Spring allergies are in full swing, which means congestion, nonstop sneezing, itchiness, red and watering eyes, and the list goes on. And as much as we want to be outside in the warmer weather, the fear of an allergy flareup can be a major deterrent. Actress Brooklyn Decker can relate to the struggles of seasonal allergies with symptoms that affected all aspects of her personal and professional life. The good news is that there are ways to treat your symptoms so you can continue to live life to the fullest. Below, Decker shares with Parade.com how she’s found seasonal allergy relief.
Decker’s experience with allergies and how she manages her symptoms
Decker’s allergy symptoms started later in life. “I thought I was one of the lucky ones who avoided them,” says Decker. “I was living in Austin at the time and what people will tell you is if you live in Austin for seven years, you will develop seasonal allergies, which is true to the date for me.” At first, she assumed she was fighting an infection and it would pass. But when her symptoms persisted, she knew there was something else going on. “I had a chronically runny nose and watery eyes and thought I was just battling a cold but it lasted for months,” Decker explains. “I went to my doctor and he said, ‘Welcome to Austin, this is seasonal allergies.’ He prescribed Zyrtec and it immediately offered relief. What I loved is I could take one and it worked for 24 hours.” Also, traveling to different allergy hot spots has been a challenge. “I live in Austin, but traveled to shoot in Los Angeles. My eyes would be so scratchy and watery that it would affect my work on camera,” Decker explains.
Her top tip for anyone who deals with spring allergies
“Take a Zyrtec, and then get outside. We’ve all been stuck inside for so long because of COVID. The last thing we want to do after being inside is to deal with allergies in a way that limits us from enjoying the outdoors,” Decker explains. The bottom line: Don’t let allergies stop you from living your life. “Enjoy the trees and get back in nature! It certainly works for our family. I’m in North Carolina and spring is in full bloom, so you can imagine what that does to allergies. I took a Zyrtec this morning and my kids took it before going to school. It allows us to not think too much about it and go on with our day. Nature can be the best medicine and with a little support from Zyrtec you can actually get out there and enjoy it,” Decker adds.
Decker’s partnership with ZYRTEC for their ReLEAF Project
Zyrtec partnered with American Forests and recently launched the ReLeaf Project, a project that involves investing money in both research for historically excluded communities and planting trees. Decker is committed to raising awareness about this cause. “Ironically, when you think about trees blooming and how they can irritate allergies, more trees actually clean the air. But to this day there are communities that have been underserved and are having more problems with erosion and cooling the neighborhoods because there aren’t a lot of trees. Zyrtec and American Forest are spending money on research and planting in cities that could use more plant support,” Decker explains. Next up: 5 Smart Rules for Kids with Spring Allergies
