Fall allergies? Yep, I feel for you!

Someone just asked me, what's the worst time of year for you with allergies? 

Ummmmm....year round.

Many people think those with seasonal allergies (hay fever) just have allergies in the spring when the flowers and trees bloom. If only. IF only....

For many of us, fall can be just as miserable. I have woken up coughing several nights this week - which is very unusual for me. That is a sign that my asthma is not well controlled. In fact, Baylor University has an easy way to check if your asthma is controlled. 

It's called the Rule of 2:

(Baylor University Rule of 2)

Since I am now waking up more than 2 times per month, I need to figure out what is going on.

I already take a daily, controller inhaler, so that should keep the swelling down in my lungs.

Since The Hubster just cleaned and vacuumed our room, I know dust isn't the cause of my asthma attacks.

A quick check at the pollen count in my area shows Ragweed, Sage and Chenopods are all in the "Very High" category. 

Aha!

So, now I can take action to reduce exposure to pollen, which will reduce asthma attacks for me. 

This includes:

• Showering before bed (that removes the pollen from my hair and skin)
• Washing my sheets once a week to remove the pollen
• Keeping the windows closed in the house (keep that pollen out!)
• Keeping the windows closed in my car while I commute to work 
• Taking off my shoes when I enter my home (also keeps out pollen, dirt, bacteria, etc)

 What's your worst time of year? Or do you have allergies year round too?

What helps your allergies?