When it comes to seasonal allergies, Sacramento suffers.

The City of Trees might as well be called the City of Pollen, because our beloved Sacramento has just been ranked #22 out of the worst cities in America for allergies according to ratings from pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.  That’s no surprise for any of us who have lived in Sactown for long and enjoyed the spring ritual of feeling like you’ve been pepper sprayed directly in the eyes, nose, and throat.  What’s scary is that experts say allergy season allergy season is starting earlier, lasting longer, and getting more intense all over the country due to environmental, air quality, and even health factors.  But there is hope for allergy sufferers in Sacramento who don’t have to feel like zombies from April to August any more.  We’ll walk you through the ABC's of allergies, over-the-counter and prescription remedies, natural cures, and general tips on how to beat them.

 Allergy ABC's:

Allergies affect up to 80 million people in the U.S. every year, or about 25% of the population.  We usually call these seasonal allergies, which include indoor/outdoor allergies, hay fever, and allergic rhinitis.  Most allergies develop in early childhood but for some, they appear later in life due to environmental factors.  They can range from annoying to downright debilitating, and can lead to more serious health concerns like asthma in some cases. 

The most common allergies are:

Tree, grass, weed pollen

Hay fever

Mold spores

Dust mite and cockroach allergens

Cat, dog, and rodent dander

Allergies can be slightly different based on region because of local flora, and in Sacramento we’re susceptible to pollen from mulberry, oak, and ash trees as well as grasses.  Poor air quality also contributes to allergies in Sacramento because it’s a valley where air sits.  According to American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, pollen from Sacramento can spread up to 400 miles away!  So how do we combat seasonal allergies?

Allergies never actually go away but you want to keep the symptoms from flaring up.  They’ve been described as a fire that you want to keep smoldering, not exploding into a big blaze.  So using the right combination of treatments and preventive measures will help you keep that fire to only a smolder.

Over the Counter Allergy Medications:

There are several kinds: Topical nasal sprays, inhaled corticosteroids, antihistamines and oral antihistamines and decongestants

For mild season allergies, most people use over the counter (OTC) nasal sprays and inhalants and oral antihistamines to manage symptoms.  They are not addictive, but can lose their effect after a couple months so consider switching brands every once and a while.  If you’re going to be taking them regularly, it’s important to look for a brand that says “nonsedating,” on the box so they won’t make you sleepy all day.  Or take them after dinner so most of the sedation will occur at night when you’re sleeping, anyway.

Try no to take OTC decongestants to treat allergies.  It may help with the stuffiness and runny nose immediately, but they’re designed to treat colds, not allergy symptoms, and it could be dangerous or counterproductive to take them longer than 7 days.  Ask your pharmacist about side effects.

Prescribed allergy medications:

About 50% of allergy sufferers can treat their symptoms with over the counter meds, while the other half need something stronger and prescribed.  For some people, allergies get so bad they go to an allergist, who can do skin tests to see exactly what you’re most allergic to, and help treat it.  The allergist or doctor can then treat you with allergy shots, exposing the body to small doses of allergens so you can build up a tolerance.  This series of shots usually needs to be started in January or done regularly. 

There are Antihistamines, Leukotriene modifiers that block the action of inflammatory chemicals that are released when your body is exposed to allergens, Intranasal antihistamines that work better than oral, Antihistamine eye drops to reduce redness, swelling, itchiness and wateriness.

There are popular natural remedies: 

A Neti pot helps you rinse out your nasal cavities with a saline solution.  It flushes out the irritants, microbes, and mucus out of your sinuses but doesn’t completely eliminate the problem.  Mix warm water with sea salt or use the solution sold with your Neti pot.

Probiotics are used to treat nasal and sinus symptoms.  A study published in the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology reports that specific strains were effective in combating allergies in supplement form:  Lactobacilli casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, L. acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium longum.

Drinking a lot of water is great, but most city or bottled water is extremely acidic and acids compound allergy problems.  So try to drink 8-10 glasses a day of alkaline water, which you can buy or convert via special additives or filters.  Staying hydrated helps improves allergies for 38% of participants in one recent study. 

Green tea is rich in an antioxidant phytonutrient called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that blocks histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE) chemicals linked to uncomfortable allergy-symptoms. 

Sugar is extremely acidic and triggers mucus formation, so cutting back on the white stuff should help stop the sneezing.  By eliminating or minimizing sugar intake for even 30 days (and no artificial sweeteners, either,) you’ll feel your allergies get better.

Cut down on your dairy intake.  Up to 70% of the population can’t tolerate dairy well because they’re missing the enzyme lactase, so drinking milk and ingesting dairy makes your immune system work harder, responding worse to pollen

Other tips to control allergies:

When working outside or going through old books, boxes, or dusty basements or attics, wear a protective allergy mask.  You can buy disposable cheap surgical masks or a longer lasting respirator with a high efficiency particular (HEPA) filter. 

Check the daily pollen counts on the morning news, websites, or even new social media apps, and try not to work or play outdoors on days when it’s high.

Wait until 2 or 3 pm to go outside.  Pollen is released from grass in the morning and rises with the heat as the day goes on, so by early afternoon it should be high enough that you won’t be overly exposed.

Rainy days are great for washing away pollens and allergens, so go out to work or play after the rain.

To control symptoms and avoid flare-ups, take allergy medications before you head outdoors, not after.

On bad pollen days, keep car windows shut and set the ventilation to recirculate.

Don’t use humidifiers or vaporizers inside the house.  It won’t help your allergies because increased humidity can lead to more mold and dust mites.

About 1/3 of allergens end up indoors, so install a high efficiency furnace filter, a HEPA air filter, and HEPA filter on your vacuum.  Change them every spring and early summer.

Washing your sheets at least once a week in 140-degree water will kill dust mites.

You probably can’t wash your pillow as easily, but you can freeze it for 12 hours every few weeks, which will also kill those harmful dust mites.

Start early with prevention – your symptoms might not get really bad until April, but by starting in January or February you’ll help prevent the conditions that create bad allergies.  By the time the weather heats up and trees start budding, your body will be conditioned to respond and you’ll be able to keep that fire to a smolder instead of flaring up.

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Do you have any other tips or remedies to help control allergies?  Let us know and we’ll share them!