Surviving Mountain Cedar Season:
Common Sense Strategies for Reducing Cedar Fever Symptoms
Mountain cedar fever - nothing says “Happy Holidays!” quite like the combination of sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, sore throat, headache, sinus congestion, a low-grade fever, and, if your family and friends are really lucky, a horribly grumpy attitude.
Every year, starting around Christmas and ending around Valentine’s Day, thousands of people in Texas suffer severe allergies in reaction to the pollen of mountain cedar trees, also known as ashe juniper.
Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take and safe, effective remedies you can use to make mountain allergy cedar season a much easier time of year.
Cedar Fever Relief Strategy 1: Avoid the cedar pollen
Whenever possible, stay indoors, especially if it’s windy. The wind transports the cedar pollen from the trees to whatever it encounters, and that includes cedar allergy sufferers like you.
If you have to be outdoors, especially if you are doing yard work, wear a dust mask. To help reduce the pollen inside, change your HVAC filters frequently. It may also be helpful to purchase an air purifier and keep it running nearby, especially when sleeping.
Cedar Fever Relief Strategy 2: Wash the cedar pollen away
Unless you are prepared to seal yourself in giant hamster ball, some exposure to cedar pollen is inevitable. Whenever you come indoors, take a moment to wash your hands and rinse your face and eyes.
Also, rinse your nose out several times a day with nasal saline solution, available at most pharmacies. Alternatively, make your own saline using water, sea salt and use a neti pot for application. Just getting rid of the majority of the pollen in your nasal passages can provide considerable cedar fever relief.
Cedar pollen can also accumulate on clothing. If you wear it outside, it gets cedar pollen on it, so it is important to wash garments or have them dry-cleaned often. Similarly, if you have a pet that goes outside, the pollen will stick to its fur, so bathe your pet frequently.
Cedar Fever Relief Strategy 3: Treat Yourself Gently
Pharmaceutical cedar allergy treatments sometimes ease allergy symptoms, but they may also cause undesirable side-effects. There are significant, potentially dangerous side-effects associated with corticosteroids, decongestants and antihistamines. Also, most pharmaceutical treatments focus on symptom relief only, not long-term allergy elimination.
There are effective, non-pharmaceutical treatments for cedar pollen allergies, including herbal treatments. Convenient, safe herbal cedar fever remedies based on traditional Chinese herbal therapy are available. Not only can these remedies provide symptom relief, but a good herbal formula can, over time, provide elimination of the allergic reaction.
Whether you use a cocktail of single herbs or a pre-formulated mixture, be sure that your cedar fever remedy includes astragalus root, which is essential for modulating the immune system. It is also prudent to take herbal remedies manufactured in the United States, that are subject to stringent quality control standards.
Cedar Fever Relief Strategy 4: Start Early
If you know from previous years that you are allergic to mountain cedar pollen, start early in implementing these strategies before your symptoms become debilitating. If you take our herbal formula, Easy Breather, start taking it 4 - 5 weeks before the start of cedar season. Many of the herbs included in our formula are intended to help modulate the immune system. Starting early gives your body a chance to adapt.
