Ragweed Foods: Remove and Replace

Ragweed season is here again for an estimated 36 million Americans. Ragweed is the number one cause of fall allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Ragweed is common in most regions of the United States from mid-August through the first frost. Each plant produces 1 billion pollen grains in an average season, and the grains can travel up to 400 miles with the help of the wind.

Many individuals with ragweed allergy also experience symptoms while eating certain cross-reacting foods.

- Keep your windows closed at night. If possible, use air conditioning, which cleans, cools and dries the air.

- Try to stay indoors when the pollen or mold counts are reported to be high. Wear a pollen mask if long periods of exposure are unavoidable.

- Check your area's pollen and mold levels from the National Allergy Bureau.

- Avoid mowing the lawn or raking leaves because it stirs up pollen and molds. Also avoid hanging sheets or clothes outside to dry.

- Take a shower before bed to wash pollen from your hair and face, which prevents it from ending up on your pillow.

-Use a saline nasal rinse or neti pot to keep sinuses clear of pollen.

- Avoid cross-reacting foods.

Bonnie - we have come up with a perfect one-sheet called Ragweed Foods: Remove and Replace.