Pollen, dust and other air borne entities swirl into our lives and wreck havoc the sinuses, eyes, lungs and noses of those who suffer from allergies, but there are things to mitigate the effects of these allergies.
Recognize the symptoms. The more you are exposed to pollen and the like the more intense your reactions will become and the more likely you will suffer from things like frequent and/or prolonged bouts of sneezing, stuffy or running nose, itchy/swollen eyes and headaches, sinus aches and sore throats.
Wipe down or wash your pets after walks. Pollen lingers in their fur and then it can be tracked into your house. At the very least wipe Fido off with a clean towel and then wash the towel.
Don’t hang linens out of doors to dry. While crispy summer towels are desired by some – if you suffer from allergies hanging them out of doors to achieve the affect will only make your symptoms worse. Pollen swirls in the air, catches on the towels and then when you rub your body and face…you put it all over your body.
Shower after you garden or after you spend a lot of time out of doors. Remove pollen from your hair and skin and gently wash your eyelashes with baby soap.
Keep doors and windows closed. As wonderful as it is to bring in fresh air – it may not be all that clean. If you are bothered by allergies out of doors…keep out of doors out of your home.
Wash laundry in hot water. Studies show that washing laundry is a temperature of at least 140 degrees will kill almost 100% of pollen.
Keep your home warm. Rooms that are closed off and left cold can harbor mold. Mold can become airborne and contaminate the rest of the house. Mold lives in temperatures below 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Spaces that also inadvertently trap cold air should be fixed. Large furniture or bookshelves places against the wall can create a pocket of cold damp air. Move furniture if at all possible, but in the very least keep these areas clean.
Get an air filter to eliminate pollen, dust mites and other particles that may be airborne. Check your vacuum and consider getting one with a build in filtration system. Some vacuums actually cause pet dander, dust and pollen to blow up into the air.
Finally, if your allergies or new or unexplainable, change your environment. If that doesn’t work contact your doctor.
