News & Features Feedback
New This WeekAround TownMusicFilmArtTheaterNews & FeaturesFood & DrinkAstrology
  HOME
NEW THIS WEEK
EDITORS' PICKS
LISTINGS
NEWS & FEATURES
MUSIC
FILM
ART
BOOKS
THEATER
DANCE
TELEVISION
FOOD & DRINK
ARCHIVES
LETTERS
PERSONALS
CLASSIFIEDS
ADULT
ASTROLOGY
PHOENIX FORUM DOWNLOAD MP3s



Misery blooms
Stay chic as allergy season kicks into high gear
BY NINA WILLDORF

They’re beginning to hobble in. Sniffling. Aching. Squinting through swollen eyes. The allergy-suffering victims of spring’s colorful finery. "They’re basically tortured," observes Corey Cloutier, a manager at health-food store Cambridge Naturals. "They can’t breathe, they can’t see properly, it’s complete torture for a few months."

For as many as one in six Americans, blossoms beginning to bud on previously barren trees are far from a pretty sight. Instead, for those allergic to their pollen, they signal the impending onslaught of sinus pressure, head pain, and fits of sneezing, otherwise known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. And if it seems worse this year than last, blame it on the mild winter; as a result, the trees are budding earlier — and the buds will last longer. Generally, those of us in Boston get hit worst during the first few weeks in May. Standard drugstore cosmetic fix-its include eye drops for the swollen peepers, nasal spray for the clogged schnoz, and antihistamines for the roadblocked sinuses; Walgreens offers all for $10 and under.

But, hey, we are of the mind that every little life scenario — even the onset of allergies — is an opportunity to accessorize. We’ve heard of folks traipsing around town with surgical masks on — popular in Asia for people trying not to spread around the sniffles. For playful, devil-may-care allergy sufferers, there’s always the option of throwing on a flowery Mickey and Minnie mask ($7.95), available at AllHeart.com, which will lower the amount of pollen you inhale — and raise the number of bemused looks you get from passersby.

And be assured: there’s no need to hide at home or take desperate measures to self-medicate. When Cloutier sees the trees bud around town, he and his co-workers stock up on supplies to alleviate customers’ pain. A particular favorite, he says, is Allercetin ($7.99), a homeopathic tablet to be chewed every few hours. Also popular among Boston’s snifflers are naturally occurring nettles, which have been proven in scientific studies to reduce the severity of such symptoms as sneezing and itchy eyes. Cambridge Naturals sells the stuff in capsules or as extract in tea ($8–$13).

For those tired of popping pills, acupuncture is a big hit; it can work your chi to zap the achoos. The Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts can help you find a practitioner in your area. To cut down on allergic reactions, experts also advise washing your hands frequently; our favorite soap for at-home washing is O&CO’s olive-oil big bar ($5). And if you can’t stave off the sniffles, Gazoontite.com, a Web site specializing in all things allergy-related, has soft cotton nose-caressing tissues in fun, colorful boxes ($2.50/three-pack).

Where to get it:

• Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts, (781) 893-2185 or (800) 444-1565.

• Cambridge Naturals, 1670 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 492-4452.

• O&Co, 161 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 859-8790.

www.AllHeart.com.

www.Gazoontite.com.



Issue Date: April 25 - May 2, 2002
Back to the News & Features table of contents.