The reason for the spring allergy and how to fight it

For some people, spring, especially during the warm period and the flowering of different plants - is the most favorite time of the year. But for millions of allergy sufferers spring before the summer - a period of exhausting sneezing, runny nose, cough, watery eyes, and the fog in my head. How to cope with the symptoms of allergies and, while not inflated antihistamines?

Usually people with allergies try to stay at home and seal all windows. Many people take antihistamines or even seen by a doctor and tested course of injections. In any case, the joy of spring they have enough. Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of allergy symptoms, or at least make it less painful. But you first need to understand the real causes of seasonal allergies, to know what it was to fight.

The real causes of seasonal allergies

Most people blame their allergies pollen or mold spores, but, in fact, is not what causes the annoying symptoms.

Allergy symptoms arise from an overactive immune system. Your immune system produces antibodies to protect you from unwanted "invaders" that can lead to disease.

When you start an allergy, the immune system produces antibodies in response to pollen, dust or pet dander, even if they do not pose harm to your body.

That is, first of all, do not blame the allergens, and the reaction of your immune system. What can be done to the immune system is not protested against pollen?

to get rid of an allergy strategy

Here are five ways to avoid seasonal allergies without medication. Use them to keep your allergies under control this spring, and to prevent its occurrence in the future.

1. Minimize exposure to the allergen

The less allergen, the less worried about your immune system. Here are some ways to reduce contact with pollen:

1. In those days, when the air is especially a lot of pollen, close all windows to the allergen did not get inside the house. During the ride in the car and keep the windows closed, think about purchasing air purifier.
2. During the spread of pollen, try to be less on the street, especially where a lot of vegetation. Trees and shrubs tend to release pollen in the morning, and herbs - in the morning and evening. So at this time it is better to stay away from gardens and parks. If you have no choice, after a walk, take a shower, wash clothes and clean the shoes - this will help to get rid of pollen.
3. Remove all allergens in the bedroom, to at least eight hours does not suffer from the exhausting symptoms. Do not let animals in the bedroom, which can bring the pollen in their fur, carefully wipe all surface and buy air purifier (You can find a budget cleaner for 3-5 thousand rubles only for bedrooms).
4. In the spring, the pollen produced trees: birch, alder, hazel, oak, poplar, ash, maple. The most important allergen is usually birch. Early summer should be afraid of meadow grasses and late summer, from August to September, allergens come from Asteraceae plants such as wormwood, quinoa and hemp. Try to stay away from the habitats of plants and trees.

2. salt spray

One unusual way to get rid of the allergic reaction - to process the inner surface of the nose with saline nasal spray. Saline sprays are sold without a prescription and help relieve nasal congestion without harm to the body.

Antihistamines dry nasal passages, so that they can have micro-cracks, and this - the ideal conditions for getting an infection. Saline sprays clean the nasal passages of bacteria and moisture helps to wash off pollen.

The only thing - salt sprays can be unpleasant, several burn mucous. If this is your case, try to use children's options or spray without preservatives.

3. Suck the immune system

Since allergy - this is the problem of the immune system, for long-term positive effect, you need to strengthen her right products.

• Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for the prevention of allergies. These substances help prevent inflammation, it is difficult to find in natural products, so it is possible to use additives.
• You can take krill oil or special additives with astaxanthin - carotenoids having anti-oxidant properties.
• Vitamin D - another useful substance that helps to get rid of allergy symptoms or even asthma.
• Probiotics create a "friendly bacteria" that help reduce an allergic reaction to pollen.

The research team of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology confirmed the positive effect of probiotics on the symptoms of allergies.

As a result, a number of studies have found that probiotics have a positive effect on the intestinal microflora and stimulate the immune system that helps fight allergies.

4. Manage symptoms without the aid of drugs

If you have already used an antihistamine, you know, he quickly relieves allergy symptoms. However, it does not cure it, and simply blocks the manifestation.

Dr. William W. Berger, one of the leading American experts on allergies and asthma, says that drugs in this groups often have undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness, headaches and dry mucous membranes nose.

In addition, antihistamines cause "haze", weakness, inability to concentrate and react appropriately to events.

At the same time, there are many natural cures for allergies that do not cause such side effects. Center of integrative medicine at the University of Maryland recommends the following natural cures for allergies that have proved effective in alleviating the symptoms of:

• Nutrients: quercetin, spirulina, vitamin C
• Herbs: butterbur, nettle, astragalus
• Chinese medicine: Biminne, a mixture of traditional herbs 7
• Honey with or without pollen

Researchers from the Allergy and Environment Institute of South Karelia Allergy and Department Helsinki University Central Hospital carried out an experiment on the effect of honey on for allergies and its symptoms.

Participants in the experiment, people with pollen allergies, had to take the honey with the addition of birch pollen and ordinary honey without any additives.

The experiment involved forty-four patients (26 women, mean age was 33 years) with a diagnosis of "hay fever." From November to March, they took the honey on a daily basis with the addition of pollen or simply an additional amount of honey without any additives.

Seventeen patients (9 women, mean age - 36 years old) left as a control group. From April to May, patients recorded symptoms of allergies and medications.

The study found that in patients taking honey with pollen allergy symptoms occurred 60% less likely, they had twice as many days with no symptoms at all, and 70% fewer days with severe symptoms.

In addition, they are twice as likely to take antihistamines. The difference between the participants who took the honey with pollen, and without it, was negligible, but the people who chose honey with pollen, more rarely took antihistamines.

Thus, if you sell local honey with traces of pollen that is unique to your area (honey from apiaries located in your area), try it as a remedy for allergies.

5. Avoid cross-reactivity

Another way to minimize the symptoms of allergies - to avoid cross-reactivity between the plant proteins from the pollen and edible fruits and vegetables.

The theory is that your immune system recognizes the similarities between the various allergens and equally responsive to them.

For example, if you are allergic to ragweed, you should avoid bananas, and if symptoms of grass pollen, it is better to exclude from the diet of celery.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has published on its website a table cross-reactivity, that's a translation:

Thus, the basic approach to allergy treatment without drugs consists of two items - minimize exposure to the allergen and strengthen the immune system.

If during this season you try to perform the five points, the unpleasant moments with a runny nose, cough and a fog in my head will be much less. Good luck this spring.