He tried bloodletting, cutting calories, taking cold baths, and even dosing himself with opium and mercury...

But all he had to do to find relief from the red, itchy eyes, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and runny nose that plagued him was to hole up in his house for a few weeks.

That was John Bostock, the English physician who, in 1819, became the first to formally document the misery of seasonal allergies. Today, we're all too familiar with the same invisible threat floating in the air outside.

And with spring comes plenty of time to be active outside (getting your daily dose of vitamin D), but it also brings with it an evil that millions of us suffer through: pollen.

Pollen season is longer than ever in the U.S...

In fact, a recent analysis from Climate Central of nearly 200 cities found that the "freeze free" growing season has stretched by an average of three weeks since the 1970s. In some regions, it's more than a month longer.

It doesn't help that carbon pollution has been on the rise. These heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions are acting like a fertilizer for pollen production. That means allergy seasons are starting earlier, lasting longer, and feeling more intense... leaving in their wake millions of Americans plagued by coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes.

These unlucky folks are experiencing seasonal allergic rhinitis – or "hay fever." And this time of year, plants dormant during the winter come back to life, releasing pollen throughout the season.

But not everyone has allergies in the spring. Exactly how and when you experience symptoms depends on your trigger allergen...

Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system treats pollen as an invader... producing antibodies to defend your body... and causing stuffiness, sneezing, itchy eyes, and coughing.

There is no cure for seasonal allergies, and the most common drugs folks use to relieve symptoms have harmful side effects. For example...

Claritin is one of the most popular go-tos for allergy sufferers. It blocks histamine (the chemical that causes allergy symptoms) to prevent allergies. But its side effects include drowsiness, headaches, and dry mouth. It can also raise your blood pressure.

Benadryl is another popular drug to treat allergies. Benadryl is a type of anticholinergic, which blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in our nervous system. This class of drugs relaxes nerves in many of our body's systems. That includes the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal tract (the digestive system), and the lungs. People take these drugs for problems like allergies, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, and even for an overactive bladder.

But a 2019 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that long-term use of anticholinergics (which Benadryl falls under) might increase your risk of dementia. While the study was observational, researchers did see that taking anticholinergics for three-plus years was linked to a 54% higher risk of developing dementia, compared with those who took medication for just a few months.

Nasal sprays are a non-pill way to treat congestion from allergies. But the relief is only temporary and can actually cause your nasal lining to swell, leading to even more congestion. And overuse can lead to holes in your nasal septum. Worse, the drugs can permanently kill your sense of smell.

Or you could try allergy shots, which work by regularly injecting small doses of the allergen causing your allergic reaction. However, they can take years to become effective and can have dangerous complications, like anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).

Seven Ways to Survive Allergy Season

I try not to use these potentially harmful drugs. So if you're like me and you want to avoid drugs... these alternative solutions can help reduce your allergy symptoms.

1. Plan your day. Pollen counts often soar around midday, so you can still enjoy going outdoors in the mornings and evenings. Plenty of weather websites track pollen counts and help you plan your outdoor activities. Not to mention, you can also get the air quality report for the day, too. Because allergies aside, you want to protect yourself from nearly invisible, airborne nasties that can do more than just make you feel miserable for a few months... They can even damage your lungs, heart, and lead to early death. I talked about it in this issue of Retirement Millionaire.

2. Choose where you vacation carefully. If you are allergic to mold, for example, destinations with cooler temperatures will have fewer mold allergens. If you are allergic to pollen, places near the coast have lower levels of pollen. You can look up the allergy forecast for a specific state or county at AirCompare or find state-specific allergy triggers on the Weather Channel.

If you have allergies to feathers or common dust mites, it's a good idea to bring your own pillow. Small inns and bed-and-breakfast places are popular, but make sure to double-check with the owners about their pets. They may allow their dog or cat in common areas. If you have a strong allergy to either, check first. And remember, the air conditioner won't just keep you cool... It will filter out common allergens, too, so make sure to run it in your hotel room.

So do what I do and plan ahead. And pack a hypoallergenic pillow cover just in case.

3. Keep your air filters clean. I keep an air purifier with a true HEPA filter in my bedroom, and I clean it once a week.

But it's not the only filter to think about...

Clean out and replace filters in your central heating and cooling system as well as your gas furnace. Dirty filters reduce airflow, which puts a strain on your system.

In the kitchen, be sure to clean the filters on your range hood and microwave fans. Not all models contain filters. But if they do, take them out and clean off all the grease and debris. That way, the fan won't blow out all the germs and grit next time you run it.

4. Use a neti pot. The neti pot is another one of my preferred methods to cut down on allergies. This is an old Hindu device used to wash the sinuses.

But if you try it, be careful... and follow the instructions. If you don't use sterilized or distilled water, brain-eating organisms found in tap water can enter the brain through your sinuses. In late 2011, two deaths in Louisiana were blamed on the improper use of a neti pot.

5. Hop in the shower. That would be taking a shower as soon as you step in the door and washing the clothes worn outside on those high-pollen-count days.

6. Watch your indoor humidity. As the weather starts warming up, you might be tempted to ditch the humidifier... But a March 2025 Johns Hopkins Medicine study found that breathing air that's too dry can severely dehydrate your airways. This triggers an inflammatory response that mimics and worsens allergy and asthma symptoms. So make sure that the relative humidity indoors is at least 30%. (Keeping it below 50% is a good idea for mold prevention.)

7. Double-check for dangerous drug overlaps. This is especially crucial for older folks on multiple daily prescriptions. Topping off that regimen with a simple over-the-counter allergy pill could lead to dangerous drug interactions. For instance, decongestants (like those with pseudoephedrine) can dangerously spike your blood pressure, undoing the work of any blood-pressure meds you're on. So always have your pharmacist run a quick interaction check before adding a new allergy remedy to your arsenal.

Finally, if your allergies get especially bad, don't suffer in silence – make a doctor's appointment. Your doctor may prescribe medications. (One colleague in our office says his airways get so constricted in the spring, his doctor prescribes asthma medications.)

Got any good allergy tips? Share them with us at feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.

Want to build your wealth – while safeguarding the health you need to actually enjoy it? Check out Retirement Millionaire today for my monthly actionable strategies to nurture your nest egg and keep you feeling your best.

What We're Reading...

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 10, 2026

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About Health & Wealth Bulletin

Here at Health & Wealth Bulletin, our manifesto is to provide a guide for living well – at a good price and on your own terms.

We've told folks the secret to life-changing income in retirement, the exit plan that every investor needs, and the key to beating the market. And our team has been on the leading edge of reporting new discoveries like immunotherapy, the dangers of BPA, the truth about cholesterol, and more.

You see, huge corporate interests and corrupt government institutions would rather people didn't know about many of these concepts... The more ignorant the people are, the better for the government and corporate interests. This keeps folks dependent... and the "nanny state" alive. That's why we spend our days uncovering the truth and sharing it with readers.

Health & Wealth Bulletin is your free guidebook to intriguing health and wealth ideas. It's all about living the best life possible.

About the Editor
Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig
Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig
Editor

Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig has one of the most remarkable resumes of anyone we know in the finance industry. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton College in Minnesota, he went on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree

from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. There, he graduated on the Dean's List with a double major in finance and international business.

Doc then went to work as an elite derivatives trader at the Goldman Sachs investment bank. He spent a decade on Wall Street with several major institutions, including Chase Manhattan Bank and Yamaichi Securities (then known as the "Goldman Sachs of Japan").

That's when Doc's career took an unconventional turn. Sick of the greed and hypocrisy on Wall Street, he quit his Senior Vice President position to become a doctor. He graduated from Columbia University's postbaccalaureate premedical program and eventually earned his Medical Doctor degree with clinical honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in medical school, he was elected president of his class and admitted to the Order of the Golden Fleece – the highest honor awarded at the university.

Doc also completed a research fellowship in molecular genetics at Duke University and became a board-eligible eye surgeon. Along the way, he has been published in scientific journals and helped start a small biotechnology company, Mirus Bio, which was sold to Roche for $125 million in 2008.

However, frustrated by Big Medicine's many conflicts, Doc began to look for ways to talk directly with individuals. He wanted to use his background to show them how to take control of their health and wealth. In 2008, Doc joined Stansberry Research and launched his publication, Retirement Millionaire. He has gone on to launch Retirement Trader, which uses options to help people construct safe, reliable income streams. Doc's Income Intelligence seeks out income-producing investments to maximize returns. Prosperity Investor helps investors unlock massive potential gains in health care investing. Every Monday through Friday, Doc shares his views on the latest in the financial and health industries – and tips on how to improve your own life – in Health & Wealth Bulletin.

Doc has also authored five books with four-star ratings (or better) on Amazon. In his spare time, he has run three marathons and several triathlons. He owns and produces his own wine (Eifrig Cellars) in northern Sonoma County, California. Doc is also the CEO of MarketWise, Stansberry Research's parent company.

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