Spring 2012: Pollen count is dangerously high, what you can do

The air quality alert is at dangerous levels for allergy sufferers. 1500 is the high limit, the other day we were at 1600. What is going on, I have never seen Spring come so early. Where I live we had 4 inches of snow last year at this time. This year we are having highs [...]

Yes you can reduce allergens in your home

I always like to get a fresh start for the New Year. I take down all those holiday decorations and clean and organize my home. Those of us with indoor allergies or have families with allergies to dust mites, dander and mold must take this cleaning very seriously. Reducing allergens in your home is a [...]

Caution! Correct Use of Neti Pot!

Louisiana health regulators warned residents Tuesday about the dangers of using neti pots improperly. There have been two deaths linked to neti Pot use in Louisiana. A neti pot, is commonly used to irrigate sinuses. I use one and recommend them to everyone with sinus problems. You should follow the directions on the pot carefully. The Louisiana [...]

Book Review: “Toxic Free”

Are you suffering from unexplained headaches, fatigue, skin rashes or depression? Are you worried about the link between chemicals in the home and the rising rate of cancer and allergies? Or are you just looking to save money (and the planet in the process)? I don’t usually do book reviews, but I found “Toxic Free, [...]

‘Tis the season for indoor allergies

Now that Winter is near we are spending more time indoors. The allergens that are trapped inside the house with you are making you miserable. 10% of the population is allergic to one or more of these irritants: Dust mites, pet dander, mold, perfumes, smoke from fireplaces and even Christmas Trees. In the Winter many [...]

Beautiful Fall Brings Not So Lovely Allergies

If you have a runny nose and sneezing with watery or burning eyes, you have an allergy. Welcome to the club. It’s not a very exclusive club because over 50 million Americans have allergies or develop them sometime in their life. One of the most common allergies in the Fall is pollen. It can come [...]

How to Make Itchy Skin Go Away

There are many reasons that you may have itchy skin, some of them could be quite serious. When itching is accompanied by difficulty in breathing with swelling of the face or tongue the itching my be do to an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening emergency. Seek immediate medical care, call 911 [...]

Pay Back Time: Skin Allergies Reduce Risk of Cancer.

This study made by Danish researchers Kaare Engkilde, Jacob P Thyssen, Torkil Menné and Jeanne D Johansen was published first in the British Medical Journal 7/11/11. Could there really be something good about the aggravating skin conditions so many of us endure? It may almost make our suffering more bearable to know there might be a pay-back later on. The new [...]

Allergies to Mold is a growing problem

Do your eyes water and do you sniff and sneeze more in certain locations in your house or when you visit friends or businesses? Do you seem to suffer more inside your home or office than outside? Do damp basements and bathrooms make you miserable? You may be among a growing list of people allergic [...]

Sensitivity to Ragweed is on the Rise

More and more people are becoming allergic to ragweed and molds. In a recent study conducted by Quest Diagnostics, the results from nearly 14 million blood tests, from 2 million patients over a four-year study clearly show increases in sensitization to pollens. Ragweed increased 15% from 2005-2008, for mold the increase was 12%. A study in [...]

Make Hay Fever Season More Comfortable for You and Your Child

One out of seven children in the U.S. suffers from seasonal allergies. Hay fever is a seasonal allergy that occurs when tree, grass, weeds or flower pollen in the air comes in contact with nose membranes and it triggers inflammation, causing sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose and cough. You can reduce or even eliminate [...]

Will the 2011 Allergy Season be Worse Than 2010?

2010 and 2011 were ugly years for allergy sufferers, there was unseasonably warm weather and breezes throughout March and April which pumped up record pollen counts for oak, ash and mulberry. Flooding in the Spring and early Summer, then the dry summer in the Southwest with fires and extreme weather and flooding from hurricanes in the Southeast [...]

6 ways to beat Spring Allergies Symtoms

How to Beat Spring Allergies: 1. I hate to make the first suggestion a drug, but antihistamines work so well for allergies it would be wrong not to mention what’s available. Many antihistamine drugs are available without a prescription. Years ago the only antihistamines available made us sleepy and fuzzy. Now second-generation antihistamines such as [...]

For much of the U.S. this week was open your windows week.

I blog a lot about not opening your windows most of the Spring, Fall and Summer. This is to keep out allergens. A house still needs to be aired out occasionally to cut down on indoor pollutants. This is the time to air things out, It’s reasonably warm right now in most of the middle [...]

It’s freezing outside, why do I still have allergies?

If you’ve been stuck inside with the cold weather, snow and ice like half the U.S., you might find it hard to believe you still have allergy symptoms. It’s the allergens that are trapped inside with you that are making you miserable. Dust mites, pet dander, mold, perfumes and even smoke from fireplaces are still [...]

One Year of Writing Allergy Comfort Zone

Last week I officially passed the one year mark writing this blog. Thank you all for a successful first year. I have had fun writing and researching this blog and I have learned a lot from the comments reader leave on the Allergy Comfort Zone Forum. I have found that my most searched blogs are [...]

Allergic to Christmas trees?

Yes, both real and artificial trees can cause allergies because they have dust and mold on them. Dust and mold are a few of the main causes of allergic reactions in humans. Real Christmas trees are cut months before we see them on the lots. They are wrapped and stacked in close and sometimes damp [...]

Certain foods can make seasonal allergies worse

If you are allergic to ragweed and having a particularly bad Fall look to what you are eating. Some foods can actually make the symptoms of your ragweed allergy worse. When your body is being bombarded with irritants to which you are sensitive, you must be careful of everything that you come into contact with [...]

Ragweed Pollen is high this year

Nine steps you can take to make your life more comfortable during the high pollen days of Fall.

Relief from season allergies, do pollen blockers work?

When seasonal allergies hit, most of us will do almost anything to stop the torment. Starting in mid-August and lasting until the first freeze ragweed is the main cause of misery. But also all year round, dust mites and pet dander cans cause allergies. The result is runny nose, itchy eyes and throat. The way [...]