What is blooming??? (allergies) (buy, store, eat)

[Mark S.]

I went all spring and most of the summer with no problems. But over the past week or two, I wake up every morning with my eyes swollen shut and I'm sneezing by midmorning. It feels like someone is rubbing a cat across my face while I'm sleeping.

Any idea what's starting blooming over the past week or so?

[Submariner]

Goldenrod

[Mark S.]

Thank you, sir!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Ragweed.

[Submariner]

I suggest when that you buy honey, ask the beekeeper to put an extra helping of pollen into it for you.

Commercial honey is usually filtered, so there is no pollen left in it.

Since we collect pollen anyway we have a store of pollen here.

It is thought that unfiltered local honey has just a slight trace of local pollen in it, and it will help those suffering from allergy.

I put some of our pollen back into our honey so it has an extra amount for our friends.

It appears to help.

[elston]

I bought a goldenrod plant at the nursery and have it in the garden....it is hybredized and a bit bushier and finer leaved than the wild version.....I have seen it used in florists arrangements.....the literature that was on the tag said that goldenrod has got a bad rap for causing allergies...and that tests showed it was not a heavy allergy producing plant....its reputation comes from the fact it blooms at the same time as ragweed...which is highly allergenic.

My allergies were in the spring....and might have been to the copious amounts of pine pollen....but I dont really know.

[riddei63]

Agreed Ragweed is my nemesis. From Mid August thru Mid October, I am in a hay-fever histamine nightmare.

[tcrackly]

Originally Posted by elston

I bought a goldenrod plant at the nursery and have it in the garden....it is hybredized and a bit bushier and finer leaved than the wild version.....I have seen it used in florists arrangements.....the literature that was on the tag said that goldenrod has got a bad rap for causing allergies...and that tests showed it was not a heavy allergy producing plant....its reputation comes from the fact it blooms at the same time as ragweed...which is highly allergenic.

My allergies were in the spring....and might have been to the copious amounts of pine pollen....but I dont really know.

I agree. I react badly to both pine pollen and apparently ragweed. I recently had a sinus infection and now a persistent cough as a result.
Ragweed, Common (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) - Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake - An All Creatures Photo Gallery - creation, earth, environment, ecology, plants, trees, animal, animals, fine art, watercolor painting, paintings, photography, pic, pics,file:///Users/tcrackly/Desktop/wfshl-ragweed-04_small.jpg (broken link)

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I suggest when that you buy honey, ask the beekeeper to put an extra helping of pollen into it for you.

Commercial honey is usually filtered, so there is no pollen left in it.

Since we collect pollen anyway we have a store of pollen here.

It is thought that unfiltered local honey has just a slight trace of local pollen in it, and it will help those suffering from allergy.

I put some of our pollen back into our honey so it has an extra amount for our friends.

It appears to help.

Thanks for the advice. My problem, though, is that I don't really like honey. I like it cooked in things as a substitute for sugar. But as far as just eating raw honey ... never been for me. I just don't have much of a sweet tooth. I don't even put butter on my muffins.

[hlmagan]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Thanks for the advice. My problem, though, is that I don't really like honey. I like it cooked in things as a substitute for sugar. But as far as just eating raw honey ... never been for me. I just don't have much of a sweet tooth. I don't even put butter on my muffins.

I don't crave sweets either, but I do like honey in my tea occasionally. It's also really good with peanut butter.

Think of it like medicine-if it's going to help, who cares what it tastes like