How to Deal with Ragweed Allergy
Avoid the ragweed species you know you’re allergic to., Check a pollen tracker., Protect yourself, especially during high-pollen periods., Change your clothes after being outside., Use dryers., Install a HEPA filter., Consider moving.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid the ragweed species you know you’re allergic to.
There are 50 different species of ragweed.
If you have a ragweed allergy, you may be allergic to one or several ragweed species.
In order to best deal with your ragweed allergy, find out which specific species you’re allergic to, and take extra caution to identify and avoid those types of ragweed.You might be able to identify the specific ragweed pollen you’re allergic to by talking to a doctor or by having firsthand exposure to different sorts of pollen, then remembering later that you had an allergic reaction to it.
Common ragweed species include sage, mugworts, rabbit brush, burweed march elder, marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and groundsel bush.Ragweed plants tend to grow in rural areas and spaces of urban decay.
It is found in all regions of the US, but they are most common in the east and Midwest.
If you don’t know which ragweed plants you’re allergic to, simply avoid all ragweed plants. -
Step 2: Check a pollen tracker.
Pollen trackers will help you know when your locale will experience high-pollen periods.
You can use an online service, such as the National Allergy Forecast, or you may be able to see one on the local news.
Pollen counts vary from season to season.
They also fluctuate based on the time of day.
Ragweed pollen counts are highest during late summer and early fall in the morning, just after dawn.
Ragweed usually blooms around the beginning of August, but you might experience ragweed allergy as early as July.
The seasonal ragweed pollen peak is around September.
The season can last until October.
Low temperatures (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius) and rain can limit the impact of ragweed pollen during allergy season.The time of day can also affect your allergy.
Pollen levels are high between 10 AM and 4 PM. , Keep your windows and doors tightly closed during ragweed allergy season.
When you go outside, wear long sleeves and glasses (sunglasses or prescription eyeglasses).
Avoid yard work like mowing the grass and raking the yard that could kick up ragweed pollen.Spend time in an area with central air.
Central air conditioning allows you to minimize your exposure to outside air.
If you have a window air conditioner, set it to “recirculate” or close the vent., If you do find yourself outside for some reason during ragweed allergy season, be sure to remove your clothes as soon as possible once you’ve returned home.
Place the potentially pollen-coated clothes in your laundry bin.
This will keep you from tracking ragweed pollen all over your home, thereby preventing future allergic reactions.You may even want to shower and wash your hair after you come in.
This will make sure that the pollen does not transfer to your new clothing.
If you have a pet that goes outside, they should be given regular baths to keep you from being negatively affected by pollen that has become attached to the pet’s coat. , Instead of drying your clothes on the line in your backyard, use your dryer.
This will prevent you from getting ragweed pollen on your clothes as they dry outside.If you don’t have dryer unit of your own, visit your local laundromat. , A high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can help block allergens and pollen from being circulated in your home.
These filters can be bought at many grocery stores and hardware stores.
They are easily installed in your air vents.
They must be changed every three months.
While most HEPA filters are screens that you install in your air vents, you can also purchase a machine that will actively filter your air for you, removing pollen and other allergens from your home. , If you live in a high-pollen area, ragweed allergies can seriously impact your day-to-day activities.
Consult your family about making a move to a ragweed-free area, or an area with less ragweed pollen.In the United States, the worst places for ragweed allergies are in the rural parts of the east (including the Carolinas, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and the Midwest (including Michigan and Kansas).
Try moving to New England, Florida, Alaska, or a west-coast state instead.If you don’t want to move, pass the late summer and early fall in an area outside the high-pollen areas that afflict you. -
Step 3: Protect yourself
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Step 4: especially during high-pollen periods.
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Step 5: Change your clothes after being outside.
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Step 6: Use dryers.
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Step 7: Install a HEPA filter.
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Step 8: Consider moving.
Detailed Guide
There are 50 different species of ragweed.
If you have a ragweed allergy, you may be allergic to one or several ragweed species.
In order to best deal with your ragweed allergy, find out which specific species you’re allergic to, and take extra caution to identify and avoid those types of ragweed.You might be able to identify the specific ragweed pollen you’re allergic to by talking to a doctor or by having firsthand exposure to different sorts of pollen, then remembering later that you had an allergic reaction to it.
Common ragweed species include sage, mugworts, rabbit brush, burweed march elder, marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and groundsel bush.Ragweed plants tend to grow in rural areas and spaces of urban decay.
It is found in all regions of the US, but they are most common in the east and Midwest.
If you don’t know which ragweed plants you’re allergic to, simply avoid all ragweed plants.
Pollen trackers will help you know when your locale will experience high-pollen periods.
You can use an online service, such as the National Allergy Forecast, or you may be able to see one on the local news.
Pollen counts vary from season to season.
They also fluctuate based on the time of day.
Ragweed pollen counts are highest during late summer and early fall in the morning, just after dawn.
Ragweed usually blooms around the beginning of August, but you might experience ragweed allergy as early as July.
The seasonal ragweed pollen peak is around September.
The season can last until October.
Low temperatures (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius) and rain can limit the impact of ragweed pollen during allergy season.The time of day can also affect your allergy.
Pollen levels are high between 10 AM and 4 PM. , Keep your windows and doors tightly closed during ragweed allergy season.
When you go outside, wear long sleeves and glasses (sunglasses or prescription eyeglasses).
Avoid yard work like mowing the grass and raking the yard that could kick up ragweed pollen.Spend time in an area with central air.
Central air conditioning allows you to minimize your exposure to outside air.
If you have a window air conditioner, set it to “recirculate” or close the vent., If you do find yourself outside for some reason during ragweed allergy season, be sure to remove your clothes as soon as possible once you’ve returned home.
Place the potentially pollen-coated clothes in your laundry bin.
This will keep you from tracking ragweed pollen all over your home, thereby preventing future allergic reactions.You may even want to shower and wash your hair after you come in.
This will make sure that the pollen does not transfer to your new clothing.
If you have a pet that goes outside, they should be given regular baths to keep you from being negatively affected by pollen that has become attached to the pet’s coat. , Instead of drying your clothes on the line in your backyard, use your dryer.
This will prevent you from getting ragweed pollen on your clothes as they dry outside.If you don’t have dryer unit of your own, visit your local laundromat. , A high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can help block allergens and pollen from being circulated in your home.
These filters can be bought at many grocery stores and hardware stores.
They are easily installed in your air vents.
They must be changed every three months.
While most HEPA filters are screens that you install in your air vents, you can also purchase a machine that will actively filter your air for you, removing pollen and other allergens from your home. , If you live in a high-pollen area, ragweed allergies can seriously impact your day-to-day activities.
Consult your family about making a move to a ragweed-free area, or an area with less ragweed pollen.In the United States, the worst places for ragweed allergies are in the rural parts of the east (including the Carolinas, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and the Midwest (including Michigan and Kansas).
Try moving to New England, Florida, Alaska, or a west-coast state instead.If you don’t want to move, pass the late summer and early fall in an area outside the high-pollen areas that afflict you.
About the Author
Katherine Ward
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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