LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) – if you’re coughing, sneezing, sniffing and wheezing, you’re not alone.  It’s that time of year in Central Florida when allergies start to kick into high gear, mainly due to tree pollen.   Among symptoms which are similar to a cold, you can also feel lethargic and achy.

Trees are the earliest pollen producers, releasing their pollen as early as January in the Southern states and as late as May or June in the Northern states.  Trees can aggravate your allergy whether or not they are on your property, since trees release large amounts of pollen that can be distributed miles away from the original source.

Preventive Strategies

• If you buy trees for your yard, look for species that do not aggravate allergies such as crape myrtle, dogwood, fig, fir, palm, pear, plum, redbud and redwood trees or the female cultivars of ash, box elder, cottonwood, maple, palm, poplar or willow trees.
• Avoid the outdoors between 5-10 AM. Save outside activities for late afternoon or after a heavy rain, when pollen levels are lower.
• Keep windows in your home and car closed to lower exposure to pollen. To keep cool, use air conditioners and avoid using window and attic fans.
• Be aware that pollen can also be transported indoors on people and pets.
• Dry your clothes in an automatic dryer rather than hanging them outside. Otherwise pollen can collect on clothing and be carried indoors.

Other remedies range from changing air conditioning filters and rinsing eyes with water to taking over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines.