For many the warmer weather will come as welcome relief, but if you’re one of the 20% of people in the UK affected by hayfever, you won’t want to hang up your hanky just yet.
Generally speaking, allergy can be described as an excessive immune response to an otherwise harmless substance. With hayfever we are of course talking pollen. The immune system identifies pollen as dangerous, and produces an antibody called IgE, which triggers the production of histamine. Histamine is an inflammatory chemical that causes an array of unpleasant symptoms, including running nose and eyes, itching and burning in localised areas such as in the throat, nose and eyes, puffiness, swelling and mucus formation. Altogether, not much fun.
Depending on where you live in the country, hayfever can strike as early as February or as late as September, but there are a number of measures you can take to stay one step ahead of your pollen-shaped foe:
1. Reduce your toxic load
Keep your body as free from toxins as possible by avoiding junk and eating wholefoods. Keep your caffeine and alcohol intake low and avoid nicotine. If you live in a polluted area or work with chemicals or in traffic-ridden areas, regular detoxes to keep your system clear will help. Simple steps such as drinking plenty of water and keeping your bowel moving daily will reduce the toxic load on your system.
2. Dial down your dairy and ditch the sweet stuff
Avoid dairy foods as they cause mucus formation that can exacerbate hayfever symptoms, and keep your intake of refined sugar low. If you suffer with any type of allergy, hayfever included, you’re more likely to have wobbly blood sugar and be sensitive to refined sugar. Sugar can trigger surges and drops in blood sugar levels that cause adrenalin production to kick in, which involves the production of histamine – just what you don’t want.
3. Sleep well
Make sure you’re sleeping well. Whilst scientists are still trying to figure out the exact relationship between sleep and the immune system, studies show that sleep helps to shift the balance of anti-inflammatory proteins so that the immune system can recognise and respond better to bugs and allergens, which may help to reduce the severity of hayfever symptoms.
4. Plant remedies can help
Approximately two weeks before your usual symptoms kick in, take Luffa operculata twice daily. Pollinosan Hayfever Tablets from A.Vogel contain seven tropical herbs, including Luffa operculata and Galphimia glauca, to help with allergy to grass and tree pollen. They are non-drowsy and so will not affect your ability to drive or use machinery.
If your eyes are particularly sensitive to hayfever try Pollinosan Hayfever Eye Drops. With hyaluronic acid and chamomile, they provide a soothing solution for red, itchy eyes as a result of hayfever-causing allergens, and can be used with contact lenses and glasses.
5. Do your homework
Finally, stay up to date with the latest pollen information in your local area by checking your 5-day pollen forecast.
For further information visit Edwin and Justin instore at Framar Health, 595 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, or online at framarhealth.com.
Column by Justin Maconaghie of Framar Health