Know Your Triggers

Suddenly, your nose and eyes feel itchy and you sneeze like crazy.. you wonder: What causes your body to react violently? If this ever happens to you, you are suffering an allergy attack. Allergy is a malfunction of your immune system, where your body reacts against these allergens that are present in the natural environment. Your body produces histamines which can create an inflammation within you, thus, making you feel sicker than ever. Usually, a person needs to be exposed to allergens first and have some time for the allergic sensitivity to build up.

If you are among the sensitive few who is vulnerable to allergies, you need to really identify what causes your symptoms in the first place. Most of these allergens can be avoided right inside your own home by cleaning out your space. Your doctor may have prescribed you anti-allergy medicines for you to control these allergy symptoms, but prevention is the best cure of them all – by making sure you get clean air indoors.

Common Allergy Triggers Found in Your Home

Reducing your allergy symptoms mean managing it without or with less medicines. You can do this by identifying which of the common allergy triggers affect you the most:

1. Pollen

When you are exposed to pollen, you may experience hay fever that comes with runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and watery eyes. You can get relief from a lot of over-the-counter antihistamine and decongestant medicines. During Spring, try to stay indoors as much as possible, close your windows, and use air conditioning. Make sure you avoid exposure when the pollen season is here.

2. Dust Mite

Invisible to the naked eyes, dust mites are microscopic organisms that thrive in the dust sitting around your house. This is why you need to make sure your home is clean. Use hypoallergenic pillows, blankets, and mattresses. Your bedroom is a haven for these dust mites so make sure it is truly free of dust and that humidity levels won’t exceed 45 percent.

3. Molds

These parasitic fungi are spores that float in the very air you breathe, just like those pollen. These are found in damp areas and your bathroom is a perfect breeding place for mold to grow. Make sure that wet areas in your house are properly ventilated and keep indoor plants to a minimum.

4. Animal Dander

All those proteins produced by animal skin can cause allergies to some people. You may develop symptoms in 1-2 years and normally, the allergy goes away when you stop living with your pets. Also, cockroaches cause similar symptoms to pet dander. If you still love keeping animals at your home, make sure to wash your pet weekly and clean your upholstery.

5. Insect Sting

Every now and then, we experience insect bite. Although the affected part may be swollen, itchy, or painful – some people get violent allergic reactions that are life-threatening. This full body allergic reaction is called Anaphylaxis. Symptoms can include hives, difficulty breathing, unusual swelling of body parts, wheezing, rapid pulse, dizziness, or anxiety. When this happens, seek immediate medical care and make sure the person gets Epinephrine on time. Also, avoid wearing strong perfumes and brightly-colored clothes that attract insects.

6. Latex

If you have worn a latex glove and experienced skin rashes ( and other allergic reactions ), you are definitely allergic to latex products.

7. Food

From fish, milk, nuts, wheat, eggs, to shellfish – many people suffer allergic reactions after a few minutes of eating foods they are allergic too. These symptoms can include hives, asthma, diarrhea, swelling in the mouth, or nausea. Some can be life-threatening.

8. Drugs

There are some people who are allergic to aspirin and symptoms can be mild to something that is life-threatening. The only way to get rid of your allergies is to avoid exposure to the drug that you’re allergic to.

Having a clean air to breathe is the first step in being allergen-free and you can do this through aromatherapy, or burning cinnamon or frankincense pure grade oils inside your home. These well-known air purifiers were loved in the ancient times. Prevention is always better than a cure!

What are Allergies: