Allergist’s tips to help you get through allergy season.
We’ve all been so excited about nice weather arriving for spring, but for seasonal allergy sufferers, the changing seasons isn’t something to celebrate. Some people have it so bad they can’t enjoy a walk in the park without dashing to the drugstore so they can pop an allergy pill.
So what are seasonal allergies anyway? According to board-certified allergist Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergic reaction is basically the body fighting off what it feels is dangerous. So the sneezing and watery eyes are the body’s immune response to being exposed to an allergen it sees as a foreign invader. The good news is you can improve the severity of symptoms with lifestyle tweaks.
Here’s what to watch out for that could be making your allergies worse:
- Hiding inside - It might seem like the great indoors is the ideal place to avoid pollen and outdoor allergens, but there are all kinds of allergy-inducing factors inside, too, like wall-to-wall carpet and drapes which can hold onto dust mites and dander for years, creating chronic “low-lying symptoms” or make existing ones worse.
- Taking your workout outdoors - After being trapped inside for months, lots of folks want to get outside to exercise again. But being outdoors to enjoy a run or bike ride also exposes you to pollen and other allergens, so Dr. Ogden advises using barriers, like masks, gloves, and wrap-around sunglasses to limit your exposure. And be sure to take a shower to wash all the allergens off when you’re finished outside.
- Waiting too long to pop your meds - You want to hold off on taking a pill until you absolutely need to, but waiting until your symptoms are really bad can create a vicious cycle that’s hard to manage. So don’t be a hero and treat your allergy symptoms before they take over and make you miserable, again.
Source: Well and Good