Summer is now officially behind us. Temperatures are falling, the leaves are changing, and the scent of pumpkin spice is beginning to waft out of retail stores and eateries. But along with this more manageable climate comes one of the season’s most unwanted effects.
Depending on where you live in the country, many plants are now blooming! These include fruit trees, grasses, or weeds and shrubs. But for each of these plants, their reason for activity is the same. The intense sun of the summer and the icy cold of winter make it difficult for plants to thrive. However, while the temperate weather of Spring is ideal, so too are the post-summer Fall months. That’s why you might start to suffer from allergies even as you see the leaves turning and many of your flowers starting to retreat.
So how do we fight these symptoms naturally? While it’s impossible to completely prevent allergic reactions to fall pollinators, at least if you are sensitive to them, we can limit their effect on our bodies with some simple preventative measures.
Clean Your Sinuses
If your allergies manifest as a runny nose, sneezing, and nasal pain, this is one of the most straightforward allergy types to treat. What’s happening is pollen is getting into your sinuses as you breathe and are being trapped in the mucosal membranes of the sinuses. Then, the body begins to attack the pollen as if it is a foreign invader, such as a virus or bacteria. This leads to inflammation, a runny nose, sneezing, pressure, and other unpleasant effects that make you feel so down. So what can you do?
Using a neti pot with cool and sterilized water through your nasal passages is one of the best solutions to this problem. A neti pot will help wash away the pollen and clean the sinus cavity of anything that you have inhaled and could be contributing to other problems. Repeat as necessary, especially before bed or after going outside.
Clean Your House and Air
If you are very sensitive to pollen, it’s important to keep a clean house. We recommend vacuuming frequently with a HEPA-rated filter and changing your bedsheets and pillowcases weekly.
Also, consider running your air conditioner and central heating system; you can turn off the climate system and only run the fan setting if you have a filter to reduce airborne compounds.
Speaking of the air filter, make sure to change it every month or two, especially at the times when your allergies are at their worst. Dirty air filters have low filtration efficiency, and in the worst cases, your HVAC system might just be pushing allergens through the air more than if it wasn’t on at all.
Use Supplements Formulated for Allergies
You do have the option to take over-the-counter and prescription drugs to help you through the fall allergy season. However, it is important to speak with your doctor about any symptoms, such as drowsiness or other side effects.
If you are looking for a more natural approach, there are two products that you may want to consider.
- Quercetin-Bromelain Complex from Douglas Laboratories includes quercetin, which has been shown to have properties that may provide antioxidant support and may provide temporary relief from occasional swelling, irritation, and discomfort and anti-inflammatory properties that may help to soothe allergies.
- AllQlear from Integrative Therapeutics: AllQlear uses quail egg powder, which contains ovomucoid, a type of trypsin inhibitor that may be ideal for sinus comfort during the busy allergy season.
At the end of the day, you may not be able to totally prevent or reverse Fall-time allergies, but you can likely diminish their effect. We hope that this is the case for you this year, so you can enjoy the cool temperature and beautiful weather, without being distracted by the misery of a stuffy nose and sinus pain.
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