Ahhh…springtime! Green grass, budding trees, bluebonnets, and warmer temperatures combine to create one of my favorite seasons of the year. It also consists of yellow clouds of pollen wafting in the air and covering our vehicles. Therefore, springtime means allergy season for many. In today’s blog, we are going to explore ways to cope with seasonal allergies.

Over-the-Counter Methods

Any pharmacy offers many over-the-counter options to combat the ill effects of seasonal allergies. Zyrtec, Allegra, and Claritin as well as many similar generic brands claim to offer relief.  Additionally, there are different nasal sprays available as well as decongestants. You can try several different brands to find which one works best for you.

Natural Remedies

Many natural remedies exist to combat the symptoms of seasonal allergies. First, you can rinse your nasal cavities with a Neti-Pot or any other similar device. Saline solutions not only help remove mucus but also the presence of allergens in your nasal cavity. Homeopathic allergy drops are also a natural option. For instance, HEB carries a few kinds specific for Texas. They include relief for grass, weeds, and trees native to Texas.

Another natural remedy is to include local honey into your diet. Honey is made by bees with the pollen from flowers and trees. So the thought process is that by ingesting local honey throughout the year, you are exposing yourself to the local pollen and allergens in small amounts, which can allow your body to cope better in March.

Of course, taking vitamin C daily helps boost your immune system and it even reduces histamine levels. Quercetin stablilizes your body’s response to allergens. Stinging nettle also is a well-known antihistamine. Additionally, there are also some essential oils that help you cope with seasonal allergies. To read more about natural remedies, click here.

Lifestyle Changes

In order to suffer less from seasonal allergies, you can choose to stay indoors more during March. Five-day pollen count forecasts are available. On really high pollen count days, limit your time outside. If you do have to go outside, make sure that you wash your clothes, shower often, and wash your pillowcase and sheets more often than usual. The idea is to limit your exposure to allergens as much as possible.

Also changes to your diet may help. Dairy and sugar are notorious from making your allergy symptoms worse. Eliminating them from your diet may improve your adverse reactions.

March is a beautiful month in the Lake Conroe area, but it also comes with the drawback of allergies for many residents. However, there are many different ways to cope with seasonal allergies from over-the-counter methods to natural remedies to lifestyle changes. Hopefully something will help you if you are suffering. If not, take comfort in that “this too shall pass.”