Spring is coming, pollen is in the air, and hay fever symptoms are reappearing. For some people, hay fever symptoms can already start in December. This is due to our mild winters.
What is hay fever?
It is a seasonal allergy of your mucous membranes. Everything from your mouth to your bottom (digestive tract) consists of mucous membranes. These mucous membranes become irritated or overactive, which takes a lot of energy for your body. Hay fever involves an overactive immune system, leading to histamine secretion via the nasal and eye mucous membranes.
Typical hay fever symptoms include:
- Sniffles
- Watery eyes
- Itching
- Sneezing
- Coughing
The immune system responds with an allergic reaction to substances that are not normally 'foreign' to the body, triggering a reaction. This releases histamine. This is normally an essential substance found in our bodies but also in food.
But why are more and more people suffering from hay fever?
Approximately 3 million Dutch people suffer from hay fever. Every year, more people are added to this number. This may be because the immune system is increasingly (over)active. However, our gut health also plays an important role; 80% of our immune system is found in our gut, so the better your gut health, the better your immune system can function. The gut can become imbalanced due to, among other things:
- Processed food/unhealthy diet
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Stress
- Antibiotic use
- Medication
It is therefore essential to take good care of your gut. You can read more about this in this blog.
In addition, supplements can support you during this period. It is important that a therapist takes a look with you. This can be done via online or telephone supplement advice.
