Kissing seems like an unlikely allergy remedy but a study in Osaka, Japan, found that it can alleviate mild nasal drip and eczema. Plan to make-out for at least 30 minutes to reap any benefit. The practice was not recommended for individuals with hypersensitivity to foods such as peanuts.

A 30-minute make-out session may be a little unrealistic but the truth is positive physical contact can benefit your immune system. Physical contact, such as hugging another human or stroking your dog, causes your body to release endorphins, feel-good chemicals. Endorphins reduce stress, alleviate pain and boost the health of our immune systems. All of these may help calm our allergies.

Here are other ways to get those endorphins flowing.

•Get a “runner’s high” by exercising. Endorphins are released when you exercise. The best exercises are aerobic workouts, taebo, running, cycling, tennis and swimming long distances. You will reap more benefits if you workout for a long period of time.

•Enjoy your favorite soothing music. Individuals who listen to calming music for 30 minutes release endorphins and get the same benefit as taking one Valium, a muscle-relaxing drug.

•Stimulate your taste buds with some spicy food, such as hot chilies, which can trigger the brain to release endorphins.

•Spend some time in the great outdoors and get some sunlight. Overexposure to light causes a release of endorphins.

•Laugh and cry. Laughing hard for ten minutes can give at least two hours of pain-free sleep to those affected by painful illnesses, according to some researchers. Studies show that the body releases endorphins to relieve pain when people experience the emotions that cause tears or laughter.

•Eating something sweet or having something chocolate stimulates the brain's pleasure pathways and causes the release of endorphins. The effect is short-lived, and there is the potential for weight gain if this one is overdone.

•Acupuncture, meditation and massages are another way to get your endorphins flowing.