Summer is here, and the pollen is high. We know lots of people who have been suffering from the unusual amount of pollen in the air, so we decided to offer you some natural relief from your hay fever.
We have lots of acupressure points in the face, and with the sinuses often feeling like they are incredibly blocked, the facial massage routine below will give some relief.
You will also be delighted to learn that regularly doing this routine will help act as a natural facelift!
You should also know that you should not do this routine if you are pregnant.
Points 1-4 run across the back of your head, called the occipital ridge (find the bony bit where your head meets your neck). Use your thumb or fingers to massage along the ridge.
Then all you need to do next is follow points 5 – 20 in order (don’t worry too much if you don’t go in the specific order; just doing it is excellent!)
If you are doing this at home, apply some oil, like olive oil, almond oil,or whatever else you have handy, and enjoy the treatment. If you are doing this at work, we recommend not applying any oil, especially if you have a meeting to go to—a shiny face is not good!
We have found it ideal to help clear blocked sinuses and stuffy heads.
A recent report, based on a survey of more than 2,000 people with hay fever, found that lifestyle factors, such as stress and exercise, can majorly impact hay fever. The NHS guidelines recommend the following.
Follow these tips to stop the sneezing.
1. Calm down
Try to reduce your stress levels. The survey showed a clear link between stress and the severity of hay fever symptoms. Almost seven out of ten stressed-out hay fever sufferers rate their symptoms as unbearable or debilitating. As stress levels drop, symptoms become milder. For more information, read about stress management.
2. Exercise more
Regular exercise can improve your hay fever. The survey found that people with hay fever who exercise most have the mildest symptoms. Exercise will help reduce your stress levels, too.
Aim to do 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week, such as cycling and fast walking. However, it’s best to avoid exercising outdoors during hay fever season when the pollen count is high. This is generally first thing in the morning and early evening. Instead, exercise in the late morning or afternoon when pollen counts are the lowest. If pollen counts are high, try indoor exercise, for example, at your local gym or swimming pool.
For more information and practical advice on exercise, read about getting fit.
3. Eat well
The survey suggests that people with hay fever who eat a healthy diet are less likely to get severe symptoms.
Eat a varied, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, but be aware that some healthy foods can make hay fever symptoms worse. These include apples, tomatoes, stoned fruits, melons, bananas, and celery.
For more tips and information, read about eating healthily.
4. Cut down on alcohol
Watch how much you drink at your summer picnics! Alcohol worsens hay fever. Beer, wine and other spirits contain histamine, the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in your body. As well as making you more sensitive to pollen, alcohol also dehydrates you, making your symptoms seem worse.
For more advice on how to cut down on your drinking, read these articles about alcohol.
5. Sleep well
Try to avoid too many late nights during the hay fever season. The survey found that people with hay fever who get a good night’s sleep tend to have the mildest symptoms. Just one in eight (13%) people who had at least seven hours of sleep a night reported severe symptoms, compared with one in five (21%) who regularly had five hours of sleep or less a night.
To help get a good night’s sleep, read about sleeping better.
Read about treating hay fever.
We hope that this helps!!