i forgot about this part

Apparently, Polar Vortices (I had to look up the plural, yes) cause amnesia, because I don't remember being allergic to everything, ever. I think I'm allergic to water.

...this is going to be a very long summer, with much sneezing and eucalyptus oil, per a coworker who swears this will cure all things. When I can smell it--once, twice between sneezes--it does have a pleasant fragrance.

Comments

[synecdochic]

Neti pot. Washes out your sinuses, reduces the allergens.

(Just be sure to only use distilled water or water that's been boiled for a minute and then cooled. Tap water is not filtered for certain organisms that can cross the blood/brain barrier and do nasty things.)

[ivorygates]

Thank you for this information. I will never sleep again.

[seperis]

I was about to post the same thing.

...tap water? Really?

[synecdochic]

Ha! No, it's okay, it's a very very tiny risk and you're not at risk at all unless you are driving the water directly up your nose, and the organism isn't nationwide. (Naegleria fowleri. It doesn't range past the gulf coast, but seperis is at the very edges of what could be its range in a few years, so it's good to get in the habit.)

[ivorygates]

:) I will stick to my aerosol canisters of nasal saline, I think...

[synecdochic]

Hee, that also works.

[seperis]

Neti pots --> YAY!

....my tap water????????????????????

[synecdochic]

^^ see my reply to ivorygates. heh.

[niqaeli]

Every time someone mentions this I twitch because of what goes through my sinuses on a regular basis every time I go swimming.

I mean, they filter the shit out of that and chlorinate to boot, I know this, BUT IT IS STILL NOT VERY COMFORTING.

[synecdochic]

The level to which they chlorinate pool water makes it safe, don't worry!

[reginagiraffe]

I'm actually allergic to eucalyptus. :/

[out_there]

I like eucalyptus oil. I remember it was a stand-by for colds as a kid (either by running a hot basin of water with a few drops, and stick your head over it to breathe in the steam, or put a drop or two on your pillow to keep the sinuses clear while you sleep.

[green_grrl]

Agree with a good nose wash. Another thing that can help is eating honey from local bees. It gives you some protection against local pollens. (Animal products are amazing. My aunt is a dairy goat farmer and no one on the farm ever got poison oak rashes because the goats would eat the poison oak and then pass on an immunity in their milk.)

[fleurrochard]

So much yes to the honey from local bees!

[nagasvoice]

I hadn't heard of that before--one of those factoids I'd love to see in a story!

[everbright]

Man, you are not the only one on my feed saying this. I was considering stopping my allergy pills (just the over the counter 24 hour sort) b/c I'm generally the worst in the spring, but I'm thinking maybe I should just keep taking them all summer if it's going to be this bad.