30 Aug Hay fever season survival guide
Which of the seven dwarves do you relate to the most?
Happy? Dopey? Grumpy?
If you immediately yelled ‘SNEEZY!’ and then reached for the tissues, we can only assume you’re one of four million Aussies suffering from hay fever. The pollen season is just beginning. Holy sinuses, what can we DO?
Here’s a few natural tips that may bring relief (and can be combined with your choice of antihistamine medication concoctions).
1. Eat more onion and garlic.
Both onion and garlic have good antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. Onion is especially high in quercetin, a natural antihistamine proven to reduce hay fever symptoms in sufferers, and has three times as much quercetin as kale, and ten times as much as broccoli. Some experts recommend eating them raw. But maybe only do that when you’re staying in for the night…
2. Dogs are not your friend.
Just kidding. Dogs are always your friend. But remember, at this time of year, dogs like to roll around in the grass A LOT. So if you’re petting a stranger’s dog, always remember to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, or else you’ll end up with all kinds of allergens right in your eye.
3. Watch the pollen count.
If pollen is your enemy, keep a close eye on the daily pollen count. There are various websites (like Weatherzone, or Allergy.Org.Au) that will show you the pollen count in your area, as well as apps that have a handy indicator. If you really struggle with hay fever, you might be able to plan your activities around the good days and bad days. The high-pollen count days are a good excuse to stay in bed reading. All day.
4. Try salt therapy.
Salt therapy is a natural therapy that may relieve the symptoms of hay fever. It’s a relaxing process; sitting in a comfortable massage chair in the salt cave rooms, while dry pharmaceutical-grade salt is pumped through the air. The salt has natural properties that may help clean the lungs of pollens and allergens.
5. Shower before bed.
After a day out in the spring air, you can guarantee you’ve got tiny pollen-y particles covering your skin and hair. Have a shower before bed to wash away all the allergens and avoid the chance of being up all night, sneezing from outdoor allergens. While you’re at it, make sure you regularly wash your pillowcases too.
Spring may be pretty, but for some of us, it’s Hell on Earth. Try these remedies for a bit of relief, so that you can go from being the Sneezy dwarf to being Happy.