“Bless you!” my kids holler over to me… TWENTY times per day.

It’s no secret: I have seasonal allergies. In fact, from March to October, I have a love-hate relationship with trees, grass and ragweed. (Okay, it’s mostly “hate” with ragweed.) And while sneeze-a-thons can definitely be a nuisance, it goes further than that for me; I frequently experience an itchy, runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion.

I’m not alone. Experts estimate that about 20 to 30 per cent of Canadians suffer from seasonal allergies – the immune system’s exaggerated response to an allergen. For me, “allergy season” starts in early spring and goes until the first frost of autumn. Translation: I spend about 3/4 of the year in hay fever hell.

(My husband, who is affected by indoor allergies that can be caused by pet dander, dust mites, etc. – actually suffers all year round. Yikes!)

Here is how I manage my allergy symptoms:

1. I track my symptoms. I keep a daily diary to track my activities and the time of day when my symptoms occur; it helps me identify patterns and improve my understanding of what affects me most, and when. For example, I find that my symptoms are most intense during mid-day if I’m in a park.

2. Get relief. There’s no need to suffer! I spoke with my pharmacist and she recommended Nasacort Allergy 24HR. Nasacort Allergy 24HR is an unscented, no taste formulation I use for my allergy symptoms. I use this product because it provides me non-drowsy, non-drip nasal allergy relief. The best part, you ask? Nasacort Allergy 24HR formula works around the clock, which means I can get 24 hour relief from my worst symptoms!

I see you, ragweed – and I’m about to up the ante. It’s not easy being sneezy, but I found relief and so can you. Nasacort Allergy 24HR is available without a prescription for adults and children over the age of 12.

For more information on Nasacort Allergy 24HR, visit www.nasacort.ca. To be sure this product is right for you, always read and follow the label.

The post is sponsored by Nasacort Allergy 24HR Canada. The opinions on this blog, as always, are my own.