Entry bubble Allergy Proof your Home

By: Colleen | August 26, 2009 | Category: Health

My sister always jokes that the clearest memories she has of her childhood are not being able to breathe. allergy

Unfortunately inheriting a heap of allergies from my Dad, the poor girl spent years with a chronic case of stuffy-nose. My parents sent her to the allergist, but anything short of having her live in a bubble didn't really help. Luckily, as time wore on, she outgrew the worst of them, but still deals with her allergies today.

For allergy sufferers like my sister, fall is often the worst time of year. Here are some suggestions to keep your home as allergy free as possible.

  • Clear your home of clutter. Stacks of "stuff" are ideal homes for dust mites, bugs, mold, and mice.
  • Vacuum weekly. Dust mites and pet dander are most often in rugs and carpets.
  • Wash your bedding in 130 degree water weekly.
  • Banish bathroom mold by spraying walls with chlorine-bleach solution (1 once of bleach to 1 quart H2O).
  • Keep mold out of the house by keeping shoes clean of wet leaves.
  • Store damp firewood in a separate dry place.
  • Empty your garbage often.
  • Shut windows between 10am and 3pm when pollen counts are at their peak.
  • Change AC and heater filters monthly.
  • Wash your dirty dishes right after eating.
  • Don't leave pet food or water out overnight.
  • Keep dogs and cats out of the bedroom and off furniture.
  • Wash and brush your pets outside to cut down on pet dander.
  • Dust weekly.
  • Fix plumbing leaks and drips.
  • Keep home temperature below 70 degrees - creepy crawlies dislike colder temperatures.

What secrets or suggestions do you have for keeping an allergy-free home? Do certain techniques tend to work better than others?

 

 

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: allergies   allergy   clean   colleen   fall   home  

 

Entry bubble I’m Going Gluten Free

By: Joanne | September 02, 2008 | Category: Health

Close up detail of dried wheat.Last week I visited a dietitian for nutrition counseling to help me with some health problems. I was shocked when she told me that she thinks that I’m experiencing an allergic reaction to gluten and set me on a path to a gluten-free diet. I was encouraged when she told me that I’ll experience a dramatic increase in energy after the first week, and that we’ll really know if it’s working after just 3 months. I figure I have a lot to gain and very little to lose so I’m going to give it a try.

I’m lucky because my symptoms are mild—there are people who suffer terribly from gluten intolerance like celiac disease. Luckily, there are things that we can do to change our eating habits and restore our health.

My first trip to the grocery store took forever! I had to read labels carefully to be sure that gluten isn’t an ingredient in the food I was buying. I tried to keep the gluten-free guidelines in mind and looked for gluten-free foods. This will be quite a change for me because I always have loved all sorts of healthy grains and I never expected to hear that some of my favorite things like bread and beer are causing me problems. Sigh.

I know that I’m in the company of millions of Americans who have some form of gluten intolerance, so any tips you can offer will be appreciated. I’m especially looking for a great gluten-free pancake recipe.

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: allergy   diet   gluten   intolerance   joanne  

 

Entry bubble Ragweed Allergy Season – Achoo!

By: Joanne | August 19, 2008 | Category: Health

a mid adult man sneezing into tissue

It’s mid-August and my nose is running. Once again I face my nemesis…ragweed. Ambrosia trifida L., also known as great ragweed, is the species of ragweed that grows (abundantly) near me in Pennsylvania. It’s estimated that one ragweed plant can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains each wafting on the breeze directly towards my nose.

Apart from poison ivy, I’m lucky to be a person that doesn’t suffer from many allergies. But I’m allergic to ragweed, and every year my reaction seems a bit worse than the last. There are a few things you can do to minimize your suffering like stay indoors with the windows closed and the air conditioning on, but those types of solutions never appeal to me so I’ve been looking for other ways to manage my allergy symptoms.

Last year I was dependent on an over-the-counter allergy medication for the entire ragweed season. I didn’t like that. This year I’m trying nasal irrigation, which is simply a method of rinsing away the pollen in your sinuses. It feels like a strange thing to do, but I’ve found that it’s so effective that I’m now devoted to my neti pot. As ragweed season progresses we’ll see how my experiment goes. Yesterday I was working in the garden, clearing away big ragweed plants and I had to take some allergy medication, but I’m hoping that on normal days I’ll be able to do without.

If you have ragweed, there are a few things you can do to control the growth, but they say that the pollen can travel over 100 miles on the air, so it’s almost impossible for many of us to eliminate our exposure.

I’m really going to ask for one of those garden flame throwers for Christmas. I think it’s my only hope! Anyone have additional advice for allergy sufferers?

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: allergy   health   joanne   ragweed  

 

Entry bubble Allergy Season

By: Colleen | April 23, 2008 | Category: Health

With the exception of a weird brand of adhesive bandage and penicillin, I am very lucky that I do not have any allergies—especiallyallergy considering my family history.

The same can't be said for my poor sister whose entire childhood was severely sleep-deprived due to horrific allergies, particularly in the spring and fall. And who can forget the Thanksgiving when we cleared out nearly the entire extended family, not realizing our new pet rabbit would send them rummaging for inhalers—and out the door? Then there was the road-trip when I spent 6 hours freaked out, thinking my friend had pinkeye. Turned out to be a ragweed flare-up.

Suffice to say, allergies are no fun! They become particularly bad this time of year when new flowers are in bloom and pollen is whirling around. Pollen allergies, also known as hay fever, can often be confused with the common cold. Same sneezing, runny nose, coughing, watery and itchy eyes. While a cold typically clears up in a week or so, allergies can last for weeks. Left untreated, it can lead to more serious issues like ear infections, sinus infections, and asthma.

What can you do if you have these extended symptoms? Obviously, the first step is to see your doctor. Once it is determined what you're allergic to, you can then figure out ways to avoid the allergen. Allergic to plants and trees? Keep your windows shut, and use air-conditioning with a filter. For dust allergies, do your best to minimize clutter—where dust gets trapped. Purchase pillow and mattress covers to form a barrier between you and dust mites.

Your doctor may also prescribe you medication depending on your specific problem. Many nasal sprays or antihistamines can be taken at home. Sometimes allergy shots are recommended. These take place in the doctor's office and continue at weekly or monthly intervals for 3 to 5 years.

Determining the cause of seasonal discomfort is half the battle. Don't let allergies keep you cooped up this spring!

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: allergy   colleen   dust   fever   hay   pollen   spring