Every year, the beginning of March triggers my allergies. If I am not prepared, I’m congested, don’t sleep well, and have itchy eyes. Before you get hit with spring time symptoms, let me share some tips that are effective, gentle, and make a big difference in how you feel. I also want to share a new resource I have found that will help “makeover your allergy issues”.
Every person reacts to allergy triggers differently. And every region may have different allergy triggers that appear at various times of year. My biggest allergy issue happens to be oak pollen, and early March is peak oak pollen season in Tampa Bay.
If your issues are short term pollen related, here are my best tips:
- Flush, spray, or squirt your nose with nasal saline (salt water) 2-3 times per day. This will flush the allergens away, which is much more effective than taking a drug to try and block some of the chemical irritation from allergies in your nasal airways. Plus, saline is very soothing to irritated tissues and helps shrink congested airways.
- Get a HEPA filter for your home. A HEPA filter, (High-energy particulate air filtration) does a great job at removing pollen and irritants from the air in your home.
- Clean/replace the filters in your heating/cooling unit. Aim to do this at least 3-4 times per year if you suffer from allergies.
If you have allergies most of the year, if your symptoms are severe, if your children have problems with allergies, or if you have multiple other complicated symptoms that come with or without your allergies, then you clearly need more help.
For years I have been looking for a resource to help my patients with allergy issues, and the good news is that I have found it! A colleague and friend of mine, Dr. Susanne Bennett, a natural allergy expert has written a new book, The 7-Day Allergy Makeover. This is truly a simple program to eliminate allergies and restore vibrant health from the inside out. Dr. Bennett provides concrete steps to eliminate obvious and not so obvious allergy issues. This book is highly recommended!
To order the book for yourself or a loved one, Click Here!
Dr. Bennett has also assembled a collection of SURPRISING FACTS about allergies in this no-cost guide: 11 Surprising Facts About Allergies (a downloadable companion to her book The 7-Day Allergy Makeover).
I wish you the very best of health!
Steven Masley, MD, FAHA, FACN, FAAFP, CNS