If you suffer from allergies, you may be reluctant to take your workout outdoors. Here are a few tips that you can try to minimize your allergy impact.

What to Avoid on High Pollen Days
Limit activities that cause you to rapidly increase your breathing. The faster air moves into your nasal passages the more pollens are inhaled. Avoid these activities on days that are especially high in pollen. Examples of these activities include running, jogging and biking. If you must do these activities, do so when pollen counts are lowest. Pollen counts are usually highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Some activities you can still do on these days include swimming, yoga, walking and weight training.

Avoid Your Allergy Triggers
Pay attention to when your allergies flare up. Is it when you're running in a wooded area, just after the lawn is mowed or on windy days? Try to move your outdoor fitness activities to areas that avoid those triggers, if possible.

After Your Workout
What you do after your outdoor workout can affect how much of an allergic reaction you'll experience. Here are a few tips to reduce the impact of your allergies after a workout:

• Always take a shower, wash your hair and put on clean clothes after outdoor workouts. This limits your exposure to the pollen you encountered outdoors.
• Consult with your doctor on allergy medicine. Many medications, even over-the-counter, can be helpful in reducing the impact of seasonal allergies.
• Know your limits. If your allergies are severe, keep your workouts indoors.
• Wear sunglasses or goggles when workout out outdoors to limit pollen exposure to the eyes.