Editorial: Pollen pollutes spring

Pollen on a patio table in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

Spring is in the air - and so is the pollen. It is also in our gutters and rimming puddles.

White and silver cars parked on the side of the road now have a gold-dust finish and pharmacy shelves are stocked with hay fever tablets.

Hay fever, which is the common name for allergic rhinitis, affects up to 30 per cent of adults and 40 per cent of children in New Zealand, according to Allergy New Zealand.

It seems every second person is reaching for the tissues and complaining about allergies.

It can also affect your eyes, sinuses, throat and ears.

Which begs the question is the pollen getting worse or is it just our bodies struggling to acclimatise to the new season? It certainly feels earlier and heavier.

I too am sneezing and sniffing away, especially while cycling past the tree and hedge lined rural roads. It is these wind-pollinated plants that cause allergies as they send clouds of pollen into the air.

It seems cruel that as the winter cloud and cool temperatures rise mother nature strikes us down with runny noses and itchy eyes.

Yet that blue sky beckons and who wants to stay inside all day?

Allergy New Zealand have tips for those of us that suffer in the springtime.

Minimise outdoor activity between 5am and 10am when pollen is usually emitted.

Stay away from farms and orchards and wear glasses outdoors.

Hang the washing inside so pollens and mould don't collect in the items.

And this is my favourite piece of advice - take a holiday during the height of the pollen season to a place more pollen-free, such as the beach.

So if the pollen is getting you down, why not book in a day at the beach.