This edition
of First Aid for Allergies is a checklist
of tips we've compiled over the years. Some can be immediately
addressed, while others need planning and preparation. Knock
out as many as you can, and I bet you'll begin to feel better
before the list is finished.
- Do not
allow smoking in the house.
- Control
home humidity: the humidity level in your home should be between
35 and 40 percent (dust mites and mold prefer over 50 percent
humidity).
- Use a
room humidifier in the dry months, and a dehumidifier in the
humid months. Be sure to clean these filters often.
- Shower
before you go to bed to remove allergens from your hair. Make
sure to run the bathroom exhaust fan during and after your
shower, or at least until the mirror clears. If your symptoms
worsen after your shower, suspect an allergy to something
you wash with!
- Resist
the temptation to open windows. Most importantly, keep bedroom
and car windows closed, since you spend lots of time in those
small spaces.
- Wash
your sheets each week in hot water--at least 130 degrees F
--to kill dust mites. Set your dryer on a high temperature
setting for bedding. (Remember: No dryer sheets! Ask for the
article entitled "Clean Up Your Laundry" for more info.) Make
sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside (..with a
metal vent tube. Never
use plastic tubing!)
- A popular
myth is that plastic bed and pillow encasings reduce allergies.
Throw them away! Toxins
come from the plastic fumes and are likely worse than
the dust mites themselves. Clean bedding and pillows, and
clean mildew from nearby windowsills also.
- Use fiber-filled
pillows instead of feather-filled pillows. (Remember to bring
in your pillow, and we'll test to see if you're allergic to
it.)
- Remove
your dry cleaning from its plastic bag, and air out the clothes
for a few hours before bringing them in the house. Perchloroethylene
-- the traditional dry cleaning solvent used by more than
80 percent of cleaners -- causes dizziness and headaches when
the fumes are inhaled. (Better yet- limit or avoid dry cleaning
clothes. Switch to using a clothing
steamer to erase wrinkles, and spot clean before deciding
to dry clean.)
- Keep
disposable diapers in a closed closet, not the linen closet
or in any bedroom! "…Even in a mid-sized room, the emissions
from one (clean) diaper were high
enough to produce asthma-like symptoms."
- Don't
leave the car idling in the garage. Doing so allows carbon
monoxide fumes to build up in your garage and eventually filter
into your home. Install a carbon monoxide detector if you
haven't already, and have your furnace inspected. Carbon
monoxide poisoning has symptoms that mimic allergies and
asthma (and of course it's deadly!)
- Nitrogen
Dioxide is an odorless gas that can be a byproduct of
indoor fuel-burning appliances, such as gas stoves, gas or
oil furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves and unvented kerosene
or gas space heaters. Avoid these as much as possible when
allergy symptoms are present.
- Clean
the ducts in the HVAC (heating/ventilating/air-conditioning)
system, and install a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air)
filter.
Retraction
As many
of you know, we have help preparing our twice-monthly To
Your Health email newsletter. Unfortunately, these
research editors aren't infallible, and the issue that was emailed
this week makes this obvious for two glaring reasons:
Contrary
to the second article, we do NOT recommend milk as a source
of calcium (here's
an interesting article for you ravenous researchers). Vegetables
(preferably organically
grown) are your nutritional source for calcium (not dairy),
and for those who need or desire a nutritional supplement we
recommend Standard
Process Calcium Lactate. Feel free to ask for more information
in the office or click on the provided links.
As to the
editorial comment on our third article this week: "Analysis
of the trials showed that application of heat was effective
in treating back pain." As many of you can attest, we understand
that when you use the ice therapy properly, it far outweighs
the temporary relief found by using heat. Don't get
confused, your ice packs are still your best friend when true
healing is needed. (I guess I'll just have to buy my research
editor a couple of icepacks, eh?)
Once again,
send me an email if you want more information, or if you want
a back issue re-sent so you can pass it along to others. Next
issue I'll share more "'techno-data" for those skeptics you
know need help but just don't "believe" yet (and you
know who you are..)
Dr.
Bryan
