If you’re anything like me, you love/hate summer. You love it because it’s beautiful and warm and fun and all of those good things, but you hate it because warmer weather means more pollen and more pollen means more itching, dripping, sneezing, stuffing, and miserable-ing. Here are 5 ways you can reduce the impact of summer allergies.
- Start a daily regimen of eating raw local honey. I know it sounds a little nuts, but trust me on this one. (After all, I was the Sussex County Honey Queen in the late 1990s. No, I’m serious!) If you consume a tablespoon a day of raw honey from your region, you will develop a cumulative resistance to the pollen that makes you so miserable. The honey cannot be heated above a certain temperature or it kills the antibodies that help you, so make sure the label says “raw.” Your local co-op or health store probably has an arrangement with a beekeeper in your area to supply raw local honey at a reasonable price. If you can’t find it, contact your local Department of Agriculture. Here’s a state-by-state list of the agencies that deal with beekeepers. I can’t guarantee it’s accuracy, but it will point you in the right direction.
- Wash your bedding and towels in extra-hot water. Especially if you have pets, your bed is kind of a magnet for dander and pollen. By washing your sheets and blankets at least once a week you’ll cut back on your exposure to the allergens and also be able to sleep easier knowing that you’re doing your part to control the dust mite population in your home. And if you want to get really ambitious, vacuum the mattress weekly, too.
- Vacuum the closet floor, under the bed and couch, and between/under the sofa cushions. These are all huge areas that collect dust and are often overlooked in regular cleaning. And if you’ve ever thrown yourself down on the couch on a weekend afternoon and seen the clouds of dust that poof up, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Some vacuums are better than others (I will seriously hurt anyone who tries to take my Dyson away from me. Seriously. Don’t even think about it.), but every little bit helps. Just make sure you change the bag or empty the canister regularly.
- Keep the windows closed, even when it’s cool. Those cool breezes blow in dust and pollen even though you may not see it, and even though you have a screen. Don’t believe me? Wipe your windowsill with a damp cloth in the morning and leave the window open all day. Then check the windowsill again. Nasty, right? Yeah. Keep the windows closed.
- Have your ducts cleaned. Or at least lift the registers out and vacuum them and as far into the duct as your attachments will allow (but don’t get too cocky–if an attachment falls off in the duct, it’s really hard to get it back out. Don’t ask how I know this.) If you use a window AC instead of central air, be sure to vacuum the filter and vents weekly to cut down on dust accumulation.
Ahhhh, now doesn’t that feel better?
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