Christmas Allergies

You may be allergic to Christmas or maybe just the LIVE TREE sitting in your house.

This should be no surprise, but who thinks about it.
Most live Christmas Trees are a form of evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine or fir. These trees are common culprets of allergy sufferers. Normally December is a time when allergy symptoms are reduced greatly. Then you bring in a beautiful, living evergreen. "AChoo!" Then add a blazing fire place. The eyes start watering, sinuses get stuffy.

What is the answer for Christmas Allergies?

• You can continue to get a live tree and suffer through it. 
• You can certainly go with the artificial option. There are artificial trees now that are absolutely beautiful. They are about as much as a live tree and they last for years. And for the smell you can burn an evergreen candle, unless you have allergies to fragrances and perfumes. 
• You can opt out of a tree all together.
• You can start Immunotherapy to handle your allergies all year long. 

Allergena - Texas Trees, offers Immunotherapy for many plant, tree and grass allergens. Like Immunotherapy injections (allergy shots), it is not an instant fix. Start now to prepare for your next allergy season and see how much better you'll feel.

Bad Allergies? These are things that make them worse!

Allergies making you miserable? You may be making a bad situation worse.

Here is a list of some things we do that make our bad allergies even worse:

Stress:

Stress directly reduces the strength of your immune systems, therefore crippling your ability to combat allergy symptoms.

Alcohol:

Alcohol, particularly red wine, is full of sulfites and can make your allergies shoot through the roof.

Bathing in the morning:

You may be the person that requires a shower to wake up in morning. Me too. However, to sleep through the night with all the dust and particles of the day may keep you from getting good night sleep. Do yourself a favor and at least wash your face and pull you hair away from your face.

Wrong Medication: Antihistamines or Decongestant

An antihistamine typically relieves sneezing, itchiness and runny nose.

Decongestants combat congestion from swollen nasal passages. 

Some over the counter meds have both. For best results consult your health care provider.

Contact Lenses:

If you are experiencing allergy symptoms, you may want to find your glasses. As much as you care to clean your contact lenses they will continue to trap tiny air born particles up against your eyes causing you more suffering.

Clothing:

Just like your skin and hair, your clothing attracts and retains tiny particles from your day. Try to wash clothing after each use to reduce exposure.

Perfumes and Candles:

Anything with fragrance added can irritate the lining of the eyelids and nasal passages.

Second hand smoke:

Smoke, be it cigarette, cigar, fire, is an irritant that can mess with your respiratory tract.

Weather:

Dry, sunny, and windy days are most difficult for allergy sufferers. These are ideal conditions for trees to release pollen, meaning more of it will be in the air. Add in wind blowing pollen all around, that makes for a bad day for allergies.

Thank you to the HuffingtonPost for providing this list.

Allergy ProAction as Opposed to ReAction

Allergies are like so many other infections we are more likely to react to them rather than take precautions to prevent them. 

Your body needs regular maintenance and care. There are thousands of studies proving that you need a well balanced diet, regular exercise, and plenty of sleep. Your body also needs bacteria!

What? 

Yes! Your body needs bacteria to maintain a good, healthy immune system. 

Probiotics are bacteria and yeast that your body uses to team up with to promote its own strength. Specifically, your digestive system works best with a balance of good bacteria. When that balance is disturbed, often during illness or the use of antibiotics, you can consume probiotics which are found in supplements and foods. 

Stefano Guandalini, MD, professor of pediatrics and gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center, says “Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestines,” and his research and studies show, "In societies with very good hygiene, we’ve seen a sharp increase in autoimmune and allergic diseases.“That may be because the immune system isn’t being properly challenged by pathogenic organisms. Introducing friendly bacteria in the form of probiotics is believed to challenge the immune system in healthy ways.” (WebMD)

Activia (non-greek yogurt) offers the highest count of probiotics per serving.

The article linked above discusses a few different options for yogurts. 

Probiotics are most often consumed when eating dairy products, the most noted is yogurt. There are several supplemental forms of probiotics including powders, tablets and capsules. When selecting supplements remember that these products are not regulated by the FDA, so stick to well known, time tested companies and for concerns seek advice from your doctor or dietary consultant.