Allergies

Coping with allergies

Spring and fall bring us beautiful weather and lush tree and flower colors. Unfortunately, the beauty comes at a price—clouds of windborne pollen, which cause humans in their paths to come down with watery eyes, runny noses and fits of coughing and sneezing.

Seasonal allergies, as we call them, are a fact of everyday life—great news for the makers of Claritin and other allergy-relief products, but not-so-great news for the allergy-sensitive.

A World of Allergies

The plant world is by no means the only source of human allergy symptoms. Depending on their unique physiological makeup, individual humans can exhibit allergic reactions to almost anything on earth. There are food allergies, dog allergies, and pet allergies, among others (dog and cat allergies both occur due to the animals’ dander not agreeing with certain people’s sinuses).

Whatever the cause, allergies manifest themselves in any of several ways: sinus allergies and skin allergies, or, in the case of food, upset stomachs. Allergies and asthma are a particularly unpleasant combination—and a common one; half of the 20 million Americans with asthma report having allergies, also. When the allergies hit, these individuals’ asthma symptoms become aggravated; limited numbers of cases can become serious, if not life threatening, allergic asthma attacks.

Living with Allergies

You need to determine for yourself what, if anything, will cause you to have allergic reactions. Sometimes avoidance is the best policy. If it is a food, do not eat it; if it is a cat, then do not keep a cat in the house, etc. It is wise to plan outdoor activities when the pollen count is low and stay indoors when it is high. Keep your house sealed during the high seasons and run your air conditioner to ensure steady ventilation.

Household air filters are also a good investment. They clear pollen from your home’s air, as well as other elements that might make breathing difficult. Over-the-counter antihistamines can relieve allergy symptoms, but be advised that they are known to cause drowsiness.

Many dietary and supplemental aids can help make allergies more manageable. Eating yogurt three times a week has been shown to mitigate the symptoms of pollen allergies. Daily doses of vitamin C, bromelain, burdock, dandelion, echinacea, nettle and mullein also have allergy-relieving properties.