Ahh choo!
Ah yes… just as the excitement of the oncoming summer months mounts, some of the unlucky amongst us – and I include my good self amongst their number – remember that the summer also brings pollen. And that means hay fever:
The sn-sn-sneezing that won’t stop… the i-t-c-h-y throat… the streeeeeeaming nose. Suddenly the frosty cold of winter doesn’t seem too bad after all. Of course, I am not on my own. 15 million people suffer in this country alone, and once struck down by hay fever, we often underestimate its effects. Research demonstrates you can only work at 65% of your usual productivity when afflicted; 20% of those affected will also take time off work; and, in very serious cases, particularly where asthma conditions are aggravated, it leads to hospitalisations.
That’s the bad news… but unfortunately, there’s more to come. If you think you have got away with it, and are not affected, it seems many more people are now falling under its pernicious influence: by 2030 perhaps half the population; and 70%, 30 years beyond that. So what’s going on? Well, the jury’s still out but various theories have been posited. Firstly, there are increasing problems with air pollution in the UK. We are also experiencing new allergens in this country, from new plants that have appeared because of rising climate changes, coupled with the fact that our own indigenous species are now able to flower for longer.
Some experts feel we might also have a genetic disposition for hay fever that is only activated later in life, perhaps because our immune systems are, by then, depleted and we are therefore more susceptible to illness. Certainly the increase seems particularly prevalent amongst middle-aged and elderly people, who seem prone to both the onset of hay fever, and particularly troubled by its effects.
Reclaim your garden
However, although there is no cure, there are of course steps that can be taken. And let’s start outside, with the garden lawn. Obviously grass is one of the key drivers of allergies, and particularly hay fever. A rather obvious solution, therefore, would be: to remove it! No grass… and suddenly your own home is a very different environment… your garden back to the pleasurable place it always used to be.
What we are talking about, of course, is removing the lawn… and replacing it with artificial grass. As compared to older styles of artificial grass, new models are much more realistic in appearance, even down to the fake, brown, ‘dead bits’ scattered throughout. It is really down to you to choose the surface you love, and will love to live with year-round, and for the specialists from Cheshire Artificial Grass to advise you on that choice, and to install the surface itself.
If you are, yourself, of the “older” persuasion, find you are feeling susceptible to hay fever and also becoming less able to maintain your lawn… this particular solution may be perfect for you. There may be no simpler or more effective solution to the allergic nature of grass than to completely replace the stuff with an artificial surface. Beyond the benefits in terms of low maintenance and an attractive look, you can now add the relief artificial grass offers for those unlucky sufferers of hay fever.
As the summer truly approaches, it’s time to feel confident about opening the patio doors, and stepping out onto the lawn without fear of coughing or sneezing. It’s time to reclaim our gardens for the gorgeous spaces they are!
