Health gem

If you do one thing this week . . . make your garden more asthma and allergy friendly

THE LONGER stretch in the evenings and the possibility of decent weather means that more people will be enjoying their gardens. But some with asthma find that allergies can put them off: scents, pollen, dust and moulds can make it worse.

Frances Guiney from the Asthma Society of Ireland has some tips. Taking the prescribed medication and carrying a reliever inhaler is important. Meanwhile, wearing a hat and sunglasses can help to reduce pollen contact on hair and eyes, she notes, and if you have skin allergies she suggests you keep arms, legs and hands covered.

“Be aware that mould and fungal spores from compost heaps would be a huge issue for some people with asthma,” she says. “And the fewer allergenic plants in your garden, the less chance of triggering allergies.”

For more tips and details about plants to use and avoid, see Gardening with Asthma and Allergies Creating an Allergy Friendly Garden under Publications at asthmasociety.ie.