Hello spring. All of those beautiful, fragrant flowers and deep green grasses that allergy-free people love to coo over and pick and prune literally make you sick. Springtime is when trees and plants spread their seeds by the wind and by insect. Pollen can travel long distances and are usually the main cause of seasonal allergies. The pollen levels in the air can vary from day to day and different in various areas so don’t let  pollen wreak havoc on your body. Here are some ways to avoid pollen exposure:

• Keep windows closed to prevent pollen from drifting into your home.
• Minimize early morning activity when pollen is usually emitted between 5 to 10 a.m.
• Keep your car windows closed when traveling.
• Stay indoors when the pollen count is reported to be high, and on windy days when pollen may be present in higher amounts in the air.
• Take a vacation during the height of pollen season to pollen-free areas, such as the beach or sea.
• Avoid mowing the lawn and freshly cut grass.
• Machine dry clothing and bedding as pollen may collect in laundry if it is hung outside to dry.

There are natural remedies to treat seasonal allergy but always do your research. I’ve come across a few sources that lead me to believe that remedies like using local honey or bee pollen for allergy therapy can generate severe reactions! Check out Consumer Health Digest to read more about the strong caution on local honey allergy therapy.

You can also read more on how others are coping with seasonal allergies at About: Allergies.

I woke up exhausted and could barely crawl out of bed this morning. I was so discombobulated by my alarm’s rude awakening that I grabbed my phone, body towel, and remote control to jump in the shower. I must have been dreaming I was going to watch TV and chat on the phone in the shower, haha! When I was at work, I caught myself sleeping with my eyes open twice during an afternoon meeting and couldn’t stop yawning. Why was I so tired?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, about half of all Americans have trouble falling or remaining asleep. There are many different factors that can disrupt rest. While the source of sleep problems differs from person to person, there are five steps that you can take to get a few extra Z’s.

Avoid the ‘Big Three’

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are three substances that can rob anyone of precious shut-eye. Although alcohol makes people drowsy, its effect is short-lived and people will often wake up a few hours later, unable to fall back to sleep. Alcohol will also prevent you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.

Limit Naps

A midday nap is a wonderful indulgence for many people, but for others it can wreak havoc on the nighttime sleep routine. If naps interfere with your nighttime sleep, try to nap for less than an hour, and preferably no longer than 30 minutes. Never nap after 3 p.m. Depending on how you have reacted in the past, it may be better not to nap at all.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise can make your sleep more restful, but only if you plan your workout correctly. Studies show that people who exercise regularly tend to fall asleep more quickly and remain at rest throughout the night. Aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate over an extended period of time is especially conducive to improved sleep. However, avoid exercising two hours before bedtime because exercise raises your body temperature, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Sleep in Complete Darkness

Your sleep environment has a major impact on the quality of rest that you get. Keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet can help you sleep more soundly. When light hits the eyes, it disrupts the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin. You can buy special curtains that will make your room darker or try a mask that covers your eyes.

Go to Bed as Early as Possible

Our body systems do a majority of their recovering during the hours of 11PM and 1AM. Your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same time period and if you’re awake, those toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption to your health. So try to be in bed with the lights out between 9:30 P.M. and 10:30 P.M. If you are not used to getting to bed this early, move your bedtime up by 30 minutes every week until you are in bed by 10:30 P.M.

For more tips on how to get sound, restful sleep, check out HealingDaily.com.

Every year it’s the same story…

“I’m not going to over eat”

“I won’t over celebrate and under sleep”

“I won’t drink to get hangovers from Christmas and New Years Eve”

…but every year I do. By the time the New Year comes around, I have so many resolutions to make that I don’t know where to start. The worst kind of damage we do to ourselves over the holidays.

But there is hope.

According to Dr. Oz, here are some of most important things you can do to undo holiday damage:

1. Start walking.
2. Tell people about your goals. Get enablers who reinforce your bad habits out of the way.
3. Sleep. If you sleep the 7 hours you’re supposed to, you won’t crave carbs as much.
4. Trick your body. Fool yourself when you’re hungry by drinking water instead or eating simple things like mints that “blow out your taste buds.” It works.
5. Automate your life. Eat the same healthy option for breakfast. Bring a healthy lunch to work every day. Keep snacks like nuts in your pockets, your desk, anywhere that’s in easy reach, so you will never feel hungry.

You can also start a 7-day diet cleanse that will leave you feeling refreshed, energized and slim!

To melt away fat, banish bloat and crush cravings:

• DON’T add sugar, artificial sweetners, or other natural sweeteners including honey, agave, and stevia to anything.
• DON’T add salt to anything.
• DON’T eat starches with dinner including bread, rice, pasta, peas, beans, corns, and potatoes.
• DON’T drink alcohol.

• DO eat on a schedule.
• DO drink lots of water throughout the day.
• DO indulge in non-starchy vegetables.
• DO engage in 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise everyday, including walking.

To read more about undoing holiday damage, check out Shine.com and Yahoo! Health.

I was shopping for some home goods today and came across a bundle of bamboo sticks that looked great in a vase. As I was struggling to pull the bundle out from the bunch, I caught three small splinters on my fingers and they hurt bad! Especially when its inadvertently touched or rubbed the wrong way. At that very moment, I wished life had a “undo” button because I hate splinters – nasty little things.

I’m pretty good about getting splinters out on my own but it was on the fingers of my right hand, and I’m a right-handed person. Two of the three splinters weren’t buried too deep and I managed to tweeze them out with ease. But the last one, the worst kind of splinter, was beneath the surface of the skin. I had to use a needle with my left hand working against me. I struggled with it for about 15 minutes but it eventually came out.

There are other ways to remove a splinter. I’ve heard, if the splinter is protruding from the skin, you can remove it by applying a small amount of glue to the area. Wait for it to dry and peel it off in the same direction the splinter went in. The splinter should come out attached to the glue. Scotch tape can also be used if you’re not a fan of glue.

Like any open wound, injuries caused by splinters can become infected so keep the area clean and look for signs of infection. If a splinter is too deep to remove at home, seek professional attention as soon as possible. You have nothing to lose besides a nasty splinter.

For more information about removing splinters, check out eMedicineHealth.

I did a little science project when I was in 4th grade called “What Types of Soda Have the Worst Effect on Our Teeth?” After the experiment, I realized that if soda could be that bad for our enamel, the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body, then it couldn’t be good for our health!

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. Sodas contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. What they do contain is caffeine, sugar substitutes, carbonation, and food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring and preservatives that is the problem. Research has determined that consumption of soda in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Skip the soda and go for:

• Water. The vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. If you’re the type that has a hard time with drinking water, like myself, enhance the flavor with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.
• Fruit Juice. To cut back on the sugar content, try watering down your juice by diluting it with three parts filtered water to one part 100% concentrated juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.
• Tea. My drink of choice! Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols and numerous health benefits. Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects. If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding a little honey or cinnamon instead of refined sugar.

Even if I couldn’t convince you otherwise, you should know how soda affects your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own. Drinking soda in moderation is better than nothing!

To read more about What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Health, check out Ask Mr. Mao.