Is it just me, or are more people sneezing and itching their eyes due to seasonal allergies these days than ever before? Here's what experts have to say about the increase in seasonal allergies and the little things you can do to control them ...
More people are sneezing this year, or so say researchers who note that seasonal allergies are hitting earlier than usual and are, in many cases, more intense for more people--due to greater pollution and pollen counts, ugh.
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Seasonal allergy sufferers know just how bad it can get. A friend of mine told me that these kind of allergies (which I am so fortunate not to suffer from--but show me a cat, and my head swells up for hours!) make you feel like you have a head cold that you can not rid yourself of for months--sounds awful. What can you do? I liked these tips in a recent Women's Health piece:
1. Close your windows: I know, we always talk about letting fresh air in, but avoid on bad air-quality days or when the tree outside is in bloom. Also, consider investing in a window AC unit with a good filter, which can help clean the air in your home.
2. Change your clothes when coming inside: Sounds odd, but changing your clothes when you come in from work, etc., can reduce the amount of allergens you're tracking into your home on your clothes.
3. Wear sunglasses: They provide an added layer of protection between pollen spores in the air and your eyes/lashes.
4. Skip the bar soap: Sure, shower up, but a recent study published in Trends in Immunology found that using harsh soaps can strip away a protective layer of the skin that can actually protect you from seasonal allergies--and we can use all the protection we can get, right?
Do you have seasonal allergies? If so, how are you doing right now? Has it been a tough season so far?
P.S. Why stress could be making your allergies worse. And, here's how to give your home an allergen makeover ....
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