If you’ve had a cold that has been lasting for weeks, chances are that it isn’t a cold at all, but indoor allergies that are flaring up. Learn how to eliminate household allergens and breath easier.
During the colder months, we tend to button up our houses and stay indoors more. This exposes us to higher concentrations of indoor allergens that can make us and our family members miserable. In addition to this, drier air creates the right breathing ground for bacteria , meaning that a simple allergy can turn into a nasty sinus infection in no time. And for someone with Asthma, the consequences can be great.
A cold often is accompanied by a fever, and the mucus resulting from one can be yellowish. Expect a cold to be completely gone within a week. In comparison, allergies create a thin runny mucus that is clear, may be accompanied by itchiness and makes you have fits of sneezing.
It is important to eliminate the dust mites, mold, dander and dust that can trigger household allergies. I’ll be offering a series that gives you plenty of information on how to do just that. Attack each area one by one, and everyone will feel better.
The No Shoes Rule
There are all sorts of nasty things that come into your home on shoes, including lead, but that is another subject. What we are most worried about in terms of indoor allergens are pollen and mold spores. Studies have shown that simply walking a few steps into the house with your shoes can release a ton of allergy causing particles. Your clean floor may not be so spotless.
In our home, we try to enforce a no shoes policy. We kick off our shoes at the front entrance or even outside in warmer weather to eliminate these allergens.
Work on establishing this policy, and I’ll see you next time.
Check back to the health blog soon. I’ll talk about some more areas of your home that can become clean and allergy free.
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