Tips To Help You Deal With Your Allergies
Allergies appear in many different forms. Some can be extremely harmful to your health, while others only cause you to have a stuffed up nose. A lot of people who have food allergies may also be allergic to medication or dander. Before you can successfully live life with allergies, you must learn as much as possible about overcoming their effects.
Just to be safe, you want to test any new over the counter antihistamines at home. Some of these drugs can make you sleepy and impair your reflexes. Even where no alarming warnings are printed on the labeling, always take your initial doses when you have nothing important to do, and you do not plan on driving.
You may want to crack open your windows when it is nice outside. This could cause a flare-up with your allergies though. For the best results, make sure your air conditioning unit is equipped with a special HEPA filter, to cut down the number of allergens inside your home. While it’s not quite the same as a springtime breeze, it definitely helps you to breathe in clean air.
If you can choose, do not put any carpeting or big rugs in your home. It is almost impossible to truly clean a carpet, and carpet fibers collect pet dander, pollen, mites, dust, and other allergens. Choose a flooring that is easy to sweep and mop.
Dust Mites
Allergen that can’t be avoided is dust mites. Dust mites thrive in the bedroom. They feed on dead skin cells found mostly on pillows and mattresses. They can’t be seen easily, but they are there and contribute to allergies for some people. There are special “dust mite resistant” casings that you can purchase to cover pillows and mattresses to keep them out. Also, launder your bedding weekly with hot water in order to kill all dust mites.
If you desire to have a pet, despite having allergies, get a pet that has short fur. All animals carry some allergens, but long-haired animals are especially bad about this. Also, to minimize the effects that pets can have on your allergies, never let them sleep in your bed.
Make sure your bathroom is ventilated well so that mildew and mold can’t thrive. Mold loves to grow in moist bathrooms, and this is especially true if your bathroom is dark. Hang your washcloths and towels on your towel rack or over the shower curtain rod. Be sure to have a fan going after you shower. If your bathroom does not include a fan, open a window to let air circulate through the room.
When you learn what you can about living with your allergies, life can be a lot easier. There are many modern medications available that can help in treating common issues and symptoms when it comes to allergies. Be sure to learn all you can through articles like this one.