How an Allergist in Colorado Springs Can Make You Love Spring Again

While everyone else is throwing their windows open to welcome spring, you’re slamming yours shut to avoid pollen. Welcome to allergy season, a rollercoaster ride affecting an estimated one out of every six Americans. Here are a few allergy facts you may not know, ways to find allergy relief this season, and an explanation of how an allergist in Colorado Springs will help you get back outside.

Did You Know?

You think you know your allergies, but here are a few things you may not know:

• Allergies are considered a chronic disease alongside conditions like IBS, diabetes, and heart disease. 
• Allergies are number six of the most common chronic diseases in the United States.
• Allergies affect over 50 million people in the US, including 30% of adults and 40% of children.
• Colorado is in the top ten best states to live for those affected by seasonal allergies. 
• Research shows that allergy season starts earlier, lasts longer, and produces more pollen now than it did in the 1990s.
• Having allergies to pollen, grasses, and certain trees can also cause food allergies.
• Seasonal allergies cost sufferers an estimated $16,000 throughout their lives.
• Genetics plays a huge role in developing allergies.
• Ragweed pollen can travel hundreds of miles from the source, has been found two miles up in the air, and has even been found in the ocean.
• Colorado’s allergy season starts in February and lasts through October, peaking between April and September.
• In Colorado the most common spring allergies are related to elm, juniper, cottonwood, cedar, and scrub oak pollen.
• Severe seasonal allergies can increase your odds of being involved in an automobile accident and cause irritability, fatigue, memory issues, and a loss of productivity.
• Severe symptoms can cause the sufferer to miss up to 32 hours of work per week during allergy season.
• People with allergies to pollen frequently have other allergies, such as mold or pet dander.
• While spring is the most common season, some people suffer from allergies throughout the year.
• While common allergy signs include sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose, other symptoms, including cough, sore throat, and rashes, can also occur.

For some, allergy season is a nuisance. For others, it’s a debilitating time that affects health and relationships in many ways. Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, finding an allergist in Colorado Springs is the key to a happier, healthier spring.

Do You Need an Allergist in Colorado Springs?

While some people experience mild allergy symptoms, others are severely affected. Over-the-counter relief and moderate lifestyle changes are enough for those with mild allergies to power through the season. For those with severe symptoms, allergies can limit daily activities and decrease quality of life. 

An allergist in Colorado Springs can help all allergy sufferers, whether your symptoms are mild or more severe.

How Does Functional Medicine Help Allergy Sufferers?

An allergist is a practitioner who specializes in diagnosing and treating allergic diseases. Functional medicine doctors approach allergies with a combination of cutting-edge diagnostic testing and a holistic view to uncover allergens and create therapies and wellness plans to mitigate their effects on the body.

Functional medicine doctors are uniquely qualified to recognize that allergies are not stand-alone conditions but the result of multiple imbalances within the body. This understanding helps them treat their patients’ allergies on a deeper level than traditional medicine can.

It’s important to realize that the common symptoms of an allergy, such as sneezing and a runny nose, are the body’s natural defense system to remove unwanted invaders, in this case, allergens. Allergy symptoms occur when this defense system has an over-the-top reaction to the invading allergens. An allergist in Colorado Springs will use effective therapies that involve identifying allergens and minimizing your immune system’s response.

Your Gut Health and Allergies

Around ¾ of your body’s immune system is in your gut. Any imbalances in the gut will have a direct impact on your body’s ability to recognize harmful pathogens and respond appropriately.

This surprising connection is at the foundation of the functional medicine approach of an allergist in Colorado Springs. Restoring your gut balance is a crucial step in relieving your allergy symptoms.

Find Allergy Relief This Spring

Now that you understand why restoring gut health is essential for relieving your allergy symptoms, here are a few ways to do it naturally. 

• Reduce stress: Chronic stress causes many harmful effects in your body, most notably in your gut. 
• Increase exercise: Increasing your exercise encourages the gut to produce beneficial bacteria that can restore balance and help the immune system function properly.
• Eat healthy: Increase your fiber intake with fruits, vegetables, and grains. 
• Prebiotics and probiotics: Prebiotics occur naturally in the foods we eat, such as yogurt, while probiotics are supplements that encourage the production of beneficial gut bacteria. Increasing both prebiotics and probiotics helps restore your gut’s balance.
• Limit alcohol: Alcohol negatively affects your gut’s microbiome and inflames the intestines, causing inflammation, heartburn, infections, and other signs of gut imbalances.

Finding relief for allergies includes a few lifestyle modifications as well. Here are a few ways to minimize exposure to pesky allergens.

• Wash clothing and bedding often: Allergens can sneak into your home on your clothing and stick to your bedding, furniture, and carpets. Make sure to wash your clothes and take a shower after being outdoors.
• Shut allergens out: Keeping your windows and doors closed keeps allergens outside where they belong. If you use an HVAC system to cool your home, clean or change the filters frequently.
• Use air purifiers: Invest in an air purifier to help remove allergens from the air in your home.
• Limit your outdoor time: If you must be outside, aim for the morning or evening hours when pollen levels are at their lowest.
• Seek an allergist in Colorado Springs: The best option for those suffering from allergies is to seek treatment from an allergist in Colorado Springs. These professionals understand the unique allergens that affect Coloradans and can provide treatment plans to help you navigate your allergies this season.

If you’re tired of being locked indoors, it’s time to find help. Every year True Life Medicine treats allergy sufferers and helps get them back outside again. Imagine being at your child’s soccer game, taking a hike, or just sitting on your porch on a warm spring day. With True Life Medicine’s allergists in Colorado Springs, relief is just a phone call away. Contact us today!