Minimise your Hay fever symptoms

Hay fever is Also known as allergic rhinitis, it is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen that is breathed in, or that gets into the eyes. The pollens that are most likely to cause hay fever are birch pollen, which is released in March, and grass pollen, which starts to appear in late May. But you can get hay fever at any time of year depending on what type of pollen you are allergic to.

The condition can interfere with your concentration, energy levels and sleep. Many of us resort to antihistamines, decongestants and nasal steroids to get some relief.But a growing number of drug-free approaches are available for preventing and reducing symptoms.

While there is still insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of the numerous complementary and alternative medicines that are available, there are some basic lifestyle changes that you can make to help minimise your hay fever symptoms.

Try the following:
-keep an eye on the pollen count and stay indoors as much as you can when it's high
wear wrap-around sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes
-keep car windows closed and switch on the air conditioning to prevent pollen entering the car
-keep bedroom doors and windows closed mid-morning and early evening when pollen levels peak
-avoid areas such as parks or fields, particularly in the early evening when there's a lot of pollen floating at nose level
-get someone else to mow the lawn and don't lie on freshly cut grass
-shower and wash your hair after being outdoors, especially if you’ve been in the countryside.