If you have Pets and Allergies you know that is important to
take good care of yourself, your pets and house. Accordingly to allergyuk.org
statistics say over 150 million people have allergies in Europe being it the
most common chronic disease (EAACI, 2014). In the USA aaaai.org states that Worldwide just allergic rhinitis affects between 10% to 30 %
of the population.
An allergy is the response of the body's immune system to
normally harmless substances ( pollens, foods,house dust mite,etc). Whilst in
most people these substances (allergens) pose no problem, in allergic
individuals their immune system identifies them as a’ threat’ and produces an
inappropriate response.
We
can catalog three types of allergies: respiratory, dermatological and to food.
Respiratory allergies are the most
common, including hay fever and
seasonal allergic rhinitis, perennial allergic rhinitis and asthma. They are visible in the respiratory system as sneezing, runny
nose, cough and difficulty breathing.
Dermatological allergies manifest through the skin as eczema
or atopic dermatitis (inflammation,
redness, burning and dryness in the mouth), edema (swelling by water accumulation); and food allergies through the digestive level
as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain,
etc.
Among
the allergens
responsible for an allergic manifestation, are pollen, dust, fungi, mold, cockroaches feces of
the hair, feathers and animal scales, in addition to tobacco, pollution and the consumption of
certain foods .
I have pets since
my 6 years old. I had asthma and my pediatrician recommended my mother who was
a nurse I was given a dog to help me get immune. I went from one dog to 3 dogs
, 3 cats and lots of others small animals and throughout the years I got much
better.
In fact, according to the allergist Neil Kao from the Allergy and Asthma Disease Center in Greenville, South Carolina, United States, immunotherapy is the only method capable of definitively ending with symptoms at long-term.
In fact, according to the allergist Neil Kao from the Allergy and Asthma Disease Center in Greenville, South Carolina, United States, immunotherapy is the only method capable of definitively ending with symptoms at long-term.
It is sad to hear
of some families who give away their pets because its children have allergies.
Not only that sets a very bad example – they are basically showing the child
animals are disposable and that they should get rid of any problem instead of
dealing with it, they are also
traumatizing their children by getting them away from their best friend, something
they will remember and resent all their live. It is a very cruel and
insensitive act that will not help at all.
There are ways of
dealing with the fact you have pets and allergies. Take the advice of someone
who lived and continue to live with lots of pets at home and went through
the years from having asthma to now, 25 years later having to take some antihistamines every six months.
Pets are only a small fraction of the contributors to allergies as you can read above in bold.
First, get rid of
any Doctor who advises you to get rid of your pets. That is animal cruelty.
Find a Doctor who loves and respects animals as family members.
Second, have
you/your child properly medicated.
Third, clean your
house.
The
mite is
tiny, it lives in the dust, prefers
hot and humid environments, nourished by scales and secretions of human and animal skin.
The mite is most responsible for allergic disorders such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, eczema, cough and asthma, which mainly attack children.
It's a very diffuse microorganism; especially in mattresses, carpets, curtains and cushions. Lives on countless colonies: imagine that one gram of powder can contain up to 15,000 mites!
The only method to prevent the allergy from occurring is to eliminate or at least reduce to a minimum the presence of mites in domestic environments.
The mite is most responsible for allergic disorders such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, eczema, cough and asthma, which mainly attack children.
It's a very diffuse microorganism; especially in mattresses, carpets, curtains and cushions. Lives on countless colonies: imagine that one gram of powder can contain up to 15,000 mites!
The only method to prevent the allergy from occurring is to eliminate or at least reduce to a minimum the presence of mites in domestic environments.
So,
get rid of carpets in your house or reduce as much as you can.
Every
day open your windows for half an hour but during Springtime avoid doing it.
Have your air conditioning cleaned at least once per month.
Vacuum your house, your mattress and pet beds every
two days. Have special care with the vacuum cleaner: if the cleaner has filter, ask someone to frequently remove and replace it.
Wash your bed linen, curtains and carpets to 60 degrees (check the
labels), buy Allergen Proof Mattress
Cover, anti-allergy mattress protector, anti-allergy pillow encasement and dust
mite stopper inhibit spray. You can find all of them at online stores like
amazon or ebay. Don’t use blankets, opt for a duvet. And don’t use bed linen
that has been kept long in a closet (put the sheets in laundry bags before storing them to avoid mold and dust).
Clean the dust every week and most
important wipe with a cloth soaked in mild detergent all the furniture.
Don’t
use strong detergents as they can have the opposite effect ( some
specialists say the more protection and care with
respect to germs and parasites, the more they increase the cases of allergic reactions. For example, there were fewer children allergic to animals when they lived on farms, in direct contact with them).
Be careful with detergents, especially some laundry detergents can cause allergies.
Be careful with detergents, especially some laundry detergents can cause allergies.
Always opt for eco-friendly, cruelty-free detergents from brands such as Ecover, Method, Bio D or Ecozone, among others.
Even when a detergent says it is biodegradable it doesn t mean it is necessarily good to the environment as each one of those products are biodegradable in certain specific conditions: some are biodegradable in water and some are only biodegradable with oxygen (air), etc.
Avoid harsh chemicals at all costs for your and your family own sake.
"The Federal Trade Commission's definition of what's
biodegradable is very vague, So while some biodegradable
products may be ideal for the oxygen-deprived conditions of a landfill, where
they degrade slowly enough for methane gas collection systems to convert them
to energy, others aren't—and there's no way for a consumer to know the
difference."
In short, do or
have it done a general cleaning every week. The first one is the hardest but the next
become easier to keep. Use warm water.
4 - Do not use unnecessary shelves in the bathroom. All that can store powder is to avoid.
If you spend a lot of time exposed to street air, wash your hair every day (use a mild shampoo) and take showers instead of tub baths. If, by night, you have an allergic attack of coughing or sneezing, have a shower. In addition to wash irritating particles, it causes welfare and relax.
5 - Whenever possible, go by the sea and make salt water inhalations. If you can't, use a saline solution at home;
6 - Use sunglasses, specially on windy days;
7 - Make of your home and workplace non-smokers places.
8 - Do not expose yourself to fireplaces. The smoke of burned wood can be highly damaging;
9 - Have a
healthy, stable diet – avoid dyes and preservatives
& drink plenty of water;
Intake of omega-3 will inhibit the production of prostaglandins, one bronchoconstrictor substance associated with respiratory allergies. As a result, this nutrient fights inflammation and improves lung function. Nuts are good sources of omega 3.
Turbine diet with quercertina: present especially in apple, onion and broccoli, quercetin is an antioxidant able to reduce the production of histamine in the body. This substance, in turn is responsible for increasing the expansion of our blood vessels and initiate an allergic process. The daily intake of this nutrient can help even lessen the chances of a crisis. You can get quercetin in capsule form, by prescription, depending on the progress of the allergic symptoms.
10 - Use natural fabrics
11 – Avoid strong
odors
Products with very sharp odors such as perfume, creams and cleansers are not necessarily the cause of an allergy, but can cause irritation to aggravate the symptoms. Thus, it is important that you avoid being in constant contact with this type of product, especially in times when crises are more frequent. Give your nose a break and opt for neutral soaps or cosmetics that have milder odors.
12 - Vitamin D –
Expose yourself to sun in the hours of less hot for 15 minutes every day. It
does all the difference. If you have a patio or a garden just do an aerobic class
outside or some gardening. If you don’t your daily walks with your dog will do.
13 - Wash your eyes with physiological serum.
This cleaning is effective not only to prevent the symptoms, but also to relieve an already installed irritation
This cleaning is effective not only to prevent the symptoms, but also to relieve an already installed irritation
14 - Increase air humidity
When the humidity is between 20 and 30%, it comes to a state of attention; between 12 and 20%, alertness and below 12%, the state of emergency arises. This scenario leaves the airways resected, affecting the net secretion that acts as natural protection of the nose. With this, the nasal passages are free for viruses, bacteria and allergens. Also, the dry time hinders the dispersion of pollution and dust, which are suspended in the air and capable of inhalation. Humidifiers, water basins, towels and wet cloths and even plants grown in the room can help balance the moisture levels during drier seasons.
When the humidity is between 20 and 30%, it comes to a state of attention; between 12 and 20%, alertness and below 12%, the state of emergency arises. This scenario leaves the airways resected, affecting the net secretion that acts as natural protection of the nose. With this, the nasal passages are free for viruses, bacteria and allergens. Also, the dry time hinders the dispersion of pollution and dust, which are suspended in the air and capable of inhalation. Humidifiers, water basins, towels and wet cloths and even plants grown in the room can help balance the moisture levels during drier seasons.
15 - Keep your animals the most clean as possible and short-haired.
