Spring is, for many, the worst time for allergies; the major cause of allergic reactions is thehigh concentration of pollen in the air, which usually occurs from March to May. To avoid triggering the allergic reaction, or at least to mitigate it, some elementary precautions can be put into practice such as:
- Reduce spending time outdoors in the pollen season, especially on dry, windy days or when the grass has been recently cut.
- Close windows toward evening when the concentration of pollen in the air is highest.
In addition to following these tips, seasonal allergy can be addressed through supplementation with BLACKCURRANT (Ribes Nigrum), available as a gemmoderivative or ascurrant seed oil beads .
The buds are rich in essential oil, flavonoids, and glycosides that act as stimulants to the adrenal glands in the production of cortisol, an endogenous cortisone that helps the body respond to inflammation. This "cortisone-like" activity generates a very important reaction, because it increases the production of adrenal steroids, normally secreted by our glands to counteract any kind of stress or injury, stimulate the conversion of proteins into energy, fight inflammation, and temporarily inhibit the action of the immune system that triggers allergies.
Blackcurrant gemmoderivate is therefore used for its potent anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties because it acts both at the skin level, in cases of dermatitis
allergic such as eczema, hives and contact dermatitis, and at the level of the respiratory tract, in cases of allergic and chronic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis and conjunctivitis. Currants also have an immune-stimulating action as they fight fatigue and increase resistance to cold in order to prevent flu-like illnesses, also being useful against winter sensitization.
Ribes Nigrum seeds, on the other hand, represent a plant source of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega 6 series, especially GLA (gamma-linolenic acid: 15%) and sella omega 3 series, represented by ALA (alpha-linoleic acid: 12-14%), present in the oil in the form of triglycerides.
Due to the presence of these fatty acids,anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic and antiallergic properties are ascribed to Blackcurrant oil; GLA is a precursor of the prostaglandin PGE-1
and ALA is a precursor of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), from which type 1 prostaglandins and thromboxanes are derived, blocking the production of inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE-2), performing
anantiplatelet and anti-inflammatory and antiallergic action.
Ribes seeds also can exert a positive action in inflammatory processes due to the presence of tannins with astringent properties. Ribes has excellent tolerance and has no particular contraindications at the recommended doses.
USAGE TIPS:
- Ribes budmoderivate: recommended to take 60 drops diluted in a little water, 2-3 times a day, away from meals
- Currant oil (pearls): 3-4 pearls per day recommended to be swallowed with water.