Summer is undoubtedly the favourite season for many of us, but for those with hay fever, it can soon become a nightmare if the right precautions haven’t taken place. In fact, hay fever can ruin those sweet summer days of walking around parks, sitting in the garden, or quite simply just sitting at home when the pollen count is high.
Luckily, it is not impossible to prevent hay fever from having such a negative effect on you, meaning you can still get the best out of summer. From short to long lasting approaches, there is a hay fever prevention option for everyone – from Vaseline to Ventilation, find what works for you.
Think about what you wear
● Avoid heavy fibres
● Dry clothes inside
● Find the right sunglasses
When you are out and about, it can be a nightmare trying to even to some of the basics in life when there is a high pollen count. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take before leaving the house that can help you manage it.
For a start, simply wearing sunglasses can be a huge help. The right pair of shades can do a lot more than protect your eyes from the sun. If your eyes are already itchy before leaving the house, they can help prevent the sun from irritating them further. As itchy eyes are a symptom of hay fever, wearing sunglasses can help prevent pollen from reaching your eyes, making them a fantastic and simple choice for you before leaving the house.
The clothes you wear can be a big factor, for example, if you dried your clothes outside last time around when the pollen count was high – they are very likely to have picked up some pollen, meaning it’ll feel like you just can’t escape the hay fever. A simple way to overcome this is by drying your clothes inside, keeping your windows on the latch and having proper ventilation in order to prevent damp inside your home.
One reported tip for keeping your airways free of pollutants and irritants is to put some Vaseline, or a similar product, on your nose. While it may sound silly, something such as Vaseline will keep the hairs within your nostrils away from irritants that can set you off sneezing or getting blocked, meaning you are more likely to be able to withstand some of the effects of hay fever. It may sound like one of those tricks that do not really work but people really are raving about this simple trick, and it is well worth a try to see if it works for you.
What are you eating?
● Some foods are high in histamine
● Some meals can help to reduce it
● Your diet can help manage hay fever
It may sound silly, but actually, the food that you consume can have a big effect on how well you can keep away some of your allergies. For example, if you like spicy food, you are in for some good news as hot curries and foods with chilli peppers are known to open up your airways, making it easier to be able to breathe in and out without too much trouble.
Another spice, turmeric, is a natural anti-inflammatory and will help your body to cope with symptoms linked to hay fever much better. Histamine is one of the biggest causes of hay fever, which is why anti-histamine drugs are so prevalent over the counter in a pharmacy. However, these tablets can have other negative side effects, and the costs of having the buy them every month can soon add up.
On this basis, consuming foods which suppress histamine, thanks to a flavanol called quercetin, can do you the world of good. The key foods you will find this in are green vegetables and beans, as well as berries and apples.
Two other ways to help allay sore sinuses and other hay fever effects are foods rich in omega 3 and beta carotene, such as seeds, carrots and spinach. By consuming foods which are natural remedies, you can easily add them to your diet without having to change or spend too much, all the while helping your body become more resistant of some of the daily hay fever effects.
Get a break from the city
● Avoid areas of higher pollution
● Busy cities tend to be worst
● You can use apps to monitor pollution levels
Living in the city has many positives, depending on your lifestyle choices and where you work. However, if you are having to deal with lots of air pollution day in and day out – it is going to be a lot harder to keep your sinuses clear which poses a problem if you are already suffering from hay fever.
If you find that you are struggling more than usual, it is so worth going to explore some more natural scenery for a while – try take a break in the countryside which will do wonders for not only your physical health but also your mental wellbeing. Why not use your hay fever as an excuse to take a visit to the seaside, as it could be just what the doctor ordered if you are struggling – the sea breeze will take the pollen away from the shore, meaning you can treat the family to an afternoon without suffering the hay fever effects.
A long term solution for living in the city and dealing with hay fever is to install a whole house ventilation system, such as an ATMOS. This product gently ventilates your home, transforming the stale atmosphere into fresh air, significantly reducing indoor contaminants (such as pollen) and helping you deal with hay fever on a daily basis.
Keep it pollen-free in the home
● Ventilation solutions are most effective
● Try and keep pollen-free clothes for the house
● Open windows are a problem
Of course, you can take all of these steps to manage it outside the house, but you spend so much time at home, it would be silly to neglect it. By taking measures to make your home less of a friendly space for pollen spores and other allergens to feel comfortable, you can ensure you are going to get a better night’s sleep. Start with the basics - change clothes when you get inside, and have ‘house clothes’ that stay away from pollen.
This is particularly true of some fabrics, so keeping some clothes you can immediately switch into will help you feel less likely to sneeze when you arrive home. Open windows are just going to bring in more pollen and the idea of sitting at home during the hot summer weather, when usually you’d come inside for a break from the sunshine, is not exactly going to fill you with joy.
Good ventilation is essential
This is why a ventilation option makes the most sense - you can control the temperature like you would with an air conditioner, but you can also change the flow of air, and control what goes in and out of your home. That way you are not just cooling the air, but regulating the pollen and particulates that are circulating.
Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) systems create a fresh living environment as it circulates fresh and filtered air into your home. Continually having the air move around in your home by this system also helps to eliminate excess moisture, which can cause condensation and damp – so not only does Positive Input Ventilation help with hay fever, it is able to create a healthy, fresh and safe environment.
The EnviroVent ATMOS is a PIV unti and it is a gentle ventilation solution that operates from your loft. ATMOS dilutes and displaces moist air in order to control humidity levels to prevent mould, and while doing this, it is able to reduce indoor contaminants.
To see which ventilation system will work best for you and your home, why not arrange a free home survey with Envirovent? This way, you can be sure that the correct ventilation system that suits your unique home is installed.