THE ALLERGY SEASON SURVIVAL GUIDEHOW
TO BEAT ITCHY EYES AND SNEEZING THIS SPRING
We all love spring for the warm days and blossoms, but for the watery eyes and sneezing – not so much. “While hay fever symptoms can occur all year round, pollen allergies tend to be worse in spring when plants release tiny pollen grains to fertilise other plants,” says Dr Suzan
Bekir, clinical director at the Australian
Allergy Centre.
One in five people suffer from an allergy, which is when the
immune system reacts to substances in the environment, and it can happen any time in life. Here’s how to protect yourself this season.
GET PROPERLY DIAGNOSED
If you feel like your symptoms start earlier and get worse each year, it’s not your imagination – climate change and air pollution are cited by the World Allergy Organization as causes for a rise in pollen allergies, and global warming is expected to affect the start, duration and intensity of the pollen season. But before you stock up on antihistamines, get the allergen identified by a professional first.
“It takes a team to manage allergies – your GP is the best place to start to coordinate your care. They may refer you to an allergy clinic or send you for skin prick or blood tests. Treatment can also involve other therapists such as dieticians or even speech pathologists,” says Dr Bekir.
PLAN AHEAD
Hay fever’s most common symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and nose and a blocked nose. “Some people who have chronic hay fever also get frequent colds, recurrent headaches, a chronic cough and permanent tiredness,” says Mark Ragg, author of
The Low Allergy Garden.
In the case of pollen allergy, total avoidance isn’t always possible, but on high pollen count days, Dr Bekir advises:
Staying indoors when it’s windy.
Changing your clothes when you’ve been outdoors.
Use the tumble dryer instead of the clothesline.
Regularly cleaning your nose with a salt water rinse or spray to help remove allergens.
Keeping windows closed on high pollen count days.
Avoid mowing the lawn and walking on grassy areas.
SAFEGUARD YOUR HOME
The onset of sneezing or itchiness can be due to many triggers. Common irritants include dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, moulds and foods.
“Animals and birds have scales on their skin known as dander. These shed, causing major problems for some people with allergies,” says Mark Ragg.
You may need to keep your pet outside, and consider buying a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter that traps fine particles including pollen, mould spores, pet dander and dust mite faeces, and may provide some relief from asthma and allergies.
FOCUS ON GUT HEALTH
A study from The French National Centre for Scientific Research found that skin allergies could be linked to an imbalance in your gut bacteria – so it’s worth increasing your intake of gut-healthy foods such as garlic, natural yoghurt, bananas and ginger.