7 practical ways to fight hay fever

Constant sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, itching – this is what spring and summer for almost 30 per cent of the world’s population looks like. Basking in sun rays and a light breeze might sound fun, but the World Allergy Association brings our attention to simultaneous increasing levels of pollen, with special warnings for those living in big, polluted cities. As more and more people struggle with allergies, with 1 in 4 Brits noted in 2017, we’re here to help you survive this, for many, dreadful period. After all, no one wants to spend warm sunny days locked inside chained to a box of tissues because of hay fever symptoms. Let’s beat allergies together!

1 Protect your body and your clothes
Pollen clings to your clothing, shoes and hair, so to ensure you don’t bring loads of additional particles inside, always use a door mat to wipe off your shoes. Don’t skip a shower after having been outside, and wash your hair thoroughly after a longer stroll outdoors. It’s a good idea to wash your clothes regularly, too. If you want to be extra careful, when you come inside, remove your shoes and outer clothing and leave them by the door.

2 Cover your face
Protective face masks might not seem that glamorous, but they are a great way of filtering out pollen from the air you breathe. A good face mask can make outdoor life bearable again when pollen counts are high. So, if you are easily affected by allergies yet love being outside, consider getting one – your lungs will thank you later. You can even try spicing it up with a little design or by dying it a different colour.

3 Focus on your eyes
If face masking is not your thing, think about purchasing wraparound sunglasses that will eliminate airborne pollen getting into your eyes. For those with bad vision, when the pollen count reaches very high levels, try swapping your contact lenses for glasses. Remember not to touch or rub your eyes at all cost – we don’t want those germs spreading around.

4 Vacuum often
Not the most exciting chore but trust us when we say that it’s the most effective way to reduce pollen particles lurking indoors. Make sure your vacuum cleaner is fitted with a good filter – otherwise it can re-release the pollen particles back into the air. Buy one that’s sealed, has a bag and a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to make sure you will trap all those ultra-small, yet ultra-stubborn particles.

5 Use room air purifiers
Cigarette smoke, essential oils, scented candles, paint, cooking residue – this is just a small part of what the air around us consists of. All those different toxins travelling around us day and night have a massive effect on those affected by allergies. How to get rid of this undesirable polluting mix? Put air purifiers in your bedroom, living room, or office (or in all of these places if you fancy it!). They clear up the air around themselves, so can help relieve our breathing. Try one from Blueair, recommended by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association – it uses HEPA Silent technology and can remove up to 99% of pollen in a room within twenty minutes. You can even put one in your car, where the air is fifteen times more polluted than on the road outside. To clear the combination of multiple vehicle exhausts and pollen particles flying around, try Blueair Cabin Air, that can do it in four to six minutes.

6 Use a wet cloth or mop
Stubborn pollen particles not only fly around in the air, but also like to stick to surfaces and floors. To really ensure your house is pollen-free, swap your regular feather duster for a damp cloth or a microfiber mop.

7 Adapt your daily routine to pollen maps
Luckily, nowadays most cities in the UK provide pollen maps, especially during hay fever peak season. Make sure to pick up one if you get easily affected, as pollen intensity varies between cities and regions.

Want more tips on how to fight hay fever on a daily basis? Read more: 7 Ways to Get Some Hay Fever Relief

Summary

Article Name

7 practical ways to fight hay fever

Description

Constant sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, itching – this is what spring and summer for almost 30% of the world’s population looks like. As more and more people suffer from hay fever every year, we gathered eight tips and tricks on how to survive this, for most, dreadful period. After all, no one wants to spend their warm sunny days locked inside chained to a bag of tissues. Let’s beat allergies together!

Author

Natalia Barszcz

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Healthy Magazine

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