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There’s nothing better than a beautiful spring day after a long, cold winter. But there’s nothing worse than having that day ruined by the sneezing, sniffling, and itching that come with seasonal allergies.

Scientists don’t actually completely understand why we get seasonal allergies. The best estimation is that they’re an immune response to toxins in the natural environment that pollen also happens to trigger. That immune response begins with the production of IgE antibodies to combat the pollen. The antibodies link up with mast cells, and together they’re a ticking time bomb. When more allergens come along, they activate all those horrible symptoms.

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In the new episode of “Boddities,” we dive into how this response happens, and what you can do about it to ease the symptoms and enjoy the season.

Watch other “Boddities” episodes:

Related: Watch: Episode 6: What happens to the brain when we get scared?

Related: Watch: Episode 4: Why do our ears pop?

Related: Episode 5: Why do bright lights make us see spots?