It's that time of year again, the sniffling, sneezing, itchy-eye time of year. Pollen is a major trigger for people with allergies, and since it's not springtime without pollen, there's little you can do to avoid it completely.

If pollen gives you a problem, however, you can reduce your exposure to it. WikiHow has a few answers for you, including:

• Know what you're allergic to and find out when your peak season is.
• Stay inside on windy days and when the pollen count is high.
• Use an air conditioner when necessary.
• Buy a reel lawnmower to reduce exposure while cutting the grass.
• Wear sunglasses outdoors to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Take a shower after working in the yard.
• See your health provider if your allergies aren't easily controlled.
  

Believe me, I know that allergy season is no fun. But by being mindful of what you're allergic to and taking care to prevent attacks, you can still enjoy the beautiful spring weather and stay healthy too.

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Are global warming trends to blame for an increase in allergies among the world's population? How about the rise of asthma cases? It sounds pretty logical that the hotter the planet is, the more irritants can be found in the air we breathe, and hence we have more allergies and asthma cases.

The overall increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air promotes the rapid growth of the plants whose pollen triggers quite a bit of this allergy madness (myself included).

What to do? Wear a face mask outside at all times? That would be off and probably not comfortable, but as greenhouse gases become more prevalent, some of us may need them.

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With seasonal allergies in full swing in many states around the U.S. and many countries around the world right now, is the best or worst to come?

It's not even April yet and in my part of the U.S., it's like May already -- flowers blooming, trees growing, yards being mowed -- and allergies going crazy. Experts say it's hard to predict what this weird weather means for allergy sufferers, but I have an answer -- they are here early and are just as bad as I've ever seen them.

Here's hoping that the pollen shedding stops soon so myself and those I know can get a break from all the "natural goodness" i the air right now. It's not pleasant.

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If you're reading this from the Georgia or South Carolina, your eyes may be too red and watery to see the screen! In the last week, a yellow haze has descended on the country's southeast states creating a boon for car wash businesses and makers of allergy medicine. The culprit? Pollen, mostly from pine trees.

The pollen is sticking around because of a lack of rain. Rain washes the pollen out of the air, but because there's been no precipitation (and none in sight for the next week), the stuff is just hanging there. Pollen counts have hit 5000 and above in an area that rarely sees counts above 120, and residents are feeling it. Watery eyes and irritated respiratory passages have citizens running for relief.

If you live in the Southeast, experts say stay inside as much as possible until the pollen leaves the area, or at least try to limit outdoor activities to early morning, when pollen counts hit their low point.

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Suffer from seasonal allergies? Many of us actually have a break during the winter season since the air i barren from pollen, mold, cottonwood fluff and other springtime air irritants that can cause our respiratory systems to go into big-time defense mode.

But then again, inside air irritants like pet dander, dust mites and smoke residue can even pollute the inside of our homes. What to do? If you've considered an air filter system or air purifiers, you're not alone.

I use one of these myself and the way it changes the air quality inside a home can be downright addictive. Even if you don't have a huge amount of pollutants inside your home (trust me -- you do), an air purifier can be a wise investment. The thing is to do your due diligence research before purchasing one.

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