Allergy Busters

When there's something strange in your nasal-hood, who you gonna call?

Now that Spring has finally officially sprung (o glorioso!), it comes with the reminder that just as every rose has its thorn, every spring blossom has its pollen. As a seasonal allergy sufferer, I frequently find myself feeling like one of those foggy people in the commercials this time of year. Happily, I have developed some strategies and found some non-drug products that really help to curb the red eyes, stuffy nose and sneezeures.

Neti-Pot. Yes, I'm speaking of those teapots you use to irrigate your sinuses. Sure, a device that makes things go in and out of your nose seems like something that would entertain ten year-old boys at summer camp, but even Oprah endorses it (so you know it works). I neti every night before bed (so I can breathe while sleeping), and seriously, you'll feel really weird the first two or three (or twenty) times you do it, but just do it. It's snot as bad as it seems (harhar). You can get a Neti pot at any drugstore.

Cut back on dairy. You may be surprised to to hear this advice coming from the Whipped Cream Queen herself, but during allergy season, I tend to take a pass on the milk and cheese. Dairy is a phlegm-causing food (just ask Maria Callas- I'm sure she wouldn't touch the stuff). It makes such a huge difference that I've even traded in my beloved Cherry Garcia for sorbet (desperate times, people...)

Similisan eye drops. These homeopathic drops really work to alleviate dry itchy eyes, when I find myself tempted to take a salad fork to my retinas. Instead of just addressing the symptom, they attack the cause of the itching and dryness. (And it turns out that the rubbing and scratching is usually the cause of the redness- who knew?) These are available at almost any drugstore- they are a little more expensive than Visine but totally worth it.

Pantothenic Acid (aka Vitamin B5). I'm a very good sleeper (it's just one of my many talents) and if a drugstore decongestant lists that there is a "chance of drowsiness", chances are you will find me passed out in a puddle of my own drool within twenty minutes of ingestion. This vitamin supplement has similar decongestant abilities, but without the KO. I take 200mg daily during allergy season, and I'm breathing like a champ. You can find this little miracle-in-a-capsule at any Vitamin Shoppe or health food store.

Disclaimer: clearly, I'm not a doctor here, guys, so if you have serious allergy problems you should probably consult a medical professional, not a blog.

flower photo: DanDan Photography