Welcome to our October Newsletter

Indoor allergens

Just as we’ve moved out of hay fever season, and we stay inside because of the colder, wetter weather then people begin to experience indoor allergens!

It’s estimated that 1 in 5 people have symptoms due to indoor allergens (usually pets, moulds and house dust mites). Symptoms include:

Respiratory – wheezing, coughing, tightness of chest/airways
Nose – sneezing, running/blocked, catarrh, itching
Eyes – red, watery, itchy, swollen
Skin – itching, rashes, eczema, hives/urticaria
General – fatigue

What can you do?

In general many indoor allergies are helped by using an air purifier so if you have one available then use it in your bedroom, and office if you work from home, so that you can maximise the time you spend in an allergen-free environment.

To minimise exposure to pets

• Keep them out of bedrooms so that you have pet-free, restorative zone to sleep in.

• Keep pets off the furniture.

• Hoover regularly.

• Keep pets clean and well-groomed, and wash their bedding regularly.

• Change hay/straw/sawdust and clean cages outdoors.

• Wash hands after petting or handling animals.

To minimise exposure to moulds

• Make sure your home is well-ventilated, it’s estimated that 80-90% of damp in homes is due to condensation. If you do get condensation then wipe and dry it as soon as possible so that it doesn’t collect and create mould.

• Fix any leaks or rising damp. If you live in a rented property your landlord has a responsibility to make any repairs due to damp.

• Have any mould issues treated professionally to ensure that it is properly taken care of.

• Ask someone to help you with compost heaps, raking leaves, changing seals on washing machines, dishwashers, fridge/freezers etc.

• Try to dry washing outdoors or in a tumble drier rather than on radiators and ensure it is thoroughly dry before putting away.

• Use a dehumidifier if necessary.

• You may need to remove some mould-forming foods from your diet.

To minimise exposure to house dust mites

• Hoover and mop regularly – everywhere!!! Also dust and damp wipe all surfaces.

• Change bedding regularly and wash at 60°C. Hoover your mattress regularly too.

• Use pillow and mattress protectors so that these can be washed and changed easily.

• If possible have hard flooring rather than carpets.

• Washed stuffed toys at 60°C regularly. If they can’t go on a hot wash then at least once a month put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for 12 hours and then wash them at the advised temperature.

How can Love My Health help with indoor allergens?

1. We can do some allergy testing to identify what might be causing the symptoms so you know what steps to take. We can even test your own pet’s hair if you think that might be an issue.

   
   

2. We can do food testing to make sure that your diet is supportive (very important for people with mould allergy).

   
   

3. We can prescribe individualised homeopathic remedies that are tailored to suit your own symptoms to help you to feel better.

   
   

4. We can help with breathing techniques to help you to utilise oxygen more efficiently (also good for other health issues too!). We have:
   
   Buteyko method (Wokingham clinic) – Vanessa will gently help you to breathe slowly, calmly and more efficiently over five in-person sessions. Email us at christine@lovemyhealth.co.uk for more details.
   
   Breathwork (online) – Sarah is offering a four week course at a discount for Love My Health newsletter readers. The cost is £97 (instead of £125). Click here to make  a booking.

To find out more about our allergy & food testing, and homeopathy please click the button below:

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