Are you one of the 10 million+ hay fever sufferers in the UK? That’s 1 in 5 people in this country!

If so, you’ll be only too aware of the effects – the sneezing, the runny or blocked nose?, the itchy eyes…and if you’re an asthma sufferer, there’s the tight chest, wheezing and shortness of breath! All of which makes everyday tasks seem almost impossible.
But are you aware that trees produce pollen too? And that they are gearing up to do that right now? If you experience hay fever hell, then you need to start getting ready for it as soon as possible.
Many people find that simply taking anti-histamines and steroids does the trick. However, there are other options you can try as well – anything that relieves the symptoms has to be worth a shot?!!

Keep informed – get the Pollen Forecasts from the MET Office or try a Social Pollen Count app.
Start a Pollen Diary, especially if you don’t know what type of pollen you’re allergic to.
Reduce your physical contact with pollen:
Dry your washing indoors to prevent pollen collecting on your clothes.
Change your clothes when you get in at night instead of spending your evening covered in pollen collected through the day.
Try washing your hair before going to bed so you don’t spend the night with your face rubbing on a pollen covered pillowcase.
Invest in a pair of well-fitted wraparound sunglasses – stop the pollen getting to your eyes.
Try adding some of the following to your diet if you don’t already: oily fish, flax seeds, walnuts etc. as they can reduce inflammation. Garlic is a natural source of anti-histamine, so can reduce the symptoms – if you don’t like the taste or aftereffects, garlic tablets are available.
Sadly, alcohol contains histamine so should be avoided if possible, as there’s no point taking medication, altering your lifestyle and diet and then ruining it all with a glass or two of wine!

Whatever you try, stick with it because some changes may take a while before you see the benefits.
If you’ve got any remedies of your own, share them with us – we work outdoors, all day, all year round, engulfed by pollen particles…