The Flowers and Allergies that Bloom on the East End

Ah, the joys of spring! The birds are singing and the flowers are blooming - and you couldn't be more miserable. With the pollen aplenty, just going outside may not be a walk in the park. Seasonal allergies strike a few times a year, with spring being one of the headiest, when the air can be saturated with the largest amount of allergens possible.

With one out of every two people (yes, you read that correctly) allergic to something, it's good to know where relief can be found. Many things, including your cute little cat or the carrot you ate for dinner, can trigger allergies. The allergen most common to the population is pollen, the fertilizing element of flowering plants, consisting of fine, powdery, yellowish grains or spores that trigger a reaction in people. Allergens are something that your body perceives as harmful, thus setting off those reactions. Results can be watery eyes, stuffy nose, rash or hives - red spots that appear on the skin - or even more severe reactions, like swelling of the tongue or face. Hay fever, or rhinitis, strikes many with the inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose. Certain drugs, like antibiotics, or allergies to perfumes and colognes can have an effect too. Each person's body constitution reacts differently to various substances.

If you get besieged by spring allergies, it's no day at the beach. "The worst thing for sufferers is that allergies strike at the most inopportune times," says Diane Ghioto Hollyer. The former Accessories Editor at Elle, Ghioto Hollyer, now a writer, mother of two, and full time East End resident, knows all too well how frustrating this time of year can be. "My husband suffers from them miserably. Claritin helps, as do these special nasal washes, which I guess remove some of the allergens that accumulate." When Ghioto Hollyer first moved out east from New York City, she experienced seasonal allergies for the very first time, but assumed that she's become immune in the last year or two. Nonetheless, this time of year she doesn't leave the house without plenty of tissues. "Best to be armed against the elements!" she warns.

Being groggy and tired are also common allergic reactions. When Alicia Wilson sees springtime approaching, she's now ready. "I've had allergies since I was in second grade," she said, with pollen, certain vegetables, and cigarette smoke all triggers. Wilson, who spends weekends in North Haven, remembers falling asleep as a child as a result of being treated with Benadyl, a too-strong drug. Now she arms herself for the "annual assault" as she calls it, with Allegra-D, an oral antihistamine, Patenol, eye drops, and Nasalcort, a spray for her nose. "I've seen top allergists and had shots and even tried acupuncture for relief at this time of year," Wilson reports. "Nothing fully worked, but they all did help lighten some of the symptoms. It's gotten better as I get older - however, there's no escaping the mid-April to May time of year."

For some individuals, though, over-the-counter medication works just fine. "I treat my allergies with Zertec and that works perfectly," says Alma Phipps of East Hampton, whose family has been full-time residents for generations and who bought property on the dunes of Lily Pond Lane specifically for relief from asthma and other allergies. "Walking on the beach in the Hamptons and being close to the water stops all allergies!" Phipps laughs. But her joke isn't that far from the truth: the very bad hay fever she used to get was almost eliminated with a change in diet and a course of Zertec. If over-the-counter drugs don't do the trick, it may be necessary to take matters to a higher authority - an allergy specialist.

Children's allergies are altogether another story. With even aspirin being a dangerous substance for our little darlings, doling out stronger drugs should be approached with caution. As a mother of two, Ghioto Hollyer has some easy advice: "Bottom line: Read the label and give the appropriate dosage!"

- Cindi Cook

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