By Gemma Delaney

Hayfever can become a problematic roadblock in your fitness journey during summer, causing various disruptions from affecting your focus to hampering your energy levels. The good news? Herbal specialists assure us that these seasonal allergies are manageable and your outdoor workouts can continue undeterred.

Understanding Your Hayfever

You may experience hayfever due to allergenic substances such as tree, grass or weed pollen, or even mould and fungus spores. These substances trigger your immune system to mistakenly consider pollen harmful, leading to unpleasant reactions. The body’s response includes chemicals like histamine which cause symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes and itchy skin.

“While it’s challenging to cure an allergic reaction once it’s developed, putting measures in place to reduce symptom severity and calming the immune system to prevent severe reactions, is possible,” assures Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen, an acclaimed US-based medical expert.

For most people, the first line of attack against allergies includes a combination of avoiding known allergenic triggers, taking necessary precautions, and using non-prescription medication. If despite all these interventions your allergies persist, consult a doctor or allergist for allergy tests and identification of your triggers. Surefire solutions like allergy shots, which slowly reduce the immune reaction causing symptoms, are also available.

Managing Hayfever While Sticking to Your Fitness Goals

Anticipating and pre-empting your allergic reactions is crucial for maintaining an undisturbed fitness routine. For instance, a comprehensive warm-up can significantly minimize allergy symptoms. Additionally, when planning outdoor workouts during high pollen seasons, consider your specific health conditions like asthma which may worsen due to pollen. You may need to adjust your fitness plan to include resistance training and medium-intensity burst training, allowing for recovery after periods of intensive exertion.

Steps to Ease Hayfever Symptoms During Summer Workouts

1. Identify Your Hayfever Triggers: Knowing the timing of the pollen season for plants you’re allergic can help you build an effective management strategy. Knowledge of your triggers also assists in identifying any related sensitivities.
2. Check Peak Pollen Count Times: Tailor your outdoor workout routine to avoid peak pollen times. In cities, pollen levels tend to peak around midday due to wind carrying pollen into the city.
3. Give Water-Based Workouts a Shot: On higher pollen count days, consider exchanges your workout in a park or woodland for water-based exercises. Alternatively, an indoor swimming pool provides humidity which dispels allergens and offers easier breathability.
4. Minimize Exposure to Allergens: Wear caps or sunglasses and tie your hair back to avoid pollen getting into your eyes. Always wash your workout gear immediately after workouts and keep indoors to dry. Also, try to clear your sinuses and ease breathing by taking a hot, steamy shower post-workout.
5. Adopt a Detoxifying Diet: A detoxifying diet with antioxidant-rich foods can boost your immunity and gut health to mitigate hayfever symptoms. Alcohol may worsen symptoms, so it’s better to avoid drinking whenever possible.

Keep these expert tips close at hand to counteract the troublesome allergies and enjoy an active, vibrant summer without a hitch. Get your fitness back on track and don’t let anything, not even hayfever, hold you back!

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