Seasonal allergy relief for those huffing and puffing - Part 1
Get seasonal allergy relief by cleaning the air you breathe.
Breathing is one of the most important functions we perform every single day.
While some of you might experience allergies, others have more severe symptoms related to the quality of air they breathe.
Clean air helps with seasonal allergy relief by improving brain function, concentration, learning abilities, sleep, respiratory health and reducing allergy flare-ups.
Poor indoor quality air exacerbates infections, allergies and asthma
Look at that insane cloud of pollen! (USA Today, May 18, 2018)Even though airborne contaminants are difficult to see, they are still present and have been linked to disease and health problems.
In this part of your health secrets, you’ll be taken through a journey about air and it’s significance on your health and how humans have int turn impacted this most precious element.
The web of life is woven floating in this invisible, light-weight, airy element that surrounds us. Let’s understand it better so we appreciate it and allow it to better our health.
When seasonal allergy relief is all you can think of amidst frantic sneezing and teary eyes, we tend to forget how amazing breathing is. With an allergy flare-up, breathing becomes a burden, and it can get painful.
This allergic response is a reaction to allergens and/or contaminants present in the air you are breathing that are not allowing your system to adequately respire.
Fields of flowers might look beautiful but they can wreak havoc to an allergy sensitive person!Breathing in clean air is paramount to the health of your body
When you draw in air through your nostrils, that breath travels into your trachea, then it forks out into your bronchi that carry air to your lungs which in turn have sacs housing millions of microscopic air bags called alveoli. In these alveoli, the air you breathe comes into contact, literally, with your blood – exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.
That means that everything you breathe is taken into your bloodstream(!)
Isn’t that thought astonishing and at the same time terrifying?!
What are you breathing?
Seasonal allergy relief is then, way more than just getting rid of the fastidious symptoms. It means making sure your blood is kept clean and pure, free from air pollution.
So, you might think that the best thing to do to get allergy relief is to avoid at all costs the outdoors, right?
Wrong!
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside.
Breathing clean air can contribute to your health and is the corner-stone of seasonal allergy relief
Happy person breathing easy, season allergy relief please!Most of the seasonal allergy relief coping tips are:
- Take an anti-histamine or other over the counter drug
- Try a nasal rinse using a Neti pot or a spray
- Change clothes as soon as you enter the house
- Do your chores and workouts indoors
- Run the AC to keep indoor air dry
- Vacuum the house regularly and keep it clean
- Wear a mask if you must go outdoors
However, according to the National Human Activity Pattern Survey, we spend around 90% of our time indoors and the exposure to some of the irritants from outside can still be present inside your home.
Indoor air quality is paramount for people with seasonal allergies and the need for a more consistent form of relief.
It’s not only about allergy relief, breathing in clean air can reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung and respiratory diseases as studied by the World Health Organization
Both the elderly and the very young are particularly vulnerable to bad air quality (FOX, August 10, 2018)The list of pollutants inside your home that might be making you congested, irritated or downright incapable of breathing properly, (a few of them) are:
- Carpets and upholstery
- Smoke
- Damp basements
- Pesticides, cleaners and chemicals
- Pets
- Insulation and paint
For example, dust mites, present in your mattress, excrete a highly toxic fecal matter that can trigger allergies and asthma.
Did you know that more than 42,000 dust mites can be found in a single ounce of dust?
Eating and sleeping, not the best combination for the health of your mattress!Purifying indoor air and sleeping in a bedroom with clean air:
- Help reduce asthma attacks
- Minimize allergic reaction to pet dander and animal shed
- Trap dust mites before they lodge into soft materials
- Significantly reduce tobacco’s harmful fine particles and odors
- Clean the air of cooking odors and other gasses
- Decrease your exposure to airborne bacteria and viruses
For seasonal allergy relief, the best treatment is to avoid the allergens altogether, and the best way to do this at home is by purifying your indoor air.
According to Mayo Clinic, although there is no miracle product that eliminates 100% of all allergens, an air filter used in your bedroom brings allergy relief.
When we think of pollution and how to get seasonal allergy relief, we usually think of outside pollution – as in smog, smoke and filthy, yellowish air hovering above big metropolitan areas.
However, indoor air contaminants may pose an even greater hazard
These invisible pollutants can wreak havoc for some people with sensitive respiratory systems.
We all seek seasonal allergy relief but most importantly, we should be aware of the type and scope of the contaminated “ecosystem” that we might be sheltering and thus inhaling in our homes.
Part 2 - Quality of indoor air and why it's important
Mayo Clinic, Seasonal allergies: nip them in the bud, www.mayoclinic.org
World Health Organization, Household air pollution and health, www.who.int
Environmental Protection Agency, The national human activity pattern survey (2001).
Scientific American, Clean air equals longer life, study says, www.blogs.scientificamerican.com
