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To Weed Out Allergy Attacks While Gardening

 by: News Canada

(NC)-Did you know that gardening is the second most popular physical activity for Canadians?

According to the experts, all that pulling and digging makes your heart, lungs and muscles strong. Stretching and bending increases your flexibility. It's good for the soul. There's no better feeling than watching a seedling burst from a tiny seed.

Gardening can give you constant rewards such as fresh vegetables or beautiful flowers and a well cared for lawn is a great source of pride.

For gardening enthusiasts, the spring does not come soon enough. For those who suffer seasonal allergies, it comes too soon. Pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, as well as mould spores in warmer months cause sneezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes and nasal congestion. In severe cases, sore throats and coughs can develop.

Here's a quick list of important pollen sources to be aware of when gardening:

• Trees (oak, elm, birch, hickory, cottonwood, maple, ash)

• Grasses (meadow fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, orchard, timothy, redtop, Bermuda)

• Weeds (ragweed, cocklebur, marsh elder, sagebrush, mugwort, pigweed and tumbleweed).

You may be able to limit the numbers of allergy attacks you have by staying indoors and installing air purifiers in your home. But for Canadians who can't wait to get their hands dirty in the outdoors effective non-drowsy antihistamine medications like Claritin can help control your allergy symptoms and make you more comfortable without the drowsiness that accompanies other antihistamine treatments.

The more you know about your allergy the better you can control it. For the most up to date forecast of seasonal allergy triggers in your area watch for the Claritin Pollen Report on the Weather Network. Using the latest meteorological data, the 60-second report provides pollen level estimates for the coming 24 hours - in addition to current tree, grass and ragweed pollen levels. You can catch the report 24 hours a day on the Weather Network at 28 minutes past the hour.

So if you love to watch the flowers bloom but hate allergies keep track of the pollen count and ask your pharmacist to help you dig up the treatment that's right for you.

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