Stifle your sniffles this ragweed season

For hay fever sufferers, August and September mean more than just back-to-school season, they also mark the beginning of ragweed season. Ragweed, common in ditches, roadsides, and vacant lots, causes hay fever in susceptible individuals, numbering roughly 36 million in the United States. Hay fever causes sneezing, water eyes, and stuffy nose, as well as fatigue and poor concentration due to sleep disturbances.

But according to allergy experts, you don't have to suffer. Minimize your exposure to the pollen of this highly allergenic plant until ragweed season is over, usually when the cool weather returns. Check out this list of tips from Healthday to learn how.