CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote: “Achoo!”  It’s that Time of Year AGAIN! Check Out These Tips for Allergy Sufferers. 

Achoo! Bless You.  Ugggh….Itchy eyes. Twitchy nose. Uh oh! Yep, it’s that time of year AGAIN. Check out these tips for allergy sufferers. Seasonal allergies: You’ve got to nip them in the bud. Relieve seasonal allergies with these tried-and-true techniques.

Spring means flower buds and blooming trees, and if you’re one of the millions of people with seasonal allergies, it also means sneezing, congestion, a runny nose and other bothersome symptoms. Seasonal allergies—also called hay fever and allergic rhinitis—can make you miserable. But before you settle for plastic flowers and artificial turf, try these simple strategies to keep seasonal allergies under control.

Reduce your exposure to allergy triggers

• Stay indoors on dry, windy days. The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
• Avoid lawn mowing, weed pulling, and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.
• Remove clothes you’ve worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.
• Don’t hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
• Wear a face mask if you do outside chores.

Take extra steps when pollen counts are high

• Seasonal allergy signs and symptoms can flare up when there’s a lot of pollen in the air. These steps can help you reduce your exposure:
• Check your local TV or radio station, local newspaper, or the internet for pollen forecasts and current pollen levels.
• If high pollen counts are forecasted, take allergy medications before your symptoms start.
• Close doors and windows at night if possible or any other time when pollen counts are high.
• Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest.

Keep indoor air clean

There’s no miracle product that can eliminate all allergens from the air in your home, but these suggestions may help:

• Use air conditioning in your house and car.
• If your house has forced air heating or air conditioning, use high-efficiency filters and follow regular maintenance schedules.
• Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier.
• Use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom.
• Clean floors often with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter.

For more allergy tips, revisit CommonHealth’s Breathe Well campaign booklet.

For questions regarding this week’s communication or the CommonHealth program, please reach out to your respective campus coordinator below: 

• Alexandria – KathyClement  (KClement@nvcc.edu) or Najeeb Baha (NBaha@nvcc.edu)
• Annandale – Matthew “Tank” McCarl (mmccarl@nvcc.edu)
• College Staff – Cecil “C.J.” Jackson (CeciJackson@nvcc.edu)
• Fairfax – Dahlia Henry-Tett (employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu)
• Loudoun – Tammy Wagner (TWagner@nvcc.edu)
• Manassas – ThuyTien Ngo-Nguyen (TNgoNguyen@nvcc.edu)
• Medical Education Campus (Springfield) – Beverly Tsikata (btsikata@nvcc.edu)
• Woodbridge – Amira Alexander (AAlexander@nvcc.edu)

Submitted by:
Dahlia Henry-Tett, HR-Chief Wellness Officer (CWO). employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu