Hayfever in Spring? Prevention starts now in Winter

If the sight of flowering fields and blooming trees literally brings tears into your eyes, then this reminder is for you. Hayfever really can take the joy out of Spring. While individual symptoms can vary, with some suffering mostly from red and itchy eyes/ nose while others sneeze or have a terribly blocked nose.

Hayfever is considered an allergic response to an irritant. It may be interpreted as an overreaction of the immune system to a perceived threat to the body.

Chinese medicine has its own interpretation of these excessive reactions. They are considered a sign of weakened body defences, kind of like a pre-emptive lashing out.

The ideal strategy is to strengthen and calm the ‘Wei Qi’, which is the Chinese word for protective energy. A strong Wei Qi has a much more balanced response to its environment.

And this is best done in Winter. Of course you can always get herbs when the sneezing has already started, but at that stage, the herbs will mostly focus on reducing the symptoms and not on the root-cause.