Allergy season is officially upon us in Las Vegas, NV. Known as one of the worst cities in the nation for allergies because of the number of non-native plants brought in to add beauty to the landscape, Las Vegas citizens suffer allergies at an outrageously high rate. Although there is no way to completely escape the effects of seasonal allergies, there are some practical measures you can take to combat symptoms.

1. Determine whether or not your symptoms are really allergies. When you find yourself coughing and sneezing, realize that it could be more serious than just allergies. At the first sign of watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, or wheezing, it is best to visit your family doctor. It could be a cold or the flu. It’s best to monitor your symptoms and not shrug something off as allergies.

2. Change clothes as soon as you get home. Pollen is one of the biggest allergen offenders. Since pollen falls from trees and flowers, it can often get stuck on your clothes and shoes. The best thing to do is to change clothing as soon as you get home, that way the allergens can’t spread to other parts of your house, Don’t just put them in the hamper, wash them right away. Also, you may want to leave your shoes in the garage or outside to prevent you from tracking them inside.

3. Keep windows and doors closed. Allergens mostly live outside, falling from trees, plants, and flowers. Allergy season takes place in some of the most mild months, March through June, when people like to open up their house to get a nice breeze; because of this people let the allergens into their house without realizing it. Despite the cool breeze that spring can offer you, it is best to keep all windows and doors shut to keep out these bothersome allergens.

4. Watch what you eat. While a healthy diet is always a good idea, some foods are better than others during allergy season. Hot tea can help to soothe scratchy throats. In addition, adding local honey to cereal, coffee, or oatmeal can help the body’s immune system to build up a tolerance to local pollen allergies.  

5. Drink plenty of water. Allergies trigger the production of histamine in your body. Staying hydrated through drinking plenty of water helps to prevent a high histamine production in your body. Drinking water, like eating healthy, is a good habit to have to prevent allergies and maintain a healthy body. By drinking water on a regular basis it will assist in alleviating allergy symptoms and provide a bit of relief. 

6. Don’t let pets sleep with you. While some people are allergic to dogs or cats, even those who are not may suffer from seasonal allergies. Dogs and cats are typically allowed outside for lengthy periods of time each day. Their thick fur picks up the allergies in the air, which are brought inside to your home. Bathe your animals regularly and do not allow them on your soft surfaces. This will reduce allergen transfer and keep everyone safe from an allergy attack.

7. Exercise later in the day. Flowers typically bloom in the morning, and bees as well as hummingbirds pollinate all day. Therefore, allergens and pollen fill the air at a higher concentration during the day and less so at night. If you must exercise outside, do your jogging, walking, and training after the sun goes down.

8. Keep things clean. There’s a reason why “Spring Cleaning” is a tradition. Pollen and allergens settle on and under furniture, in bed-sheets, and generally around the home. Washing linens, doing a deep cleaning where furniture is moved and dusted underneath, and things are taken off of shelves and cleaned is a great way to remove allergens. 

9. Air conditioning is your friend. Because pollen and allergens live outside, it is best to stay indoors whenever possible. Turn on the air conditioning in your home and in your car. Just don’t forget to change the air-filters at least once a month to rid your house and car of those pesky allergens. It’s important to check these filters regulatory, households with pets and kids should check every week to make sure the filter doesn’t need a change; the more bodies in a house, the more quickly the filter is likely to need a change.

10. See your local pharmacist. Sometimes these tips just won’t do the job. If you’ve tried everything in your power to relieve the symptoms of allergies and you still are sneezing, have watery eyes, a cough, and hayfever, it’s time to see your local pharmacist. Over the counter medicines that are called “antihistamines” are likely what the pharmacist will suggest.

Enjoy this weather the next few months and remember these tips to combat those annoying allergies.