Ostara is a goddess of springtime and is associated with fertility, new ideas and the start of new things. She helps bring us out of darkness by nourishing new plants to grow and bloom. Spring has always been my favorite time of year because my birthday is in April and Ostara holds a special place in my heart.
I was surprised when she came to me recently and told me of another title that she holds.
The goddess of allergies.
Globe Chamomile
I have never suffered with allergies before but this year allergies are kicking my butt! I know the culprit, the pretty but invasive Globe Chamomile. Not native to the desert, it has taken over in dramatic fashion. Acres of yellow flowers are blooming in New River.
Not a native to this area, it originates from South Africa. The perfectly round yellow flowers do look like a little globe. It is currently used in South Africa as a fever reducer and being studied scientifically for use in malaria cases.
As far back as 2005 the Tonto National Forest recognized Globe Chamomile (Oncosiphon piluliferum) as an invasive weed. Click here to read that list.
This plant has been creeping over more and more of our land in the last few years but the abundance of rain this year has caused it to get out of control. For the first time ever we had to purchase a weed trimmer.
Before moving to the desert, I loved cutting grass and tending to the yard. So, when we got the battery-operated trimmer, I was excited to start reclaiming our land. I would run the machine until the battery died, recharge it and go again.
It wasn’t long before I was suffering.
You are probably familiar with the usual airborne allergy symptoms:
~Sneezing
~Runny or stuffy nose
~Itching eyes, nose or throat
~Headache
~Irritability
~Sore throat
~Fatigue
But did you know allergies can also cause these:
~Inability to concentrate: inflammation caused by allergies can affect cognitive function
~Skin rash: direct contact with allergens can cause localized swelling, redness and blisters
~Upset stomach: an excess of mucus draining into the stomach can cause nausea
~Allergy shiners: dark circles under the eyes caused by increased blood flow near the sinuses
Lucky me got all the usual symptoms and a rash on my face! As the days went on, my concentration suffered and my irritability grew.
Having treated many people for allergy symptoms I had all the herbal remedies on hand and began to use them. I started taking a nettle tincture every 2 hours and used the neti pot to remove the pollen from my sinuses. (Click here to read my blog on how to do a neti pot) The rash gets regular applications of herbal healing salve.
Any health imbalance requires constant awareness and shifts in treatment. Not getting the results I wanted with nettle tincture prompted me to switch to brittlebush tincture and herbal tea.
Ostara Altar
And I dedicated my personal altar to Ostara, the goddess of allergies.
Do you suffer from allergies? What natural remedies work for you?