Batman had kryptonite and I, Melody Rose, have pollen.
It’s absolutely destroying me this year – Are you suffering too?
IT’S EVERYWHERE – you can see it in the air, its dusting your car, it’s coating your windows.
I just checked out the Daily Allergy Forecast for Dartmouth, and pollen count today was a level 3 (which is high).
While I am very happy for the bees, and the plants, and the trees and the crops, and the environment in general… I am just about ready to rip my eyes and uvula out.
BUT…did you know WHY we get allergies?
It’s NOT actually the pollen’s fault… It is your IMMUNE SYSTEM!
Basically, allergies develop when the body’s immune system classifies something it’s exposed to as threatening, even though it really isn’t threatening. It’s basically just your immune system being SUPER dramatic.
It’s like your body’s bouncer at the club door; its not gonna let in any sketchy folks. Kinda cool, right? Especially when it comes to infectious bacteria. However, it’s a little LESS cool when it’s going Hulk mode over an innocent dandelion just living it’s best life.
Still, that’s its job; it’s there to protect us.
So, the immune system releases histamines (which is basically like the immune system’s personal army) to attack the invaders allergens, and its the release of that inner army that causes all the sneezing, itching, nose-blowing, eye crusting, and general desire to scream into the abyss.
And sometimes it can just HAPPEN, like out of nowhere; all of a sudden your immune system is like “hmmm, I don’t like the look of that guy,” even though he’s been coming around for ages, and decides to kick him out (side note: I am aware I am mixing up metaphors here, but I’m doped up on anti-allergy meds).
Speaking of antihistamines work, aside from making you feel loopy, they also basically act as a shield against your immune system’s aforementioned army, making it so the army can’t actually wage war on the invaders allergens.
So, short story long… all that yellow dust all over everything is just doing its job, but so is your immune system. So, go get some Claritin, or Allegra, or <insert fave Antihistamine here> and then maybe you wont want to rip out your uvula like I do.
