Hay fever symptoms: what are the symptoms and what underlying reasons can cause you to experience more severe symptoms?
Spring is approaching again, pollen is in the air, and hay fever symptoms are reappearing. For some people, hay fever symptoms can start as early as December. This is due to the mild winter we've had.
What is hay fever?
It is a seasonal allergy of your mucous membranes. Everything from your mouth to your bottom (digestive tract) consists of mucous membranes. These mucous membranes become irritated or overactive, which costs your body a lot of energy. With hay fever, there is an overactive immune system, leading to histamine release through the nasal and ocular mucous membranes.
Typical hay fever symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Itching
- Sneezing
- Coughing
The immune system reacts with an allergic response to substances that are not normally 'foreign to the body', which then causes a reaction. Histamine is released in this process. This is normally an essential substance found in the body, but also in food.
But why do more and more people suffer from hay fever symptoms?
Approximately 3 million Dutch people suffer from hay fever. More people are affected each year. This could possibly be due to the immune system being constantly (over)active. However, our gut health also plays an important role, as 80% of our immune system is found in our gut. Therefore, the better your gut health, the better your immune system can function. The gut can become imbalanced due to, among other things:
- Processed foods/unhealthy diet
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Stress
- Antibiotic use
- Medication
It is therefore essential to take good care of your gut. You can read more about this in this blog.
In addition, supplements can support you during this period. It is important that a therapist carefully monitors your progress. This can be done through online or telephone supplement advice.
