Summer is on its way bringing with it warm weather, beautiful flowers, freshly cut grass and bared skin. While these are some of the things that we look forward to, for allergy sufferers they can have negative side-effects such as runny noses, nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, itchy eyes and skin irritation.

Home-grown Rooibos may offer relief and help make your summer more carefree.

Rooibos can help fight allergies by boosting the production of Cytochrome P450, an important enzyme that helps to metabolize allergens.

Japanese researchers at Showa University have found that when Rooibos is consumed regularly as a beverage, it helps to improve allergy status as a result of the increased levels of this enzyme in the body. In Japan, herbal teas such as Rooibos are widely used to prevent and relieve pollen allergy, asthma and other chronic allergies.

Many Rooibos lovers have found that they can use their favourite herb in a number of ways to treat the symptoms of allergies.

Some suggestions include:

• To help alleviate runny noses and hay fever simply take lukewarm Rooibos tea in the cup of your hands and slowly draw the liquid into your sinuses, hold it for a few seconds, release it and gently blow your nose.
• Treat itchy and sensitive eyes to a rinse with lukewarm Rooibos. Dab eyes gently with a face-cloth soaked in lukewarm Rooibos for instant relief from irritated eyes. Alternatively, you can also hold cold Rooibos tea bags over your eyes to relieve your tired or red eyes.
• Eczema and itchy or burning skin can be soothed by adding a few Rooibos tea bags to your bath water, by rinsing the affected skin areas in brewed Rooibos tea, or by applying the cooled Rooibos on the affected area with cottonwool or a facecloth (Note: do not rub, as this will only make the itching/burning worse).

By going the natural route you can save money on expensive medications, and because it is gentle and nontoxic, it is safe for children to use, making it the perfect allergy solution for your whole family.