Hey Doctor Scott ...

As a tag-along with allergies, we're getting to the season of seeing honey start popping up everywhere.  It tastes fantastic, you should keep it away from small children to avoid the chance of botulism, and we are starting to acknowledge that it can help with burns and skin wounds . BUT they are often touted as being helpful in preventing allergies.  The logic sounds good - bees visit local flowers and make the honey, the honey has some immunologic effects - but this thinking has been falling by the wayside (see below).  I think given the cost of the honey and the sugars that come along with it, I wouldn't recommend getting it for the sole purpose of helping with allergies.  On the other hand, if you are just trying to support local businesses and using it in moderation and don't have uncontrolled diabetes, go for it. NPR - Does local honey help allergies? Slate - Honey Bunches of Lies! Really?  Eating Local Honey Cures Allergies

Irritation in your nose is called rhinitis and it leads to increased mucus production which can then go on to cause a runny nose, post-nasal drip, a nagging cough, and sinus inflammation and fullness.  When it's due to allergies, it's called allergic rhinitis. What is an allergy?  Basically it's your body responding to what it sees as a foreign invader and is usually a very small particle.  I want to focus on allergic rhinitis because we are having some really high pollen levels right now and probably will be for a while due to all the rains causing such good plant growth.   And if you want to monitor it for yourself, here's one spot you can do it . People tell me all the time "I don't have allergies".  Well here's the thing - yes you do.  We all will if the concentration of an allergen is high enough.  Otherwise it means your body isn't doing it's job.  There are some people who are much more sensitive to low levels of allergens and tho...