10 Tips To Reduce Allergens In Your Home

1. Avoid apples, bananas, peaches and plums if you are allergic to grass or tree pollen. They can cause the same reaction as if you were near grass or trees.
2. Use non-toxic cleaners to clean your house.  Most cleaners contain heavy scents and toxic fumes that can irritate your nasal passage and lungs.
3. Throw your pillow out at least every three years.  Dust mites are attracted to the stuffing in pillows.  You don't want that next to your face all night!
4. Wash your hands after touching a dog or cat.  There are no hypo-allergenic breeds of animals.  The allergen does not come from their fur, but it does come from their dead skin (dander).  You would have to find a skinless cat or dog for it to be hypo-allergenic and that is just not possible.
5. Use a nylon shower curtain.  Vinyl shower curtains emit toxic odors and mold and mildew is attracted to vinyl.
6. Look for mold in the refrigerator, garbage, on the air-conditioning system and in your dishwasher.  It can be anywhere where there is moisture.
7. Freeze your stuffed animals.  Dust mites are attracted to the stuffing.  Either freeze the stuffed animals in a zip-lock bag for 24 hours at least once a month or wash and dry them.  
8. Watch the ingredients in sunscreens, moisturizers and make-up if you have sensitive skin.  Look for parabens-free or hypoallergenic formulas.
9. If you have carpet, consider replacing it with wood or tile flooring.  Carpet is a great place for dust mites, mold, pollen and dander to hide.  If you decide to keep your carpets and rugs, vacuum regularly with a good HEPA filter.
10. Take your shoes off when you enter the house and wash your hands.  Get all the pollen off of you when you enter your house.

Tree Pollen Is High Today In Northern Virginia!

Tree pollen counts are at an 11 on a scale from 0 to 12 in Northern Virginia, which is very high!  Most pollen today is from trees.  Grass pollen is starting to come in to play now.

I have noticed a lot of people with ear and sinus infections and coughs that will not go away.  My cough came back last week and has not gone away.  It is at its worst at night when I lie down.  I have also noticed that I have more congestion in my lungs and I need to use my inhalers more often.

Make sure you take your allergy medicine, take off your shoes before you enter the house and wash your hands once you get in the house to remove pollen and stop it from entering the house.

High tree pollen alert!

If you live in Washington DC or Northern Virginia, the tree pollen count will be high today and even higher tomorrow!

All trees, including the Cherry blossoms, are coming into bloom.

If you have tree-related allergies, take an allergy pill today.

If you have allergy-induced asthma, keep your fast-acting inhaler close by.

Today's Allergy and Asthma report

Today's pollen count will be low. You should have little to no allergy symptoms thanks to the snow and rain.

Asthma symptoms are moderate today. Especially be careful if you have asthmatic reactions when you go from warm to cold environments.

Today's Pollen for Northern Virginia and Washington DC

Today's Pollen count for Northern Virginia and Washington DC is low to medium.

The predominant pollen culprits are Elm, Cedar, Juniper, Poplar, Aspen and Cottonwood.  If you are allergic to trees, you may feel some congestion and other allergy symptoms, but nothing too bad.  The light rain today is keeping the pollen count low which helps calm allergy symptoms.

Allergy levels are low.
Asthma levels are moderate.
Cold and Cough are moderate.

I have allergies and asthma (didn't know I had asthma until I moved here).  Today I am not congested or itchy, but I am wheezing.

For those of you who have asthma, make sure you take your long-term inhaler as usual.  Keep your rescue inhaler handy in case you have a wheeze that will not go away throughout the day.  You could also take 1200 mg of Mucinex (or store brand guaifenesin) every 12 hours with LOTS of water.  Mucinex and its generic versions only work to thin chest mucous if you drink lots of water when you take them.

Have a wheeze and sneeze-free day!!!