Natural Relief for Your Colorado Allergies

If the thought of spring has you running for tissue boxes, you are one of more than 50 million people across the United States that suffer from allergies. When you live in Colorado, allergens lurk everywhere, indoors and out. Here are some common Colorado allergies and how to find natural relief from their annoying symptoms.

 

First, let’s look at what causes allergies and why they are so difficult to beat with over-the-counter medications.

 

What Causes Allergies?

Your body’s immune system is designed to fight harmful substances. It removes these substances in many ways, from tearing eyes to sneezes, coughs, and a runny nose. 

 

If you are a Colorado allergy sufferer, you probably find that familiar. Your body finds threats in the form of allergens and wants to clear them out. It doesn’t matter if the allergen is toxic; if your body perceives the trigger as a threat, you have an allergic reaction.

 

The reaction is caused when your body overreacts to its trigger allergens and produces many chemicals, with the key player being histamine. Histamine triggers inflammation, irritates the eyes, and produces mucus to rid the body of the allergen.

 

Allergies can be a nuisance or a life-threatening emergency. Severe allergic reactions are called anaphylaxis and can be deadly. Some of the most common causes of these extreme reactions are

• Bee stings
• Antibiotics 
• Certain foods, such as shellfish
• Tree nuts and peanuts
• Pain medicines

 

Common Colorado Allergies

From the mountains to the Great Plains, Colorado is nothing to sneeze at…unless you have allergies. Here are just a few Colorado allergies you may experience.

 

Grass

From May through August, grass pollen wreaks havoc on allergy sufferers. The drier the air, the more pollen is released.

• Ryegrass: Although ryegrass typically has a short life, it is the most common grass allergy and releases significant amounts of pollen as it flowers.
• Kentucky bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass pollinates from spring through fall, making it a long-term source of Colorado allergies.

 

Trees

Tree pollen is the most common of all Colorado allergies in the spring, plaguing sufferers from late winter through early summer. 

• Oak trees: From February through May, oak trees release pollen that can cause a severe reaction for those allergic to them.
• Elm trees: Elm trees flourish along rivers and in other damp areas throughout Colorado. These pollinate from February through April.
• Juniper: Juniper trees release pollen throughout the colder months, causing allergy symptoms that start from the first cold front and last through winter and into early spring.
• Cottonwood: These fluffy giants pollinate from February through May.
• Aspen: These fast-growing trees release pollen from late winter throughout the middle of spring.

 

Weeds

Weeds aren’t just a nuisance in the garden for people suffering from allergies. They are the primary source of allergens throughout summer and into the fall.

• Sagebrush: Sagebrush season starts in the middle of August and lasts through September.
• Tumbleweed: From late summer through mid-fall, tumbleweed wreaks havoc on allergy sufferers.
• Ragweed: Ragweed is one of the most common Colorado allergies, affecting sufferers from July through early fall. It’s a prolific source of allergens, releasing billions of pollen grains into the air.

 

Other Environmental Allergens

While most allergens occur from trees and plants, don’t forget other environmental contributors:

• Mold lives anywhere it’s damp, including your home’s basement, air conditioning ducts, around faucets, or anywhere there is an active leak, such as ceilings and walls.
• Insects of all kinds can cause allergic reactions, from bee stings to mosquito, ant, and spider bites.
• Home decor that uses natural sources, such as pine wreaths or floral displays, can bring outside allergens into your home.
• Chlorine is a chemical that can cause dermatological allergic reactions if touched and irritate your airways if inhaled. 

 

Why Allergy Medications Aren’t Always a Good Choice

Over-the-counter allergy medications are readily available at any pharmacy. These medications are primarily antihistamines, used to block the flood of histamines released during an allergic reaction. They may not always be a good choice, however, and they frequently have adverse side effects, the most common of which is drowsiness.

 

In addition to sleep-walking through your day, you may find them cost-prohibitive when taken correctly. To be most effective, they should be taken as directed throughout the day rather than as a response to an active allergic reaction.

 

Some allergy medications become less effective when taken for a long time because the body builds resistance. Others, like prescribed corticosteroid inhalers, aren’t good for long-term use.

 

Antihistamines may be risky for those with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and some thyroid conditions.

 

Finding Natural Relief from Colorado Allergies

There are a few ways to find natural relief from your Colorado allergies. Here are a few tips.

• Know the enemy: It’s essential to know all your allergy triggers. Half of all people suffering from allergies have a sensitivity to multiple allergens, so if your allergy symptoms aren’t resolving, chances are pretty high that you have more than one trigger.
• Stay inside on high pollen count days: Listen to your local pollen predictions and stay indoors on days with high pollen forecasts. 
• Shower after being outside: After being exposed to your allergens, shower and change your clothes.
• Protect laundry: If you hang your clothes outside on a line to dry, protect them from air-blown allergens.
• Avoid being outside on windy, dry days: Pollen counts are much higher on dry, windy days. The best time for an allergy sufferer to be outside is immediately after a hard rain.
• Sinus irrigation: Rinsing nasal passages removes mucus and relieves congestion from allergies.
• Close windows: Close your home and car windows tightly to keep allergens out.
• Go out in the afternoon or early evening: Pollen levels are highest in the morning hours.

 

True Life Medicine Knows Colorado Allergies

If your cabinets overflow with antihistamines every spring, try tackling your allergies using a functional medicine approach this year.

 

Functional medicine doesn’t just treat your sneezing and itchy, watery eyes; it uncovers the root causes behind your allergies. True Life Medicine uses any combination of the following to address your allergies:

• Detailed medical history evaluating lifestyle, environment, genetics, diet, and other contributing factors
• Allergy testing
• Elimination diets and allergen-free diet plans
• Supplements to naturally reduce your inflammation
• Immunotherapy
• Seasonal and lifestyle adjustments

 

In Colorado, allergies hide everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you have to be miserable. True Life Medicine helps patients overcome their allergies and get back to doing what they love. Contact True Life Medicine at 719-686-7776.