Allergy season is right around the corner and Co Kildare people are reminded to get prepared
By Kim O'Leary
It's that time of year again with pollen counts on the rise as we enter the Spring and Summer months, and for many Co Kildare people the seasonal changes can stir up the dreaded hayfever and a new report suggests that the seasonal allergies such as hayfever can affect daily activities more than originally thought.
According to research carried out by Scope Healthcare and conducted by Ignite research among 1,000 Irish people, more than 40 percent of Irish people are suffering with allergies and 20 percent of those are suffering with hay fever alone. One in five Irish adults claim to suffer from hay fever, more than one in four say they don’t know how to help their symptoms, and of those that do take medication, there is a lot of confusion as to how best to treat, manage or prevent symptoms.
The majority of people, or 84 percent, said that they do not know what products will help, while the remaining 14 percent claim they have tried everything and one in five people in Ireland have reportedly taken sick days as a result of their allergies; with almost half (46 percent) of respondents believe avoidance is the only way to improve allergies while 17 percent claim that allergies affect their social life;
“Start early, and you can reduce or even prevent symptoms of hay fever,” says Éva Hill-Hamilton, Registered Nutritional Therapist.
Of those that do take medication, there is a lot of confusion as to how best to treat, manage or prevent symptoms. The majority of people,
50 percent of those with allergies class their symptoms as moderate, while one in ten say they experience severe symptoms.
With so many people leaving their symptoms untreated, it is no surprise that allergies are limiting the day-to-day activities for sufferers, with sleep patterns, appetities, socilaizing as well as driving amongst some of the activities that can be affected according to the report.
The best way to tackle hay fever is to balance the two sides of the immune system; supply the body with beneficial bacteria and create an environment for them to colonise and work for our benefit. Many experts are now recommending probiotics to help rebalance gut flora and support a healthy immune system.
Commenting on the findin gs, Eva Hamilton, Registered Nutritional Therapist said:“Hay fever symptoms can be reduced – or even prevented – if good gut health is maintained. Some ways to maintain a healthy gut are by taking a multi-strain live bacteria supplement like Bio-Kult, swapping pro-inflammatory foods like sugars, alcohol and trans-fats with anti-inflammatory essential fats and antioxidants, and introducing gentle herbal teas with anti-histamine properties such as nettle, liquorice or peppermint.
She added: "In addition, certain eye drops, such as Hylo-Dual Eye Spray, form a barrier in front of the eye, preventing pollens to get access, while nasal rinses with saline solutions can remove aggravating trapped allergens. Practice these several times a day during hay fever season. But remember – it is better to work on prevention than struggle with the symptoms.”
Commenting on the findings, Sarah Ussher, Scope Healthcare said: “Looking after your gut will not only help to prevent your hay fever symptoms but it will also improve your overall digestion and energy levels. 70% of the immune system is located in the gut so looking after it should be a priority for everyone.Bio-Kult offers a full range of multi-strain live bacteria supplements. There are four to choose from, including one for infants. It is recommended to begin taking the supplement a month before the pollen count gets to its highest and in Ireland that begins in May.”
To find out more about Scope Healthcare’s Bio-Kult products visit: www.scopehealthcare.ie