Usually your immune system wages battle against potentially harmful invaders. But, if you are one of the many with allergies, your immune system becomes just a little too efficient, and that is when trouble can ensure.

When your immune system takes aim against a harmless foreign substance like pollen, your body releases histamines and other chemicals that produce symptoms of an allergic response. Those symptoms can range from a little case of the sniffles to a full-blown, life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

Ways to help your body feel better when an allergy attack starts:

- high does of Vitamin C. Taking between 2-5 grams a day will reduce hay fever symptoms in some people because Vitamin C at these levels has an anti-histamine action. If you are prone to kidney stones, don't exceed 500 mg. a day. Remember vitamin C at these high doses can cause diarrhea.

- Stinging Nettle is wonderful for allergies. Use freeze-dried nettles in capsules, tinctures, or teas according to label instructions.

- Eyebright. Eyebright is another herb to help relieve allergy symptoms. Take liquid extracts or capsules of eyebright and nettles (Urtica dioica) just before allergy season to help prevent sniffles and scratchy eyes. If you know you're allergic to a specific plant, to avoid symptoms you should start taking eyebright and nettles as soon as you notice the plant budding.

- Acupressure point LI 4, situated in the webbing of your thumb and index finger. Put pressure towards the bone. Hold firm for about 1 minute per hand. *Pregnant women should not use this point until the end of pregnancy since it stimulates strong uterine contractions.

- Aromatherapy- for quick relief from watery eyes and runny nose:

1 drop cypress

1 drop hyssop

Put them in the palm of your hand. Apply to the back of your tongue with fingertips. Every few hours do this and it will last 1-2 hours.

- If the problems are pollen allergies, the best thing to help your immune system become immune is to eat honey made in the same state or area that you live. Honey is a natural antibiotic. The pollen in the honey will help you to become immune to those pollens in your area.

- Homeopathy Allum Cepa 30C once or twice daily.

Euphrasia, for prime symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes- 30C once or twice daily.