The Secret to Living with Allergies Part 8: Top Allergy Relief Steps For Help with Pet Allergies

Posted by | Posted in Air purifier | Posted on 08-02-2009

If you have pet allergies, you’re not alone.  According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), approxim ately 10 percent of Americans may be allergic to animals.   Of these allergy sufferers, many may have asthma and 20 to 30 percent of asthma sufferers have pet allergies.  These asthma sufferers include kids with childhood asthma.  The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) explains that allergic asthma (caused by allergens such as dust mites, cat and dog dander and other environmental allergens) is the most common form of asthma in children.   What can you do if you, your child or someone in your family has pet allergies?  This edition of the Allergy Control Products series on “The Secret to Living with Allergies” covers top allergy relief action steps for help with pet allergies.
Step 1:  Understand where Pet Allergens are found and the Hurdles in Tackling Pet Allergies
Pet allergen, the allergy-causing material from dogs and cats that triggers allergic reactions, is not actually the pet hair but instead a protein present in the animal dander (made up of flaky skin cells and dried saliva).  Pet allergens are particularly small and ‘sticky’.  These allergens are found to the greatest extent in homes with pets, however, their sticky nature means that they often travel on clothes or in other ways to places where pets have never been allowed (such as offices, schools, and other public places).
Depending on individual factors including the severity of the pet allergy, you may face the very difficult decision of finding a new home for your pet.  If this happens, removing pet dander will require thorough cleaning as pet dander is difficult to eliminate throughout the home, and it can take as long as 20 weeks for pet dander to no longer cause allergies.  If you keep your pet, it is important to take the action steps outlined in Steps 2 – 9 to help reduce your exposure to pet allergens.
Step 2:  Don’t Allow the Pet in the Allergic Individual’s Bedroom
To reduce exposure to pet allergens, keep the pet out of the bedroom.  This room is where we spend much of our day while sleeping and is where the greatest levels of allergens can be found.  Hands and clothing should be washed after any contact with your pet.
Step 3:  Cover Pillows, Mattresses and Box Spring with Allergy Encasings
Protect yourself from pet allergens that have built up in the bed by covering pillow, mattress, box spring and even the comforter with allergy encasings.  Choose an encasing with a small pore size (under 5-6 microns) that will effectively block the small pet dander particle and keep allergens contained within the bed.
Step 4:  Wash Linens and Any Un-Encased Bedding Every Week in Hot Water
Any linens, pillows, blankets or comforters that aren’t encased should be washed weekly in hot water (130-degrees F) to remove allergens.  If you have had to remove your pet, consider replacing bedding items with new purchases that are free from pet allergen build-up.
Step 5:  Remove or Treat Carpets to Eliminate a Large Allergen Source
Allergens fall into the weave of the carpet, accumulating to create a large allergen source.  Remove the carpet to prevent continued exposure, or treat carpets to denature allergens and vacuum thoroughly.
Step 6:  Clean Your Carpet with a HEPA Filtration Vacuum, Designed to Contain the Small Pet Dander Particle
The tiny pet dander particle can pass through the standard bag of many vacuum cleaners and exhaust back into the air.  HEPA vacuums, with high filtration bags and superior containment of allergen particles, should be used.
Step 7:  Use HEPA Air Cleaners and Purifiers to Capture Airborne Allergens
Although large dust and mold allergens can settle to the ground more quickly, small pet allergens remain airborne longer.  HEPA air cleaners and air purifiers are particularly good for these allergens.
Step 8:  Use Central Furnace Filters or Place Filter Media Over Vents in the Bedroom
Filter air with a central furnace permanent or disposable air filter.  Airborne allergen particles are captured by the air filter before circulating throughout the house.  Cover vents in the allergic person’s bedroom with filter media that further traps airborne particles before entering the room.
Step 9:  Reduce Dander by Giving Your Pet Frequent Baths
Although studies have demonstrated that washing pets with water removes some surface allergen, the effects are temporary and may not last long enough to reduce symptoms.  Specially-formulated pet shampoos can be used to help remove dander.

For 25 years, Allergy Control Products has been recommended by thousands of physicians as the most trusted allergy company for revolutionary products.  Whether you’re looking for the highest quality air cleaner, air filters, hypoallergenic bedding or more, you can rely on the over 500 allergy products that have helped hundreds of thousands of allergy sufferers combat allergies and allergy relief , purchase Isagenix , Human Growth Hormone , low carbohydrate diet , how to build muscle quick , Spa Breaks ,

Read More

The Secret to Living with Allergies Part 7: For Allergy Relief, Learn How Dust Mites Cause Allergy Symptoms

Posted by | Posted in Air purifier | Posted on 01-01-2009

If you have indoor allergies, your allergy symptoms are likely caused by dust mite allergens, mold allergens and pet dander.  While it may be easy to understand how molds and pets contribute to allergy symptoms, dust and dust mite allergens may be more difficult. Although there are many components in house dust to which people may be allergic, the biggest culprit is the dust mite.  Dust mites are microscopic and because they cannot be seen, you may not know how to combat this virtually ‘invisible’ allergen source.  Many allergic people have dust mite allergies, and to find allergy relief, it is important to learn how dust mites cause allergy symptoms.  With this edition of the Allergy Control Products series on “The Secret to Living with Allergies”, you’ll find basic facts about dust mites in order to understand how they are affecting your health.

What are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are eight-legged arachnids and are relatives of spiders and ticks.  The dust mite is microscopic and, unlike bed bugs, cannot be seen by the human eye.  S    `ince dust mites cannot be seen, it may be startling to learn that over one million dust mites can live in a single bed.  Adult dust mites live for two to three months, during which time the female can lay 25 to 50 eggs every three weeks.  Each dust mite produces approximately 20 waste particles a day, and more than 100,000 of these waste particles can be present in only a gram of dust.

To see a video of dust mites under microscope, visit the Allergy Learning Center at www.allergycontrol.com.  Here, you have a rare opportunity to see these tiny allergy-causing mites up close.

What is Dust Mite Allergen?

Allergies are not caused by the dust mite being inhaled, but instead, allergy symptoms stem from a combination of waste particles from dust mites as well as their dead body fragments.  These particles are called dust mite allergens, as they are the parts of the dust mite that actually cause allergy symptoms.  To compound the allergy-causing ability of the dust mite, waste particles and dead body fragments remain allergenic even after the mite that produced them has died.

Where do Dust Mites Live in the Home?

Dust mites can live in even the cleanest homes and are present in nearly all homes in areas where the relative humidity is greater than 50% for some portion of the year. Dust mites are photophobic, which means that they thrive in dark, warm and humid environments.  The largest source of dust mite allergen exposure comes from the bed, as it provides the perfect conditions for dust mite growth as well as their greatest food source, the shed scales of human skin.  Large numbers of dust mites can live in your pillow, mattress, box spring, comforter and blanket.  The second largest source of dust mites and dust mite allergens comes from the carpet, as the carpet provides another good living environment and dust mite allergens can build up over time.  Other areas of the home that are prone to dust mite allergens are upholstered furniture, drapes, throw pillows and other areas with soft materials.

What is the First Area to Address for Dust Mite Allergy Relief?

While it is impossible to eliminate dust mites altogether, you can minimize your exposure to dust mite allergens and find allergy relief.  Your allergy relief steps should be focused on the bedroom, as it is the room where you spend the most time in the day and have the highest exposure to dust mite allergens.  Dust mite allergens are dispersed as we sleep in bed at night, fluff pillows or make the bed, walk or sit on the carpet, sit on stuffed furniture and come in contact with any soft, stuffed materials.

What Allergy Relief Steps Should Be Taken?

Don’t despair over not being able to completely eliminate dust mites, as scientific studies have shown that taking allergen avoidance steps to minimize dust mite allergen exposure in the bedroom leads to a decrease in allergic symptoms and a decrease in medication requirements for people with dust mite allergies.

Important dust mite allergy relief steps include:
•    Use allergy encasings to create a barrier between you and the allergens in the bed.
•    Wash linens, blankets and any un-encased bedding every week in hot water.
•    Remove or treat the carpet to eliminate a large allergen source.
•    If carpets cannot be removed, vacuum thoroughly with a HEPA vacuum cleaner or apply a carpet treatment to     denature allergens.
•    Keep humidity levels below 50% and ideally between 35-40%, as dust mites thrive in  high humidity.
•    Use HEPA filtration to capture allergens.  HEPA filtration vacuum cleaners and air cleaners capture 99.97% of allergens down to 0.3 microns that pass through the filter.
•    Use central furnace filters to capture allergens in your vent system.

For 25 years, Allergy Control Products has been recommended by thousands of physicians as the most trusted allergy company for revolutionary products.  Whether you’re looking for the highest quality air purifier, air cleaner, air filters, hypoallergenic bedding or more, you can rely on the over 500 allergy products that have helped hundreds of thousands of allergy sufferers combat allergies and allergy relief. acai berry , health videos , diet pills , acheter Viagra au rabais , cursos intensivos de ingles , diet pills , weight loss , Dental Implants , phentermine ,

Read More