully read the label first, and carefully follow the dosage instructions.
Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
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Jaime McLeod#molongui-disabled-link
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Jaime McLeod#molongui-disabled-link
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Jaime McLeod#molongui-disabled-link
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Jaime McLeod#molongui-disabled-link
I trully love all these natural,s alway,s have n use a lot of them , so i need a natural , less toxic way to RID MY HOME OF INVASIVE COCKROACHES !!!!! THESE CHEMIALS ARE HURTING MY FAMILY N I PLEASE
I also want to know how to use it!! Do you boil it in water to make a tea and if so how much per one cup of water??!!
thank you so much as I get older allergies are getting worse and I don’t like medicine I like naturalist more.
How do you take it? Boil it as a tea?
Shots might seem like an unusual way to treat allergies, but they’re effective at decreasing sensitivity to triggers. The substances in the shots are chosen according to the allergens identified from a person’s medical history and by the allergist during the initial testing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the standards used in preparing the materials for allergy shots given in the United States.
Wow our ancestors were right again?? oh my maybe we should start paying closer attention!! Have a great day!