HUMAN NATURE

Pollen, dust, grass... Spring may be in the air, but so are allergens! We chat to an allergy expert about how to hold off the seasonal allergies and treat them more holistically.

- BY AMY LEHNER

It seems as if the cold and flu season has just ended and our respiratory systems are already under attack again!

For many people, spring brings with it the sniffling, sneezing and scratchy eyes, characteristics of hay fever (more correctly known as allergic rhinitis).

Hay fever is an allergic reaction in which our systems release antibodies. It works in a similar way to food allergies, but it is fortunately more likely to be annoying than seriously dangerous (unless you happen to have severe asthma or other respiratory ailments). It can be caused all year round by dust mites, pet dander and mould spores, but it's particularly prevalent at this time of year, as plants go into overdrive releasing pollen.

STOP SNEEZING