| Up to 50 million Americans, including 2 million children, | | | | A mold test kit can be a easy soultion but does cost |
| have some type of allergy. For most people, allergies | | | | money, or you can simpley check crawl spaces for |
| are just an inconvenience. According to the National | | | | standing water, look for condensation forming around |
| Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, they are | | | | windows, and dampness in or on basement walls. If |
| a major cause of disability in the U.S. In fact, it has | | | | you are experiencing health problems, check |
| been estimated that allergies account for the loss of | | | | bathrooms, bedrooms and family rooms as well. Mold |
| over two million school days per year. | | | | requires three things to grow and multiply. It requires |
| What Are Allergies? | | | | dampness, warmth, and a food source. Find areas |
| An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system | | | | that have these three things and you will surely find |
| toward a substance that is typically harmless to most | | | | mold and mildew. Also a musty odor suggests mold |
| people. But in someone with an allergy, the body's | | | | growth. |
| immune system treats the substance, called an | | | | How does mold affect my health? |
| allergen, as an invader and reacts inappropriately | | | | Only in recent years have medical authorities realized |
| resulting in harm to the person. | | | | what a health risk the kind of mold that grows in |
| Who Gets Allergies? | | | | wet basements can be. According to the New York |
| Children inherit allergic tendencies from their parents. | | | | City Department of Health, in people who are allergic |
| A few children have allergies in spite of no family | | | | to it, mold can cause:respiratory and eye |
| member having these, but if one parent has allergies, | | | | irritationflu-like symptomsfatiguetrouble |
| there is a one in four chance that a child will also | | | | breathingcoughingsinus congestionsnauseachronic |
| have allergies. The risk increases if both parents have | | | | headacheloss of memoryother symptoms |
| allergies. | | | | Also when mold starts to reproduce inside a home, it |
| Do I Have an Allergy to Something? | | | | can eat away at the structure, causing thousands of |
| Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the | | | | dollars in damage |
| pattern of symptoms following certain exposures can | | | | How can I prevent mold build up and how can I keep |
| be hard to miss. But other allergies are less obvious | | | | allergy symptoms down? |
| because they can masquerade as other conditions. | | | | Mold requires three things to grow and multiply. It |
| How Are Allergies Treated? | | | | requires dampness, warmth, and a food source. |
| There is no cure for allergies, but symptomatic relief | | | | Simpley make sure you dont allow all three things to |
| is possible. The most effective is by reducing or | | | | take place in your house. Mold is everywhere, and |
| eliminating exposure to allergens. If reducing exposure | | | | you wont completly rid yourself of ever having any |
| is not feasible or is ineffective, medications may be | | | | contact with mold, but you can surley battle it. |
| prescribed. In some cases, an allergist may | | | | Mold and mildew release mold spores in the air that |
| recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help | | | | can float throughout the house. There are several |
| desensitize you. There are also medications you | | | | mold cleaning, prevention, and mold removal methods |
| might be able to give yourself, including antihistamines | | | | to deal with this problem. 2 suggestions are: Bio-Kleen |
| and inhaled or nasal spray steroids. One medical | | | | and Sure Cote Mildew Resistant Coating. |
| suggestion is: ZYRTEC® | | | | Bio-Kleen can be used in any application in which you |
| Just 1 dose of ZYRTEC® (cetirizine HCl) a day can | | | | want to inhibit colonies of mold, mildew, alga, bacteria |
| keep allergy symptoms under control, year-round. | | | | and other odor causing organisms. Easy to apply by |
| Symptoms from both indoor allergies, like pet dander | | | | spraying, wiping or soaking. Allow to air dry. |
| and dust. And outdoor allergies, like trees and | | | | Sure Cote is a clear non-yellowing , non-toxic, |
| ragweed. Plus, ZYRTEC is approved to treat indoor | | | | odorless, interior/exterior, mildew resistant coating. It |
| allergies in infants 6 months and up. | | | | is designed to protect any surface exposed to |
| Some common allergies include those to: | | | | moisture, high humidity or weather. Will not discolor, |
| Grasses | | | | stain, stiffen or harm any surface which it |
| Mold Spores | | | | recommended for use and gives year round |
| Marsh Elder | | | | protection. |
| Ash | | | | It is important to try and prevent mold and mildew |
| Pigweed | | | | growth, but if it's too late, try mold remediation and |
| Oak | | | | mold removal. |
| Fall Elm | | | | Allergic reactions can manifest themselves in many |
| Mesquito | | | | different physical ways, most of them extremely |
| Elm | | | | unpleasant. In the case of environmental allergens |
| Sage | | | | such as hay fever or pet dander, it is possible to limit |
| Red Berry Juniper | | | | allergic reaction severity by focusing on a diet that |
| Pecan | | | | boosts the body?s ability to fight off reaction |
| Mountain Cedar | | | | effects. Many of the materials that are found in |
| Ragweed | | | | medicinal allergy relief are extracted from naturally |
| Willow | | | | occurring ingredients in certain foods and drinks, and |
| Privet | | | | including these in your diet will help to alleviate your |
| Cats | | | | allergic symptoms. It is important to remember that |
| Dogs | | | | these foods are for fighting environmentally triggered |
| Bees | | | | allergies only, and the only way to avoid food allergy |
| Peanuts | | | | symptoms is to avoid the food that cause it. |
| Dust Mites | | | | Green tea is quickly making a name for itself as a |
| Food | | | | general purpose, natural cure-all. Recent studies have |
| Metals/nickle: | | | | shown that green tea may help to combat |
| 40 percent increase in nickel allergies is blamed on the | | | | environmental allergies as one of its many treatment |
| new body piercing rage. Also some ingest nickel in | | | | applications. In an article published in The Journal of |
| foods and from chewing pens and paper clips. | | | | Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Japanese scientists |
| Cobalt and chromium can also produce allergic | | | | claim to have isolated a compound found in green tea |
| reactions, but to a lesser degree than nickel. once a | | | | that blocks one of the cell receptors that is key in |
| nickel allergy develops, it lasts for a lifetime. | | | | triggering the allergic response. Because green tea is |
| Animals: | | | | less processed than any other kind of tea, its natural |
| All warm-blooded, furry animals, such as the average | | | | composition remains unaltered and thus the |
| household pet, can cause allergic reactions. This is | | | | compounds within it are more concentrated and |
| because of proteins in their saliva, dander, and urine. | | | | better able to produce results than those found in |
| When the animal licks itself, the saliva gets on the fur. | | | | different varieties of tea. |
| As the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne | | | | The acids found in Omega-3 fatty acids also are |
| and work their way into fabrics in the home. Cats are | | | | beneficial in fighting allergies, as the acid acts as a |
| the "worst offenders" because their salivary protein | | | | natural anti-inflammatoryby countering the formation |
| is extremely tiny and they tend to lick themselves | | | | of inflammatory chemicals. There are several foods |
| more than other animals. | | | | which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, including |
| Pollen: | | | | several kinds of seafood and fish; salmon, haddock, |
| Pollen is another important cause of allergies. Pollen | | | | herring, trout, mackerel, and sardines are all full of |
| allergies are seasonal. Trees, weeds, and grasses | | | | these acids. Other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids |
| release these tiny particles into the air to fertilize | | | | are soybeans, flaxseed, walnuts, and canola, and the |
| other plants. Most people know pollen allergy as hay | | | | fatty acids are also available in a more concentrated |
| fever or rose fever. | | | | version through the oils derived from these foods. |
| Cockroach: | | | | These oils can easily be included in your daily meals |
| Cockroach body parts and waste products are also a | | | | by adding them to the ingredients for your cooking. |
| major household allergen, especially in inner cities. | | | | Foods that have a high level of Vitamin E are also |
| Asthma rates of inner city children are high, probably | | | | excellent in combating allergic reactions. Some of |
| due to air pollution and also cockroach exposure in | | | | these foods include greens, which are also very |
| overcrowded buildings. | | | | strong-tasting. Spinach greens, mustard greens, chard |
| Mold: One of the most commen allergen. | | | | and mustard greens are all very high in Vitamin E. The |
| What is Mold? | | | | highest Vitamin E food is far and away dried |
| Molds are fungi that thrive both indoors and out in | | | | sunflower seeds, which contain almost 91% of the |
| warm, moist environments. As with pollen, mold | | | | recommended daily intake of the vitamin. Almonds |
| spores are released into the air to reproduce. Mold is | | | | are also high in Vitamin E, as are olives, papaya, and |
| produced by several varieties of fungus. These fungi | | | | fresh blueberries. Any of these foods are an easy |
| are single-celled organisms that have been around | | | | addition to a regular diet. |
| since the beginning of time. | | | | One last food to consider when thinking about |
| Where can molds be found? | | | | intakes that will limit your allergic reactions are juices. |
| Although molds can be seasonal, many thrive | | | | Natural fruit juices are high in antioxidants, which help |
| year-round, especially those indoors. Outdoor molds | | | | to fight the inflammatory effects that allergies |
| may be found in poor drainage areas, such as in piles | | | | produce. Make sure when you buy juice, though, that |
| of rotting leaves or compost piles. Indoor mold | | | | it is indeed natural. Many juices on the market do not |
| thrives indark, moist and poorly ventilated places, | | | | contain a lot of natural juice, and it is the natural juice |
| such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms or damp | | | | that is essential when it comes to containing |
| basements (especially after flooding). | | | | antioxidants. |
| How do I know if I have a mold build up? | | | | |