May has brought warmer temperatures and full on
allergy season. Many people will need medication, but there are
other ways to reduce your symptoms says allergy specialist Dr. Karen Binkley.
So really the first step in helping people feel better is we try to get them to
reduce their exposure the pollens as much as possible. That means making
your home a pollen-free zone by keeping doors and windows closed.
You can also track indoors on your hair, clothes and shoes
so wearing a hat, wrap around sunglasses and washing
clothing when you get home helps. Don't forget to wipe down your pets
and avoid drying laundry outdoors. Dr. Binkley says even
a one hour exposure to pollen can trigger symptoms for days.
For some people, they may want to consider using a salt water rinse
and it just rinses the pollen out of their nose when they come in. So will certain
foods ease your symptoms? A good diet is always important for good health
but the impact on the allergies is probably fairly
minimal. She says HEPA filters have shown some benefits but the
studies are mixed. No objection, but would I spend a lot of money on it?
In hoping it would be the cure all, I probably would not spend a lot of money on it.
Dr. Binkley says the jury is also out on using acupuncture for allergy
relief. Two other approaches she does recommend
include propping the head up during sleep and using nasal strips.
They can be used at night to hold the nose open and that sometimes
gives some temporary relief for nasal congestion and will get them over the hump.
For anyone with allergies, it's important to know your triggers
so seeing your doctor or allergy specialist is recommended.
With Sunnyview, I'm Monica Matys.