Allergy season. Sufferers know what a burden allergy season can be — on your body, your productivity and your social life. Even putting aside the aches and pains, the itching, the coughing, the sneezing, congestion .. it”s a disaster and none of us enjoy going through it. In addition to the stares and ignorance from co-workers, family and friends that confuse our symptoms with that of the flu or cold, it”s hard to always find relief. (Not sure about you, but most allergy meds I”ve tried have not made much of a difference.) The thing we don”t necessarily think of is that it takes more than just a pill and some tea to help ease the effects of allergy season.
First of all, it”s important to realize what your symptoms are. Many people have allergies and don”t even realize it, mistaking their sneezing for the common cold. According to Michael A. Kaliner, MD, (Medical Director, Institute for Asthma and Allergy) there are some determining factors when it comes to allergies vs. colds. While colds last about a week, allergies usually last in 2-4 week chunks of time. Also, when you are suffering from allergies, you will experience itch in your eyes, nose and/or throat. However, when you have a cold you may feel uncomfortable in these areas, but you will not itch.
If you are experiencing the itch and are tired of suffering, give these articles a read:
10 ALLERGY MYTHS
This article from Discovery Fit & Health addresses common allergy myths like allergies being all in your head, that moving to a place such as the desert will help your allergies, and that whole “allergic to pet fur” thing.
10 HOME REMEDIES FOR ALLERGIES
This list from TLC offers some great (and easy) remedies to help ease your allergies in the home. One that we may not think of is to bathe before going to bed — by doing this, we are getting rid of all the pollen and other allergens that may have caught onto our hair and skin throughout the day, meaning we”ll have less of a reason to wake up in a coughing/sneezing fit during the night.
9 FALL FOODS TO FIGHT YOUR FALL ALLERGIES
This list from Rodale.com lists autumn favorites that may help our fight against allergy season — such as broccoli, kale, pumpkin, etc. In addition, they give us a few pointers to look out for foods we should not be eating. These include apples, bananas, melons, honey (WHAT?!), etc. You may be surprised by what you find!
Are you an allergy sufferer? What”s your favorite remedy?
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