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Summer is here, which means its finally the time of the year again to enjoy picnics, hikes, trips to the park and many other outdoor activities! However, for those with summer seasonal allergies, these activities can trigger allergies. The good news is, there are options to mitigate and lessen the effects of seasonal summer allergies while enjoying the beautiful weather and nature!

Common Summer Allergens in Texas:

In Texas, prevalent seasonal allergies are caused by a multitude of grasses, trees, pollen, and other environmental allergens. Grass pollen and mold are the top allergens in Texas during the summer. Types of grasses that cause these allergies include Bermuda, ryegrass, and timothy.

Grass Allergy Facts:

We all love to vacation or visit family during the warm summer months. Whether you are heading up north, south, east, or west, be mindful that you could trigger an unknown grass allergy.

Grass allergies stem from grass pollen allergies. Each type of grass produces its own type of pollen and being able to identify which grasses trigger your allergies can help you avoid interacting with them! Some of the most common northern grasses include timothy, Kentucky blue, Johnson, and rye. For southern grasses there is Bahia, Bermuda, centipede, and St. Augustine. Grass pollen is extremely light weight making it easily spread and carried. Grass allergy season starts when grass is pollinating. For northern states, this is generally in spring and early summer, and southern states may produce grass pollen year-round. The good news is, grass pollen allergies can be easily identified through allergy testing, and there are many treatments available to manage symptoms!

Be sure to make an appointment with your allergist before traveling to ensure grass allergies won’t be an issue, and if they are you can be properly medicated.

How can I enjoy the outdoors in summer with allergies?

Just because summer brings its fair share of allergies, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the outdoors! To get the most out of your summer holiday, be sure to keep up with filling your asthma and allergy prescriptions. Additionally, always shower, wash your hair, and change your clothing after coming inside to keep from bringing pollen and other allergens into your home. If you have pets, use pet friendly bathing wipes to wipe off any outdoor allergens, and keep up with regular baths if your pets spend time outside! It’s also important to plan your activities around low pollen times, such as early morning or early evening. Also, keep in mind when triggering plants are pollinating or blooming and plan activities or vacations accordingly to avoid allergic reactions and allergy symptoms such as runny nose and allergic rhinitis. Lastly, if you have severe allergies, consider beginning allergy shots to help build your immunity and lower allergic reactions.

Allergy friendly summer picnic recipes:

Food allergies are another type of allergy that may rear up around summer due to all the fun outdoor eating taking place, but just because you may have a food allergy doesn’t mean you can’t join in on the fun!

Here are a few allergy friendly recipes to enjoy during your summer picnics and outdoor barbecues:

Egg and Dairy Free Potato Salad: https://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/egganddairyfreepotatosalad/

Apple Coleslaw: https://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/applecoleslaw/

Dairy Free Jalapeno Poppers: https://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/jalapeno-poppers/

Roasted Summer Veggies: https://theprettybee.com/roasted-summer-vegetables/

Allergy-friendly BBQ Sauce: https://enjoylifefoods.com/blogs/content/bbq-sauce/