According to CNN, prescription drugs are found in the drinking water of 41 million Americans. Although the amount of pharmaceuticals is in parts per billion, the long-term affects are undetermined.

Basically, what happens is the body excretes some of the drugs that it doesn’t need and this is how it enters wastewater. Even after the wastewater is treated, residual amounts of the pharmaceuticals remain because wastewater treatment plants are unable to completely purify the water.

Using more natural ways to cure colds and other health issues can help reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals lingering in our drinking water. It’s important to consult a doctor if symptoms become severe, but simple, more natural remedies can be done at home to prevent you from needing prescription drugs.

The key is to act fast when it comes to colds. As soon as you notice signs of a sore throat, gargle salt water. Salt is drying and helps clear infections. Also green tea can be incorporated into your diet during the morning and before bed to boost your immune system. Adding a little honey to the tea can soothe the inflammation of the throat.

If you have yellow or greenish phlegm when you blow your nose, you most likely have developed a sinus infection. Purchase a netti pot and irrigate your nose with salt water. Using a nett pot even when you don’t have a sinus infection can reduce the amount of dust and other particles in your nose that can cause irritations.

Essential oils are distilled from plants and can be used to alleviate some of the symptoms caused by allergies. Mixing lavender essential oil and vitamin E lotion can calm down rashes that you might develop. Diffusing eucalyptus oil can open up your sinuses and enable you to breathe better. Peppermint oil can be applied to your temples when you have a headache. Remember, when using essential oils, purchase 100% therapeutic grade essential oils so you don’ burn your skin.

Preventative measures should always be taken to reduce your chances of catching a cold. Eating a balanced diet and keeping good hygiene enables the body to stay strong against bacteria and germs it might be subjected to.

These natural remedies can get you out of bed and back to work without the help of pharmaceuticals, which are only adding to our water quality problems.

And for most of us, we turn to drugs for relief from our allergies. I’m no exception: I used Clariton daily for months until I started having some weird side effects that had me questioning a drug I’d previously assumed was harmless.

Not only do drugs have side effects, but they’re expensive as well. Even something you purchase over the counter is pretty expensive, and the prescription drugs are often even costlier. If you have inhalers for asthma (often instigated by allergies), you know what I mean. It’s hard to be “self-sufficient” when you’re relying on big pharmaceuticals, paying a chunk out of your paycheck each month just to feel human in the mornings.

Well, if you’re looking for ways to get off the drugs, try some of these natural home remedies for allergies:

1. Burn Beeswax Candles

A number of studies have shown that burning 100% beeswax candles in your home can help alleviate airborne allergens such as cat dander, pollen, etc. I was a little skeptical of this myself until I started reading about beekeeping and the surprising benefits of natural honey. It makes sense that candles made from beeswax might have some benefits too.

If you suffer from asthma, allergies, or all-around sinus congestion, try burning a 100% beeswax candle in your bedroom for a couple hours before going to sleep.

It’s important to get 100% beeswax, not a blend or anything else. Most of today’s candles are made from paraffin, which can actually be bad for your lungs. “Soot, smoke, and chemical residue from ‘regular’ candles can stick to walls, ceilings, and ventilation ducts and gets re-circulated whenever the heating/cooling system is in action, exposing you to these pollutants even when the paraffin candles aren’t burning”

Beeswax candles are more expensive than regular ones, but they burn cleaner and last longer. And if you see real benefits from using them, well, you can always start your own backyard beehive and make your own!

2. Clean, clean, clean!

Nobody wants more housework, but the truth of the matter is that allergies to pet dander, mold, pollen, etc. are exacerbated when these buggers are allowed to take up long-term residence in your house.

Vacuum, sweep, wipe down furnishings, and change beddings frequently. In particular, strive to keep the bedroom clean. If you have pets, you’ll need to be even more vigilant. Trust me, I have dogs who sleep in the bedroom, so I know all about it!

Also, if it’s in the budget, you may want to get rid of your carpets in favor of hard flooring such as hardwoods, laminate, vinyl, etc. Dust, mites, spores, dander, etc. can’t hide in the crevices of hard floorings, whereas with carpets they can slip down between the carpet and the pad, becoming totally inaccessible to even high powered carpet cleaners.

I used to need to use an inhaler within a couple hours of entering my parents’ house (they had cats and wall-to-wall carpet throughout the house). When they tore out their carpets and refinished the hardwood floors beneath, it was a night and day type difference. I can breathe without any trouble when I’m over there now (even though the cats are still there!).

3. Get an air purifier

Okay, okay, an air purifier isn’t exactly an old-fashioned natural “home remedy” but it’s a way to clean the air in your home without spending money on drugs, and out of all the things I’ve mentioned, it’s probably made the biggest difference for me.

I was sharing a house with a smoking family for a couple months, and a simple inexpensive air purifier actually got rid of the entire smoke smell from my bedroom. As long as I kept the door shut, my room smelled a whole lot better than the rest of the house (and my sinuses felt a whole lot better too).

Today, I run an air purifier in the converted attic space where I’ve got my bedroom and home office, and my nose stays clear, even though the dogs have their beds right next to my desk.

Do watch out for the “ionic” air purifiers as quite a few folks report problems with headaches from using them. A basic HEPA air purifier should be fine. If you want to spend a bit more, you can get versions that have cleanable filters, so you don’t have to worry about buying replacement filters down the road.

There you go: three non-drugged up ways to help your allergies.