News! Allergies are making women fat

Research shows that allergy medication may trigger weight gain. Find out how and discover natural remedies that soothe symptoms without pound-packing pitfalls!

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

Allergy season is in full swing, leaving millions of us sneezing and sniffling. But that's just the tip of the iceberg: New York City allergist Jennifer Collins, M.D., estimates more than 1 in 4 women with allergies don't know they have them, as symptoms often don't appear until later in life. "Allergies are becoming increasingly common for reasons we don't fully understand. In fact, many of my female patients think their allergy symptoms, like fatigue and fog, are just part of daily stress."

When allergies are diagnosed, many women reach for antihistamines. But the medications can cause weight gain, according to a Texas A&M study that found that people taking allergy meds had a higher body mass index. In a separate study, Yale researchers found that antihistamines increase appetite, paving the way to weight gain. Good news: Natural strategies work just as effectively!