Pollen from trees, grass and ragweed may trigger your allergies, but Mother Nature can also help cure them. Natural herbal remedies for allergies can help control or reduce your body’s reaction to allergens. Here are five natural ways to keep your allergies in-check – no prescription allergy medications required.

#1: Drink tea. Peppermint tea, elderflower tea and tea made from stinging nettle have all been shown to reduce allergy symptoms. Essential oils in peppermint tea act as a decongestant, while ingredients in elderflower and stinging nettle contain anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties.

#2: Steam it off. Adjust your daily routine so you take a shower at night. This helps remove any pollen trapped in your hair and prevent its transmission to your bed. Steam from a hot shower can also help unclog sinuses. Need a quick fix? Boil several cups of water, lean over the bowl, and drape a small towel over your head. The steam helps relieve sinus pressure. Use the moisture captured by your towel to gently apply pressure to either sinus.

#3: Build your defense system. Quercetin is a natural plant flavonoid that helps to stabilize mast cells. This stops the cells from overreacting to allergen triggers, and stops allergies before they start. Quercetin is naturally found in green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits. Allergy suffers may wish to boost their quercetin intake with a natural supplement. AllergEase contains quercetin from elderflower and stinging nettle.

#4: Sting back with stinging nettle. This powerful herb contains quercetin and fights back against the histamines that trigger allergy symptoms. Even better, it doesn’t cause drowsiness, dry mouth or other unwanted side effects like some over-the-counter allergy medications. Studies show that 300mg capsules containing freeze-dried extracts can provide temporarily relief.

#5: Soothe irritation with honey. You may have heard the old wives’ tale that eating honey produced from your local region helps prevent allergies. Scientific studies proved this tale false, but did show that honey from any location can help fight allergy symptoms. A spoonful soothes sore throats and is the perfect natural sweetener for your quercetin tea.