Boy, am I glad winter is over. Summer is a beautiful time of year. Unfortunately, for many of my clients, summer means battling summer time allergies. It means battling symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, congestion, sinus pressure, coughing, watery eyes, sore throat and fatigue.
The first step to reducing the intensity and frequency of your allergies symptoms is to avoid bringing the environmental allergies into your home from the outside. After a rain shower, there is much dust outside your home. To avoid dust exposure, avoid going out after a rainstorm. When you do come indoors, remove your shoes. Try changing your clothing. It couldn’t hurt to bathe and wash your hair. Use hot water to wash your clothing to remove the dust mites. Make sure to dry your clothing and bedding in a dryer (on the hottest setting) rather than hanging them outside on a clothesline to dry. Apply special “dust-mite control spray” to carpeting twice per year and have your carpets cleaned yearly. Make sure to dust, mop and vacuum your home on a regular basis.
To reduce pollen exposure, avoid activities in the early morning and late afternoon hours when pollen counts are the highest. Close windows and use an air conditioner or air purifier. Don’t forget to clean your air purifier and air conditioner filters on regular basis. When gardening or mowing the lawn, wear a face mask. Be sure to mow the lawn regularly before the grass flowers.
While many sufferers rely on antihistamines for relief, these medications may cause side effects, including drowsiness. Those with high blood pressure cannot use most drugstore decongestants.  Some individuals find relief through use of a neti pot. A nasal wash can help to removed inhaled pollen from your nose. You can buy a nasal wash cup from your local pharmacy. It comes with a salt solution that you mix with several ounces of purified water. This solution is then poured in one nostril while tipping your head sideways over a sink. Try this on a daily basis. Be sure to rinse the neti pot with rubbing alcohol and dry well every other day to remove mold and bacteria.
In addition to the neti pot, there are nutritional supplements that can help. I highly recommend Pure Encapsulations’ comprehensive allergy formula called Aller-Essentials which uses the natural antihistamine herb, Stinging nettles, along with Quercetin, to block histamine release and inflammation. This formula helps alleviate a stuffy nose and boosts the body’s resistance to allergens such as molds and pollen.
You may not be able to stop summer time allergies from arriving, but you can help control symptoms in a more natural way and in the process gain some relief. Now that’s a beautiful summer!
To purchase this product or ask me a question, go to www.helenekaplanhealth.com or call me at 516-538-6799.
***This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.