Some of us react to environmental allergens practically year-round. Some of us only react during certain seasons … if only I were in that category!

One thing is for sure – in many parts of the country and around the globe, allergy season is in full bloom. In fact, this year the allergen counts are higher than ever, and I decided to take more definitive action against mine.

For more information on allergy suffering, please go here.

Some known allergy symptoms which should be familiar to you are congestion, post-nasal drip, mucus, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, etc. These can even impact your ability to focus and make decisions.

You might also experience mood swings, be irritable, not sleep well, etc. You likely know the drill!

There are common sense strategies you can do to minimize your allergic responses. You can reduce your exposure to known allergy triggers by staying inside when it’s windy and dry outside.

After a good rain, the allergens have been washed away so you may feel more comfortable going outside. Put on the A/C. You can also let others mow the yard if you’re sensitive to grass, etc.

If you have an outdoor clothesline to help dry clothes and get that wonderful fresh aroma, well … you may want to avoid doing that as the allergens can embed in your clothes. 

There are many over-the-counter remedies available to treat symptoms, such as oral antihistamines and decongestants, nasal sprays, and combination medications.

You can rinse your sinus passages. Your physician may also prescribe some medications that are more effective than the over-the-counter varieties. 

You can also opt for allergy shots. This is my personal choice after years of suffering (and in spite of all the natural “fixes” I have put in place) and learning that I am even genetically predisposed to seasonal allergies.

After being tested for what you are allergic to, a serum is prepared, and you get injections over a period of time. These injections contain enough of the allergens to stimulate your immune system response, but not usually enough to actually cause an allergy reaction.

After a time of gradually increasing the allergens in the shots, your immune system develops a tolerance and symptoms usually wane.

For more holistically healthy tips on improving health, please visit Health and Wellness Online, LLC! 

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