We love enjoying our summers in Northern California! This is the season when we go camping, participate in sports camps, and enjoy water based recreational activities. With all the fun we can have, it’s still important to recognize that prolonged exposure to sunlight can have harmful effects on our skin and overall health.  

Seasonal allergies are nothing new to the North State. With the many blossoming orchards, pollens, and grasses in Butte County, it’s nearly impossibly to live here and not experience an itchy throat, congestion, watery eyes, and sneezing at some point! These days, with COVID-19 still a prevalent part of our lives, if you’re out and about and someone is showing these kinds of symptoms, it can cause us to be a little on-edge, because some of these symptoms caused by allergies can also show up if someone has COVID-19. Find out some key indicators to know the difference.

It's that time of year when many people suffer from runny noses, sore throats, congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, and coughing. As you try to manage your symptoms, you might find some relief, but many people are left feeling very confused about their health status.

When you or a loved one has a severe allergic reaction it can be frightening. Some allergic reactions are merely uncomfortable or inconvenient, while others can be life threatening. This type of reaction is called anaphylaxis and can cause the body to go into shock. Blood pressure drops and swelling occurs, creating difficulty breathing. In some cases this reaction can occur in a matter of a minute or two from the time of exposure to the allergen. So what can you do to help someone going into anaphylaxis?

Summer is right around the corner and that means everyone will be getting out and enjoying all the summer activities they love. Hiking, camping, watersports or a cross-country roadtrip, whatever summer holds for you there is one thing that can keep us from fully enjoying it: allergies.  

That's right, allergies aren't just a springtime problem, in fact certain allergy problems can actually get worse in the summertime. WebMD put together some great information about summer allergies and tips on avoiding them:

It’s the time of year where you don’t think twice about your sneezing, sinus pressure, runny nose, or that tickle in your throat because they’re all signs of seasonal allergies, right? Well, maybe not. We tend to associate certain symptoms with certain times of year, but you may be misdiagnosing yourself.

When you feel rather dreadful and have the sniffles, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and maybe a sore throat, how do you know if you have a cold, the flue, or allergies? It can be hard to tell them apart because many times they follow the same course and similar symptoms. However, understanding them individually can lead to better decisions, choice of treatment, and whether or not you need to visit a health care clinic.