Five Easy Steps to Combat Summer Allergies
Eliminate Asthma Attacks by Cutting Down on Allergy Triggers at Home
May 11, 2009
Spring and summer are the best time to be outside – unless you're allergic to pollen, ragweed, mold or smog. Allergy sufferers and asthmatics in large cities are usually told to stay indoors from the time the weather heats up in spring until the trees lose their leaves in the fall and the smog settles with them. Follow these seven tips at home to ensure that you won't be locked up indoors so you can enjoy the summer weather as much as possible.
Clean Up Dust and Dust Mites
Most people don't realize it, but dust is one of the most common allergy triggers. It contains pollen, mold spores, animal dander, shed skin and hair, and the tiny creatures that feed on bits of shed human skin – dust mites. In and of themselves, dust mites are harmless, but proteins in their excrement are highly allergenic to most people with seasonal summer allergies, sensitivities, or asthma.
If dust mites aren't reason enough, you'll want to make sure to clean up the bits of pollen, dirt, germs, and mold that are included in household dust by vacuuming often with a high powered vacuum cleaner – at least once a week during allergy season – and installing a HEPA filter or another home air purification system.
If you can't vacuum at least once a week during seasonal allergies, it's a good idea to tear up broadloom and replace it with hardwood flooring or tiles that can more easily be swept clean.
Cut Down Goldenrod and Ragweed
Goldenrod, also called ragweed, is the most famous of allergy triggering plants in North America. The plant has actually been banned in some communities because its golden flowers are known to trigger hayfever, allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
A sweep of your property early in the summer season, before the buds are fully formed, can prevent later hayfever allergies and reactions from ragweed pollen. It can't hurt to walk the neighborhood and politely ask uninformed neighbors to remove the allergy hazard from their yards. Many people just don't know what they're growing in their gardens, and will appreciate the information and the chance to help.
Toss the Aerosols, Perfume, Cleaning Products, and Other Chemicals
Aerosol sprays are terrible for asthma and allergies, but did you know that other chemicals and fragrances can be harmful as well? The chemicals in everyday cleaning products, hairspray, perfume, and even mildly scented shampoo can be harmful to those with sensitive noses and respiratory tracts. You can cut down on asthma attacks by keeping everything in the house scent-free – that includes throwing out candles, incense, fragrance sprays and cut flowers.
Stop Eating Dairy and Other Allergenic Foods
It's well known that milk and other dairy increase the body's production of mucus and can worsen allergic reactions for asthmatics and seasonal allergy sufferers (most singers avoid milk before performances because it congests the voice). Try eliminating milk, cheese, ice cream, and butter from your daily foods for two or three weeks and see if it changes anything.
Allergy sufferers usually know the foods that trigger reactions for them, so pay attention and try to avoid any foods that act as asthma or allergy triggers. Pay attention to your body's signals – if you're eating something that makes your allergies worse, you may be getting clear signs that tell you which foods are worsening your allergies, if you were only listening.
Avoid Pet Dander
The simplest advice for allergy sufferers is to get rid of pets or keep dander-free ones like fish or hairless cats. If you are unwilling to part with a beloved pet, it's possible to cut down on the dander problem by vacuuming even more often and by washing clothing, pets, and pet bedding frequently.
The most important thing for allergy sufferers with pets is to keep the pet out of the bedroom – your immune system is most sensitive when you're asleep. Eight hours of the day spent safely away from seasonal allergies, dust, and dander asthma triggers can go a long way to improve the body's response to normal exposure to allergens, and can improve your ability to spend time outdoors this summer.
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