How to Curb Pollen Exposure

To those who have allergies, it can seem that pollen is omnipresent. Healthgrades recommends taking the following 12 steps to minimize your exposure to the sneeze-inducing stuff:

1. Close car and house windows to keep pollen outside. 
2. Run the air conditioner to help clean indoor air. 
3. Limit the time you spend outside on high-pollen days. 
4. If you must be outdoors for an extended period of time on high-pollen days, wear a pollen mask. 
5. Avoid being outdoors early in the morning, when pollen levels tend to peak. 
6. Change your clothes and take a shower when you come indoors after an extended period outside. Pollen can cling to skin, hair and clothing. 
7. Use your dryer rather than drying clothing and sheets outdoors. 
8. Vacuum weekly, using a unit with a small-particle or HEPA filter. 
9. Avoid planting Bermuda and Johnson grass in your lawn, which are more likely to cause allergies. If those types of grass are in your lawn, you might want to consider replacing them with bunchgrass, dichondra or Irish moss, which produce less pollen. 
10. If possible, have someone else mow your lawn and keep it cut short. 
11. Choose plants with colorful or scented flowers, which produce heavy, waxy pollen that doesn't go airborne. Good choices are dahlias, daisies, geraniums, roses, snapdragons and tulips. 
12. Don't touch your face when working outside and leave your gardening gloves and tools outside. 

To learn more, click here.