Nearly 35 million Americans are affected by seasonal allergies. And if there is a time of year they suffer the most it's fall. Two of the most common allergens during autumn are ragweed and mold, and unfortunately there's almost no way to escape it. The fact many of us work in offices eight hours a day only makes it worse.
According to researchers led by Kang Hye-ryun at Seoul National University Hospital, sun exposure plays a major factor in our ability to control our allergies. To study the relationship between how sunlight affects our reaction to pollen and spores, they analyzed the levels of vitamin D in just over 8,000 people aged 18 or older using the 2009 Korean national health and nutrition data.
What they found wont please allergy sufferers, especially those who are stuck working in a building all day.
The team found that people with lower levels of vitamin D were much more likely to experience allergic rhinitis–a hypersensitive reaction the body's nasal passages have to allergens. These can be dust, pollen, mold or animal fir. If two people were to also suffer from allergic rhinitis, the person who had lower levels of vitamin D would be much worse off.
"Vitamin D is formed in the body by exposure to the sun, and people who spend most of the time indoors or use a lot of sun screen may lack it," Kang said. "An adequate level of outdoor activity in autumn can help sufferers of allergic rhinitis."
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis include stuffy nose, sneezing, spasmodic coughing, thin nasal discharge, itchy eyes and throat, tearing and headaches. People will also have difficulty smelling. Unfortunately, the number of people who suffer from this condition has increased since the 1960s, likely because people have found more to do indoors now than ever before between watching TV, playing video games and working in an office or at home. For those who struggle with this condition, sunshine is your medicine.
If you're not sure how to manage your allergic rhinitis try the following:
- Sit next to a window at work.
- Go for a walk every morning or on your lunch break
- Spend your entire weekend outside. Even if you have to work, take your laptop outdoors.
For more information on proper allergy management techniques and allergy control products, visit Allergy Be Gone today.
