That's Fit

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.

We have all heard that pets can help teach kids patience, responsibility, and empathy, but according to a recent study, having a dog in the home during childhood, especially during the first year of infancy, seriously decreased a child's likelihood of developing sensitivities to allergens like pollen. Our own Maggie first broke this story a few days ago but it's worth repeating for those thinking about investing in a canine commitment -- and for those who like photos of cute kids and cute dogs. See gallery that follows.

So the science behind this theory is that dogs bring germs inside on their coats and in their mouths, thus exposing kids to them and boosting the child's immune system. Older generations were often exposed to more dirt and germs as children (you know, because kids used to actually play outside instead of sitting indoors playing video games), and therefore developed a greater resistance to many allergens than kids today.

This study in particular has taken blood samples from 3,000 six-year-olds and will test the samples for hints that the child might become allergic to things like pet hair, dust mites, and pollen. The children will be retested at age 10, but the lead researcher has already stated with confidence that, "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitization to pollens and allergens."

Though he claims he never had allergies before moving here to my hometown 10 years ago, my husband came home after a recent allergy test with a sheet filled with items that he reacted to. While I doubt all of his allergies cropped up in the last decade, I do know that our area is bad for people who suffer respiratory illnesses. Though we have no intentions of moving, if we ever do, air quality will definitely be on my list of things to consider.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recently named the worst cities for allergy sufferers in America. They ranked their cities by pollen counts, medication usage, and the number of board certified allergists per patient.

The top five include:

• Lexington, KY
• Greensboro, NC
• Johnson City, TN
• Augusta, GA
• Jackson, MS
  

Spring is a notorious time for allergy sufferers. Learn more about prevention and treatment at AOL Body's allergy center.

All of my friends in the so-called "allergy capital of the country", Gainesville, Florida have allergies. I mean ALL of them. Growing up on the beach in South Florida, I didn't know a sole who spoke of the evils of allergies. Now, everyone on my speed dial is speaking with a raspy voice and choking up a lung.

Winter can be especially rough. If you're dealing with the aggravations of allergies or worse, the brutal side-effects that come with asthma...Women's Health magazine has a pretty great resource for you. The Women's Health Allergies and Asthma Clinic offers the full scoop on breathing easy through this winter.

I love freshly-cut Christmas trees, but they can be torture to a sensitive allergy sufferer. Strange but true: Some Christmas trees can still be pollinating even though they're in your living room; look for a yellowish tinge on the needles. Another allergy hazard? Some trees can have mold on them -- if you suspect yours does, gently wash it with a solution of lukewarm water and a bit of bleach. Or avoid the hassle by picking up an artificial tree -- though they're just not the same if you ask me.

Want more tips for navigating the holiday season when you have allergies? Check out this article from Everyday Health.

It's that time again...allergy season. If there was ever a reason not to like spring, allergies would be it. And depending where you live, the issue may be even worse than for most. Forbes has compiled a list of the top 100 worst cities for spring allergies in the U.S.

Where does your city rank? Not so good if you live in one of the top three: Tulsa, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Fort Myers. But if you call #100 home, Fort Wayne Indiana, you're doing much better. As for me, I'm happy with a score of 64 -- at least it's in the bottom half!

Allergy season is coming into full bloom with spring. Medicines help treat allergy symptoms once they strike, but here are a few hints that can help you prevent symptoms altogether. It is time for that good spring cleaning for your home and your nasal passages that should be put into your everyday routine.

The fresh air is great in the spring tempting us to open our windows and let that cross breeze flow through the house. But if you or your spouse or child are an allergy sufferer you should keep those windows closed and use air conditioning if you're allergic to pollen. Don't use fans since they can stir up dust. Filter the air. There are many brands of air filtration systems that you can put in individual rooms to help filter allergens out of the air. One helpful hint is to cover your air conditioning vents with cheesecloth to filter pollen and use high efficiency particulate air filters. Clean air filters or replace them frequently, once or twice a month. This not only cuts down on allergies but also the electric bill. Clean your home air ducts at least once a year. Keep the humidity in your house below 50 percent to prevent mold growth by using dehumidifiers and especially in the basement where mold is more likely to collect. Be sure to clean your dehumidifiers and filtration systems once a week also. Wash your bedding every week in hot water and vacuum twice a week. If you have indoor pets you should vacuum 4 times a week to cut down on animal dander and also bathe your pets often. Most important is don't allow smoking in your home.

Now that we have cleaned up your home, here is one helpful hint to clean up your nasal passages. Nettie Pots are great for cleaning out the sinus areas. A Nettie Pot is a small ceramic, long spouted, teapot where you put a simple salt and warm water solution and poor into your nose with your head tilted to one side. This flushes out all kinds of stuff. Be sure to do both nostrils.

Spring may be right around the corner here in the U.S., but it's in full bloom over in Pakistan. Specifically, it's Mulberry trees that are blooming, and instead of being admired for their beauty, they are feared for the terrible (and sometimes even deadly) allergic reactions their pollen causes.

The paper mulberry trees were planted back in the 1960s and have spread wildly into most open areas around the town of Islamabad, and since they produce some of the severest pollen allergies in the world this has created major health problems for people living in the area. The town is doing what they can to cut the trees down on a small scale, and although they continue to ask the government and environmentalists for help -- they have yet to get it.