Hay Fever

 

 

Pretty. Destructive. 

 

As we are non-drug around here, folks ask what they can do with or instead of medication for hay fever.
If you suffer from hay fever, you likely already know some of these strategies to alleviate your
seasonal allergies.
Here are 5 recommendations you can use now, immediately, to fight your misery inducing allergic reaction.

1. Wash that pollen right out of your hair.
Shampoo when you come indoors, or at least in the evening, to wash away any clinging pollen. This way you keep pollen off your pillow and sheets. No need sleeping with the enemy, is there?
Keep your dirty, pollen laden clothes out of the bedroom. Change and leave clothes where you'll have the least contact with them.

"Khaaaaaan!!!"

2. Watch what you wear.
Don’t be a greaser. Anything you put on your hair/skin that is sticky (hair gel, bug spray, sun block) is going to catch and keep airborne pollen. On your skin. In your hair. Near your eyes.
Wear sunglasses. Really. Wraps or Jackie O's can go a long way toward pollen free eyes.
Wear a hat to keep pollen off your hair.  All the disaffected, ironic kids are doing it.

See? Less pollen. I'm so happy.

 

3. Avoid the pollen to begin with.
Exercise indoors.  If you exercise outdoors, do it in the morning when less pollen is likely to be airborne. Stay indoors on dry, warm, windy days, and avoid the outdoors in the afternoon when pollen counts are generally highest.

4. Don't bring your troubles home with you.
Your four-legged roommates' furry coats are just super for bringing pollen in the house.  Keep them in or out, as far as allowable.
Close windows, turn off fans, use your air conditioners. Home and car.
When using the AC, set it on recirculate to keep pollen on the outside.
A window fan will obviously suck pollen right into your home. Indoor fans get dust and pollen invaders already in the house airborne. Where they will find you.

You can't run. You can't hide. We are POLLEN.

 

5. Clear the air.

Keep AC filters clean in home and car.  
If you don't have whole house filtration, invest in a room size unit.

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Changing behaviors to thwart the allergens works pretty well for most people I treat.
Change with  supplement/diet regimes works even better.

Unfortunately, for some out there, the reaction is too horrific.
If that's you, the above can be useful even though you must use meds to function.

I don't have a silly picture for that.

10 Best Foods

(According to Science In The Public Interest)

1. WATERMELON
They actually put sweet potato first...but come on.
Sweet potato?
Watermelon.
1/3rd daily requirement of vitamins A and C, along with potassium and lycopene, for only 80 calories from two measly cups.

2. Sweet Potato
This is their "nutritional all-star", "one of the best vegetables you can eat".
Full of carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
They suggest.you "bake and then mix in some unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness. "
Notice watermelon didn't need any advice to make it more palatable.



3. Mango
In one cup you get all the C and 1/3rd the A you need every day, plus potassium and fiber.
They helpfully mention it is likely to have very little pesticide residue.
I learned to prepare mango from Hecule Poirot.




4. Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
They go on about "a pleasant tartness that’s a perfect foil for the natural sweetness of" blah, blah.
Their important bit is the protein. 17 grams per six ounces.
They leave out the EVEN MORE IMPORTANT bit about beneficial bacteria.
I've blogged on and on about that topic.
Unlike the mango, the berries up there (while nutritionally wonderful) are likely plenty heavy with pesticide residue.




5. Broccoli
Dubya's least favorite food, wasn't it? Or was that Bush the Elders least fave?
Loads of vitamin C, carotenoids, folic acid, and vitamin K.
K is getting a lot of press lately.
The yogurt we just had? Providing the good bacteria we need to live?
They make vitamin K for us in our gut.
The CSPI folks give one line of cooking/serving tips.
Everyone knows broccoli won't sell itself. (See sweet potato above)


6. Wild Salmon
Just look at the color of that salmon.
They only mention fatty acids.
How about protein and iron?
At least they didn't freak out over the rather high cholesterol content.
They also mention wild caught has a lower pcb burden.
Could have mentioned many other troubles with farmed salmon.
If you eat it farmed, try this link.

7. Crispbreads
They say "loaded with fiber and often fat free".
That's really all they gots.
Why down on fat, anyway?
No fat is a disaster.
They did trumpet salmon fat, after all.
Once again, the likelihood of pesticide residue is high. On the grapes.



8. Garbonzo Beans
Seriously?
A world of food and they go with garbonzo beans?
They provide protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
So there's that.
And I do love hummus.
And they do say "all beans are good beans", which is fine.
But remember: "Top 10 Best Foods"
Inexplicable.


9. Butternut Squash
Now I know they're messing with us.
They tout vitamins A, C, and fiber. All to the good. Tons of vitamin A.
But they act like it's a convenience item.
"Steam a sliced squash or buy peeled, diced butternut squash at the supermarket that’s ready to go into the oven, a stir-fry, or a soup."


10. Leafy greens
How on God's green earth does God's green greens get the rear position?
Down the list from squash and crispbreads?
They say "don’t miss out on powerhouse greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard.... jam-packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber."
Got it.
Now look back over the list.
Greens vs. garbonzos?
The greens are the superstars.
Go green!
Sorry watermelon.

3 Reasons People Visit A Chiropractor

1. You feel pain in your joints or muscles--  back or sciatic pain, hip, knee or shoulder pain-- or you have  neck pain with or without headaches that haven't improved with medical treatment. These are the most common reasons people make their first chiropractic appointment.

2. You sit for long periods of time at work, or you perform repetitive tasks. Over time, these types of tensions and strains cause muscle imbalance and misaligned joints.  Pain and dysfunction result. Chiropractic corrects the imbalance and misalignment, removing the pain and correcting the dysfunction.

3. You want to correct your joint pain, muscle pain, or headache without drugs or surgery.  Many choose chiropractic for this very reason.