YOU may rub your eyes in disbelief on reading this but experts reckon a good fix for hay fever is . . . chocolate.
Oh, and by the way, chamomile tea, apples, tomatoes, onions and bell peppers also help right now as a pollen bomb wreaks misery.
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Millions are suffering with itchy and weeping eyes, runny noses and niggling coughs.
The summer hay fever season is upon us despite all the rain.
While the unrelenting drizzle can wash away tree pollen, the grass variant spikes from May to July and water breaks it down into smaller particles that are WORSE for the allergic among us.
The pollen count is forecast to rise in the South this weekend and by Tuesday everyone in England bar the North West will be up to their sore eyes in it.
The number of sufferers has trebled in the past 30 years, to one in four.
Holly Shaw, a nurse adviser for charity Allergy UK, puts this down to “better diagnosis but also climate change, with warmer temperatures causing pollen seasons to start earlier and last longer”.
But if the go-to remedies of daily anti-histamine tablets, nasal sprays and balms from the chemist are not doing the trick, don’t lose hope, there are other hacks you can deploy.
From regularly showering and vacuuming the home to scoffing chocs, here are some tactics not to be sneeezed at . . .
1. WEAR wraparound sunglasses and a hat with a peak or big brim or go for a face mask.
2. On high-pollen days, bath or shower and wash your hair. Change your clothes when you get home.
3. Avoid mowing the lawn or raking leaves – ask some-one else to step in.
4. Try not to dry clothes or bed linen outside when the allergen count is high.
5. Keep windows firmly closed, especially early on in the morning and in the evening, when higher levels of pollen are released.
6. Wipe down pets with a damp cloth, as they can bring pollen into the home. Also think about keeping your dog or cat away from you if you can.
7. Put vaseline around your nostrils to trap particles before they can work their way up your nose.
8. Take a few minutes each day to vacuum well, especially if you have deep-pile carpets. Hoover over upholstered furniture where particles may have spread through open windows.
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9. Wipe down window panes and sills regularly.
10. Wash your bedding once a week on a high temperature to remove any pollen that may have transferred from you and your clothes.
11. Take vitamin D supplements. Research has shown they can regulate immune system cells that help to prevent allergic reactions.
12. Change your diet. Experts say diets high in antioxidants such as broccoli, spinach, potato and carrot can help to ward off stuffy noses caused by hay fever.
13. In good news for those with a sweet tooth, dark chocolate can also help to reduce symptoms. It produces anti-oxidant quercetin, and this is thought to block enzymes that contribute to inflammation, such as histamine. Other things rich in this magic ingredient include chamomile tea, apples, tomato, onions and bell peppers.
14. If all else fails and you feel hay fever is ruining your life, or even causing asthma attacks, pay a visit to your doctor who could refer you to a specialist clinic.
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