I just watched an informative segment on The Today Show about how to lessen the symptoms of allergies. Many people are allergic to pollen, dust mites and chlorine. The sneezing, red-itchy eyes and runny noise can be especially acute and annoying in the summer months as we spend more time outdoors. If you suffer from summer allergies, here's what you can do to reduce symptoms:
1) When you come in the house from a day outside, shower and change your clothes and shoes.
2) Shower before bed instead of early in the morning to remove pollen from your hair and skin.
3) Keep antihistamines in your system to prevent symptoms from coming on. You can take a regular antihistamine at night to help you sleep and a non-drowsy formula in the morning to get you through the day.
4) Make sure you wash your clothes and bedding in hot water that's at least 140 degrees F to kill dust mites.
5) Some allergy sufferers claim eating local honey builds up immunities to pollens where you live. There's no scientific evidence to support the claim, but honey is sweet and delicious and worth a try.
6) If you are sensitive to chloride, you will be less bothered by swimming in an outdoor pool over an indoor pool, where the chloride will be trapped and more concentrated. Also be sure to wash the chloride off your skin immediately after you finish swimming.
Hopefully, taking a few prudent steps to treat the triggers of allergies will stop some of the suffering.
There are some good over the counter antihistamines but the local honey idea sounds like more fun.
ReplyDeletevery useful information and "eating local honey builds up immunities" no doubt i agree and suggest to other too.
ReplyDeleteAllergies have been especially rampant here in the NW. I've been spared this year, luckily, but I'll pass on the tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. This has been a popular post. Lots of allergies, I guess!
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