CHENNAI: There is a nip in the air in October and November. And the latter month, for Chennai, is one where we receive the maximum amount of rainfall. While the climate is something that we all enjoy, especially after ten months of scorching heat, nutritionist Divya Sathyaraj calls these months the ‘allergy months’ and warns everyone to stay cautious of any kind of allergies that you might encounter.
“Some of the common allergies are nasal allergies, allergy cold and cough, and skin allergies. People often go to an ENT when it comes to nasal allergies or allergy colds and coughs. seasonal allergies are the immune system’s response to allergens,” she says adding that the medicines prescribed for these are different from sinus colds and coughs. The causes for these allergies are the weather change, pollution and smoke due to crackers. By December, it reduces because your immune system becomes capable of handling these allergies, she says. For allergies, antihistamines are often prescribed by the doctor.
Spot the difference
A cold does not cause itching. If you have itching of the skin, nose, eyes along with sneezing then it is an allergy.
Similarly, allergies cause dry coughs along with itchiness in the throat; not wet coughs along with mucus and phlegm.
Foods to avoid
As a nutritionist, Divya believes it is important to avoid foods that can cause or aggravate allergies. Stay away from the following foods if you are prone to allergies.
Skin care essentials
The smoke due to bursting crackers, and other irritants in the air can cause skin allergies and rashes. Divya suggests visiting a doctor if a rash or itchiness persists, and advices against using any ingredient from the kitchen to get rid of the issue. “Eat your food, don’t apply it on your face or anywhere else. I am against using products from the kitchen on your body. Some people use lime and tomato on their face, and it is harmful. Lime does not lighten your skin, it could burn it,” she warns.
“Eliminating and avoiding trigger factors is key when it comes to allergies. Don’t stress about them as they usually resolved within two weeks,” she says.