A Useful Guide - Top Ways You Can Protect Your Health and Fight Allergies

Suffering from allergies is no fun. The sun is shining, nature is in full bloom, and you are stuck inside, teary-eyed, and sneezing into a tissue all day. While you just want to enjoy a nice day outside, your immune system is setting off all the alarms in your body.

It seems like it’s totally out of your control. After all, what can you do about the fact that your body hates to breathe in pollen? You can’t overcome your allergies through sheer force of will, but there are things you can do to make them more manageable. Read on to find out how you can ease your symptoms and keep yourself healthy.

Get an Allergy Skin Test

This might seem like an unnecessary step, but it’s actually very important. You may know from experience that you are allergic to dust, but what if you have other allergies that you aren’t aware of? Sometimes, people misdiagnose themselves with an allergy they don’t actually have.

If you haven’t already, get an allergy skin test. The underside of your arm will be pricked in several places. Then a small number of different allergens will be placed on the cuts.

If your skin feels itchy, becomes red and inflamed, swells up, or otherwise reacts negatively to the allergen, it means you are allergic to that particular allergen. Allergy skin tests can aid in the diagnosis of hay fever, food allergies, allergic asthma, bee venom allergy, as well as penicillin allergy.

Use HEPA Filters to Purify Your Air

A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is a type of mechanical filter that removes 99.97% of any airborne particles with a diameter of at least 0.3 microns. HEPA filters are some of the best air filters for allergies today. Don’t forget to replace them monthly for optimal results.

Try Sinus Rinses

Sinus rinses are a popular way of easing allergy symptoms. Using a neti pot, you lean over a skink and pour the solution into your nose.

The solution is just homemade saltwater, or you can pick up a pre-made one at any drugstore. Sinus rinses flush out all the allergens stuck in your mucus, thereby helping to clear up your symptoms.

Consider Alternative Treatments

Research suggests that vitamin D supplements may aid in reducing inflammation that allergic reactions cause. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to several types of allergies.

Butternut is also a popular alternative treatment for allergies. People with allergies that were given butterbur supplements for a week showed a notable improvement in their symptoms and had lower levels of histamines and leukotriene.

Quercetin is another supplement, naturally found in foods such as apples, green tea, onions, and berries. It has been proven to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help reduce allergy symptoms.

Vitamin C is a star ingredient when it comes to healthy living. Among other things, vitamin C is a natural antioxidant. It relieves the oxidative stress your body is under when you experience allergy symptoms. Some foods high in vitamin C are citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries.

Become Passionate about Healthy Living

Children who eat more fresh produce have fewer allergy symptoms than children who don’t. The reason is still unclear, but the connection between eating healthy and experiencing fewer allergy symptoms is clear.

Of course, you’re not going to become totally allergy-free after eating an apple. But consistently eating mostly healthy food does relieve many types of allergies, not to mention the overall health benefits and good eating habits it encourages.

Additionally, stay hydrated! It’s not just generally good for your health. Staying well-hydrated can thin the mucus in your nose, making it less likely that you’ll become congested.

Try to limit yourself to water or sugar-free drinks. Warm drinks, like tea, soup, or broth, may offer double the relief due to the steam and heat.

Wear a Mask

In recent years, wearing a mask has become commonplace. Your allergies don’t care that you still have school or a job to get to. If you have to come in close contact with your airborne allergen(s), wear an N95 mask. It blocks 95% of air particles that cause allergies, like pollen.

Having allergies can be a miserable experience; even more so if the people around you don’t. Regardless, there are ways to seek out relief if you need it. Don’t just try to tough it out on your own. Hopefully, you are now better equipped to take care of yourself and fight back against your allergies.