Pollengeddon is upon us. It’s that time of year when it seems like there is more pollen than oxygen in the air in Georgia. I love this state. It is my home. But this pollen is hard to live with. I take solace in knowing that it lasts for only a couple of weeks at this crazy maxed-out level. It also helps to know that more rain is on the way to beat down this yellow haze.

These tips should help us all survive in between rain showers:

1. Stay inside. While our waists are too thick and our kids are indoors too much, for these couple of weeks it isn’t a bad idea to stay inside when you can.

2. Change your filters. Changing your air filters on your HVAC and regularly cleaning window unit filters will help your machine run more efficiently and keep the air you breathe indoors cleaner, too.

3. Wear a mask. Go ahead and be that person. I drove by one of my neighbors this morning who was wearing a mask on her walk back from the store. Kudos, neighbor! If you have to be outside, for yard work, for example, then put on a mask to filter the air you breathe.

4. Keep wipes at hand. I have a pack of baby wipes in my car. Opening and closing the car door has gotten so much pollen on my hands, which I then inadvertently wipe onto my face. It’s been a problem. So, I’m keeping the wipes in the car until the pollen settles down. If you wanted to be more earth-friendly, you could keep damp washcloths in a pouch instead.

5. Medicate. We’ve been left with no recourse at our house. Typically, the pollen isn’t a factor for me, but for now, we’re all taking an over-the-counter meds to get us through.

We’ve also added an air filter inside this year. I sincerely regret not having one earlier. Also, I’ve noticed that there are yellow footprints in the living room from walking from the porch into the house, which means I’m increasing the amount of damp cloth mopping in that area, too.

The CDC has a podcast with more tips for traveling with asthma and allergy issues.

How are you surviving Pollen Apocalypse 2013?