Raise your hand if your seasonal allergies are plaguing you with a vengeance! Ugh. The pollen here is out of control. Literally everything is covered in the neon yellow powder that signals the arrival of spring. It also signals itchy eyes, runny noses, sneezing, post-nasal drip, and fatigue, which are no one’s idea of a good time.
How do you manage the nasty side effects of the spring season? Staying inside and away from nature isn’t always a viable option, so here are five ways our household copes with seasonal allergies.
Hydrate
Once again, water makes the top of the list for ways to manage seasonal allergies. Drinking water helps flush toxins out of the body, as well as keep your body functioning at its best. When you feel those allergies start creeping in, increase your water intake to help fight back.
Make Use of Saline Rinses
While the delivery method is anything but appealing, saline rinses are great for lubricating the sinuses, and helping to relieve pressure and congestion. Saline sprays, the netipot, and the Sinugator (our device of choice), are all great options for powering through the worst of allergy season.
Take Medication if Needed
I personally hate taking medication, but relief is important, and there’s no need to suffer. When seasonal allergies flare, take your meds to ease some of those most debilitating symptoms. You don’t want to end up with a sore throat or a sinus infection because these seemingly minor ailments were left unchecked and untreated. Remember, some allergy medications can make you drowsy, so plan accordingly.
Use Local Honey
Local honey is famous for its ability to diminish the effects of irritating allergies. Stock up at your nearest farmer’s market, and then treat yourself to a spoonful a day. Take it straight from the spoon, stir into tea, or drizzle on fruit for yogurt.
Exercise
It may seem counter-intuitive, but exercise can help alleviate allergy irritation. Even though you may think you should rest, if you’re feeling well enough, a solid workout can help increase blood circulation, which may help move allergens through your body a little more quickly. If you are down with a pounding sinus headache and a brutal post-nasal-drip cough, take a pass, but otherwise, feel free to get your fitness on.
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? How do you cope?
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I get allergies every year around this time! I’ve been sick this week, and while the worst of it is behind I think maybe now whats left is allergies. I might try some allergy meds to see if they help.
When I was younger I had really bad hay fever. But it has gone away.
I feel lucky.
Thanks for the tips.
I have never had hay fever, but it sounds terrible!
It has been super rough this month with all the pollen and trees blooming. I have to wash my hair after being outside or it’s a disaster. Mynose is just running while I am running ha. I think we are almost through the worst of it!
Oh wow! Hair washing is just the next level for allergies. Ugh.
It goes on for quite some time here. It’s impossible to keep on top of the green pollen all over the cars and backyard furniture. Yuck.
My eyes are so puffy and my allergies are flaring up! I’m more allergic in Chicago than NY! I think running in a mask is helping a bit – kind of ironic!
I bet the mask helps! Filters out all the pollen and gross things!
After several years of allergy shots, my seasonal allergies are very minimal. I was a chronic mess prior, though, and the allergies got worse as I got older.
Since I’ve gotten older, I developed a fantastic allergy to ibuprofen, but that’s about it. The boys (and even the pugs) have seasonal and environmental allergies so we deal with it all. the. time.
I had no idea about using local honey as a cure!
YES! Local honey isn’t a cure, but it does help treat the suffering allergies can bring, and it definitely helps.
I actually didn’t realise that even simply hydrating could help!! These are super helpful tips; I try not to take meds as I tend to feel worse! Weirdly enough I didn’t have much issue with allergies last year (maybe because I didn’t go out much??) and so far **knock wood** things are ok, but I’ll definitely keep this stuff in mind if it his me!!
Yes. Fortunately, I don’t deal with allergies, personally, but A and K both suffer. K actually goes to acupuncture now, and I imagine A will be going soon. They are both a mess.
I don’t have allergies, but my son used to suffer from them. He seems to have outgrown it though. I do have a neti pot which I use sometimes for sinus issues- it seems like a weird thing to do, but works really well.
I hope A outgrows his. They are crappy for him.
We have the Sinugator which is a battery operated version of the netipot. It means business and works great.
I am lucky that I don’t have allergies. There was a time when I thought I did because I was sneezing so much early in the morning. Then it stopped.
You could have been allergic to something situational. I have a week a year where something blooms at about 7PM at night. I don’t know what it is, but I fill up, my nose and eyes run, my ears clog, and I can’t stop sneezing. And then it’s gone. Weirdest thing.
Luckily I don’t suffer with seasonal allergies. My father did, my brother & a lot of his family do, too. And Mr. Judy does. It’s such a misery!
Mr. Judy is very resistant to taking anything. I’m not big on meds either but why be a masochist?
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None of us really like taking things, but sometimes you have to. That’s why medicine was invented. I am very proud to admit that I am not a hero and won’t suffer if I don’t really have to.