Gardening & Allergies

Gardening and lawn care are necessary and often enjoyable summertime activities. Playing catch on freshly cut grass or watching seeds become small plants and then bloom into flowers or produce vegetables is very satisfying and fun for all age groups. Unfortunately, with allergies, these small joys can become big problems. During grass pollination season, which is typically May until the end of June, mowing the lawn can increase exposure to grass pollen. The rest of the summer mowing can bring up mold spores that can bring out allergy symptoms as well. Gardening and working in the dirt can also result in a great deal of mold exposure.  In addition to the direct exposure, since these activities are outdoors, we also are exposed to all the pollen that is floating in the air.

Here are a few tips to make gardening more enjoyable:

• Plan on mowing the lawn or working in the garden later in the day when pollen counts are lower.
• Consider wearing a mask and goggles to decrease exposure to the pollen and mold spores that come up with mowing or working in the dirt.
• After gardening or mowing the lawn, take a shower to decrease the amount of allergen that may be on your skin, hair, and clothes.
• Consider sinus rinse after gardening or mowing the lawn to wash out the allergens that may be in the nose

If you continue to be symptomatic even though the above avoidance measures have been attempted, please make an appointment with Dr. Shah or Dr. Gobin to discuss other medical options that may allow you to enjoy these summertime activities!