Ten nifty ways to tackle hay fever this Summer
If you, like myself, suffer from dreaded hay fever, then you'll know just how uncomfortable, annoying and downright unbearable it can make the warmer weather. If you're a hay fever sufferer, I’m willing to bet you've tried a whole host of tablets and medicines that you've grabbed from your local chemist, all promising to stop the discomfort hay fever brings. What if there were other ways to punch hay fever square in the face?
1. Get your five a day.
It goes without saying, that a healthy lifestyle makes all aspects of life just that little bit easier, staying well hydrated and eating lots of fruit and vegetables is the number one fool-proof way to stay healthy and support your immune system meaning you are better equipped with more energy to combat this pesky allergy, one that can often leave you feeling exhausted and downright fed up.
2. Crank up the spice.
Battling your pesky hay fever may not be number one on the list of priorities when deciding what to have for your Saturday night takeaway, but going for the hottest curry on the menu can really help. Tumeric, widely used in curries in South Asian cuisine, is believed to reduce inflammation which is caused by pollen in your system. Eat lots of onions too, as they contain quercetin, a natural anti-histamine, which blocks the effects of histamines.
3. Experiment with your pizza toppings.
Try pizza topped with capers, red onion, watercress and pineapple. Capers, red onions and watercress contain high amounts of quercetin, which can help reduce hay fever symptoms, and pineapple contains bromelain, which helps the body to absorb quercetin. The perfect reason to visit your favourite pizza place, minus the guilt.
4. Kill two birds with one stone.
Incorporate housework into your war with hay fever by vacuuming your room as this is an easy way to remove pollen particles. Washing bedding regularly also removes allergens. Drying your clothes indoors rather than on a clothes line prevents pollen particles being blown onto the clothes by the outside wind and keeping windows closed will prevent the pollen particles entering your room. Not the ideal way to spend a sunny day, but better than battling puffy eyes and a streaming nose, no doubt.
5. Wash away your worries.
Spent the day soaking up the sun in the great outdoors? I’m are glad you haven’t let your hay fever stop you from heading outside, but be sure to wash your face as soon as you get indoors. This will wash away allergens so that they can’t cause a reaction. If your time spent outside hasn’t come without a price to pay, a cool compress will soothe sore eyes. Showering at night before sleeping will also remove any remaining pollen particles entering your room.
6. Battle hay fever full-steam ahead.
When your hay fever hits you like a train, take a steam. Inhaling steam helps to drain and soothe swollen sinus passages. Place your face 10 to 12 inches away from a bowl of steamy (but not boiling) water. For even more soothing and decongesting power, add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to the water. You will be all clear in no time at all.
7. Invest in some Vaseline.
It has been proven that applying Vaseline around the nostrils and eyelashes can prevent pollen from entering the nose and eyes. No more blocked nose and itchy eyes!
8. Thank the bees.
As if bees didn’t already do enough for us, honey is said to cure hay fever because the bee pollen can desensitise your body to other pollens. Swapping the sugar for honey on your morning cereal or in your morning cup of tea should reduce hay fever symptoms significantly. Using local honey to your area will see the best results.
9.Hit the water!
If you were looking for an excuse to head out of the city for the day, then this is it. Although it is advised that hay fever sufferers avoid trips to rural areas on high pollen days, (think fields, think flowers, think hay fever hell), sea breezes actually blow pollen inland, meaning there is nothing left to do but escape to the sea instead.
10. Use your phone.
When it comes to tackling hay fever, the general consensus that there’s an app for everything rings true. There is a range of apps that can help hay fever sufferers plan their lives around their allergies. Keeping track of daily pollen counts is made easy using weather apps. The app ‘Hay fever Pollen Forecast UK’ can help monitor your current environment based on location.