I have many allergies to plants. Should I avoid herbal remedies just to be safe?

Question

I have allergies to various plants that come and go with no warning. I know that, since I am allergic to daisies, I shouldn't use echinacea (not sure if I spelled that right -- extract of purple coneflower, anyway) and ought to be careful with chamomile. When I was a child, my mother tried to 'cure' my hayfever by having me eat honey, and I almost died, so I'm more than a little worried about having another allergic reaction to herbal suppliments or natural treatments for illness, etc. However, I have some health problems that 'traditional' medicine doesn't offer an effective treatment for, and I'd like to at least explore some other options. Should I stay away from herbal remedies and look for something else?

(I'd really appreciate it if replies are NOT someone just trying to sell me something. I'm looking for answers, not advertisments.)

Answer 1

if you're allergic to so many things, then before you decide to take ANYTHING other than what a doctor prescribes you, go talk to your doctor about it to make sure there's nothing in it to cause you a reaction.

Answer 2

I have experienced some similar problems but only during times when I am having a really bad allergy year. I had to avoid chamomile for quit some time and a lot of herbal stuff has it but right now it doesn't bother me. My allergist explained that for me there are lots of things that I am a little bit allergic to and that most of the time I won't react on there own. But then when I am having a reaction to something like plants in spring then suddenly everything set me off. Smoke, chamomile, dust, dogs, birds. Everything. I remember I had a really bad winter because we had 2 dogs and a bird and I was smoking and drinking a lot and the house was really dusty. I found I really had to experiment a bit with controlling the things that bothered me. Right now I don't even have to take my puffer and I have no problem with chamomile or any other herbal stuff.

Oh and on thing that I contribute to really getting my allergy's under control was that I went low carb for about 2 years. I had an almost instant improvement in my allergies and my asthma. I think it had more to do with the lack of wheat products and overly chemically modified food. Oh yeah so preservative have a huge effect on allergies. I am back on wheat now but I eat organic mostly and I live in Europe so they have better quality here anyway.

Answer 3

If I had many plant allergies, I would not try herbal remedies unless I had full testing of those allergies and knew what plant compounds were contained in the supplements I was using. I think the best thing to do would be to discuss the issue fully with a doctor, both to see if he could prescribe other medication to help you with your problems or to ensure that the herbal supplements you are considering would be safe for you.

Answer 4

I would be very careful about herbs unless you have a comprehensive list of your allergies to compare with the herbal ingredients.

I am not a real expert in this field but there are natural products available that are not herbal (though you still may run into the allergy problem).

I know more than a few people who have benefited from acupuncture. Not really painful and has helped people. One person in particular with severe depression benefited from acupuncture. This is something that, unless you have an aversion to needles, cannot really hurt even if it doesn't help.

Good luck to you. You will find something to help. Be persistent.

Answer 5

If your allergies are that extreme, yes, you should probably avoid herbal or natural remedies. Herbal supplements don't fall under the same rules as other over the counter medications, so they don't have to list their ingredients. You would have no idea what you were taking.
There are other alternative medicine treatments that don't involve taking anything. Biofeedback, massage therapy, acupunture, to name a few. Do the research, ask questions. Good luck.

Answer 6

You must have something wrong with your immune system. to have all these allergies. I just would be very care full when using any new product, try out the skin test it is a safe and sure way. put a sample of the product on your wrist, then leave it for 24 hours, you can use a plaster or the like with dried products. Try Garlic as a start, the contain a high concentration of compounds such as quercetin. these compounds retard inflammatory reactions, which help with these reactions. try the test first with a clove of Garlic on your wrist, if all is well after 24 hrs start using it in all your foods but not dried,"natural",. then see where we go from there. then contact me. then we will try something else

Answer 7

Sometimes people confine themselves in a space just because people tell them what they can't do. I'm going to tell you what you can do.

Get a list of everything you have been found to be allergic to. Ask your doctor to explain your reaction to each individual one, and ask him how you could lessen that reaction. Learn to train your body to not be so allergic to so many things.

Also, take the list to a local herbalist. She will be able to help you- most herbalists practice years and years before helping others. She's the equivalent of a doctor of herbs, and knows much better the elements in plants that you may have allergies to.

And don't listen to anyone on here telling you anything is safe- you are a special case. Get the proper help you deserve.

Answer 8

Considering the fact that it sounds your allergies to plants are quite severe, yes, I would definately stay away from any herbal supplements. Until you know exactly what to look out for, there's no reason to risk your life.

Answer 9

The answer is simple.
Stay away from herbal products and see a doctor for medication for you allergies.
I knew a woman who had allergy to flowers and she couldn't even take Royal Jelly the product from Bee Pollen.

Answer 10

Typically, skin allergies and the main allergy to animals are different. What most folks fail to realize, is the the allergen most people react to with cats and dogs is actually their saliva. You can go to you physician or an allergist and ask them to run a skin test. The truth is, even if you only have an inhalation allergy to dogs, you will handle the pup, touch it's toys, groom it, etc, and then without doubt, will manage to breathe it in from that, or touch your mouth or nose afterward... you'd essentially be giving yourself a direct route to the allergen. My conclusion: Sorry Charlie, a poodle is not in your future :(

Answer 11

Ask your doctor.
Have a dermatologist test you to see what you are alergic to.
Some alergies you can grow out of, not all.

"Jan. 22, 2002 -- Echinacea was recently found to be one of the top 10 most popular herbs and supplements. But a new study shows that this herb shouldn't be taken lightly as it can cause life-threatening allergic reactions." http://www.webmd.com/content/article/16/1625_50916

You didn't meantion what health issues you have.