Protecting yourself from allergies us no easy task when you set out to do yard work. Whether you want to take care of your garden or maintain your grass, avoiding the allergies can be a challenge. Taking an antihistamine before you go outside when you know you are going to be doing a good amount of lawn maintenance is a great idea as you can have preventative care and prepare your immune system to battle your allergies. We at ENT Specialists would also like to share some other tips for being out in the yard with allergies.
For starters, it is important not only for your skin but also your allergy symptoms to wear protective clothing. A hat alone can help significantly. You are able to prevent pollen from collecting in your hair by wearing a hat and avoid the allergens from assaulting you throughout the day. Not only can you protect your skin from the sun by wearing long sleeves and pants, but also against the pollen that irritates your allergies. Rashes and hives can breakout on your skin by spending time around grass or ragweed that you’re allergic too. You decrease the possibility of having these skin reactions by limiting direct contact to these plants and grasses.
Covering your face is one method to filter pollen from entering your nose or mouth. Although an N95 mask is the most effective, you don’t need to go spend money. A very efficient solution is simply tying a bandana around your face. You are still able to breathe and the allergens are blocked.
Keep in mind the fewer symptoms you will feel from your grass allergies the more consistently you mow. To help keep the grass from flowering and pollinating, keep grass around two inches tall. Be sure to utilize the bag on your mower to prevent the cut grass from being strewn across your yard and blowing around in the wind.
Below you find some additional quick tips to help you reduce your allergy symptoms quickly and easily.
1) Get the pollen off as soon as possible by taking a shower as soon as you finished in the yard.
2) Be sure to give your indoor pets that traverse the yard a weekly bath to prevent pollen from sticking to their fur and being exposed to it long term.
3) Store the compost bins away from the garden. These can collect mold which is a whole other allergen to worry about even though they are great for fertilizer.
4) Rake up the yard debris often as fallen leaves and blossoms collect mold and could potentially produce mold growth.
5) Focus more on the plants that require insect pollination as opposed to the ones that need wind. Brightly-colored, large petals and fragrant flowers are typically pollinated by insects rather than wind, generally speaking. Although consider bee allergies if you or family members has them.
6) Routinely perform nasal saline rinses. This will flush out the nasal passages and clear the pollen that might have attached.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies but enjoy being in the outdoors and taking care for your landscaping, call ENT Specialists and we will help you find the most optimal solution for your allergies.
