Pollen

Pollen, pollen everywhere! It's like Christmas, except instead of snow, it's yellow pollen, and instead of receiving gifts, all you get is sneezing, congestion, a runny nose, allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. Though pollen levels are traditionally very high during the springtime, nature sometimes tries to do its part to help mitigate the mucousy misery that it spreads. Nature's idea of helping with pollen? Rain.

While wet, warm conditions are very conducive for the production of pollen, it tends to be drier days that see some of the highest pollen counts. This is because dry, low humidity days are better "pollen travel days". When not encumbered by moisture, pollens are freer to float about in the air and coat, well, everything. Ever notice the air feels "heavier" or "thicker" when it's humid out? There is some merit to this as humidity does make microparticles, like pollen, heavier and more likely to precipitate out of the air rather than continue floating along, tickling the noses of people across a very wide area.

Often rains spell relief for many folks since the humidity levels rises and grounds pollen faster than one of those new Boeing Dreamliners with a faulty battery (too soon?). Rain not only inhibits the spread of pollen, it also washes it away. Areas of the country, like Atlanta, that experience high levels of pine pollen often get that yellow, powdery coat over everything. While these larger, visible particles can sometimes be less responsible for allergic reactions than their smaller cousins, this pollen nonetheless is a good indicator to all that allergy season is in full swing.

So whether you're a farmer in many parts of our drought stricken country or just a seasonal allergy sufferer, spring rains bring welcome relief. Check out a few of the pictures I shot recently. No, it's not a chemical spill. That's pollen!

You can't always wait on the rains to give you a break during week long stretches of high pollen counts, but you can help to reduce the pollen you breathe by wearing an allergy mask, rinsing your sinuses and using OTC allergy medications when symptoms flare up. Or, there is always a rain dance.

Author: K. Gilmore

Well, it's time for Atlanta's annual rite of passage - spring pollen, and particularly pine pollen.  While there are certainly more tree pollens than just pine floating around in the air, pine pollen is what gives this city it's lovely yellow hue this time of year.  For those affected by allergies or have allergy-induced asthma, the next several weeks can be miserable without taking some steps to control exposure.

We generally recommend you first start at home.  What's floating around outside cannot be helped, but what's floating around inside your house can.  This time of year it's important to remember that a few simple steps can help keep many of those allergens outside, where they belong.

• Take your shoes off.  It seems pretty self-explanatory, but you can track a lot of pollen into the house.  This is also true for pets.  While your cat or dog probably doesn't wear shoes, using a pet wipe or simply damp rag to quickly wipe them down when they come in can help keep them from tracking throughout the house.
• Change the filter.  This can apply to a couple things.  Your HVAC filter is likely due for a change.  After spending much of the winter indoors, these filters can work overtime trying to keep your indoor air clean.  Start with a fresh filter every two to three months.  If you are using a HEPA air purifier, keep tabs on when your filter change is due.  Often they'll have timer based indicators, but keep this running properly can help reduce the pollen that you're bringing in the house.
• Don't skimp on the spring cleaning!  Regular vacuuming, washing, and dusting are more important during high pollen times than at any other point in the year.  By letting allergens build you can easily quickly increase your "allergen load" past the tipping point and be overwhelmed with symptoms.
• Keep the windows closed.  In places with high levels of pine pollen opening the windows can be about the equivalent of coating everything in your home with baby powder, except it will be yellow and likely cause a lot more sneezing.  If you do want to keep the windows open without the mess and allergens, try using a window filter.  They're not a efficient as a HEPA filter, but they do a good job in removing larger particles and much of the pollen in the air.  Besides, if they were HEPA rated, no air at all would pass through.

While these tips can help to keep pollen out of your home, we don't want people to be shut-ins.  So when you're out and about, plan certain tasks around specific times of the day.  Late morning and midday are often your worst times for peak pollen.  There are also a variety of resources that will give you a daily pollen count.  So if something could be pushed off from a particularly high pollen day, you can do a bit of short term planning.  If you are going to be out and about, whether for fun, work or exercise, OTC medication can help prevent and treat many of the symptoms, and a high quality allergy mask can block most of the allergens in the air.  Using a nasal irrigation device can help rinse away reaction causing pollen and other allergens that collect in the nose and sinuses.

None of these things cost much money.  More than anything, it is simply spending a little extra time or stepping up the frequency of things that you are already going.  Spring is here, so buckle up!  We have about three weeks of this lovely yellow powder ahead of us!

Author: Kevin G.

We're not quite two weeks in to February, and while much of the Northeast and Midwest is literally digging out from under a few feet of snow, in other parts of the country, there have already been a couple days of high pollen counts. In Atlanta, the Easter lilies have been in bloom for almost a week, and much like last year, spring pollen season is likely coming early for many allergy sufferers.

Last year, the sneezing started earlier due to a warmer winter, and for much of the country this is again the case. Now, if you're sitting under three feet of snow right now in Boston, this doesn't really apply, but the spring allergy season there typically trails the start in the southeast, south and west.

Spring allergy season is an annual event marked by plenty of sneezing, congestion and in some places, a putrid green-yellow dust covering everything. In more recent years, milder winter temperatures and heavier rainfall has led trees, grasses and other plants all beginning to bloom earlier in the year, effectively prolonging the season. The same is likely going to be true for this year.

Most people are familiar with seasonal allergies and the symptoms they bring, including, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes, sinus pressure, swelling, and a sore throat. Avoiding the pollen of spring is difficult for many but by making a few slight changes to your everyday routine, you can can reduce much of your exposure.

• Check the pollen count - Most local forecasts give you a pollen count and the types of pollen that are prevalent on any given day. You can also find this information relatively quickly online or through many of the weather apps available for your mobile.
• Take your shoes off - Kicking your shoes off at the door can keep you from tracking pollen in and all through your home.
• Keep the windows closed - Open windows let in a fresh, spring breeze, but they also allow unwanted guests like windwalking pollens. Window filters can remove much of the pollen in the air and still allow some air to pass through.
• Replace your furnace filter - After a winter of being shut in more than usual and using the furnace, your HVAC or furnace filter is likely long overdue for a change. Most filters use simple particle filtration but some have electrostatic properties that boost filtering ability. Electrostatic filters generally only last about three months before they are full of particulate, so regular replacement is a must.
• Irrigate - I'm not talking about your lawn. Instead, nasal irrigation is a quick and easy way to wash away allergens that can accumulate in airways and throat. Removing them with a saline rinse not only moisturizes but also reduces reactions by flushing the allergen out of your system.

These are just a few ways you can prepare and cope with spring allergies. While you cannot eliminate pollen, you can take these simple steps to reduce their impact (and your misery) during this time of year.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

With August nearly halfway over, allergy sufferers' attention often turns to one particular allergen - ragweed pollen. Generally starting in mid-August (slightly later throughout the South), ragweed causes allergic flare ups for millions of Americans every year, and with extremely hot and dry conditions gripping much of the country, this year could prove to be particularly challenging.

Ragweed is a generic term that actually covers over three dozen different species of plants. Here in the U.S., the most prevalent form of ragweed is A. artemisiifolia. Ragweed is fairly potent when compared to other types of pollen, and can be a problem for allergy sufferers even in areas where ragweed plants are not prolific. The pollen of ragweed is so light that in some instances, it can travel hundreds of miles before finally settling out of the air. Because there is a severe drought gripping nearly 3/4 of the country (and ragweed is well suited for warm, arid conditions), this year's ragweed season is likely to be a rough one!

There are several things you can do to reduce the impact of ragweed pollen during this time of year, but there are two general paths you can take - avoidance or treatment of symptoms. In terms of treating symptoms, there are a variety of allergy medications available. When taken prior to actually seeing symptoms, many can actually prevent the sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and other conditions that typify an allergic reaction. For some there can be issues with side effects or adverse reactions with other medications that person may be taking, and for other people, the expense of constantly taking allergy medication for several continuous weeks through ragweed season can just be too much expense.

On the hand, there is avoidance. Avoidance can and is more difficult than simply taking a pill. However, the benefits of it can mean less cost to your bottom line, no worry of adverse reactions, and less dependence on pills or potentially addictive nasal sprays. In terms of avoidance there are a few basic tips to keep in mind.

• Keep Your Windows Closed - Whether at home or in your car, keeping your windows closed is a basic step to keep pollen out. If you want to keep your the windows open, try using a home window filter. These trap much of the pollen, ragweed and otherwise, but still allow some air to pass through and circulate throughout your home.
  
  
• Watch the Pollen Count - This information is readily available through your local news outlet or a variety of online sources. Knowing when pollen counts are particularly high can help you schedule certain outdoor tasks to reduce exposure.
  
  
• Rinse Your Sinuses - Many people who suffer from allergies already employ this method to flush allergens and soothe sore or inflamed sinuses. When used properly a simple, inexpensive device like a neti pot can make a big difference in how you feel and how well you can breathe through your nose.
  
  

Other methods to help avoid pollen including wearing a pollen mask when outdoors or using an air purifier indoors to remove allergens from the air in your home.

Whether you go with avoidance, medications or a combination of the two, both can bring relief and help to minimize the misery that ragweed season can bring.

For more information on ragweed pollen. Happy Breathing!

Author: Kevin Gilmore aka KevvyG

For some an allergy mask is a year round accessory while for others the need typically arises during the spring and fall. Though the spike in pollen during these two seasons often means asthma and allergy sufferers use a mask, the summers can present some unique situations where masks would be helpful.

• Pollen - While the pollen types and volumes are generally less than during the springs months, plants like sumac and thistle produce pollen throughout the summer. For many allergy and asthma sufferers, fresh cut grass can be a continuing source of irritation during this time. And because people typically spend more of the summer outdoors than any other season, exposure to pollen can be greater than during peak pollen months.
  
  
• Emissions Pollution - Traffic in many areas of the country can increase or decrease seasonally, but no matter where you are the warmer temperatures mean that any pollution in the air more readily forms ground level ozone. So whether it is vehicle exhaust or emissions from factories, the formation of the lung irritant ozone is much more common during the summer than in any other season. Ground level ozone is the primary reason why you see so many air quality warnings throughout the summer. Additionally, though these conditions usually affect urban centers, some of the highest levels of ground level ozone are recorded in rural areas. As the air and air pollution moves, geography like mountains and valley create natural collection points where pollution from urban areas can settle and build. Much like water, air has a natural flow that allows for it to pool and form pockets far from the original source.
  
  
• Wildfires - Every year wildfires plague sections of the western U.S. The soot, ash, and chemicals carried in wildfire smoke can be particularly troubling for those with asthma and other respiratory conditions like COPD. Drought conditions exacerbate this and can make areas where wildfires are usually not a concern, a serious problem. Even those who aren't directly affected by the fire can be affected by the smoke.
  
  
• Special Summer Events - Though the vast majority of people will not be attending Burning Man, many people will be attending summer music festivals and concerts across the country. Though Burning Man requires a mask prior to being admitted, most do not. If you do plan on spending time in areas where campfires are going to be abundant, it's never a bad idea to bring a mask along.

Even during summer there are a variety of uses for a quality allergy mask, and when selecting, keep in mind what your specific filtration needs are as well as what type of pollutants you are dealing with. No matter your budget or need, there is a mask that is a perfect fit to keep you breathing easier no matter where you are!

Author: Kevin Gilmore

Each spring ushers in a yellow-green flood of pollen, and Atlanta begins to resemble a pastry that some giant chef has sprinkled yellowish green powdered sugar all over. So with the average pollen count in Atlanta doubling over the last 30 days, adjusting the clocks Sunday isn't the only changes allergy and asthma sufferers have on their To-Do list.

Though the yellow pine pollen that coats the city isn't usually the cause of all the sneezing in Atlanta, it does signal the start of seasonal allergies. For the next several weeks, there will be a few things that allergy sufferers can do to reduce their headaches, congestion, sneezing and other symptoms.

Though staying inside for the next month isn't something most people can or want to do, what can be done is limiting the time you spend outside. This not only reduces your exposure but also limits how much pollen you'll bring back inside.

If you are going to spend significant time outdoors, an allergy mask can dramatically reduce your exposure. There are a variety of styles from the thin, light Silk Mask to the more effective respirators. Regardless of what you select, each offer some level of protection from pollen and other particle allergens.

Another helpful tip is to make sure you take your shoes off at the door. Ultimately, it is a much easier to keep your home free of pollen if you aren't tracking it all through the house. Same goes with your clothes. If you are particularly sensitive, change your clothes once you get home to further avoid spreading pollen through the house.

After spending a winter with the windows closed, spring seems like a natural time to let a fresh, cool breeze in. To allow air to circulate without allowing so much of the pollen in, a window filter is a great device. And since REP tweeked the design of their filters, you can now swap out the filter media instead of having to buy all new filters.

Lastly, you might want to consider nasal irrigation. While constantly rinsing can create problems for some people, flushing your sinuses during allergy season is a great way to clear away pollen that has become trapped in your nasal passages. And unlike many OTC drugs, there are no side effects.

While I know lament the absence of sunny days, I hope that this spring brings plenty of wet weather! Rain not only washes away the pollen that has accumulated and effectively lowers the pollen count, but as my personal favorite, it helps delay our seemingly annual drought! Plus, I think we'd all like to avoid looking like this guy to my right.