[dropcap type =”circle”]W[/dropcap]ith temperatures forecast to rise to up to 25°C this week, pollen forecasts for much of England and Wales are high and very high this week. Hay fever is the most common and arguably the most annoying allergy, with around 15-20% of the UK population being sufferers. Apart from staying indoors, what can hay fever sufferers do? Airborne allergies expert and creator of HayMax, Max Wiseberg advises how hay fever sufferers can prepare for their annual hay fever hell with some easy practical tips.
Max said: “Avoiding the allergen is always key with any allergy, whatever it might be. Here are a selection of practical tips to help reduce the amount of pollen getting into your body. The less there is in there, the less likely you are to get the debilitating symptoms associated with hay fever.
• Tie your hair up and wear a hat when outside to prevent pollen particles being caught in your hair.
• Apply an organic, drug-free allergen barrier balm, such as HayMax, to the nostrils and around the bones of the eyes in the morning, throughout the day and at night to pollen before it enters the body. HayMax has been proven to trap over one third of pollen grains before they enter the body [1].
• Wash your face (or your child’s face) as soon as you get indoors on high pollen count days. This will wash away allergens so that they can’t cause a reaction, and a cool compress will soothe sore eyes (this also works well for dust and pet allergies).
• Wash bedding very regularly to remove allergens. Anti-allergy bedding made from ‘intelligent fibres’ can be very helpful for those people who suffer from dust mite allergies. They limit the growth of dust mite allergens and also keep them away from the skin. Check out the Allergy UK approved range.
• Vacuum the house regularly, especially beds and fabrics to remove pollen particles.
• Dry clothes indoors rather than on a clothes line to prevent pollen particles being blown onto the clothes by the outside wind.
• Stay hydrated and eat lots of fruit and vegetables to stay healthy and support your immune system. Check out the Dietary & Lifestyle Suggestions in the Allergy Guides on www.haymax.biz.
• If you own a pet then ensure that it is well groomed and shampooed as much as possible to remove pollen particles.
• Get plenty of exercise; but if you are doing an outdoor activity be sure to avoid the early morning and early evening when the pollen count is higher.
• Close windows and use an air conditioner preferably with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filter to capture the pollen and dust particles, cool and circulate the air.”
For more hay fever tips from Max, visit www.haymax.biz/allergy-guide/what-is-hay-fever/