If you've tried all you can to relieve your allergies but your symptoms still persist, consider these creative tips. They may be just what you need to get the relief you've been longing for.
Strategies for Allergy Relief
You probably already know that cleaning your home, staying indoors on days when pollen count is high, and avoiding strong chemicals are important tactics to minimize your allergies. But these additional actions can take your allergy relief efforts to the next level:
1. Clean your windows. The panes and sills on your windows can attract mold and dust and require constant maintenance, particularly in your bedroom. In addition, horizontal blinds can also collect allergens. So, the experts recommend replacing them with simple rolling shades because they can be washed regularly.
2. Tile your bathroom walls. You probably don't think that your bathroom walls can be a potential allergy problem, but they can be a breeding ground for mold if the surface is painted or covered in wallpaper. You can rectify the problem by removing wallpaper and/or cleaning the wall and then covering the surface with tile. If you prefer paint, select one that's mold-proof.
3. Bathe your pet regularly. You may have your pet groomed regularly to keep her hair short, but when she goes outside, she can still attract pollen, dust, and mold in her coat. Giving frequent doggy baths between grooming visits can be key to allergy relief.
4. Cook fruits and vegetables. Even if you don't have food sensitivities, some of the fruit and vegetables you eat can trigger symptoms such as an itchy mouth, throat, and lips. This is caused by oral allergy syndrome, which occurs when the protein in certain foods have a similar structure to pollen. You can avoid this response by cooking fruits and vegetables or by peeling off the skin.
5. Relocate your plants. Having indoor plants in your home can be a great way to bring the outdoors in, but for some people, its presence can cause allergy symptoms. Some of the plants that are most likely to cause a reaction include ferns, ficus, palms, and orchids. It's not only the type of plant, though, that can be a trigger. Over-watering the soil can also cause mold to grow there. So if necessary, move your plants outside for quick allergy relief.
Sources:
"Allergy and Asthma Issues: Spring 2009; Pollen: Little Cells that Cause Big Problems." American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. AAAAI, 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
"Allergies: Things You Can Do to Control Your Symptoms." FamilyDoctor.org. American Academy of Family Physicians. Sept. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
"Oral Allergy Syndrome." The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. FAAN. 31 March 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
