Hay Fever

[Mitra]

This is a minor success :D . For reasons that aren't at all obvious, I don't seem to be suffering anywhere near as much this year :cool: . I'm sneezing a bit, and occasionally getting runny or itchy eyes for a few minutes, but it's at a tolerable level without taking any antihistamines, for the first time in several years. I wish I knew what was making the difference, so I can be sure to keep on doing it :rolleyes: . The pollen readings are now up to "very high" so I don't think it's the lack of pollen.

[Shadow]

Wow, Mitra, that's great news :D!!! I'm sure if anyone can narrow down the difference between this year and previous years, it's you ;).

[Mitra]

Rats, I knew there was a reason I should have carried on weighing and measuring every mouthful :lol:.

[Gaelen]

How about the work you recently had done in the basement? Might that have cleared up any in-house air quality issues that were putting you into an inflammed state, which would then make it easier for you to cope with seasonal challenges?

[Mitra]

We had the work done in the basement - which a couple of years ago flooded when it was full of cardboard boxes and went mouldy, and I know I'm allergic to some kinds of mould, so that definitely could have helped (although what I'm calling the basement is actually separated from the house by a small passageway, not directly connected, and (as you can imagine) when it was damp and horrible I didn't go in there much.

I've also had my infected root canal fixed, which may have cleared up a source of low-level inflammation.

I haven't made any changes to my diet or exercise that I know about, but I do tinker with supps from time to time, and my exercise was at a very low level in the early part of last year because of my lower back problems.

Also, allergies do seem to have a hormonal component, and my hormones are shifting about a bit these days. I never had hay fever until adolescence, so maybe it will go away again after the menopause ;). Oh well, I can hope :D.

Who knows if it's any or all of the above? But I'll take it, anyway :D.

[Billie]

Well now that your allergies are cleared you can come to visit Illinois where I guarantee you will have to find a new treatment program! :D

Glad to hear it though Janet, they are just nusances those allergies!

[Mitra]

My BIL has just accepted a new job - apparently he'll be leaving Illinois, and moving to Wisconsin. Not as big a move as his previous one, but it looks as if I won't be getting any more trips to Chicago. Anyone know Milwaukee? Do they have pollen there? (In Chicago he lived on the 75th floor, far removed from most forms of plant life, though there were plenty of spiders.)

[Billie]

Mitra, Mm (Mary) is from Milwaukee. It is a neat town old fashion kind of big small town, a little different than Chicago, not as metropolitan in character but full of interesting pockets of culture and community. It is on Lake Michigan, has three large universities I believe there and some smaller ones, the beer capital production of the US I do believe! There are some enchanting places to the north, like Cedarburg. I have been there three times and plan to go back this summer. As well as Kohler Wisconsin about an hour or two north where they Kohler manufacturing company has a resort that is 5*. Up the peninsula in Door County, it is just like, well kind of stretching here, a European feel, it is a long narrow and full of light houses, artists retreats, B & Bs and wonderfully fresh produce. We are headed up that way in the later summer.

Milwaukee has a summer fest I believe in July or August that goes for about 10 days with lots of entertainment. I will say that we noticed a large amount of road construction when we were there for a family wedding in mid May. The airport is very small, easy to manuever.

AND much better for allergies!

[Mitra]

Thank you, Billie. That's given me a bit of a feel for it. It sounds as if we'll be able to keep ourselves amused :). He hasn't moved yet - I think the new job starts at the end of the month, but I don't know when he'll get a new house/apartment.

[Mitra]

This morning I threw out some mouldy bread (we don't eat much normally, and since reading all the stuff about grains, it's been even less, combined with suddenly warm weather!). As soon as I took the lid off the bread bin, I started sneezing. Looks as if moulds are more of a problem for me than grass pollen - maybe there's something in the cellar theory.