Do you need reason to kiss your man/woman (partner)? This information might just pull you through the upcoming allergy season.

A passionate kiss is probably the last thing on your mind when allergies make you (or your mate) a sneezy person. But some studies show that a make-out session might be good therapy. Researchers at a Japanese hospital had 24 patients with minor seasonal allergies kiss their lovers or spouses for 30 minutes while listening to music. Tests showed that lip-locking not only relaxed them (imagine that!) but also reduced production of histamine, a body chemical causing allergic reactions.

So should you skip the meds and smooch instead? Well, probably not. You’re better off using medicine and avoiding triggers like pollutants and animals, says Jeffrey M. Factor, MD, an allergist and immunologist with the Connecticut Asthma and Allergy Center.

Go ahead and pop an antihistamine and pucker up anyway. After all, you’re doing it in the name of science, right?

Whether they make your tummy ache, your nose run, or your epidural break outs, allergies are just no fun! And they’re hard to escape: ragweed, pollen, or certain food items.

Influenza (commonly called "the flu") is an infection in the throat, nose and lungs. About 10 of Americans get the flu each year. Each year, about 130,000 people go to a hospital with the flu, and 20,000 people die because of the flu and complications.

The flu may cause fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Most people feel better after 1 or 2 weeks, but for some people, the flu leads to serious diseases, such as pneumonia. The influenza vaccine (also called "the flu shot") can help protect you from getting the flu.

Some people have a higher risk of flu complications, like pneumonia. If you are in any of these groups, you should get the flu vaccine every year:

*All children aged 6 to 59 months

*All adults aged 65 years and older

*All women who are or will be pregnant during the flu season

*Residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities

*Individuals who have long-term health problems

*Children aged 6 months to 18 years who are on chronic aspirin therapy

*Health care workers who have direct contact with patients

*Caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age

The following people should talk to their doctor before getting the flu shot:

*People who have had an allergic reaction to a flu shot in the past

*People with an allergy to eggs

*People who previously developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a reversible reaction that causes partial or complete loss of movement of muscles, weakness or a tingling sensation in the body) within 6 weeks of getting a flu shot.

Mike Dodd