When You Want to Take the Sneeze Out of Spring: Steps to Help Reduce Allergies

The spring season is a time of renewal for plants but also a time for allergies for many people. Here are some basic steps you can take, besides consulting your doctor, that may help alleviate your symptoms.

1. Clean up your home: read the earlier post (2/16/07) on basic steps to eliminate allergens in your home.

2. Clean up you bedding: invest in barrier cloth for your mattress and pillows to help reduce dust mites and other allergens from your bedroom. Gaiam (allergen mattess protectors) and the Heart of Vermont carry many of these products.

(GAIAM: Get Coupon Deal: 15% off with $50 purchase Coupon Code: AFC5 until May 31st 2007 if you use link on this blog).

3. Eat a healthy diet and take your vitamins.

4. Invest in an air purfier or filter to help filter out allergens in your home. AllerAir has a great line of powerful air purifiers.

5. Add stress reducers to your routine, such as yoga and exercise.

Furnishings and the Healthy House

The Basics of Furnishings

If you want to create a healthy indoor environment, you can make smart choices in purchasing new furnishings or refurbishing old ones.

Furnishings, drapery, and carpeting can be a significant source of indoor air pollutants. These pollutants can potentially have a variety of affects on health, including allergies; skin, eye, or throat irritation; headaches and more. Many furnishings contain contaminants such as formaldehyde, irritating fibers, synthetic dyes, resins, volatile organic compounds, and anti-stain coatings.

Furniture:

• Avoid synthetic upholstery and opt for natural fibers that have preferably not been treated with anti-stain or other coatings.
• Strive for coverings and pillow covers of cotton or similar natural material that can be periodically washed. Throws can cover cushions and washed frequently, particularly if you have pets.
• Select natural wood furniture and furniture with hard surfaces such as metal. These hard surfaces are good for minimizing dust and fibers in the air. Hard surfaces are also easier to clean. Avoid particle board, chip board, and plywood that often contains formaldehyde.
• Select water-based or natural finishes over synthetic oil-based finishes and stains.
• Avoid soft-plastics that can release volatile organic compounds into the air.

Drapery

• Select natural materials, such as cotton drapery, that can be washed.
• Venetian or wood blinds are a good option to minimize dust.

Carpeting

• Tile, hardwood, and marble are preferred over wall-to-wall carpeting. Formaldhyde is often used in carpet backing and padding as well as adhesives. Synthetic carpets are often a source of volatile organic compounds. Hard surfaces are easier to clean and don't trap dust, pollens and other allergens.
• If you prefer throw rugs, select natural fibers, such as sisal or cotton.

Look out for more tips in the next post.

First Steps to a Healthy House

A healthy home has many components that are based on preferences as as well as health concerns.

This blog posting will begin the focus on the health component. Indoor air quality can have a significant impact on the immune system, allergies, and overall health. A first step to improving the air quality in your home is the following:

Evaluate the relatively easy-to-fix sources of pollutants in your home.

Look around you house and answer the following questions:

A. Do you have a lot of clutter that collects dust? Simplify where you can, and remove unnecessary magazines, newspapers, mail, and trinkets. This step does not cost anything and can leave more space for beneficial and beautiful things in your home.

Is your bedroom cluttered? Your bedroom is where you spend time sleeping while your body regenerates and rejuvenates from the day. Keep it particularly clutter-free, and place items in drawers or closed cabinets when possible. If you have a child with allergies or asthma, pay particular attention to stuffed animals and pillows. They are also a source of fibers and dust in the air.

B. What type of cleaning products do you use? You can make different choices for cleaning products that are not only healthier in not releasing chemicals into the air, but also can be cheaper than many cleaning products. There are many commercial products available in stores, such as Seventh Generation products. You can also create you own cleaning products from vinegar and other common household items. One good book on this topic is: The Naturally Clean Home: 101 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Nontoxic Cleansers. This book includes recipes for many household chores, from scrubbing sinks to cleaning the floors.








The next posting will discuss some more things you can do. www.ecobasichome.com