Help for Hay Fever

In the last couple of weeks I've been sneezing away, my nose has been running, my eye's are dry and itchy and I have been suffering from headaches. All of these are common symptoms of Hay Fever.

Hay Fever is commonly identified as an allergic reaction to pollen and there are several types of pollen allergy which can determine how sever the Hay Fever symptoms are and what time of year they will appear:

   
• grass pollen - half of adults in the UK who have  hay fever are allergic to grass pollen, with the varieties that are most  commonly responsible being rye grass and timothy. May to July/August.
   
• tree pollen - one person in four in the UK with  hay fever is allergic to birch pollen, but different trees produce  pollen at varying times of the year and it depends which one you're  allergic to as to when your symptoms are worst. Birch pollen is generally worst April/May.
   
• weeds, such as ragwort and other plants, as well as spores from fungi and moulds. June/July to November.

I have only suffered from Hay Fever for the last couple of years, and the incidence of Hay Fever has risen dramatically in cities, which led to the discovery that pollutants such as exhaust fumes prime the immune system to react. During the Summer months, the air in polluted areas contains more free radicals due to the action of sunlight on oxygen molecules, so city-dwellers breathe in more pollutants.

How can you ease the symptoms of Hay Fever?

There are a range of medicines available, some over the counter and some with a doctors prescription.

If you prefer to avoid medication you can help symptoms by taking a good all round multivitamin and multimineral (providing B6 and zinc). Also, take an antioxidant complex or even better, eat plenty of anti-oxidant rich fruit and vegetables plus seeds rich in selenium and zinc.  Vitamin B6 and zinc have a role to play in balancing histamine levels and strengthening the immune system.  Vitamin C also helps to control excessive histamine levels.

Other things you can do to reduce the symptoms include:

   
• Stay indoors and avoid to exposure to pollen and traffic fumes on days when the pollen count is high.
   
• Wear wrap around shades to protect eyes from pollen.
   
• Take a shower and wash your hair after being outside when the pollen count is high.
   
• Avoid drying washing outside when the pollen count is high, pollen may become trapped in the fibres of clothes and bedlinen.
   
• Apply vaseline to the inside of your nostrils to avoid pollen from entering your nasal passages.

In general, the three most common sunstances reacted to are pollen, wheat and milk.  And although there is no proven connection it is interesting to note that all of these are originally grass products. It could be that some Hay Fever sufferers become sensitised to proteins that are common to grains, grasses and possibly milk.  In any event, dairy products encourage mucus production. Similarily, modern strains of wheat are high in gluten, which irritates the digestive tract and stimulates mucus production.

Whilst we all hope that our summer will not end, if you suffer from Hay Fever like me we sometimes pray for cooler weather so by following these hints you may be able to enjoy the summer months without sneezing your way through.