Grass pollen is one of the major irritants for those who suffer with hay fever. But not to worry, here are 5 things that you can do to survive comfortably during grass pollen season.
Choose Outdoor Time Carefully-Grass pollens are generally higher during early morning hours. Try to enjoy outdoor time after about 10:00 a.m. or after heavy rain when the air is clearer. Avoid excessive time outdoors on dry windy days as huge amounts of airborne pollen can be carried for miles.
Check Pollen Count Daily-The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology has spore and pollen monitoring stations across the United States, Canada, and Argentina. By submitting your email, you can have daily counts delivered to you.
Knowing the pollen count in your area before the day begins allows you to plan your day so you're inside if the count is high, or to be able to enjoy outside if the count is low enough. Local weather is another resource for up-to-the-minute conditions.
Know the Season-Since the arrival of grass pollen is not only seasonal, but is greatly determined by your region, know when the season happens in your area, and be prepared. Use air conditioning rather than window fans, avoid use of the whole house fan that brings in air from the outside, and travel in your car with the windows up and vents to the outside closed.
Rework Your Garden-There are approximately 1,200 species of grass in the United States, but only a very small percentage of them are responsible for triggering pollen allergies. The most common offenders are Bermuda, Johnson, Kentucky bluegrass, Orchard, Sweet vernal grass, and Timothy. Consider sending a plug of your grass to be analyzed by an extension center of your local university.
If you find your lawn is planted with one of the grasses that is most like to trigger your allergies, have someone else mow the lawn, mow the lawn yourself but only when using a HEPA mask, or think about replanting the lawn with one of the other 1,199 species that are available. This obviously won't prevent the wind from spreading the pollen, but at least you won't feel as though you're stepping into a mine field each time you step outside your home during pollen season.
Remove Pollen Indoors with a HEPA Air Purifier-Unfortunately, regardless of how many precautions you take, grass pollen can still get into your home on shoes, pets, clothing, and air currents that are unavoidable when entering or leaving your home.
Using a high efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) air purifier that is specifically designed to remove pollen can virtually eliminate pollen inside your home, and make home a safe haven where you can relax and rejuvenate.
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