Do you see spring through a haze of tears, with a tissue box surgically attached to your hand and your nose oozing a persistent flood of slime? Most Canadians love summers, so it seems harsh that so many people should be doomed to react unfavourably at the first glint of the sun rays.

Then there are the unfortunates who react this way all year round, persistently sniffling and sneezing, sometimes without even knowing what it is they are reacting to. If you wake up every morning with an itchy nose, irritated eyes or mucus blocking the back of your throat, you know what we are talking about.

Healthy tips for the allergy season
Being educated about the allergy season can help empower you to make decisions about your health. The following tips may help you better manage your allergy symptoms:

• Stay informed. Ensure you stay up-to-date on the pollen index for your area. Most local weather networks frequently release pollen reports, so be sure to check often during allergy season.
• Relax indoors!Although it is important to get outdoors – especially during reasonable temperatures in the spring and fall – your allergies will thank you if stay indoors on days when pollen counts are high.
• Stay clean. Wash your hair and face and change your clothes after you have worked or played outdoors. Pollen particles are sneaky and will stay on your skin and body.
• Reduce stress. While stress doesn’t cause allergies, it may trigger symptoms or make them worse.
• Get your vitamin C. Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine, the chief compound in our bodies responsible for causing common allergy symptoms. Berries, oranges, dark green leafy vegetables, and yellow bell peppers are all excellent, healthy foods high in vitamin C. You can also try this Hayfever Blasting Smoothie recipe to up your daily dose:

Hayfever Blasting Smoothie
•  1 cup of orange juice
•  ½ tomato
•  1 cup of strawberries
•  1 tbsp honey
•  ½ thumb sized chunk of fresh ginger
•  Handful of crushed ice

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass, add crushed ice, stir and enjoy.

• Don’t overload your immune system. Support your immune system by eating a clean, whole-foods, plant-focused diet that is high in anti-oxidants, such as foods high in vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, and beta-carotene.

• Get symptomatic relief.A useful herb to take if symptoms are affecting the eyes and nose is luffa. It helps relieve a blocked and runny nose, as well as watery and itchy eyes and a scratchy throat. Vogel Allergy relief, a herbal complex containing Luffa extract, isn’t contraindicated with other medication (including other hay fever medication) and is available as a nasal spray, drops and tablet form.

• A.Vogel Allergy Relief eliminates the toxins that overload the immune system. It is therefore aimed at all types of allergies (rather than only hay fever) because it promotes a normalization of the immune system. Natural Allergy Relief can be taken a month before the hay fever season just as it can be taken a month before going on a holiday, where you know you will be facing known allergens and a possible change of diet.

About the Author: A.Vogel

A.Vogel is pervaded by the idea of a way of life and of healing which is orientated in every respect towards nature. A.Vogel products are effective natural remedies and medicinal products made from freshly harvested plants. To learn more please visit avogel.ca