Hay Fever

Hay Fever

When I was young hardly anybody suffered from Hay Fever. That has changed a lot. Today there are a lot of people who do not look forward to the warm season. Spring with all the flowers and pollen in the air brings a lot of suffering for them.

But actually Hay Fever is not a fate you have to live with. There are things you can do about it. One thing that is very important is your diet. Try and keep it free from artificial colours and sweeteners. Remember, anything artificial is not good for your system and it likely to trigger an over reaction which is what every allergy is. 

One thing I would advise is that you do not take any supplements or vitamins before you have consulted your GP. It is not a good thing to take anything when you actually do not need it. If you take vitamins you do not need, the best outcome is that the body will get rid of it but that creates more work for the kidneys. The worst outcome is that you actually do some damage to your body. The same happens with other food supplements, so please check with your GP before you take any pills or powders. A blood test can usually determine if you are lacking something.

Another thing you should watch out for is cosmetics. Yes, I'm talking about your deodorant, the shampoo, the lipstick and the daily cream that you are using. Almost everything that touches your skin or can be breathed in because you spray it in the air has potential to damage your health and trigger allergies such as Hay Fever. So be very mindful about what you are using on your body and skin. It should be as natural as possible.

Don't forget to replenish you hydration levels once you started to tear and dribble all over the place. So drink plenty of water. And don't forget the disposable tissues. 

 A good way to try and dilute the pollen count in your nose is to rinse it with sterile water or a mild saline solution you can make yourself by boiling a teaspoon of table salt with half a liter of water and let it cool. A nasal douche helps nicely with that.

Inhaling steam is a good way to calm swollen airways down. You can use chamomile or a tea spoon of table salt. Put it in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over it. Now sit down and bend your head over the bowl, then cover your head with a towel. Be careful, it will be hot so take regular breaks and adjust the distance so that it feels comfortable. And be careful not to scald yourself. This is not suitable for children. When you finished inhaling, don't go outside for a quarter of an hour to let your airways calm down.

And don't forget that there is Homoeopathy which can help you in acute situations but can also help with long term, constitutional treatment to get rid of the symptoms of Hay Fever.

After all: We all want to be able to enjoy the warmer weather without suffering. Happy Spring.