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Medical expert’s unusual tip to keep hay fever at bay this summer
The creative tip suggests that Vaseline could be the secret weapon you need to keep hay fever from ruining your outdoor time over the next few months.
If you love to spend every minute you can outside during the summer, but are constantly plagued by hay fever – don’t give up just yet. We still have a whole summer ahead of us, so we’ve noted down a few helpful suggestions to keep hay fever from ruining your exercise and relaxation this year, including an inventive tip from a healthcare expert.
Expert points out potentially game-changing hay fever Vaseline tip
Every year, without fail, scores of people who would otherwise spend every waking minute outdoors enjoying the sunshine have their summers ruined by hay fever. As purveyors of consistently solid lifestyle advice, we decided to reach out to our resident healthcare expert, Dr. Hana Patel, to see if she had any tips for not letting the common allergy ruin your fun.
Discussing the top hay fever tip you may not already be aware of, Patel, who is an NHS GP and GP Medico-Legal Expert Witness, had a rather surprising one-word answer – Vaseline.
“For extreme hayfever symptoms, I advise patients to put petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) around the nostrils,” explained Patel, a move she claims will help to “trap pollen”.
By rubbing a layer of Vaseline, or any other brand of petroleum jelly for that matter, the pollen will be prevented from entering your nasal passages – thus ensuring your sinuses will remain unbothered, leaving you sneeze-free. Who knew?
Further tips for outdoor types avoiding hay fever
On top of her jelly tip, Patel had advised adding some protective accessories to your summer outfits: “You might also want to wear wraparound sunglasses, a mask or a wide-brimmed hat to stop pollen getting into your nose and eyes.”
“Finally,” the health advisor added, “to reduce your exposure to ongoing pollen once you are at home, you might want to shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off.”
According to the fitness experts at Mirafit, all of whom know a thing or two about exercising outside during allergy season, there is a home remedy one can use to treat irritating hayfever symptoms.
With just three components involved, here’s how to make their at-home nasal solution:
- Start by boiling one liter of water for five or more minutes to make sure it is sterile.
- Once completed, add two teaspoons of non-iodized salt (around 1/3 oz) and one tablespoon (1/5 oz) of baking soda.
- Stir the salt and the baking soda into the water until they have dissolved.
- Once dissolved, allow your liquid to cool to room temperature, before inserting a small amount into your nasal cavity using a nasal syringe, which you can buy over the counter from a pharmacy.
The worst affected areas this summer
If you’re trying to plan a vacation or a trip to see friends this summer, here’s a handy guide of places you may want to avoid if you think hay fever may ruin your vacation.
According to research led by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, of the top 100 cities in the country, these are the top 10 worst places to live if you are affected by seasonal allergies:
- Wichita, Kansas
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Dallas, Texas
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Richmond, Virginia
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Fayetteville, Arkansas
