10 Tips To Surviving Allergies

Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S.  People who suffer from allergies suffer from the following symptoms.

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Congestion
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Runny, itchy nose
• Breathing difficulties
• Wheezing
• Fatigue
• Headaches

Depending on the level of severity, seasonal allergies can prove to be a significant burden that can seriously limit your day-to-day activities and enjoyment. Use these 10 tips to help you manage and overcome your allergy symptoms.

10 Tips To Survive Allergies

1. Check the local pollen report
Your local pollen report can help you limit or prevent the onset of allergy symptoms by helping you understand when  outdoor conditions might not be favorable for you. A pollen report indicates the number of grains of pollen in a cubic meter of air in any given location. This estimate can serve as a useful tool, just like a weather report, that can help allergy sufferers avoid outdoor activities on days when their symptoms are likely to be worse.

2. Keep your windows closed
Especially on days when there is a lot of pollen in the air, make sure to keep the windows of your home, office, and car  closed. This simple measure can make a world of difference and help you stay comfortable indoors. As a general practice, it can be helpful to make a  practice of keeping the windows closed during the time of year when your seasonal allergies are at their worst.

3. Keep your pets clean
If your pets love playing outside, consider that they may be making your allergy symptoms worse by bringing outdoor allergens  like pollen into the house with them. If you have pets and you notice your allergy symptoms flaring up while you’re indoors, be sure to bathe your pets  often.

4. Shower before bed
Just like our pets, we can also carry pollen back inside with us after we’ve spent some time outdoors. If you suffer from seasonal  allergies, you should be sure to change your clothes as soon as you’re back inside. Showering before bed is another recommended measure to help  ensure you don’t bring pollen into your bed at night

5. Stay hydrated
While it’s always important to drink plenty of water, staying hydrated during allergy season can help ease your allergy symptoms. That’s  because your body produces higher histamine levels when it’s dehydrated. Higher histamine levels drive allergies, so being dehydrated could make your  allergy symptoms worse.

6. Consider taking vitamins and supplements
It’s been found that certain vitamins and supplements can help decrease allergy symptoms. These include vitamin D and Omega 3.

Consult your physician to find the right vitamins and supplements for you. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

7. Avoid your feather duster
Your home still needs to be dusted regularly during allergy season! But you should avoid using a feather duster or dry rag when you dust, as these can do more harm than good by stirring dust into the air. Instead, use a wet cloth or a wet paper towel. These are more effective  at picking up dust, which is important for anyone suffering from allergies—not only people who are allergic to dust mites—since household dust  contains other allergens including pet dander and mold spores.

8. Clean your washing machine
Your washing machine is prime real estate for fungi and bacteria like E. coli. Unfortunately, detergents help clean your clothes but they’re ineffective at keeping your washing machine free from these allergens. Everyone, but especially people who suffer from allergies  should keep their washing machine clean by wiping the door, rubber gasket and interior with diluted bleach twice per month.

9. Choose the right houseplants
If you suffer from allergies, you need to be smart about the plants, you keep in your home and office. Don’t worry; fake plants aren’t the only solution! Some plants don’t set off allergy symptoms, and others can even help remove irritating particles from the air. But plants like bonsai, weeping figs , and  fern should be avoided.

10. Get your allergies tested
If you suffer from allergies and the steps above don’t provide sufficient relief, you should consider getting tested by a doctor. An allergy test can help identify exactly what you’re allergic to and what the right treatment is for you. A skin test is the most common type of allergy test. If you have a rash or take medication that may impact the results of a skin test, a blood test may be preferred.