iStock/ThinkstockBy DR. JENNIFER ASHTON, ABC News Senior Medical Contributor

Fall means ragweed season, and this year it’s predicted to be brutal. A single plant can produce one billion pollen grains per season. It grows abundantly throughout the South, North and the Midwest, and its lightweight pollen grains can travel up to 400 miles in the wind.

So what’s the best way for a person to manage allergens?

Here’s my prescription:

• Ask your doctor about prescription allergy medication. One called Singulair, which also comes in generic form, can prevent allergy symptoms before they start.
• Keep those windows up and the air-conditioning on.
• And shower before bed as pollen can settle on your hair and then get carried to your pillow making symptoms worse.

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