15 Tips for Fighting Allergies

You and your loved ones have surely noticed that hay fever season has hit. We hope the following 10 suggestions can help you fight back against allergy symptoms!

1. Keep the windows closed.
Even though a breeze is refreshing, tree and grass pollen can come into the building through just the narrowest of window cracks. If it gets stuffy, run your air conditioner (and remember to change the filters before each season to remove pollen, dust and mold).

2. Know what to expect.
Weather websites and news channels track the pollen count. There are also phone apps available for this purpose. If the count is high, try to stay indoors as much as possible.

3. Wear sunglasses.
Sunglasses can physically block allergens from blowing into your eyes, especially when it's windy.

4. Eat yogurt.
Studies have shown that people who consumed a yogurt drink containing the probiotic Lactobacillus casei once daily for five months had lower levels of an antibody that produces allergy symptoms. 

5. Use barriers.
To fight dust mites, look for mattress and pillow encasements at for bedding made which are bed-bug and dust mite proof, and an create allergy-free sleep zone.

6. Try to relax.
Stress can aggravate allergic reactions.

7. Exercise in the afternoon.
If you like to walk or run outdoors, do so in the afternoon when pollen counts are lower.

8. Take off your shoes.
When you walk into your home, take off your shoes so that you don't track pollen around the house. You might also want to take a shower so that pollen doesn't hang around on your hair and body.

9. Wash your hair at night.
Rinse the pollen out, especially if you’re a gel or mousse fan. These products can trap pollen.

10. Eat salmon.
A German study found that people who eat food containing high levels of an omega-3 fatty acid called EPA - which is common in fatty fish like salmon - were less likely to develop hay fever.

11. Keep your pets off your bed.
Pets that spend time outdoors can drag pollen back inside with them on their fur.

12. Soak up the calm.
In one study, seasonal allergy (hay fever) sufferers had a more extreme reaction the day after performing a stressful task, such as giving a speech.  "Stress raises levels of the hormone cortisol," says Clifford Bassett, MD, an allergist at New York University Medical Center, and that often leads to an amped-up allergic response.  A few minutes of meditation or a soak in the tub should help.

13. Take a 24-hour allergy pill before bed.
Since these pills can cause drowsiness and take a few hours to kick in, they'll start working while you sleep.

14. Purify your air.
Designed to actually kill viruses, molds, bacteria, and dust mites with UVC light, rather than simply trapping it, the Swordfish UVA Air Purifier unit provides a sufficient dose given the velocity of air in an average room up to 200 square feet.

15. Indoor mold.
Mold thrives in warmer, more humid weather. Don’t assume it’s not there just because you can’t see it: Mold can hide under carpets, in walls, or anywhere. Here's how to beat it.  Bleach it  A 5% bleach solution and a rag or sponge can zap small mold problems.  If you’ve got a very large moldy area (more than 10 square feet), consider hiring a mold-cleanup crew. Find one at the Indoor Air Quality Association.

Could it be something else?

Do you have a runny, stuffy nose that just won’t quit? If dust-proofing your house and taking antihistamines don’t make you feel better, you may have a condition called chronic nonallergic rhinitis, a swelling of your nasal lining and passages that leaves you congested and drippy.

“Unlike your usual allergies, you don’t have an itchy nose, eyes, or throat, and you don’t respond to allergy medications,” explains Dr. Bassett.

Try eliminating irritants like strong odors (think perfume or household cleaners). Saline nasal sprays and rinses often bring relief, but if they don’t work, ask your doctor for a steroid nasal spray.

*Source from Health.com.

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