Spring has barely sprung and pollen counts are already on the rise in the South. Here in North Carolina, the itchy watery eyes and sneezes have already begun. Not surprisingly, pollen is one of the most common allergies in the US. Some people have pollen allergies year-round, while others only have them during certain times of the year.
Pollen is a very fine powder produced by trees, flowers, grasses, and weeds to fertilize other plants of the same species. Many people have an adverse immune response when they breathe in pollen.
An allergy happens when the immune system reacts to a substance, such as pollen, and releases histamine, a chemical found in some of the body’s cells. After histamine is released, symptoms appear in the nose, sinuses, eyes, throat and even ears, skin and stomach.
Pollen allergy symptoms most often include:
- nasal congestion
- sinus pressure, which may cause facial pain
- runny nose
- itchy, watery eyes
- scratchy throat
- cough
- swollen, bluish-colored skin beneath the eyes
- decreased sense of taste or smell
- increased asthmatic reactions
If you struggle with seasonal allergies, there are some things that you can do to help ease the discomfort.
Limit Time Outdoors
Keep and eye on the pollen forecast in your area and make plans as such. On an average day, pollen counts tend to rise during the morning, peak about midday, and then gradually fall. So the lowest pollen counts are usually before dawn and in the late afternoon to early evening. Windy days also seem to make it worse.
A helpful tip when you are outside is to make hats and sunglasses your go-to accessories this season— they can help keep pollen out of your hair and eyes. If you’re outdoors cutting the grass or doing yard work, you may also want to wear a pollen mask to reduce your exposure to allergy triggers and help prevent an allergy attack.
Take a Shower or Bath Before Bed
When pollen levels are high, pollen can become intertwined with your hair, your eyelashes and rest on your skin. Showering will help eliminate those allergens, preventing a nighttime attack. To get a good night’s sleep, take a shower or bath and wash your hair. As an added bonus, the steam from the hot water might help relieve some of your symptoms.
Use Natural Solutions
There is a powerhouse essential oil combo that can help support you during seasonal changes. You can make the blend and diffuse it, apply it topically and even take it internally. A very dear friend of mine suffered with serious allergy issues and had been to the Doctor several times. They wanted to give her allergy shots but she wasn’t ready to go that route. She decided to give natural solutions a try and she was amazed at the results…and totally relieved that she was able to avoid the shot.
Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint are the powerhouse trifecta. They work together to help calm symptoms and support your body during pollen season.
As a Certified Essential Oil Coach, I only recommend the highest quality essential oils. And the only brand that I would recommend taking internally is doTERRA.
Use a Clothes Dryer, Avoid the Clothesline
You might want to use your dryer during peak pollen season. The yellow powder covers everything, including the clean clothes you have drying on the clothesline. While I am a huge fan of air drying items on a clothesline, it’s best to wait until the pollen has died down or disappeared completely.
Use Saline
A saline nasal spray is a simple saltwater solution that can be used by both children and adults. You can use a saline rinse or spray to clean the pollen from your nasal passage.
These are the general steps you’d take:
- Blow your nose gently to get rid of any loose mucus.
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Use one finger to press down on and close one nostril.
- Place the tip of the nasal spray in the other nostril.
- Squeeze the bottle and inhale at the same time.
- Repeat sprays, if necessary, according to the medication or product’s instructions.
There are several things that you can do to reduce your exposure and reaction to seasonal threats. You can limit your time outside (but let’s face it, who really wants to do that in the Spring??), you can shower before bed nightly, avoid the clothesline, use saline and use natural solutions as a first line of defense.
If you are interested in learning more about using natural solutions to support you and your family during pollen season, I would love to set up a 20 minute appointment to chat. Click here and I will get back to you.
A cold will usually clear up in about three to five days, whereas with an allergy the sufferer may be sneezing or have difficulty breathing, but not run a fever like someone with a cold would. – Clara Chung
