Fall Allergies Are Here

Itchy watery eyes, sneezing, runny noses and, the worst culprit of them all, sinus headaches – all signs that Fall is in the air in Austin, TX (literally). Luckily, because of the dry summer, pollen levels have been unusually low. However, because of the dry summer, a certain mold that feeds on dry vegetation has really spiked (watch out asthmatics!). Allergies can really put a damper on outdoor workouts, but fear not Austinites, for those of us suffering the inevitable effects of the season, there is still hope. Over the counter medicines such as Claritin, Allegra or saline sprays can help alleviate many of the symptoms, but if those don’t get the job done one may always visit their doctor or an allergy specialist. Along with medication, there are ways to prevent allergies before they have time to take their toll:

– Try to stay indoors between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. (when pollen levels are the highest). You can track of pollen levels at aaaai.org

– Before turning on your heat for the winter, have your ducts cleaned.

– Use a humidifier to keep air at 30-50% humidity

Another good resource this season is weather.com, where one can check the mold and pollen levels daily and for the next few days. Have allergies been hitting you hard this Fall? Let us know what you do to keep the symptoms at bay @austinfit or on our facebook page.