So since I’ve been struggling with spring allergies lately it’s inspired me to step out of The Kitch for this post and bring to you wonderful people some tips on how to battle the dreadful achoos and itchy eyes that come with the blossoming of spring. I mean I could always just turn to Benedryl, Reactine, or Aerius but by now you’re probably aware that I like to choose more of a natural approach and I want to share what you can do to avoid putting those little pink or white pills into your beautiful bodies.

1. Everyone just needs to chill the heck out. Did you know that stress and anxiety can make allergy attacks last longer and make them even more worse? I came across an article today done by Ohio State University that did a study on this. 28 men and women who had hay fever and seasonal allergies spent two and a half days in a research unit at Ohio State. The volunteers were pricked several times to determine their reactions to various allergens. They were then given psychological questions to determine their stress levels, anxiety, self-confidence, etc. And the findings obviously have proven that stress levels affect allergy attacks. So take a deep breath, preferably inside, away from the pollinated air and just relax. Also look at #10, that will help you relax too.
2. Change your clothes after being outside! Your clothes, shoes and other garments all collect pollen after you’ve been outside. If your allergies are extremely bad make sure you do a wardrobe change once you get home. Pollen can even come into the house via your furry friends aka dogs. It’s a good idea to wash off Buddy’s paws as well.
3. I know it’s spring, the sun is shining and the air is finally warm but if you have spring allergies – be smart! Close your windows. Having your window open allows pollen to enter your humble abode and settle on furniture, fabric and your clothes. This goes for when you’re driving too, keep you window rolled up. I don’t know about you but an allergy attack while you’re driving sounds seriously dangerous to me.
4. Shower and wash your hair before bed. Personally, I find this one helps A LOT! Wash that luscious hair up so you don’t spread the pollen to your comfy pillow and bed. You don’t want to wake up in the morning stuffed up and sneezing, do you?
5. Are you used to going for a morning run outdoors? You might want to think twice and switch that to an after work run. Pollen counts tend to be higher during the early morning. If your allergies are super bad I suggest hitting the treadmill at the gym during the weeks when pollen concentration is crazy high.
6. One of my favourite tips – EAT CLEAN! One thing that really helps with the stuffy nose and mucous is cutting back on dairy or cutting it out of your diet altogether. Dairy is horrible for increasing mucous level. When I stopped eating dairy I noticed a major difference. Eating clean also betters your immune system which in turn helps to keep your body strong against hay fever.
7. I’m not one to preach supplements but when it comes to spring allergies I’m all about Quercetin. It’s a natural supplement hence why I support it. I’m not going to go into all the heavy stuff about quercetin but you can sure as heck check out this page hereif you want to learn about how and why it is so great for allergies. Even if you are not having an allergic reaction it’s smart to take this supplement everyday with along with your vitamins. I have also read that Vitamin C and grape seed extract are great for allergies as well.
8. The Neti Pot! People swear by this little tea pot looking contraption. I have yet to try it but my parents have one so once I fly back on Thursday I will be trying that! Have you tried the neti pot? What’s you verdict?
9. I’m not 100% sure on this one but hey if acupuncture is covered under your benefits then go ahead and give it a shot! I would definitely be willing to try it.
10. Last but not least RED WINE. Ok, you guys aren’t aware yet of how much I love but wine but.. I l-o-v-e wine. Red wine contains both quercetin and grade seed extract both of which I mentioned above in point #7. So I’m going to say try red wine. If anything it will give you a good night’s sleep void of sneezing and itchy eyes ;)

The Balanced Platter is a great blog that has also done a similar post to this but also includes tips on useful herbs and nutrients – check the post out here!

I hope some of theses tips help you guys outs.. Is there anything I missed? What tips can you guys add to this post? I would love to know!!

Love & Less Sneezes From The Kitch,

Kirstie

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