I’m a gardening GP – here’s seven hacks to beat the pollen bomb and enjoy the hot spell
THE great outdoors is glorious right now, but at this time of year it can be a place of dread for hay fever sufferers.
Having a runny nose, incessant sneezing and itchy eyes can be wretched.
Hay fever sufferer Dr Susan Taheri, who founded the Growing Well Garden eco project in Devon, told Sun Health: “For most of us it’s an inconvenience. But if you have a medical condition like asthma, it can potentially be much more serious.”
Hay fever season usually lasts from spring to September, with most of those afflicted being allergic to grass and/or tree pollen.
But Dr Taheri says: “Nothing will keep me out of the garden. The health benefits outweigh the inconvenience of hay fever!”
Here, she tells Ella Walker her tips for sufferers who want to get outside and enjoy themselves.
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Take a pill
I PRE-EMPTIVELY take antihistamines, like Piriton or supermarket own brand tablets.
I want to be outside, so if I know we’ve hit hay fever season, I will take an antihistamine first thing in the morning – I won’t wait for symptoms to kick in.
Nosey Parker
OVER-THE-COUNTER steroid nasal sprays, such as Beconase and Clarinaze, are particularly good at helping desensitise your nasal lining to pollen.
They can also be really helpful for sneezing, nasal itching and eye symptoms.
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Start them before hay fever season hits its stride, as they tend to take two to three weeks to start working.
Often, if someone is in the throes of really awful hay fever they give up on them too quickly.
But even if you’ve got symptoms now, start them.
It might be a few weeks until you feel the benefit, but it’s really worth keeping going.
Watch the forecast
ALLERGY experts will tell you to stay inside and close all your windows, which, if you’re a gardener, you’re definitely not going to do.
I look at the pollen forecast, and avoiding the peak times of day can be helpful.
I go out really early in the morning and later in the evening.
Pollen counts tend to rise as the day goes on and peak around the middle of the day.
Wrap up
I WEAR a hat and wraparound sunglasses, which can minimise the pollen that comes in contact with your face.
It’s also really important from the point of view of sun protection – put on sunscreen of at least SPF30 as well.
Strip off
I ALWAYS try to change out of my gardening clothes when I come in, so I don’t carry pollen through the house – and certainly not into my bedroom.
Dive in
IF my eyes or face are feeling itchy or snuffly, I have a really good wash of my face with plenty of cold water and make sure my hands are washed.
I’ll often just go and jump in the shower too, to ensure I’m not carrying any pollen with me.
Pick your plants
THERE are plants you can grow that are less bad for hay fever.
Generally, insect-pollinated ones are less of a problem than ones with big flowers that are wind-pollinated.
You can get “sterile” plants with no or low pollen, but most gardeners are mad enthusiasts for growing.
For me, it’s about growing cut flowers – and I refuse to modify what I do.
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But be aware of the jobs you do – if you have a really horrible grass pollen allergy, get someone else to mow the lawn!
- Ask a pharmacist about different kinds of hay fever relief.