It’s summer again and for many people that means only one thing: hay fever. Coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, burning eyes and stuffiness. It’s all part of it. As many as one in four Dutch people suffers from it to a greater or lesser extent. No wonder there are so many home-garden-and-kitchen tricks against hay fever. NEMO lists five well-known home remedies. What works and what doesn’t?
Many people underestimate the seriousness of hay fever, according to internist-allergist Oud Elberink.
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But first: what exactly is hay fever? Hay fever is an allergy to pollen grains, says biologist and hay fever expert Arnold van Vliet of Wageningen University. “This pollen contains harmless proteins to which the immune system overreacts.” If you are allergic and come into contact with pollen, this leads to a reaction of the mast cells. These are white blood cells that are mainly found in the mucous membranes. They play an important role in the immune system and ensure that the pro-inflammatory substances histamine, leukotrienes and interleukins are released. The most famous consequences: itching, burning eyes, a lot of sniffling and respiratory problems.
Many people underestimate the seriousness of hay fever, according to internist-allergist Hanneke Oude Elberink of the University of Groningen. “Severe complaints often lead to sleeping and concentration problems. Hay fever can even cause learning disabilities in children.” Do you experience hay fever nuisance at work, school or in your social life? Do not hesitate to contact your doctor. Oude Elberink: “Good drug advice and use can make a world of difference.”
1 – Kissing a game
During a kiss, all kinds of substances are released, such as the happiness hormones endorphins and dopamine. According to Japanese researchers this could reduce the production of histamine, a protein involved in triggering allergic reactions. That is why the researchers had couples kiss each other for half an hour in 2006 and then measured the amount of antibodies in the blood. The Japanese concluded from this that kissing does indeed help against hay fever, but Dutch experts are sceptical. For example, professor of immunology Huub Savelkoul explains in a interview met nu.nl that the design of the study is too small-scale. The onset and reduction of hay fever is also a gradual process. This makes it unlikely that half an hour of kissing will have any real effect, he says.
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2 – Eat honey
Eating a tablespoon of local honey every day is a well-known trick. The idea is that bees come into frequent contact with pollen and that some of it ends up in the honey. By constantly exposing yourself to a small amount of pollen, with the help of the honey, you would build up resistance. According to the Wageningen University website it seems that eating local honey works to some degree. You just have to be lucky with the type of pollen in the honey. Most people are allergic to pollen grains from grasses and trees, while bees mainly visit plants with beautiful flowers. These generally do not produce pollen that causes allergic reactions.
Why is the hay fever season getting longer?
The period in which people with hay fever can breathe calmly, without pollen, is becoming shorter and shorter. According to biologist Arnold van Vliet, the hay fever season now starts in December and continues until October. “The main cause is climate change. Because it is getting warmer, the flowering season starts earlier,” he explains. In addition, new plant species regularly appear in the Netherlands that can cause hay fever, for example the Alsemambrosia, which originates from North America. Van Vliet: “This plant is doing better and better here due to the rising temperature. The problem is that many people are allergic to it and that ragweed also extends the hay fever season. The plant only blooms in September or October.”
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Woodlice would contain the same allergenic proteins as pollen grains.
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3 – Eating a Woodlouse
Eating a live woodlice daily would help against hay fever. Why? Woodlice contains the same allergenic proteins as pollen grains. Exposing yourself to this every day could build up resistance to pollen allergens. The big question is whether woodlice actually contain the same allergens. There is no proof whatsoever for this. Allergist Hanneke Oude Elberink does not want to mince words: “This is another typical hay fever trend. Every year a new nonsensical ‘miracle cure’ pops up.”
4 – Wash your hair every day
A simple trick to reduce hay fever symptoms is to wash your hair. How come? When you go outside, pollen gets stuck in your clothes and hair. When you go to bed at night, this pollen ends up on your pillowcase. This is not good for your night’s sleep and it can make hay fever symptoms worse in the long term. Because: the more you come into contact with pollen, the more violently you react to it. Therefore recommend doctors of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) wash your hair before going to bed. It also helps to change clothes outside the bedroom and to wash your worn clothes as soon as possible.
Why are more and more people suffering from hay fever?
The number of people with hay fever is increasing, especially in affluent countries. According to allergist Oude Elberink, this is due to our Western lifestyle. “Probably the cause is a combination of several factors, including diet. For example, we started eating more sugars and saturated fats,” she says. At the same time, we consume less fiber, which is very important for the healthy bacteria in our body. Out research shows that the composition of the type of bacteria in our intestines contributes to the development of allergies or not. People who have to use a lot of antibiotics are therefore more likely to suffer from hay fever. The environment also plays a role, in particular air quality. Oude Elberink: “High concentrations of particulate matter irritate the airways and make them more sensitive.”
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5 – Smear Vaseline around your nose
As a hay fever patient, you naturally want to ingest as little pollen as possible. How? For example, by smearing Vaseline around your nostrils. This prevents pollen grains from getting into your nose. The idea is that they stick neatly to the outside and don’t irritate the mucous membranes. Does this work? Not according to Oude Elberink: “Vaseline does not last long, so there is little point in applying it.” You can prevent a lot of pollen from ending up in your eyes by wearing sunglasses. Oude Elberink: “In my opinion, this is one of the few home remedies that really works.”
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