If you have been feeling down lately, but aren't running a fever - you aren't alone.  Folks across the south have been suffering from what has been coined "Cedar Fever" since around mid-December - and it's going to get much worse before it gets better.

Although we typically think of allergy-triggering pollen in the air around springtime, it never really goes away.  Different plant species release their pollen at different times of the year, and right now it's the mighty Cedar tree's time to shine.

Experts are reporting Cedar pollen levels in the air you are currently breathing to be at an all time high.  According to KVUE, Cedar Pollen is by far the leading natural pollutant (as far as humans are concerned) in the air today.  The nasty allergic reaction has been dubbed the "Cedar Fever."  It feels like the flu, but without the accompanying high temperature.

Just because this funk is literally hanging in the very air around you, there are some steps you can take to avoid getting sick.  Experts recommend sleeping upright to keep that nasty nasal drainage flowing the right way, and washing your clothes and sheets (especially your pillowcases) often to get rid of the pollen you are tracking in every day.  Frequent showers and hair washing will also cut down on the contact you have with the offending substance.

That being said, I would definitely pick up some Benadryl on your next trip to the store.  Cedar pollen season is peaking now, but will last through the end of February.

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