Special Report: Allergy aid

Spring is in the air, and for many that means allergies are in full bloom!

And this year’s sky-high pollen count is just adding to the problem.

Eight is considered high, and this spring, Greater Boston has been averaging around an 11 for pollen count.

DR AIDAN LONG/MGH ALLERGY SPECIALIST

"The tree pollen season on average lasts about six weeks...After the tree pollen season comes the grass pollen season and that begins about the 1st of May and goes for about another six weeks.”

While most sufferers rely on allergy medications to stifle their sniffles, there are some other things that can help.

Wash your clothes and sheets on super hot temperatures -- around 140 degrees, that way you can destroy pollen particles trapped in the material.

Steer clear of wine and beer!

Doctors say the bacteria and yeast in alcohol actually produce histamines -- the chemicals that spark allergy symptoms like a stuffy nose or itchy watery eyes.

Eat lots of onions, garlic, lemon and oranges, as they all contain natural anti-histamines.

For some sufferers, alternative treatments may be the key to breathing free.

Holistic practitioner Liz Vequist says bee pollen and raw honey can help boost the immune system, and build up your resistance to pollen, similar to getting an allergy shot.

But Liz says make sure to take the honey in its pure form, not diluted in tea or water.

To clear a stuffy head, Liz says a helping of barley grass could do the trick:

LIZ VEQUIST/LMT CHHC/WATERTOWN HOLISTIC HEALTH

"Sometimes you feel foggy-headed from your allergies, the barley grass really helps with that.”

If all else fails, you may want to give this a go...It’s called a neti pot, and Liz says it can help soothe your sinuses.

LIZ VEQUIST/LMT CHHC/WATERTOWN HOLISTIC HEALTH

"By irrigating the sinuses it washes out the pollen so it’s sort of like brushing your teeth, you just wash the pollen right out of your nose.”

Whether you try the Holistic approach or go for mainstream medicines, Here’s one tip all allergy sufferers can benefit from: A quick jump in the shower!

Pollen particles can stick to your body and in your hair long after you've come inside.

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