Hartford Healthcare Federal Credit Union

Vol.2 No.1

Wellness Works is a magazine published by Hartford Healthcare Federal Credit Union.

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Allergy Allergy HANDLE YOUR SEASONAL ALLERGIES—DON'T LET THEM HANDLE YOU. Is It Time to Stop Self-medicating? Many allergists advise that over-the-counter allergy medications require two weeks to begin fully working. Seasonal allergy sufferers sometimes report that over- the-counter remedies do not treat all symptoms. If this is the case for you, talk with your doctor. He or she may be able to prescribe a more effective treatment. Signs that indicate you might benefit from a different allergy medication include: • You consistently take an allergy medication but aren't seeing symptom relief. • The relief you are seeing doesn't improve over time. • Your symptoms still interfere with your daily life— causing you to lose sleep, avoid the outdoors, or feel constantly sick or fatigued. MYTHBUSTING DOES YOUR BODY completely overreact when things begin to bloom again every spring? Congratulations— you've got seasonal allergies. When it comes to dealing with them, don't fall for these common misconceptions. MYTH 1: Allergies aren't genetic. Incorrect! While your environment provides the higher pollen levels that make you feel awful, your genes play a role as well. If your mother or father is prone to fits of sneezing and watery eyes every spring, chances are you might be, too. MYTH 2: Pollen is the only cause of spiking allergy symptoms. Not so! While pollen is the main culprit, mold allergies tend to worsen when the weather is rainy or humid. MYTH 3: To get relief, medicine is your only hope. Not true! Fortunately, you can make behavioral changes in order to reduce your exposure to the allergens that set off your body's immune response. Keep an eye on the pollen count and avoid spending time outdoors when pollen levels are reported at a high level. Work to keep your stress levels low to reduce your symptom severity.

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