Solving spring sniffles

With all this talk of getting the garden ready for summer and high SPF suncare on the blog earlier this week, I’ve turned my attention to another problem that affects many of us as soon as the sun comes out: allergies! Spring’s allergy season can bring random sniffles, itchy eyes and a blocked nose. I’m usually okay but on two occasions last year I could hardly breathe thanks to pollen blocking my nose. Oddly enough it was at night time after leaving the pub – so I must have hay-fever triggered by whatever is growing in the fields nearby and nothing else! Anyway, I’d rather not suffer like that again and if you too are one of those people struggling there are many ways of reducing allergy symptoms during this pollen-filled season:

1.      Be a fashionista

Did you know that pollen can actually deposit on your eyelashes? Wear your stylish sunglasses from now on whenever you’re outside, whatever the weather, to make sure you are stopping pollen from making your eyes itchy. And whatever you do – don’t rub your eyes! You can also reduce the amount of pollen indoors by keeping windows closed (I know that’s tough in hot weather) and changing your clothes when you go inside. Wearing the same clothes you wore outside in your home can spread pollen throughout the house, so you have permission to do a celebrity-style outfit change during the day ‘for your health’, not just because it means you’ll get the most out of your summer wardrobe!

2.      Take it sooner rather than later

Allergy Specialist, Dr Adam Fox, says “common allergies are often trivialised but for some, symptoms can have a considerable impact on their ability to function. To avoid allergies affecting your daily life, it’s beneficial to start using a preventative treatment early on in the year and continue throughout the season.” Anti-histamine hay-fever tablets make my husband dizzy, which often makes him feel worse than the hay-fever symptoms. So the product that hubby and I are trying this year is NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK which is a preventative treatment that blocks all types of airborne allergens from entering your nose. It is a drug-free gel you dab on the outside of your nose which is even suitable for children of all ages. 

3.      Fruity secrets

Watch out for food allergies if you are allergic to pollen as you may also react to some fruits and vegetables that contain similar proteins. If you are allergic to tree pollen it is best that throughout Spring and Summer you avoid red berries. Red berries and sometimes even apples can cause your lips start to tingle. Try eating dried fruit, bananas or oranges instead to minimise your chances of getting a reaction to pollen-rich foods.

I hope these ideas will help you shake off much of your hay-fever suffering this Summer and you’ll be able to enjoy the season in comfort.