Holiday Allergies and How to Prevent Them

The holidays are here and it’s time to pass around the cheer instead of tissues of antihistamines. Allergies pick no season to ensue and the onset of allergy symptoms can spoil the good spirits.

The cold weather during the holidays and various triggers from food to seasonal greenery can bring about allergy symptoms, and there are also numerous ways to prevent them. But first and foremost, always identify what triggers your allergies and make your way from there.

Here are common holiday allergy triggers that you should watch out for:

• Food. Holidays equate to lots of seasonal food, dinners with families and friends, and tons of parties – meaning there’s a high possibility of eating foods that you’re allergic to. If you have a food allergy, make sure to always ask the ingredients of each dish that you’ll eat.
• Christmas Trees. You’ve read it right, fresh trees can house molds and mildew, and they may be to blame for triggering asthma and allergy symptoms. Give your trees a good shake (a leaf blower would be great!) before taking it inside your homes.
• Decorations. After storing them for 11 months out of the year, your ornaments, tinsel, lights, and other holiday baubles have already collected dust and possibly, molds as well. Thoroughly clean them before you start embellishing for the holidays. Artificial snow is also popular, but be careful on spraying them around as it can trigger sneezing and other asthma and allergy symptoms.
• Poinsettia. Poinsettias give off that festive feeling but it is a member of the rubber tree family and contains compounds similar to that of latex, so it is best to keep away if you have latex allergies.
• Holiday Scents and Fragrances. Candles, sprays, fresheners, and sprays are popular this holiday season, but they can also irritate the nose and throats of those sensitive to allergies and can cause the onset of allergy symptoms.
• Pets. Allergies during the winter season peak as we tend to stay more indoors. Pet dander at home increases and can cause more allergy outbreaks.