By Olivia Cook

Ah, spring. Flowers are blooming, the weather is nice, and people tend to be in a better, more cheerful – except for those who suffer from allergies. Here are four tips for combating allergies this spring.

• Local honey and bee pollen

Sounds crazy, right? Why would people who are allergic to pollen consume pollen? Senior Aundrey Flewellen said coming to Harding from Atlanta his freshman year, he had terrible allergies. He always heard that consuming local bee pollen would help, so that is exactly what he did and it helped his symptoms greatly.

According to Healthline, “When a person eats local honey, they are thought to be ingesting local pollen. Over time, a person may become less sensitive to this strain pollen. As a result, they may experience fewer seasonal allergy symptoms.”

You can purchase local honey and bee pollen at any natural food store.

• Black coffee

According to BBC News Health, drinking a strong cup of coffee can also prevent severe allergic reactions. Scientists had previously discovered that coffee could have anti-allergic properties because of its ability to reduce the release of histamine from mast cells.

• Vitamin C

“Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine which doctors can give you in a pill form for allergies. In order for it to really help, you have to take it in large doses,” Junior Rayelle Brown, who has struggled with allergies for years, said. “I mix it with lemonade and drink it throughout the day.”

• Garlic and onions

According to Healthline, eating foods such as garlic and onions can help with pollen allergies. Garlic is known to help cold symptoms such as a sore throat or cough. But it can also help allergy symptoms as a natural decongestant.

If over-the-counter drugs such as Zyrtec or Allegra are not helping with allergies this spring, hopefully these natural remedies help with congestion and irritation.