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Enemies of allergy sufferers: how to protect yourself from allergens at home
Allergy sufferers breathed a sigh of relief this spring. In Moscow, the concentration of allergens in the air was significantly lower than last year. Due to the prolonged cold weather, the period of dusting of the trees came later than usual and quickly passed. In the capital, its peak occurred in early May, and frosts and snow on May 8-11 reduced the content of birch pollen to almost zero. “But you can’t relax, because every year there are more and more people suffering from allergic diseases,” says Tatiana Zheltikova, PhD in Biological Sciences, ecologist.
May 30 is World Asthma and Allergy Day. These diseases, according to the forecasts of the World Health Organization, will become one of the main problems of mankind in the 20st century. If 20 years ago 2025% of the world’s inhabitants suffered from allergies, now this figure has doubled, and by 50 it may reach XNUMX%. There are many reasons for this trend: increasing urbanization, uncontrolled use of antibiotics, decreased contact with infections, unhealthy lifestyle, artificial feeding, etc. All these factors hit the immune system, make it hypersensitive to various substances that provoke painful reactions.
In Russia, 30% of the population are allergy sufferers, and they are mainly inhabitants of megacities. The air, heavily polluted with harmful gases and mechanical dust, adversely affects the nasopharyngeal mucosa, its permeability increases, and allergens easily enter the body, causing sneezing, redness and tearing of the eyes, coughing and attacks of bronchial asthma. In Moscow, according to statistics, every third person suffers from spring allergies, that is, officially about 4 million people. And every year this figure grows by an average of 15 percent.
However, tree pollen allergy is not the most severe, as it worries a person for a limited period of time. But there are insidious enemies of allergy sufferers who poison their lives every day. These are allergens that “live” in houses and apartments.
The causative agents of allergic reactions and asthma can be:
· Allergens of pets, especially cats – these are particles of their skin, dandruff, saliva, wool;
House dust – it contains pollen, fungus, textile fibers, bacteria, food debris, plant particles;
Dust mites – their microparticles contain protein compounds that are dangerous for allergy sufferers;
· Cleaning agents and air fresheners – volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can cause reactions in allergy sufferers;
· Mold – it grows if the room is warm and high humidity.
How to deal with household allergens?
- Do twice a week, or better every other day, wet cleaning in the apartment – wash the floors, remove dust, be sure to wipe window sills and batteries with a wet rag.
- If you sleep on a mattress, it should be vacuumed at least once every three months. Dust mites usually accumulate in it. Research by Dyson has shown that 100 to 500 insects harmful to allergy sufferers can live in one gram of dust in a mattress.
- When cleaning an apartment, try to pay attention to hard-to-reach places where mold can form. 30% of allergy sufferers are sensitive to it.
- If you have animals at home, brush them out as often as possible. Wash pet bedding regularly, at a temperature not lower than 60 ° C. And know that hypoallergenic cat breeds, even their hairless representatives, can also cause allergic reactions.
- Don’t forget about home textiles: curtains, bedspreads, rugs. They must be washed at least every three months.
- Carpets and furniture should be vacuumed once a week. The vacuum cleaner must have an effective filtration system and not only eliminate the smallest allergens that are invisible to the eye, but also retain them inside, without letting them back out with a stream of purified air. Dyson has developed a range of devices that help alleviate allergy symptoms by eliminating allergy pathogens.
- Be sure to use a humidifier. On average, we take 22 breaths a day. And inhalation of dry air can exacerbate allergies and increase the risk of contracting viral infections.
- Ventilate the room! But in the midst of seasonal allergies, on the other hand, try not to open the windows. And here you cannot do without an air conditioner. They come with special air purification filters that trap allergens.