BLESS YOU & GESUNDHEIT

According to the USA National Phenology Network at the University of Arizona, spring has arrived two weeks earlier than usual in several Midwest states this year. It occurred just over a week ahead of schedule in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern regions. For those in the western U.S., depending on your location, spring can arrive anywhere from two weeks earlier to a week later in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

According to the Climate Prediction Center, much of the country's southern and eastern regions are expected to experience temperatures far above average, which means an increase in pollen levels due to blossoming trees. That’s terrible news for people with seasonal allergies ‒ about 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in the U.S.

According to a recent study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, eight cities in California saw large increases in their allergy rankings due to a "grass and weed pollen explosion," which the foundation says was intensified by heavy rains that year that spurred plant growth. New Orleans also jumped considerably from 34th place the previous year to second in 2025.

Inhaling pollen causes their immune systems to overreact. The immune system sees the pollen as a danger and releases antibodies that attack the allergens. This leads to the release of histamines into the blood. Histamines trigger runny noses, itchy eyes and other allergy symptoms.