Seasonal allergies are different for everyone. But, a lot of people suffer from allergies related to pollen and other Springtime changes in the environment. These tend to be heavier in Spring because pollen is being released by all of the blooming plants. Recent environmental changes have also altered plant and animal behavior, meaning your chances of exposure to these allergens might be more. Higher atmospheric temperatures signal to plants and animals to start their yearly Spring habits at different times. Less rainy days mean more days where pollen is in the air.
Handling these allergies are key. Utilizing risk management to reduce your exposure, and chance for an allergic reaction reduces the risk.
1. Reduce Your Chances For An Allergic Reaction
Our immune systems are complex. When we are young, our immune systems actually require contact with most germs and allergens in small amounts to accurately determine how to react to those dangers when we are older. Our immune systems are responsible for regulating allergic reactions, so caring for our immune system is the first key to limiting allergic reaction.
This means eating healthy foods, lowering our stress levels, and getting plenty of rest. A taxed immune system is more likely to respond with an allergic response. Eating foods that have low allergen potential is another preventative method; these may include sugary foods, bread, pasta, and cereals. Avoid processed foods, as they can confuse the immune system because of the extra preservatives, residual pesticides, or other chemicals that the body has to filter out and detoxify from. Be sure to get good amounts of healthy fats as they can help reduce inflammation.
2. Stay Indoors, Use An Air Filter and Air Conditioning
As long as you do not have any pollinating plants, staying indoors during the Spring can help limit seasonal allergies. Bring in a HEPA air filter that uses UV light to destroy any harmful airborne particles and filter out the pollen.
3. Take a natural allergy supplement with Stinging Nettles, Quercetin & Vitamin C
Rather than taking an antihistamine, which can leave you feeling tired and create a dependency, you can supplement with a good quality, a natural herbal formula that can be used both preventatively and therapeutically. One formula that has worked well for many of my patients is my new Allergy Factor. I made sure to include Stinging Nettles, Quercetin, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vitamin C to combat inflammation and minimize the taxing immune response allergies can create. In addition, a good probiotic is a must in order to keep your immune system strong and reduce allergic responses. Try my Ultra Probiotic factor. It is a powerful multi-strain probiotic with over 225 billion CFU live bacteria.
4. Know Your Insects
The different between a bumblebee, a honeybee, and a hornet is huge. Hornet and bee venom are some of the most dangerous allergies to have because an insect can often ‘mark’ someone who has been acting, this pheromone tells other insects of similar species to continue stinging the same person. Bumblebees are the round fuzzy bee looking bugs that are not very aggressive. Honeybees tend to have two to three distinguishable different parts of its body and are fuzzy. They tend to be defensive and can sting.
5. Be Aware Of Moisture
Mold and pests like moisture. And with the winter ice melt comes a raised water table, add a little April showers, and you have a recipe for mold spores. Prevention is key so be sure to keep everything dry, including basements and living areas. Use a dehumidifier in places where moisture is high. Also, test your home or apartment for mold. While every home can have some kind of mold, it is important to identify the type and how to get rid of it safely. Some molds are especially dangerous to human and pets so getting a professional company to inspect your home is best.
It can be difficult to try and avoid every allergen, but creating a healthy environment within and outside of the body can help!
