Tell hayfever to get stuffed

THE longer evenings and emerging colourful displays in flowerbeds are a welcome change after the dark and gloomy winter, but for hayfever sufferers it means a battle with bouts of sneezing, a congested nose and runny eyes. Hayfever is an allergic reaction to pollen and spores, microscopic grains present in plants, trees and grasses for fertilisation, which result in the common cold-like symptoms in summer time. An excess of mucus production can lead to coughing, watering and sensitive eyes and a runny nose. In some, the eyes, nose and throat can develop an itch, while others find dark circles appear beneath their eyes, due to an increased flow of blood near the sinuses. Hayfever sufferers can take action with the help of A. Vogel herbal remedies at the beginning of the summer, which will build up their body's immune system. A. Vogel's Luffa Complex is a natural herbal remedy that desensitises the irritation and reduces the inflammation of hayfever. Luffa Complex comes in tablet, tincture and nasal spray form, and the spray is particularly effective in offering quick relief from blocked, runny and itchy noses, without constricting the blood vessels in the nasal passage. Some experts believe that allergies are triggered when the immune system is continually overloaded, which can be exacerbated by stress. A. Vogel's Echinaforce is a herbal remedy that helps maintain the body's resistance by supporting the immune system and is a traditional herbal remedy for the symptomatic relief of colds, influenza-type infections and similar upper respiratory tract infections. Allergy sufferers should try to include natural anti-histamines and anti-inflammatories in their diet, like Vitamin C, tumeric and a B vitamin complex. Steam vacuuming furniture and carpets to remove any lingering allergens may also help. Meanwhile a survey carried out on behalf of Prevalin, another natural nasal spray for hayfever, has found that hayfever affects the daily lives of 80 per cent of sufferers in the Connacht-Ulster region. About a quarter of sufferers take time off work while 60 per cent experience sleep deprivation because of their allergies. Over two thirds of respondents in Connacht-Ulster admitted that they experienced a lack of concentration in the workplace due to symptoms, and a quarter have taken time off work. Prevalin is a nasal spray, which is a gel at rest and a fluid when shaken. When administered at the first sign of an itch, tickle, watery eye or sneeze, the formula extinguishes any inhaled pollen already in the nose, forms a fine micro-gel barrier preventing future allergens irritating the nasal mucosa and stimulates clearance of the allergens within the nose.