Oh the fun of allergies. Many East Texans chronically suffer from the sometimes crazy-making symptoms that come with allergies. Some of us are allergic to one thing in particular. But some of us seem to be under assault from practically everything—foods, pollen, molds, pet hair, etc. Heck some of us feel like we are allergic to BREATHING itself. Thankfully, there are meds we can take, which do help. However, many people don’t realize there are things you can do in your own home to better your chances of avoiding some symptoms.

The team at Consumer Reports have done research into this and share in their book The Answers to Good Health that Dr. Jay Portnoy, the division director of allergy, asthma, and immunology at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, has several recommendations that may help to alleviate suffering.

Deal with the Dust. When’s the last time you gave your home a good dusting? Look, this may seem like common sense. However, we are busy and Donna Reed isn’t really around anymore. Most of us endeavor to keep a clean home, but if you suffer from allergies, you may need to become a bit more particular when it comes to dusting your furniture and other surfaces around your home.

Consumer Reports...er, reports that “keeping dust levels down reduces allergens. […] Household dust can contain particles such as flame retardants and phthalates, which have been linked to asthma and cancer.” Yikes.

Mop and Vacuum. Yeah, I know this is starting to sound more like a chore list than helpful hints to abate your allergy issues, but they are related. If we don’t mop and vacuum our floors regularly, we are self-sabotaging our ability to combat allergy symptoms. Consumer Reports suggests using a high-efficiency filter, too.

Try an Air Purifier. There’s many on the market, but some just aren’t powerful enough. If you go through the trouble to investigate and make a purchase, make sure it’s strong enough to actually have an effect.

Pets. My cats sleep with me every night. Many of us find great comfort in feeling our furry friends curled up at the foot of our beds. However, if you suffer from allergies, you’re going to want to seriously consider keeping them out of your bedroom. It’s recommended that you find and utilize anti-allergy casings on your mattress and your pillows. And, back to the chore list? Yeah, we will need to wash our bedding in hot water WEEKLY. You’ll also need to dry on hot in order to do away with those allergy-flaring dust mites.

That last one is the most difficult one, I think. But, if you want to feel as good as possible it may be worth it.

Wanna learn a bit more? Check out these additional tips from The Mayo Clinic here.

 

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