New Year's, Cedar Allergies, and Resolutions
_A new year is a fresh start, a clean slate, so why didn't old problems get the memo? For many, the new year kicks off a new struggle with allergies. The colder temperatures usually drive plants into dormancy, and pollen production in most species grinds to a halt, but as with every trend, rule, or pattern, there's always an exception. Winter's allergy exception is cedar or juniper pollen, and now is the time when these trees often begin to rain misery down upon the American Southwest.
We've discussed cedar allergies in the past, and like in years past there are a couple simple things you can do to help reduce exposure. A high quality allergy mask is a simple but effective way to reduce allergens while outdoors. Indoors, replacing your HVAC filter or air purifier filter are also an excellent ideas. 
For those with masks, now might be a good time to pick up a couple replacement filters, and if you have any specific questions about masks, feel free to drop us a line via the Customer Question section of any product page on our site.
Beyond cedar, many of us are recovering from New Year's Eve. From enjoying yourself a little too much or simply staying up too late, New Year's offers a variety of ways to leave us feeling a little less than prepared to tackle all those New Year's resolutions. Speaking of resolutions, did you make any this year?
There are millions of resolutions made each year. Lose weight, quit smoking, eat better, spend less time working and more with family, floss more than once a week, and fix that loose tile that you keep stubbing your toe on are all one someone's list. Personally, I've never been real big on resolutions. To date, I've made one, and I kept it. It was three years ago, and my resolution was to eat more chocolate. I'm an adult and since we only get one go round on the ferris wheel of life, I personally see little point in not enjoying it. Besides, resolutions seem too much like self-punishment or some form of masochism. When I see or hear about these types of resolutions, I think, ‘nope, nope, nope.’
So in that year, I purchased nearly four dozen bags of Dove chocolates, you know, the little individually wrapped pieces with personalized messages. In total, it was roughly 42 POUNDS of chocolate, and I enjoyed every one of those bite sized treats. That same year, I lost around 45 pounds. Granted, chocolate wasn't necessarily my key to dropping weight, but my point is this. At the time in every year when people resolve to better themselves, their health, and their lives, it's important to remember we're not robots. Change isn't particularly easy for many of us, and kicking bad habits is often a long difficult process. None of these things though should feel as if we're punishing ourselves. Goals should be made with end result in mind, but it's almost as important to reward yourself along the way. Habits don't become habit overnight, and that's true for both the good and bad ones.
On behalf of everyone here at AchooAllergy.com, I'd like to wish you a Happy New Year and the best of luck in of your resolutions!
Author: KevvyG
