Allergy season strikes again!

Ah, Spring.  The weather is turning.  The grass is growing.  The flowers are blooming…and so are your allergies!

For a quarter of the population, this is not Spring--it’s allergy season.   It’s the season of red and itchy eyes, sneezes and runny noses, wheezing, congestion, shortness of breath, headaches, drowsiness, and all around misery.

People with allergies inhale pollen, dust, dust mites, animal dander, and other nasty stuff that fills the air.  Breathing these impurities can trigger the release of histamine—a neuro-transmitter that is produced when an allergic reaction occurrs.  Histamine causes nasal tissues to swell and mucous to build as your body becomes a battlegroud. 

I’ll just stay indoors…

Unfortunately, shutting yourself inside on a beautiful spring day is not the answer to conquering your allergies.  After all, indoor air pollutants are all around us.  They include pollen, molds, fungal spores, viruses, bacteria, smoke, gas combustion by-products, outgassing from carpets, furniture, plywood, and drywall, cleaning supplies and other personal care items, pet dander, dust mites (their feces and body fragments) cockroach body parts, and more.  Blech! 

Allergy Management

Aside from taking antihistamine medication, what can you do?

The only solution for allergy sufferers is to avoid the allergens that cause the reaction.  I know you’re rolling your eyes, thinking, “Easier said than done, lady!”

The following are a few simple steps to prevent your allergies from ruling your life this spring:

·        Keep your windows closed at night 

·        Run the air conditioner to dehumidify your home 

·        Drive with your car windows rolled up. 

·        Shower when coming in from the outdoors to wash away the pollen and mold that     collects on your skin, clothes, and hair

·        Clear out cobwebs from high ceiling corners.

·        Flip your mattress

·        Vacuum your mattress and boxspring

·        Take down drapes and curtains for cleaning

·        Vacuum all sofa and chair cushions and coverings

·        Move furniture and vacuum underneath

·        Use a paper mask when performing yard work
 

Improving conditions indoors

John L. Kirkwood, President and CEO of the American Lung Association® says, “Keeping the air in your home clean is particularly important for people with asthma or allergies, but the quality of indoor air is something all Americans should be concerned about.”

There are three ways to fight indoor air pollution: 

·        Source Control

·        Ventilation

·        Air Cleaning

Over the next few weeks, we are going to provide you with tips to escape the misery of allergy season, while helping you improve the quality of your indoor air.