Millions of people have to deal with outdoor allergies on a daily basis. The problem becomes more rampant during the spring and the summer when flowers are in full bloom and there is too much pollen in the air. While keeping allergens away in the house is easy, you have little if not control over what happens when you are outdoors.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, up to 30 percent of the world’s population suffers from hay fever. While medicine might be a great way to combat outdoor allergies, there are other non medicinal approaches that will give you an upper hand over the condition.
1. Shower Before Going to Bed
Showering before going to bed will wash off that pollen from your skin and hair keeping it off the bed sheets and pillows. You won’t spend the whole night rolling in a sea of pollen only to wake up feeling soggy and awful in the morning. It will be a great idea to wash your bedding in hot water more often to get rid of any residual pollen.
2. Stay Indoors in the Morning
Pollen count will be at its highest early in the morning. This is between 5am and 10am. If possible, stay indoors and wait until this high activity period is over before stepping out. You, however, don’t have to worry it rains since the rain will wash away the pollen. You will have the hardest time on a dry, warm and windy day.
3. Irrigate Your Nasal Cavities
Nasal irrigation flushes out allergens and extra mucus from the sinuses and nostrils. Saline nasal rinses and neti pots are effective at cleaning dust, pollen and other irritating elements from your nostrils before they trigger a catastrophic allergic reaction.
4. Dress Appropriately When Visiting High Risk Areas
If you cannot stay indoors and avoid high risk areas like open fields or other places with heavy allergen concentrations, you will be better off covering your eyes and perhaps nostrils. A wide-brim hat and sunglasses will keep the allergen from your eyes. If the symptoms are severe, consider wearing a mast to protect your nose too.
5. Keep Off Some Foods
Raw and fresh fruit plucked straight from the tree will still have traces of the pollen or compounds that trigger your allergic reactions. Even though it is healthy, its impact on your health might be more terrifying. This will only apply to people who are allergic to specific pollen. People allergic to birch tree pollen might have trouble consuming fresh apples.
When Prevention Fails
Prevention might be the first line of defense against allergic reactions. However, the little control we have over the open environment makes it very hard to control what we breath without looking paranoid. Covering your eyes, nose and mouth with a mast will work but it might be too extreme.
In such cases, it would be wise to keep your allergy medication nearby and use it when you get the first symptoms. If your are very sensitive to outdoor allergens and can alter your schedule to stay indoors until safer times of the day, you will live a better life with less attacks.
Staying healthy and drinking lots of water will keep your body healthy and increase your endurance. It won’t necessarily better your immunity to the allergen but you will feel less awful when you get an attack and have to use medication to fight it off. Keep your home clean, well aerated and humidified to give you a safe resting place at the end of the day.