POLLEN: WHEN SPRING BREEZES BRING THE SNEEZES
Do your symptoms follow a definite seasonal pattern, mushrooming in the spring and subsiding in winter? You could be allergic to pollen - the powdery mass of tiny grains that burst from trees, grasses, weeds and flowers every spring and summer, and that are carried everywhere by the wind (and sometimes by animals).
Not all pollens cause allergy. Pine tree pollen, for instance, doesn't seem to cause allergies, despite the fact that pine trees produce tons of it. Ragweed, on the other hand, produces the most widespread and allergenic pollen in North America. Because trees, grass and weeds produce microscopic pollen that's easily carried off by the wind, their pollen is much more apt to trigger allergies than flower pollen, which is large, sticky and for the most part toted from plant to plant by insects. However, tree and weed pollen can land on flowers - something to keep in mind when bringing cut flowers indoors. (Some people react badly to the mere fragrance of roses and other highly scented flowers.)
While pollen counts are usually higher in the countryside, large cities are not entirely pollen-free - thanks to the wind which can carry pollen hundreds of miles. Generally, however, the seashore and high mountains have the least pollen.
We can't usually see pollen. But those allergic to it are only too aware of nature's seasonal bombardment. Leafy trees like birch, elm, maple and poplar generally pollinate in early spring; grasses in late spring and summer; weeds in late summer.
Pollen is worse on a dry, windy day and better when it rains, since the water washes it away. Pollen levels are highest in late evening and early morning. Staying indoors with your windows closed - especially while you sleep - can help you avoid the worst of it.
Obviously, you can't cut the grass, clear weeds and brush or play in a field during pollen season without stirring up a flurry of it. But there are steps to help you win out against pollen.
• Air conditioning is a natural way to help defend your home against pollen. And buying a car with air conditioning or having it installed will make a drive through the country more bearable.
• During the summer, you should rinse your hair after coming in from playing or working outdoors and before going to bed at night. Otherwise, you could sleep in an air conditioned room and still have severe symptoms from pollen falling into your eyes and nose.
• Pets carry pollen on their fur. Discourage them from coming inside during the pollen season - unless you want to hose them down every night, too.
• Consider replanting a large part of your lawn with a less allergenic (and work-free) ground cover such as myrtle or crown vetch. Interspersed with azaleas, rocks and paths of crushed stone in the graceful style of Japanese gardens, your garden may turn out to be more beautiful than your neighbours' expanses of golf course greenery. At the same time, you'll cut down on the need for the chemical pesticides required to maintain picture-perfect lawns - a big plus for those sensitive to chemicals.
• Ridding the house of dust and moulds year-round will help the allergic person tolerate seasonal exposure to pollen. Again, it's a matter of treating a specific allergy by reducing the total load of related irritants. *36/65/5*
