Going through a brutal allergy season

Beautiful, but a source of allergy-causing pollen, which is supposedly much
plentiful this year making the allergy season particularly brutal.

I read today that allergy season here in #NYC is particularly rough this year because of the cold winter and the large amount of snow that we got. The cold temperatures delayed the ONSET of pollen production, and all the snow served to PRIME the plants to produce plenty of pollen. :-| 

I, myself, had a rough couple of days although I don't think it's any worse than in past seasons as some people are saying. However, the article says this Sunday is supposed to be BRUTAL, so I don't want to speak too soon.

If you also suffer from HAY FEVER, I found an article that you might find helpful. It lists just 5 natural remedies that are supposed to help ALLEVIATE allergy symptoms. I like this list because it includes foods that I already consume: yogurt, walnuts, green tea, and cocoa. Actually, there is a fifth one--springing nettle, but I'm not sure what that is exactly. :-|

vocabulary:

• ONSET - start
• PRIME - prepare; make ready 
• BRUTAL - rough; difficult 
• HAY FEVER - allergies from pollen 
• ALLEVIATE - make less worse; make more bearable