As a hayfever sufferer, I've always dreaded this pollen filled time of year.

However, instead of having to hide away in a cloud of tissues and Claritin, you can now casually sip on gin and get the same effects, or at the very least... it's the alcoholic beverage of choice to avoid making your hay fever any worse. Clear spirits such as gin and vodka are low in sulphites and histamines, which makes sense when you consider how antihistamines are often helpful when it comes to battling hay fever. I've recently noticed that when I drink gin or a gin-based cocktail, I feel fine the next day. This surprised me as I wouldn't regularly be a gin drinker and thought it would have given me a hangover. On the other hand, beer was making me feel really ill even though I'd usually be a beer drinker. After a quick Google, I found that fermented beverages are culprits when it comes to setting off hay fever. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you love a glass of red wine with your al fresco lunch you may find yourself with puffy eyes. Dark drinks like red wine are on the opposite end of the scale. It'll basically give you the same effects as rubbing your face in a bunch of flowers. You can read more about the research from AsthmaUK - and considering there is due to be a high pollen count this week, now is the time to get educated. Now when you fancy a gin and tonic all you have to say is: "It's for my allergies", and you won't even be spoofing. So who's for a cocktail?