Allergy Prevention

One can be allergic to many things. There are things both indoors and outdoors that causes allergies. Some things you can avoid. Other things you can only try to control. But there are some simple steps you can take to help prevent or lessen some of your allergy symptoms.

The easiest to control is your indoor allergies. The most common of these is dust mites. Just like their name implies they are little mites that grow within dust and places where dust can hide. These mites are invisible to our naked eye. Besides dust itself, they like to hide within furniture and beds. The best way to control dust mites is to dust often and to change bedding at least weekly. If your allergy to dust is really bad, you may want to consider wearing a mask whenever dusting or vacuuming.

Here are some other steps you can take to help control indoor allergies:

Vacuum at least once or twice a week. This will also help dust from forming in your carpet.

Keep pets out of your bedroom. You should do this even if you aren’t allergic to your animals. New allergies can form daily.

Keep doors and windows closed, even in the summer. Pollen and grass smells can go through your screens, into your house and cause your allergies to start showing symptoms.

Change or clean filters in your air conditioners on a regular basis.

Avoid mold. Fix any water leaks as soon as you find them. Limit the number of houseplants you have. The moisture from watering them can cause mold to form.

Use a dehumidifier.

There is really no way you can stop the allergens on the outside. But there are things you can do to help manage your outdoor allergies.

First of all, when you can limit your outdoor activities to the non-peak pollen hours. Pollen count will vary season to season and day to day. It is usually lower on cloudy days and right after and during a rain shower.

After being outside for a long period of time, evening in the preferred hours, be sure to shower and wash your hair, as well as changing your clothes when you are going to be inside for good. Allergies can cling to skin, hair and clothes.

Wear a mask when you have to be outside, if your allergies are severe.

You can also check out the pollen count before you go outside. There are many websites that lists pollen counts as well as newspapers and local news shows on the television.

You should always avoid outside activity on very humid or windy days.

When traveling in your car on warm days, do not open your windows. Use your car’s air conditioner.

On days you can be outside, you may consider this as the ideal time to brush your dog or cat. This way the loose hair is not getting into your house for you to breathe.

Wear gloves when working on your flower beds.

Try not to be outside after someone has mowed.

Do not hang your freshly washed clothes out on the line. You might think you like the clean fresh air smell. But realistically, you know the air is not all that clean, it is full of allergens which you would bring into your house and onto your skin.

Allergies are a nuisance. But their side-effects are painful and even more irritating. By taking a few of these simple steps, you may have some control over them.