Most people refer to a pollen allergy as hay fever.  Pollen is a very fine dust or powder that contains the male cells of a plant's seed.  A person can develop an allergy because these small cells hitch rides on air currents; this is part of how flowers grow.  Without this process we wouldn't have those beautiful blooms, but of course that's very cold comfort for someone with a pollen allergy who can't even breathe during certain months of the year.

If you have hay fever or a allergy to pollens, what can you do about it?  First recognize that any allergy is a defect in your body's immune system.  The body is reacting to pollen as it would bad germs or other irritants and goes into overdrive trying to fight it off.  When you realize that your body is simply overreacting to something that really shouldn't bother it, you can better address the cause and the symptoms.  As of yet there is no real cure for a pollen allergy or any allergy for that matter, but you can control your body's sensitivity and reaction.

It might seem unfair, but those with a severe pollen allergy may need to keep their home more insulated than others.  While your neighbors have a great screened-in porch, you may need to use glass panes instead of screens.  Investing in double or triple glazed windows is not only energy efficient, it can also help with the sensitivity to a pollen allergy.  A HEPA filter or other filtering device on your furnace is also necessary to screen out as many irritants as you can.  Of course completely avoiding the outdoors or locking yourself up in your house is not possible or desirable for anyone.

Some simple and natural tricks you can employ to keep yourself from having more of a reaction than normal would be to keep your home adequately humidified as well.  Living in a tropical environment may be beneficial to you because environment with a high humidity does not carry different type of air-borne contaminates well such as pollen.

When the air is dry your lungs, which are natural filters, don't work as well as they should.  This also helps to keep your skin healthy and keeps other irritants at bay, which is good for anyone with a pollen allergy.  It also helps to avoid other things that irritate a person's system overall, such as tobacco smoke, pet dander, overly dusty or dirty environments, and harsh detergents and chemicals in shampoos and soaps.  Switch to natural, organic products and make sure your environment is adequately ventilated.

Using Eucalyptus or olbas oil in boiling water and inhale the steam that is being generated may also be of benefit to you.  This treatment is also very good for any type of stuffy nose due to a cold, flu or allergy problems.  Both oils readily diffuse into the air and can provide benefits to nasal and bronchial areas.

It's always best to stay in touch with your doctor as well; there is no cure for a pollen allergy and they are rarely life-threatening, but having chronic itching and watery eyes and nasal congestion is not safe either.  And of course if you have a severe allergic reaction of any type you need to contact emergency services at once.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.