Look Your Best This Allergy Season

Posted on March 15, 2013 by admin

Hiding a pimple is easy. Masking a red nose, dry skin and puffy eyes during allergy season is a full-time job. In fact, a survey commissioned by Zyrtec found that 50 percent of women have missed parties and dates because their symptoms made their beauty routine so much longer.

Researchers surveyed 1,000 women about allergies (both indoors and outdoors) and their effects on makeup habits. Most women said their go-to products to hide allergy symptoms include concealer, foundation, and mascara. “Women think that when they’re dealing with allergies, the best way to cover it up is to throw on a lot makeup,” says Rebekah George, the beauty expert for the survey. “But a lot of the time, that can make it look worse.”

If you dread allergy season, heads up: experts say it’ll only be worse this year. You don’t need to be a makeup magician to look your best this spring, though–just take some beauty cues from Jennifer Lawrence. You’d never guess she was battling a cold when she attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards show back in January.

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Is It Allergy Season Already?

Posted on March 11, 2013 by admin

Starting to feel a familiar tickle in your throat? Yeah, it’s about that time of year again. According to experts, this allergy season will likely be even more brutal than normal. Between the long-term effects of Hurricane Sandy and the big temperature fluctuations recently, all signs point to a season full of sniffing and sneezing, says Carol Baum, MD, a New York-based allergist.

Luckily, it’s still early enough to take a few preventative measures. Use these tricks to get your body and environment prepped for the impending pollen:

Clean house
Spring cleaning is more important than you think, since dust is likely to irritate your respiratory system whether you’re allergic to it or not, Baum says. If you’re allergic to dust mites, you should invest in allergy-proof encasements for your bedding and get rid of rugs (which are total dust magnets). Even if the little bugs aren’t typically a problem for you, it’s a good idea to clean out your air conditioning filters—both at home and in your car—before the season hits (dust can act as an irritant that makes your response to other allergens worse than normal, Baum says). And don’t forget to give your shelves and bookcases a once-over—stacks of stray papers and old books are a huge source of dust.

Check for mold
After Sandy hit, Baum noticed a definite uptick in the number of patients seeking treatment for allergies and asthma, and she assumes that excess mold was the culprit. Like dust, this irritant is known to contribute to pesky allergy symptoms, especially in those most allergic to it, Baum says. But even if you didn’t weather the storm, you should still monitor mold-susceptible areas like windowsills and shower stalls. Look for discolored surfaces or a mildew-y smell, and treat the affected areas with a store-bought diluted bleach solution.

Start your meds early
If you’ve had allergies in the past, it’s likely that you’ll have them again this year. So don’t wait for your first sneezing fit to pop an antihistamine—you’ll see the most benefits from taking meds before your allergies are in full-swing. Think back to when your allergies have hit in previous years and start medicating at least one week before that time, Baum says. No clue what to take? Check with your doctor to find out what medication would be right for you. Even though most allergy meds are available over the counter now, your physician can make the best recommendation.

Boost your defenses
The top defense to allergies is a healthy immune system. Build yours up by eating a healthy diet filled with adequate amounts of vitamin D (600 IU per day is recommended for most women), vitamin C (about 75mg per day), and protein (about 46g per day), all of which are important for a healthy immune response, Baum says. You can get your vitamin D from salmon or fortified juices and milk, and up your vitamin C intake from citrus fruits and green peppers. You can also get your fill from supplements, but always check with your doctor to find out how much you really need so you don’t overdo it.

Visit an allergist
You don’t get a medal for suffering through allergy season without medication, so don’t hesitate to seek help if your symptoms become unbearable. An allergist can go over specific environmental triggers with you and may have you take a diagnostic skin test or blood test to determine exactly what you’re allergic to, Baum says. They may even prescribe you allergy shots or steroids, depending on your symptoms.

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Natural Allergy Relief

Posted on April 17, 2012 by admin

As spring emerges, so do pesky seasonal allergies. Puffy, itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, and a stuffy, drippy nose are classic symptoms of a hyped-up immune response to invading allergens. As the body goes into overdrive, producing histamine to fight off the assailants, it’s a tailspin of irritation and congestion from there.

If you’re one of the 40 million Americans that suffer from seasonal allergies triggered by pollen and mold spores that bloom with warmer, wetter weather, find relief from allergy ailments naturally with these foods, tools, and tips.

ALLERGY-FIGHTING FOODS
Can you eat your way to allergy-free living? As a sole treatment for relief, probably not, but certain foods may mitigate aliments by acting as natural antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, and decongestants to fight allergies from the inside out.

Edible Antihistamines
Anti-allergenic quercetin is a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory that helps relieve stuffy, puffy symptoms. This antioxidant plant pigment stabilizes cells that produce allergy-inducing histamines, which are generated as an immune response to invading allergens. To get your daily dose of this antipathy-easing flavonoids, dish up apples, berries, citrus fruits, onions, parsley, and sip some tea or red wine (a good excuse to make a toast!). Nettles are another edible antihistamine. This ancient plant contains anti-inflammatory compounds and reduces the sneezing and itching that comes with hay fever. Steep some nettles tea and sip your way to relief.

Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3s
This essential fatty acid is a potent anti-inflammatory aid that calms flaring allergy symptoms. Include ample servings of omega-3-rich foods such as flaxseed, edamame, walnuts, salmon, and sardines to fight inflammation and allergic aggravation.

Spicy Decongestants
Kick up the heat with spicy foods to decongest your sinuses, increase circulation, and clear away head-clogging mucus. Add some cayenne, chili peppers, spicy mustard, wasabi, or horseradish to your diet for stimulating relief.

Probiotic Support
Probiotics promote healthy guts with beneficial bacteria and reduce the body’s immune response to assaulting allergens like pollen. Up your intake of probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, miso soup, sauerkraut, and kombucha tea to optimize allergy resistance.

Allergy Relief Tonic
This tonic has a kick to knock back allergenic assaults on the immune system, stimulate circulation, and clear your head. Yield: 4-8 servings.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped ginger
2 tsp wasabi powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp raw, local honey
Water or apple juice to dilute the mixture, if desired

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove ginger pulp.
2. Serve 1/2 to 1 oz straight up or dilute with apple juice or water.
3. Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to one week.

MORE NATURAL ALLERGY-CRUSHING TIPS

Get on the Neti Pot Bandwagon
These small contraptions are your BFF when it comes to cleansing your nasal passages of prickly pollen and irrigating the way to clear breathing. Pouring salt water through your nose may seem foreign, but it’s like a liquid flush of a nasal spray. These pots have been used in India for millennia and now, ear, nose, and throat doctors concur that nasal flushing is an effective way to clear mucus and relieve stuffy symptoms without medication. Be sure to start with filtered, distilled, or previously boiled water and get the right saline mixture (1 tsp of salt with 16 oz of warm water) for comfy flushing with a Neti pot for clean, clear breathing.

Allergy-Free Beauty
Synthetic fragrances and preservatives are common allergy-instigators and can be insult-on-injury to aggravate seasonal allergy symptoms. Breathe easy and look for skin and hair care products that contain natural fragrances and are formulated free of paraben preservatives.

De-Puff Your Eyes
Relieve allergy eyes with chilled tea bags. Steep two black tea bags for three minutes, then chill in the fridge. Place one tea bag over each eye for 10 minutes. The caffeine, astringent tannins, and chilled temp will constrict blood vessels to reduce puffiness and swelling.

Ditch Your Kicks
Avoid tracking in allergens and other nasty hitchhikers like pesticides and leave your shoes at the door. It’s estimated that 30 to 40 percent of indoor dust is actually outdoor stuff. If you can’t convince your guy or roomie to shed the shoes, use a doormat and entry rug to help collect 10 to 25 percent of menacing invaders.

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Tag Archives: Allergy

Look Your Best This Allergy Season

Is It Allergy Season Already?

Natural Allergy Relief