How to keep your seasonal allergies under control: Up to a third of the global population lives with stubborn symptoms of seasonal allergies. The causes of allergies vary and so do the severity of its symptoms, but for those who experience allergic reactions — and especially for people with underlying conditions like asthma — they can be debilitating. We bring you the lowdown on the natural, non-pharma measures worth trying to help manage your symptoms.

FIRST, LET’S GET OUR FACTS STRAIGHT-

Environmental factors are making allergies worse…

…and it’s leaving an enormous toll on quality of life, including an estimated 35.9% slump in productivity at work, according to a 2018 study.Allergic reactions and emotional stress have a reciprocal relationship that has been correlated with higher rates of depression and suicidal behavior, according to a separate 2018 study. Allergies can bring on serious physical health risks, like more frequent common colds, ear and sinus infections, and more common asthma attacks if left untreated for extended periods of time.

BUT THERE ARE STILL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO KEEP YOUR SYMPTOMS IN CHECK- From simple behavioral changes to natural remedies, there are several steps available to alleviate the symptoms.

DISCLAIMER- Check with your doctor before trying any of the below.

#1- DON’T BRING ALLERGENS INTO YOUR HOME- If you’ve spent a long day outside, chances are you’ve collected pollen and particulate matter on your skin, hair and clothes. Changing out of the clothes you’ve spent the day in and showering once you’re back home can reduce your exposure and help ease your symptoms…

…If you have 🐶 or 🐱, the same rules apply: For pet parents with allergies, it’s equally important to make sure your furry friends don’t track in the stuff that has been causing your allergies to flare up. Brushing their fur to rid them of any debris before bringing them back inside your home can cut down on allergens in the air.

#2- CLEAR YOUR SINUSES- For the brave, consider bumping things up a notch with a sinus rinsing. The mechanics are fairly simple — you run a basic saline solution through your nasal passages to clear out all the allergens you’ve accumulated in your nose by breathing all day.

WHERE- Nasal wash kits are available for purchase on Jumia, Amazon and some local pharmacies.

THE PRICE TAG- Basic nasal squeeze bottles start from about EGP 130 (without any of the packaged and pre-portioned saline solutions) and run up to EGP 1.8k for a full kit.

THE DIY APPROACH- If you’re feeling more hands-onyou can easily fashion your own kit at home. You’ll need distilled water, baking soda, zero iodide salt and some kind of pressurized irrigation device like a squeeze bottle. Combine 1 liter of water with 7.5 ml of salt and 5 ml of baking soda into your irrigation vessel. Start by flushing about 300 ml of the solution up one nostril and repeat until your sinuses are clear.

#3- DIFFUSING ESSENTIAL OILS- Certain high-quality plant-derived essential oils have been reported to alleviate allergic symptoms by clearing blocked nasal passages and reducing inflammation. Tea tree, eucalyptus and lavender oil are among the most popular essential oils used to reduce congestion and inflammation caused by allergies. At least one study has also suggested that using a blend of sandalwood, frankincense and ravensara oil may help with blocked, runny noses and sneezing. These oils can be diffused using a diffuser or directly inhaled.

WHERE- You can find a wide variety of essential oils at Areej, Imtenan, Nefertari and Mystic Amber.

THE PRICE TAG- Essential oils with reported therapeutic benefits to people with allergies start at EGP 120 for a 15 ml bottle of eucalyptus oil and can go up to EGP 1.2 k for a 30 ml bottle of frankincense oil. If you want to go the diffuser route, Areej offers a clay oil burner at EGP 150 and an electric diffuser for EGP 750. For a wider selection, electric diffusers on Amazon start at EGP 170 and go up to EGP 14.5k. More basic oil burners start at EGP 70 and go up to EGP 850.

#4- HERBAL REMEDIES- Butterbur extract, spirulina and nigella sativa are among the most effective herbal remedies found to help reduce the severity of symptoms in people suffering from allergic rhinitis. Spirulina, which is a type of salt and freshwater algae, has been reported to be especially effective at reducing congestion, discharge, sneezing and itching.

WHERE- Imtenan stocks spirulina powder and black seed oil – which contains nigella sativa extract. You can also find powdered blends that contain spirulina at Gourmet and spirulina powder at Organic Nation.

THE PRICE TAG- Imtenan’s 30 gm container of spirulina powder goes for EGP 60 and their 100 ml container of black seed oil goes for EGP 127. Organic Nation sells a 200 gm package of spirulina powder for EGP 225 and a 200 ml bottle of black seed oil for EGP 250. Gourmet carries a 125 gm moringa and spirulina blend for EGP 176.

#5- YOUR DIET- What you put in your gut also has a strong bearing on your immune system’s response to allergens. Probiotic foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi have been found to be beneficial in treating and preventing the development of allergic rhinitis.

WHERE- You can find kombucha, yogurt and kefir at Tayyiba Farms, Eat Good and RDNA also carry kombucha and sauerkraut.

THE PRICE TAG- 1 liter of kombucha runs between EGP 75-85 while sauerkraut goes for EGP 100 for a 500g jar and up to EGP 245 for a 625 ml container. 25g of kefir grains start at EGP 150.

#6- ACUPUNCTURE- While admittedly not for the faint of heart, there is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture can help soothe allergic symptoms. The practice traces its roots to traditional Chinese medicine and involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into certain pressure points in the body that are believed to provide relief for a variety of ailments once stimulated.

WHERE- Osana offers regular acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine sessions.

THE PRICE TAG- A one-hour session will run you EGP 700 at Osana.

#7- AIR FILTERS- Definitely a more costly but effective way to keep allergies at bay, especially if you’ve exhausted all other options and can’t seem to keep your sniffles and watery eyes under control. A high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) might be your best choice: They are a specific subset of air filters that are designed to rid the air circulating in your home of particulate matter like pollen, dust and mold that cause strong allergic reactions.

WHERE- You can find air filters at Noon, Ikea, B.Tech, LG and Amazon.

THE PRICE TAG- You can find air purifiers of varying efficiency and coverage area from EGP 4.5k-60k, but purifiers with HEPA filters start at around EGP 15k.

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