Seasonal Allergies in Orlando

Ah yes, we love our spring temperatures, mid-70’s, light breeze, blue skies and beautiful spring blooms…. That sounds glorious when compared to the northern states where the frozen ground from winter shows little sign of thawing.  Unfortunately, these lovely springtime favorites also usher in Orlando’s allergy and hay fever season.

It starts out with that fine film of golden-green dust that appears on cars, patio furniture, screen porches – basically just about everything that is outdoors. Yes, the onset of Oak and Pine pollen, just like the inevitable April 15th  tax return deadline, there is no avoiding seasonal allergies in Orlando. Even our beautiful state flower shows allergy sufferers no mercy. The Orange Blossoms sprout from the citrus trees with their hardy little white, sweet smelling buds – just the thought of it makes my eyes start to tear (and itch!)

It is the same springtime cool, breezy, dry conditions that prompt us to open the windows and doors to let the ‘fresh’ air into our homes that exacerbate the allergen problem.

If you are prone to seasonal allergies, it is suggested that you check the pollen levels before exerting yourself outdoors. Be aware of when the pollen ratings are high and modify your outdoor activities. WebMD offers some great suggestions on this topic.

Three sites that I use for tracking weather and pollen conditions in Orlando are:

• Accuweather – View the current temperature along with the daily pollen levels for Grass, Weed, Tree and Mold
• Pollen.com – Enter in your zip code for a five-day pollen ranking forecast. Also listed are the three predominant culprit pollens of the day
• Wunderground – A simple, yet effective graph ranks the pollen count for four days, listing the pollen type and air quality for your city or zip code.

Are your allergies worse this year than in the past? It may certainly seem so, considering we have had record warm temperatures in Orlando this spring.  The explosion of allergy symptoms is inevitable.  According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America the Orlando area ranks in at #79 in 2013 in the survey of the top 100 Allergy Capitals in the U.S. The rankings are based on: Pollen scores, number of allergy medications per patients and number of allergy specialists per patient.

[highlight]Does Locally Produced Honey Help to Prevent Allergies?[/highlight]

Local honey producers may tell you otherwise, but most on-line research shows that consuming local, raw honey really doesn’t really help reduce allergy symptoms – at least according to clinical studies. However, there are some individuals who swear by it.  More articles on this topic can be found at: WebMD, ABC News and The Mayo Clinic You decide. In the meantime, where can you find Locally Produced Honey in Orlando? Your best bet would be at one of the many weekend Farmer’s Markets and Infusion Tea in College Park.