Preparing for the Good and Bad of Summer with Allergies

Today is the 2nd of June. Summer is here which is both a blessing and a curse. If you have ever seen one of those apocalyptic films where there is one guy left on earth and he has all the necessary weapons to fight off the invaders, zombies, aliens - pick your enemy it doesn’t matter. He is holed up in some basement with wood panels across the windows, and he peeps through waiting for the enemy to come. He’s ready with all his weapons prepared to survive and fight off the attack. That is me, but instead of machine guns, knives, and smoke bombs in my utility belt, I have allergy pills, inhalers, creams, and lotions. It’s me against the enemy. Pollen. Grass pollen and tree pollens. Heat and sweat. They are the main threat.

The pollens are here but more of them are coming

They are here already, silently waiting for the weather to get hotter and hotter and then they will be joined by swarms of their allies, and only then will they go full on the offensive. We are ready for them. I know it is highly likely that they will take me but I will fight to end, that’s as sure as mustard.

At the top of this article, I mentioned that summer is both a blessing and a curse. Well, my only friend is the sunshine. It has wonderful healing properties for me. I read somewhere that the UVB/UVA rays help to affect the DNA in our skin. I do remember reading this before I underwent light therapy last year.

Sun allergies in the heat

The results can be great for anyone suffering from skin allergies. However, the sunshine may not be good for everyone. Some people have what is known as Sun allergy. According to the Mayo Clinic: “Sun allergy is a broad term. It describes several conditions that cause an itchy rash on the skin after being in sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Polymorphous light eruption is the most common form of sun allergy. Some people have a hereditary type of sun allergy.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sun-allergy/symptoms-causes/syc-20378077#:~:text=Sun%20allergy%20is%20a%20broad,hereditary%20type%20of%20sun%20allergy.

Tips for preparing for summer with allergies

All I can do is make preparations. I have got my air humidifier out and ready on standby. I suffer from eye allergies, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. My doctor prescribes me some powerful antihistamines which you cannot get over the counter. They are always a great help but they do zonk me out a tad. I also take a powerful drug called Montelukast which helps with my breathing. I only use it during summer because the side effects can be quite heavy. Another thing that I imagine is easily overlooked by some is diet. Diet is so important to our health. Making sure I drink lots of water and herbal teas and eat fewer carbs and plenty of plants and oily fish is a must! If I want to give myself the best chance of getting through the summer, I have to look at everything across my life. Bring it on!