Keep an Eye on Your Allergies this March!
Spring may be in the air, but so may allergens like dust and pollen. Fear not,
though! There are plenty of simple steps you can take to help combat common
allergens, so you can feel great and get out and enjoy the (hopefully) warming
weather!
Start at home
It’s important to minimize the number of allergens found at home before they can
affect you! Follow these simple steps to help ensure your home is clean and your
allergies remain under control:1
-
Be sure to vacuum once or twice a
week.
Using a HEPA filter can help reduce the number of
allergens floating around.
-
Reduce clutter. Dust can hide in
the crevices of stacked, untouched items.
-
Scrub your tile. Mold can build
up on all surfaces of your bathroom.
-
Use unscented cleaners and
detergents.
Scented cleaners can trigger allergic reactions.
-
Don’t air-dry your laundry. Doing
so can result in pollen sticking to your clothes.
-
Sweep entryways to your home. The
cleaner your entryway is, the less likely you are to track dust and
allergens inside.
-
Don’t shampoo your carpets. The
leftover moisture can cause mold to build up in your carpet fibers.
-
Get rid of drapes and horizontal
blinds.
It’s easy for dust to settle in these spots.
Clean out your medicine cabinet
Spring cleaning should take place around your entire home — including your
medicine cabinet! When you’re getting things in order for warmer weather, be
sure to go through and check the expiration dates on all of your allergy
medications and replace any outdated ones. Doing so will help you be prepared
for when you need them!
Stay up to date
Knowing current allergy trends will help you stay ahead of the game! We love the
allergy tracker provided by weather.com. Log on today to see how allergens are
affecting the air quality in your area!2
Keep informed
While keeping a clean, allergen-free home; having allergy medicine on hand; and
understanding air quality trends are important, it’s also essential to keep
yourself apprised of the facts.
Recently, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) responded to a new
study on changing trends in childhood asthma prevalence. The organization
highlighted the importance of maintaining air quality, appropriate and timely
medical care, and education of and support to families of children with asthma
as key factors in helping people live with asthma. You can read the entire
article here, www.community.aafa.org.
Stop by your local Health Mart® and chat with one of our pharmacists to learn
more about being prepared for allergy season. To find a Health Mart near you,
visit https://healthmart.com/store-locator.
References
1. Housecleaning Tipsto
Ease Allergies
. Accessed February 29, 2016.
2. Air Quality Forecast Map. Accessed February 29, 2016.
Posted on Fri, March 4, 2016
by Health Mart