Although most people look forward to the spring and summer seasons, allergy sufferers dread this time of year. Those suffering from seasonal allergies have a hard time enjoying spring and summer and often experience a decrease in their work productivity.
Fortunately, with a little time and effort, there are things you can do to decrease your allergy symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Keep Windows Shut During High Pollen Count Days
Although it might be tempting to keep your windows open on a bright and sunny day, that fresh air might actually make your allergies worse. When you keep your windows open in your home you are allowing all sorts of pollen and dander inside, wreaking havoc on your allergies.
What’s worse is that unless you give your home a thorough cleaning, those allergens will remain inside your home for a long time. Try to keep your windows closed on days when the pollen count is high and avoid going outside unnecessarily.
Take a Shower As Soon as You Are Home for the Day
While a nice, hot shower feels great at the end of a particularly busy work day, you are actually being proactive with your health as well. As you go about your day you are continuously accumulating a variety of substances on your body and your clothing including germs, allergen particles, dust, and more. Try to make it point to hit the shower as soon as you walk in the door.
Another effective way to keep your allergy symptoms at bay is to make sure you store your hamper far away from where you sleep at night. Good places to store your hamper are down in the basement or right by your washer and dryer.
Modify Your Diet With Symptom Reducing Foods
Studies have shown that changing your diet can significantly reduce the severity of your seasonal allergy symptoms. Consider adding green tea to your dietary regimen. Green tea contains antioxidants and is a natural antihistamine, which can improve your itchy, watery eyes and sore throat. Tropical fruits, fatty fish, and raw onions are also associated with allergy symptom improvement.
Another great tip you might want to consider is purchasing local honey from a nearby honey farm. Local honey is believed to contain pollen from the surrounding area. When you ingest local honey on a regular basis you are able to slowly build up your immunity to this pollen, which will naturally decrease your symptoms over time.
Clean Out Your Air Ducts on a Regular Basis
While it might never cross your mind, the condition of your air ducts has a direct impact on whether or not you’re able to get a handle on your allergy symptoms. If you don’t make the effort to clean out your air ducts on a regular basis, you have all sorts of allergens, bacteria, debris, dirt, and mold that cycles through your home.
Scheduling an appointment and having your air ducts cleaned out regularly can mean the difference between feeling comfortable during peak allergy season or suffering through those spring and summer months.
Contact a professional air duct cleaning service to help get your HVAC running efficiently this month. If you live in Canada, you can look for Toronto duct cleaning services to maintain proper air quality, help you breathe easier, and relieve your allergy symptoms.
Stay Hydrated and Drink More Hot Drinks
Most people don’t get the amount of water they need on a daily basis to stay hydrated. Dehydration is not only bad for your overall health, but it can also lead to an overactive histamine response, which can make your allergy symptoms even worse.
Aim for at least eight glasses of water per day to keep your allergy symptoms in check. You don’t have to drink just plain water for it to count towards your goal. Consider drinking hot herbal tea and lemon water too. The steam from a hot drink also helps to clear up your nasal passages, which is an added bonus for allergy sufferers.
Conclusion
Although seasonal allergies may be unavoidable, there is plenty you can do to decrease their severity. By keeping these tips in mind and getting your air ducts cleaned on a regular basis you’ll be able to enjoy better health, as well as decrease your allergy symptoms.
