The Six Worst Allergy Mistakes

If you live in The Magic Valley and you have allergies you are probably miserable, chances are you're not doing everything you can to avoid them.  For example, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is leaving your windows open, including your car windows while you're driving.

Closing the windows and using your air conditioner can cut the amount of pollen you breathe by as much as 30%.  Here are six MORE allergy mistakes from Health.com you might be making.

#1.)  Not Taking Medication Until You Have Symptoms. Almost every kind of allergy pill is designed to PREVENT symptoms rather than TREAT them. So if you had symptoms YESTERDAY, plan ahead and take a pill now so you don't have them TODAY.

#2.)  Exercising in the Morning. Plants start releasing pollen at sunrise, and pollen levels peak in the late morning and early afternoon.  So if you want to go jogging, you're better off waiting until the sun goes down.

#3.)  Keeping Your EpiPen in the Car. If you have SEVERE allergies and have to carry an EpiPen around, big temperature swings can make it less effective.  So don't leave it in the car . . . especially when summer gets here.

You're supposed to always keep it at room temperature, and check the label every year to make sure it's not expired.

#4.)  Sleeping with Your Pets. Even if you're not allergic to animals, they can bring in pollen, dust, and mold on their fur.  So don't let them sleep with you . . . and keep them out of your bedroom during the day.

#5.)  Using the Wrong Pillow. Even if it didn't USED to give you allergies, it might start to after you've had it a while. Feathers in a down pillow or comforter can be really tough on allergies, and they're even WORSE once they get old and start breaking down.

#6.)  Having Too Much Clutter. Soft things like stuffed animals are the worst, because they're like dust magnets. So if anyone in your house has allergies . . . especially your kids . . . you should think about limiting them to a FEW stuffed animals instead of a PILE of them.