Canberra was already acknowledged as the hay fever capital of Australia with one in three Ken Behrens suffering from hay fever compared to the national average of one in five. If that wasn’t bad enough, this year is the worst on record for extreme pollen days with a total of 11 so far (as at 26 November) compared to a typical year of two to three such events in Canberra. With the hay fever season not finishing until January and record rainfall heightening grass growth, we are set for more testing weeks ahead.
What is hay fever?
Hay fever is a hyped-up immune response to environmental allergens like pollens, dust and animals. A person with hay fever exposed to allergens will get a histamine response, triggering their body to flush out the allergens. It’s why they sneeze and their eyes stream with tears and their nose runs. Many experience tiredness and brain fog like you might get when you get a similar immune event like a cold. Standard treatment for hay fever is antihistamine medications.
Why do some people not get hay fever?
It’s not well understood why people experiencing the same exposure to allergens will have different responses. One theory is that it’s hereditary, if your parents had hay fever you are more likely to have it too. Another theory is that the more exposure you have to microorganisms as a child, the less likely you are to have allergies like hay fever later in life, which points to a link between a healthy and diverse microbiome being protective against hay fever.
Other than antihistamines, what can I do?
In complementary medicine, any symptom such as hay fever is a sign that your body needs some support to get back into balance. We tackle hay fever in two key ways:
De-stress: Because stress is central to the optimal functioning of your immune system, one way to effectively reset a hyped-up immune response it to regularly access states of deep rest and relaxation. Stress is a complex topic, however, if you suffer from hay fever it is worth looking at how effectively and frequently you are able to unwind. You might be able to make some simple tweaks or you might need to get some support.
De-tox: Hay fever can be a vicious cycle; if you weren’t tired and cranky before you got hay fever you will be once you get it! Traditional treatments typically focus on supporting liver function. Invariably in cases of hay fever, the liver is in a toxic state of overwhelm which can be emotional as well as physical. Thankfully, herbs, supplements and foods that support liver function work on all levels to restore balance. You might like to cut out dairy foods, too, as they are typically mucous forming and can exacerbate symptoms.
So, if you don’t mind the side effects, you could just take an antihistamine but if you choose to address hay fever holistically, not only will you reduce or resolve your hay fever, your overall health will be better too.
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