Allergies may often make you feel like you’re constantly on edge. Always looming over the horizon they leave you scrambling for any medicine or solution in sight.
Having to go to the pharmacy or making sure you’ve got your medicine always on hand is stressful especially with winter around the corner. Luckily, keeping your allergies at bay this winter is as easy as practicing a few simple habits.
Your Allergies and the Cold
Allergies are in essence, your body’s automatic response to a substance. Your immune system releases histamines causing things like itchy eyes, congestion, headaches and sneezing. The triggers are different for every person but many are environmental and can peak during certain seasons.
The dip in temperatures and increase in illnesses in the winter can generally make allergies worse. There are a few things that make the allergies worse in the winter.
Your environment is the biggest problem. Being sealed indoors with poor airflow, humidity, dust and mold can really cause a spike in your allergies. Winter brings with it plenty of festivities and the decorations, food and drink consumed in excess shocks your system. It’s important to remember that a lot of these foods contain allergens like nuts, dairy and alcohol can mess with your nasal tissues and prevent meaningful rest.
Mastering Your Environment
The main way to prevent winter allergies this season is to be in control of your surroundings and what you’re exposed to. The above listed triggers are all around you especially as the winter gets into the holidays. The first thing you should do is be very picky and particular about your food. Always ask what’s in it and avoid things you know you’re allergic to.
Any plants, including trees for Christmas need to be checked and cleaned for mold. Poorly stored decorations can have the same problem. A humidifier and air purifier can make huge differences in how you feel and keeping a watchful eye on humidity will really help your breathing.
These habits work wonders but what else can you do to make sure you stay allergy free?
The Next Step
Making a visit to your doctor to test for allergies will help you tremendously. They may find things you never knew about and give you medications. One thing you can try on your own to keep your sinuses clean and clear is nasal irrigation. It helps tremendously with congestion and kits can be purchased fairly easy.
In addition to habits, there’s a few other ways you can get allergy free:
-Antihistamines: These block your body’s automatic response to allergens and reduce swelling and itchiness.
-Decongestants: Like the name implies, these will reduce the congestion that hits hard during an allergic reaction.
-Allergy Treatment: Available in several forms, this kind of treatment will literally make you immune to your allergies over time. If your allergies are severe, this may be an attractive option.
Click the following link if you want to learn more about fighting winter allergies.