The sun was shining, the grass was green and flowers were blooming. And I, stepping outside, was cringing. While I love warm weather, the transitional period between winter and summer usually tortures me. Pollen, ragweed, grass… I’m allergic to them all. The sound of lawn mowers is usually a signal that soon my eyes will start to itch, my nose will start to run and I’ll feel about as crappy as a kid with the flu.

But this morning, the lawn mowers were mowing all over campus and I was like the “after” picture in those cheesy Claritin commercials, smiling and clear.

Why? I’d stopped taking my Allegra a few weeks back.

Sick of taking allergy pills, decongestants and antihistamines every day with side effects like nausea, dizziness and sleep trouble, I searched reliable health websites like WebMD and DrWeil.com for a natural alternative. I tried Quercetin Plus, available at Whole Foods — and it works. Quercetin, a phytochemical, is found in apple skins and can be bought as a dietary supplement combined with other natural allergy fighters.

The herb butterbur and freeze-dried nettles are also mentioned on a lot of these sites, but I’ve had trouble finding them. Just keep in mind that most natural remedies are not evaluated by the FDA and therefore have not been approved. Also, many take as long as six to eight weeks to work at full potential (though I started feeling better within a week).

Other things to consider include saline sprays, air filters and old-fashioned cleaning. Rinsing your nasal passages and sinuses with saline sprays is a cheap, quick way to keep your nasal passages moist and functioning at their best. It also rinses away pollen and helps keep sinus infections at bay. Air filters won’t stop your symptoms if you are already sneezing, but they may be a good preventative measure.

Simply cleaning your dorm room and getting rid of the dust and pollen that have been piling up since New Student Week may help alleviate some of your sneezing. Also, pay attention to foods that worsen or help your symptoms. I’ve found that reducing dairy consumption helps, and I’ve read that dairy may increase mucous production and can irritate your immune system.

If you are already on prescription allergy medicines, I don’t advise just dropping them the way I did. It was definitely foolish of me to stop taking my medicine without consulting with my doctor. Please heed this advice, especially if your allergies are serious, because allergies can be more than annoying — they can have serious consequences like anaphylaxis.

And, please, don’t start natural remedies without talking to your physician first, especially if you are already on medication, because drug interactions can occur with natural therapies. The combination of prescription allergy meds and natural ones may be too much and may have other negative consequences, according to WebMD. Even if you don’t take other medications, it is always best to check. But go to your doctor armed with research about natural remedies to allergies or other health problems you face. Use reliable sources like WebMD, or the National Institute of Health’s MedlinePlus. Many doctors are quick to write prescriptions without considering natural alternatives unless you bring them up.