This is allergy season again, and I feel much better this year.

I’m allergic to lilac and some tree pollens. My normal symptoms are sinus pain, headache, runny nose, itchy throat and mouth. Since I dislike taking any medicines, I normally just take lots of antioxidants and learn to tolerate the dis-ease, including the terrible itchiness at night. Local honey did not work for me.

Last year I accidentally found a natural remedy—Traditional Medicinals’ Gypsy Cold Care tea (p.s. I’m not their affiliate). I like its minty and slightly sweet taste. It accompanied me through this winter nicely without a single cold. Every time when the first cold symptom started, a cup of this tea would just bring back my normal health. Based on a review at Amazon disclosing its magical effects on allergies, I ordered six boxes before the spring.

Photo courtesy of Traditional Medicinals

Early last week I had a late afternoon walk on a windy day (pollens are most active by 11:00am). When walking by a flowering tree, I immediately felt my throat itching. By bed time that night, I had drunk about three cups of the tea. I felt better, but the itchiness still woke me up a couple of times in the middle of the night. The next day I drank about five more cups and the itchiness was gone.

Since then I’ve continued my afternoon walks and drunk about two cups of the tea every day. If I felt the symptom, I drank more. And of course I would try to hold my breath when passing by that flowering tree to reduce the exposure.

Where to buy this tea? Whole Foods and local vitamin stores may sell it for at least $4 per box (16 bags). I found the cheapest online stores selling the tea are Amazon and Vitacost. At Amazon, by subscribing for regular shipments of the six box package of tea along with another four items shipped at the same time, you can get 15% off on every subscribed item with free shipping (the subscriptions can be skipped or canceled any time). The tea would cost about $3.22/box. Vitacost has the two box package for $7.59. On its 12% off day, it would cost about $3.33/box. Vitacost requires a minimum $49 purchase for free shipping though.

I’m on my third box of the tea for this season. I will keep this tea in my pantry all the time. Thank you, Traditional Medicinals!