It is the time of the year where hay fever or seasonal rhinitis is the hot topic for those that suffers from it. This year spring has started earlier. You may have noticed more sneezing, runny nose, blocked nose and itchy eyes starting to creep up on you. In addition, you may find, if you suffer from skin problems such as eczema, urticaria (hives) or psoriasis, are flaring ups more often and itching is intensified. You may also noticed more TV, radio and social advertisements on the sales of antihistamines. This is when you begin your preparation, both mentally and physically for the incoming festival of hay fever.

I am an advocate of preparing the body now, taking or using any preventive methods to reduce the exacerbation of symptoms during spring. From Chinese medicine perspective, spring can be quite a chaos transition from winter. As you can gather from the weather pattern, some days are warm and freezing cold the next. You will also noticed more windy days which carries with it pollen and dust. There may be heavy rain to warm sunshine the next. This is quite typical of Melbourne weather and also why it is knows for the highest seasonal allergic state in Australia.

Here are some advice on how to manage the coming hay fever season

Build up your immune function
Improve on sleep quality
Avoid sugar and dairy – they both generate inflammation and mucous
Rinse your nose to clear out blockages, pollen and dust – you can get sinus rinse at the chemist
Vacuum your living and bedroom often

For those that have skin issues, here are some links to that may be helpful

If you need any help in tackling your hay fever or any skin issues that may be a problem especially in spring, BOOK ONLINE for an acupuncture and herbal medicine consultation. Both acupuncture and herbal medicine are very effective in managing season allergies and also skin issues.