5 ways to deal with spring allergies in DC

Along with staying inside, it is important to keep the windows closed. This includes riding in a car. Keeping the windows and doors closed is the best way to keep the allergens out of the home and to keep breathing freely. This is hard to do, especially after a long winter, because the temptations to enjoy the fresh warm air are great. One deep breath of pollen-filled air on the back porch can serve as a reminder of why it is so important to keep the windows and doors closed though.The allergens are outside in the air, so it only makes sense that allergy sufferers stay inside when the allergen levels are high. Many internet sites that show the local weather also show the allergy levels, especially in the DC area where this is such a problem. On those days where the allergens are out in force, stay inside as much as possible. Those of us who train MMA have it a little easier in this regard, as almost all MMA training is done indoors. Avoiding allergies is a great excuse for going to train!Sinus rinses are a great way to flush allergens from the nasal cavity. Bear in mind that fitness enthusiasts can benefit from a sinus rinse year-round, not just during allergy season. Anyone who trains MMA, for example, would be doing themselves a great service by doing a sinus rinse prior to training. A sinus rinse means literally running a course of water through one side of the nasal cavity so that it comes out the other side. There are different instruments that are used for sinus rinses, from squeeze bottles to “Neti” pots, which are very common in India, where sinus rinses are performed as a part of the daily hygiene routine. To perform a sinus rinse, use lukewarm water and a dash of salt in the instrument. Keep your mouth open to breathe and hold your head to the side so that the water flows down naturally. Run the water through one side and then the other. It will seem a little difficult at first, but the rewards of sinus rinses make it well worth the effort.View the list »
Cherry Blossom 10-miler

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After a seemingly endless winter, spring hit Washington, DC with a beautiful day on April 7, 2013 that saw the kickoff of Cherry Blossom season with running of the annual Cherry Blossom 10-miler. The Cherry Blossoms are a dazzling sight and annually bring thousands of visitors to the National Mall. Unfortunately, spring in DC also means the start of another allergy season, which afflicts untold numbers of residents in this area. Trees, grasses and weeds all add pollen to the air and mold can affect allergies when rain washes the pollen away. The tree pollen can be so bad that the cars all seem to turn green from a coating of pollen. Allergy season is especially hard on the fitness-minded, where breathing freely is vital to training. These seasonal allergies can cause everything from sneezing to itchy eyes to sore throats and make sufferers miserable. Allergies here can be so bad that many people move away from the area to avoid the allergies. Thankfully, there are steps that anyone can take to help minimize the damage that allergies can cause. Here are five steps that anyone can take to help minimize the effect of the allergies.

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  • Sinus rinses are a great way to flush allergens from the nasal cavity. Bear in mind that fitness enthusiasts can benefit from a sinus rinse year-round, not just during allergy season. Anyone who trains MMA, for example, would be doing themselves a great service by doing a sinus rinse prior to training. A sinus rinse means literally running a course of water through one side of the nasal cavity so that it comes out the other side. There are different instruments that are used for sinus rinses, from squeeze bottles to “Neti” pots, which are very common in India, where sinus rinses are performed as a part of the daily hygiene routine. To perform a sinus rinse, use lukewarm water and a dash of salt in the instrument. Keep your mouth open to breathe and hold your head to the side so that the water flows down naturally. Run the water through one side and then the other. It will seem a little difficult at first, but the rewards of sinus rinses make it well worth the effort.
  • The allergens are outside in the air, so it only makes sense that allergy sufferers stay inside when the allergen levels are high. Many internet sites that show the local weather also show the allergy levels, especially in the DC area where this is such a problem. On those days where the allergens are out in force, stay inside as much as possible. Those of us who train MMA have it a little easier in this regard, as almost all MMA training is done indoors. Avoiding allergies is a great excuse for going to train!
  • Along with staying inside, it is important to keep the windows closed. This includes riding in a car. Keeping the windows and doors closed is the best way to keep the allergens out of the home and to keep breathing freely. This is hard to do, especially after a long winter, because the temptations to enjoy the fresh warm air are great. One deep breath of pollen-filled air on the back porch can serve as a reminder of why it is so important to keep the windows and doors closed though.
  • If you have to be outside, be prepared. Keep an antihistamine on your person wherever you go. If you feel an allergy attack happening, take a dose. Over-the-counter medications like these may be enough for many people. If not, then a prescribed allergy medicine may be necessary to keep allergy symptoms at bay.
  • If you do all these things but nothing seems to work, then get tested. There are many doctors in the area that can run you through a basic test to see what allergens affect you and prescribe the right medication to ward off the symptoms. Unfortunately for many DC-area residents, the allergens are so bad that one allergen may not be a problem. It may be that your system is affected by the combination of so many allergens hitting you at once. If that is the case for you, at least the test will provide the answer and the doctor will be able to prescribe a strong medication that should ease your symptoms and get you back to your favorite fitness activities.
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, DC MMA Fitness Examiner

Jay has a Bachelor of Arts in English from West Virginia University and a Master of Arts in adult education from the University of Rhode Island. He is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist (CFNS). Jay has put his...

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