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If you suffer from allergies and would like to try something natural to relive the symptoms or alleviate attacks, try Indian herbal medicine, i.e. expert Dr Hemant Pathak's simple allergy protection concoction: five drops (0.3g) of castor oil in half a cup of any fruit or vegetable juice, or plain water, taken on an empty stomach in the morning. Pathak says it's beneficial for allergies of the intestinal tract, skin, and nasal passages.

Because castor oil (a teaspoon a day for adults) is often used to treat constipation, you could experience loose bowel movements as a side effect. And if you ingest more than 3 teaspoons per day, it can interfere with the absorption of vital nutrients. To put your mind at rest, the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation Expert Committee on Food Additives claim that a maximum of 0.7 mg/kg body weight of castor oil daily is completely safe for human consumption.

Read up on more natural ways to fight hay fever this summer.