Running Through Allergy Season

Five Tips to Keep You Run Ready through Allergy Season

This post has been sponsored by @reactineca but all thoughts and opinions are Christine’s.

If nine out of 10 Canadians are ready to trade their mukluks for flip flops, chances are the holdout for a long winter is an allergy sufferer.

While all 10 took turns dealing with runny noses in frigid temperatures, only one kept the nose running in spring, in perfect symphony with wheezy sneezes, itchy eyes, nasal congestion and the burning question, “How many more days ‘till winter?”

Those fortunate ones frolicking through grassy fields laden with ragweed don’t think anything of it. There are also those who experienced runny noses and puffy eyes in previous years and found a company that installed Air Conditioning Carnegie, or whatever location they may be in, and are now smugly holed up in the safety of their apartments waiting for the season to pass.

Meanwhile, the allergy sufferers are donning their surgical masks for a short drive to the drug store to pick up their medication. Get the picture!! Every allergy season, physical, and online shops such as this Surgical Mask Canada based store as an example, have their products purchased by allergy sufferers and those with other respiratory issues frequently, so they’re able to breathe somewhat normally as the rest would be able to during Spring.

A lot of people have their lives impacted by allergy symptoms in spring and yet effective options for relief, like REACTINE® are available and personally, I speak from experience.

I know what it feels like to become exhausted from the cumulative effects of allergies and some days I could not get outside, despite the lure of beautiful cherry blossoms lining my favourite running route.

I suffer every year from seasonal allergies, but the difference now is that I am in control. I spoke with a friend who went to see the Associates in Family Medicine, and after some time they were referred to an ENT who directed them towards the correct medication that alleviated their issues. It let them take control back over their allergies.

Once armed with the knowledge of a remedy that works, you can get outdoors again to enjoy your activity.

While spring marks allergy season, your suffering can now be over.

Over 16 million Canadians suffer from seasonal or year-round allergies caused by outdoor and indoor allergens, according to a recent study commissioned by REACTINE® Canada.

Because of this suffering, there has been a petition uploaded to change.org to make the case for an allergy emoji.

This is truly a testament to how many of us are burdened with itchy eyes and running noses.

With nearly 40 percent of the population affected by allergies, it’s no wonder why REACTINE® thought a means for fellow allergy-sufferers to express themselves was long overdue, which is why they submitted the formal proposal for the emoji to the Unicode Consortium, the governing body of emojis.

I didn’t have allergies until 1999, which is also when I started running.

At first, I thought it was a cold with a lot of sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and a foggy head.

Tissues were my constant companion, which I would carry while running. Sometimes a sneezing fit would happen that was severe enough to cut my run short.

It’s hard enough to run and breathe at the same time without some invisible force putting what seemed like a bag over my head.

Though it affected my quality of life, I learned to cope with these symptoms until I started to get sinus headaches, which were unbearable.

My family doctor referred me to an ear, nose and throat specialist and as it turned out, the ENT said I had rhinitis (hay fever).

I learned that hay fever affects up to twenty-five per cent of Canadians.

I was prescribed the antihistamine, REACTINE® which I was advised to take before running.

My symptoms were soon under control, allowing me to enjoy running, as well as sleeping better.

Here are my top 5 tips that I still use today on how to cope with allergies:

1. Run when the pollen counts are low – usually in the afternoon/evening.

Check the pollen report.

2. As nasal congestion makes it harder to breathe so try breathing through your mouth when running.
3. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from symptom-inducing pollen.
4. Avoid the trails when pollen counts are high.
5. Take an antihistamine like REACTINE® before working out or going outside.

Make sure to always read the package of your allergy medication to ensure you’re using it right.

If you continue to suffer from symptoms, see your doctor to find out how you can treat your allergies.

Thanks to Christine Blanchette for the weekly features!!

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