Spring is here and flowers are blooming. Enter pollen: your arch nemesis that leads to allergies. Although you might be enjoying the sun-drenched, flip-flop wearing days, allergies are not a fun day in the park. Here’s how to prevent them from ruining the season.
Stop that sneeze
There are some things you can do to prevent the irritating symptoms of allergies from striking.
Whip out the duster
Spring-cleaning is a great way to get rid of dust and mould that has built up from winter. Clean your windows, book shelves and air-conditioning vents where these nasties can accumulate.
Avoid being outside in pollen peak times
This is usually between 10 o’clock in the morning and four in the afternoon. This is also when the heat is strongest, which can trigger hay fever.
Put it in hot water
Regularly washing your clothing and bedding in hot water helps to remove dust and pollen that literally sticks to your clothes when you come inside after being out. Although you might opt for hanging your bedding on the washing line because it’s eco-friendly, this could result in lots of pollen collecting on your washing, which then gets taken indoors and can spark your allergies. Try to use an eco-friendly tumble dryer or hang on a drying rack in a sunny spot indoors.
Natural allergy remedies
If you love being outdoors, your allergies don’t have to keep you locked up inside all summer. Just make sure you take an antihistamine about a half-hour before your day begins to avoid an allergy attack. There are also some natural remedies that can get the job done.
Saltwater nose spray
Mix a cup of water with half a teaspoon of table salt and half a teaspoon of baking soda and put them in a squirt bottle. Squeeze this saline spray into each nostril. Use it every morning and night to clear allergens from your nasal passages.
Q is for Quercetin
Quercetin is a natural plant-derived compound that works as an antioxidant which helps to ease allergies. It can be found in citrus foods, apples, tea, lettuce and even wine, but sometimes you need a supplement to help you achieve a higher immunity against allergy attacks. You can purchase quercetin from Wellness Warehouse
Eat allergy-fighting foods
Certain foods can help build a defense against allergies. A study published in the Allergy journal found that people who consume omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to suffer from allergy symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids help to fight inflammation and great sources of them are found in walnuts, flaxseed oil, eggs and cold-water fish such as salmon.
