How to avoid allergies and prevent allergy attacks

The reasons for the increase in allergies are numerous: too much time spent indoors and higher levels of pollutants that have led to confused immune systems. These steps can help you avoid a new allergy or cut down on attacks.

Your immune system overreacts to irritants such as dust, pollen, dander, mold, food proteins or insect venom, releasing inflammatory chemicals that trigger allergy symptoms.

Runny nose and itchy eyes, particularly during high-pollen seasons; sneezing; hives; trouble breathing after eating certain foods, such as peanuts or shellfish; red, dry, itchy skin.

1. Bust the dust. Think of dust as a repository for almost every allergen you can think of: dust mites, pet dander, cockroach droppings, pesticides and pollution blown in from outside, just for starters. Start with these approaches to reduce allergens.

• Eliminate as much carpet and upholstered fabrics as you can stand.
• Use hypoallergenic covers on your pillows, mattress and box spring. Wash all covers in hot water 60°C (140°F) once a week and dry them in the dryer on the highest heat setting to kill dust mites.
• If you don't use pillow covers, choose feather pillows, which studies find harbour far fewer dust mites than synthetic pillows.
• Flip the mattress monthly, vacuum each side and wipe down the bed frame with hot, soapy water.
• Clear clutter. All that stuff is a magnet for dust and mold.

2. Reboot your immune system. To permanently prevent allergy attacks use immunotherapy — yes, allergy shots. Over time, your immune system will learn to tolerate the allergen.

• Filter pet dander. Keep your pet out of the bedroom and you will create a friendlier environment for your respiratory system. A study evaluating the benefits of whole-house air cleaners fitted with HEPA filters found that they reduced levels of dog allergens 90% if the dog was kept out of the room.
• Flush your nose. Just as a rain shower rinses pollen from the air, a saline rinse washes allergens from your nasal passages. Use an infant ear syringe or a neti pot, available at health food stores and pharmacies. Lean over a sink and turn your head so your left nostril points down. Gently flush your right nostril with half the saline, which will drain out through your left nostril. When finished, gently blow your nose. Repeat with your other nostril.
• Stinging nettle may prevent attacks. You may experience fewer allergy symptoms when you take this herb daily. Volunteers who took nettle leaf capsules said it relieved their allergy symptoms better than allergy medicine.
• Eat yogurt. People who ate yogurt that contained live, active cultures every day had half as many days with allergy symptoms during hay fever season as people who didn't. The researchers suspect yogurt affects the immune system's response to allergens.
• Apples and tea. Apples with the skin on and green tea are excellent sources of quercetin, an antioxidant that checks the release of inflammatory chemicals from the immune cells responsible for your allergic reaction.
• Up your E. You'll find this vitamin in spinach, wheat germ, almonds, sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. Adults with and without hay fever found that those who ate foods rich in vitamin E had a 30% lower incidence of hay fever than those who had diets low in E.
• Shut up. Sure, the warm spring breeze freshens your house — it's filled with pollen. Keep windows closed and turn on the air conditioner instead.