Allergies are ruining my life! You might have heard this several times and imagined what kind of allergies are capable of ruining a person’s life. Well, they are certain allergies that when occurring to a person, especially at a particularly auspicious moment, can cause a lot of damage physically, mentally, and emotionally.
From watery eyes to uncontrollable sneezing, allergies can put a damper on your plans and make you want to stay home and be miserable. But allergies don’t have to rule your life. With a little bit of know-how and some habit changes, you can learn how to control your allergies instead of letting allergies control you.
This article – ‘Allergies are ruining my life: 8 ways to fight back and conquer them’ highlights and gives 8 all-around and efficient ways a person can fight, prevent and even control his/her allergies.
All right, we proceed on.
Allergies Are Ruining My Life: 8 Ways to Fight Back
- Know Your Allergy Triggers
Addressing your allergies starts with knowing what they are, and the only foolproof method of finding out what you’re allergic to is with an allergy skin test1https://carecube.clinic/7-tips-to-help-you-fight-allergies/. These doctor-administered tests show you what allergens cause you to react and can help you develop a plan to avoid them.
- Be Vigilant
Once you know what your allergies are, be vigilant about avoiding them, even when it’s inconvenient. If pollen allergies make your nose run like it’s participating in a marathon, watch the local pollen count and avoid outside activities when levels are high.
If you have a pet dander allergy, but refuse to give up Fido, training pets to stay off furniture and bedding can help reduce your symptoms. By limiting your exposure to allergens, you can reduce your allergies and start feeling better quicker than you think.
- Improve Indoor Air Quality
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, eight out of 10 Americans are regularly exposed to dust mites and six out of 10 are exposed to cat and dog dander. But you don’t have to just accept poor-quality indoor air.
By eliminating allergen hiding places, such as wall-to-wall carpeting and soft furniture, you can reduce allergens in and around your home. Keeping the house clean and uncluttered can also help, especially in the bedroom, where up to one-third of your time is spent.
Shutting windows and doors can keep pollen and other outdoor allergens out of the house while decreasing humidity can improve air quality and reduce your allergies.
- Use Natural Cleaners
As part of improving the quality of your indoor air, you must keep your home clean and tidy, but many household cleaners are filled with harsh chemicals that can aggravate your allergies.
Choose cleaners that use natural substances or make your own cleaners with vinegar and baking soda. Vacuum your floors and furniture once or twice a week and look for certified asthma- and allergy-friendly filters to reduce your exposure to allergens.
- Wash When You Get Home
Every time you leave your house, you’re exposed to allergens and toxins in the environment. And when you get home, you bring them in with you. Instead of suffering through allergy symptoms, leave the allergens at the door.
Take your shoes and coat off as soon as you get home and change your clothes right away. Wash your face, arms, and hands in warm, soapy water, or better yet, jump in the shower and give your body a quick rinse.
- Wear a Mask
If you know you’re going to be exposed to allergens, wear a mask to reduce your exposure. Cloth facial masks can block up to 95 percent of allergens and reduce your allergy symptoms.2https://www.self.com/story/pollen-allergy-symptom Depending on your allergies, consider wearing a mask when you’re doing yard work, mowing, cleaning, or even changing bedding.
- Drink Lots of Fluids
Drinking plenty of fluids is important to everyone, but few people know that staying hydrated can actually improve your allergies3https://www.webmd.com/allergies/ss/slideshow-natural-relief. Sipping on water, juice, and other non-alcoholic beverages keeps your mucus thin and reduce your allergic response.
When your allergies are severe, opt for a warm beverage like tea, soup, or broth. The added steam can break up mucus and reduce your allergy symptoms.
- Consider Alternative Treatments
Butterbur is one of the most promising and well-researched. Some studies suggest that a butterbur extract called Ze 339 may work as well as antihistamine medicines. Other studies show that plant-based Phleum pratense and pycnogenol may be helpful, too, in minimizing allergies when utilized in daily diet.
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Other Useful Ways to Fight & Prevent Allergies
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- Shut Out Breezes: It’s a gorgeous day. But if the pollen count is high, keep the windows and doors closed to protect your indoor air. You can also install a HEPA filter on your air-conditioning system and a flat or panel filter on your furnace.
- Eat Healthily: In one study, children who ate lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts -- particularly grapes, apples, oranges, and tomatoes -- had fewer allergy symptoms. Researchers are still trying to figure out the link. But there’s no doubt that a healthy diet is good for your whole body. Add at least one fresh fruit and veggie to every meal.
- Rinse It Out: A nasal rinse cleans mucus from your nose and can ease allergy symptoms there. It also can whisk away bacteria and thin mucus and cut down on postnasal drip. Buy a rinse kit or make one using a neti pot or a nasal bulb.Mix 3 teaspoons of iodide-free salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Store this in an airtight container. To use, put 1 teaspoon of the mixture into 8 ounces of distilled or boiled then cooled water. Lean over a sink and gently flush one nostril at a time.
- Get Steamy: Inhale some steam. This simple trick can ease a stuffy nose and help you breathe easier. Hold your head over a warm (but not too hot) bowl or sink full of water, and place a towel over your head to trap the steam. Or sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running.
- Avoid Cigarette Smoke: It can worsen your runny, itchy, stuffy nose and watery eyes. Choose smoke-free restaurants, nightclubs, and hotel rooms. Avoid other fumes that can make your symptoms worse, too, like aerosol sprays and smoke from wood-burning fireplaces.
- Consider Acupuncture: This ancient practice may bring some relief. The way acupuncture affects nasal allergies is still unclear. But a few studies show that it may help. Ask your doctor if it would be good to try.
A Word from Healthsoothe
Regardless of how severe your allergies are, with a few habit changes, you can reduce your exposure and your allergy symptoms, finally finding some much-needed relief.
Most minor allergy symptoms can be treated with antihistamines, corticosteroids, or decongestants. Saline nasal rinses can be used for congestion-related allergy symptoms. Corticosteroid creams can treat skin rashes related to allergies. Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment option for chronic allergy symptoms.
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There is currently no cure for allergies. However, there are OTC and prescription medications that may relieve symptoms. Avoiding allergy triggers or reducing contact with them can help prevent allergic reactions. Over time, immunotherapy may reduce the severity of allergic reactions. Most minor allergy symptoms can be treated with antihistamines, corticosteroids, or decongestants. Saline nasal rinses can be used for congestion-related allergy symptoms. Corticosteroid creams can treat skin rashes related to allergies. Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment option for chronic allergy symptoms. If you feel stuffy or have post-nasal drip from your allergies, sip more water, juice, or other non-alcoholic drinks. The extra liquid can thin the mucus in your nasal passages and give you some relief. Warm fluids like teas, broth, or soup have an added benefit: steam. While there is no 100% no-side-effect cure for allergy season, there are activities, natural supplements, and basic lifestyle changes that can dramatically reduce your allergy symptoms without resorting to medication. Soap and water and commercial wipes will eliminate food allergens, but water alone or sanitizing gels won't. Scrub down tables and counters with soap and water after cooking every meal. Five allergy super foods include: Herbs which are a great natural remedy for allergies include: Dr. Amina Abdeldaim, allergist and Picnic Medical Director, adds, “It is possible to teach your immune system to tolerate the antigens they consider enemies. This is done by exposure to the allergen in increasing doses and strengths until your body is so used to seeing it that it won't overreact." Common allergy triggers include Airborne allergens, such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites and mold. Certain foods, particularly peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk. Insect stings, such as from a bee or wasp. For allergy sufferers specifically, a pure and high-quality vitamin C will be your best friend. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. Unlike over-the-counter antihistamines, such as Sudafed and Benadryl, vitamin C not only helps reduce current allergy symptoms but it may help prevent them in the future as well. Probably not. Honey has been anecdotally reported to lessen symptoms in people with seasonal allergies. But these results haven't been consistently duplicated in clinical studies. The idea isn't so far-fetched, though. As we grow older, our body changes and so does our immune system. Just as we no longer run as fast as we once did, we may lose our tolerance to potential allergens, from pollen to dog hair. And, on the flip side, we may build immunities to the things that once bothered us, research shows. Allergies are the result of your immune system's response to a substance. Immune responses can be mild, from coughing and a runny nose, to a life-threatening reaction know as anaphylaxis. A person becomes allergic when their body develops antigens against a substance. It's possible for you or your child to outgrow allergies. Naturally outgrowing allergies may occur as your body develops tolerance to an allergen the more often it's exposed to the substance. While allergies often make their first appearance during childhood or young adulthood, they can emerge at any time in your life. Antihistamines block histamine, a symptom-causing chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction. Antihistamines include: It is possible that you are not entirely sure what is triggering your allergy symptoms, which is why they are not going away. Allergy triggers include pollen, molds, animal dander, and food. A potent antioxidant, vitamin C protects your cells from damage, reduces the severity of allergic reactions, and helps your body fight infections. When taken during allergy season, vitamin C can slow down the overreaction of your body to environmental triggers by decreasing your body's histamine production. Adding small amounts of powdered ginger to food may help take the edge off seasonal allergy symptoms, according to an animal study published online in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. To take honey for allergies, start by taking 1 teaspoon of local, unpasteurized honey once a day. You may slowly increase the amount of honey every other day. Do this until you eat 1 tablespoon of honey per 50 lbs of your weight. You can divide the dose throughout the day as desired through the allergy season.Frequently Asked Questions About Allergies
Additional resources and citations
- 1https://carecube.clinic/7-tips-to-help-you-fight-allergies/
- 2https://www.self.com/story/pollen-allergy-symptom
- 3https://www.webmd.com/allergies/ss/slideshow-natural-relief
