from Bio-Magnetic Therapy
An Everyday Health Special Report
Allergy-Proof Decorating Do’s and Don’ts
Reduce the level of allergens in your home with these decorating ideas:
The way you decorate your home has a significant impact on the amount of dust, mold, and other allergens you live with. Read on for the dos and don'ts of allergy-proof decorating. Some of these ideas may not work for you because of budget constraints, and others may not mesh with your decorating style — but adopting just one or two of them will help reduce the level of allergens in your home.
Do opt for hardwood floors, tile, or vinyl flooring, which are easy to sweep and clean. Want more color? Try stenciling your hardwood floor, the walls, or the ceiling.
Don't decorate with shag or deep-pile carpeting, both of which collect dust. If you live in a cold climate and carpeting is a must, choose a low-pile rug, like a flat-weave drury, or a rug made from a natural fiber, like sisal.
Do choose wood, plastic, or metal blinds. They are easy to wipe free of dust.
Don't cover windows with heavy drapes. These will need to be washed frequently in hot water (at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill all the dust mites.
Do use baskets and bins with lids to store papers, remote controls, and other odds and ends. Only the lid will need to be dusted regularly.
Don't keep lots of knickknacks like figurines, vases, silk flowers, and picture frames around your home because these are dust magnets.
Do limit throw pillows. Though pretty, they are difficult to wash, and they give dust mites another place to live.
Don't use down pillows or a down comforter, because feathers are a common allergen.
Do use latex paint to add color and interest to a room — it can be easily washed.
Don't wallpaper a room. The glue can irritate allergies, and felt wallpaper, in particular, can harbor dust mites.
Do purchase lamps that have glass shades, which can easily be washed.
Don't use lamps with fabric shades. If you do have any fabric shades, be sure to vacuum them at least once a week with your vacuum's fabric attachment.
Do use a dehumidifier if you live in a humid area like New Orleans or Miami. It will help hinder the growth of mold.
Don't keep a lot of houseplants. They may look nice, but they can increase the level of mold in your home.
Do install glass shower doors, which can be easily cleaned.
Don't use a shower curtain. Cloth, nylon, and plastic curtains create a haven for mold. If you must use one, however, be sure to wash it with bleach or replace it frequently.
Do create an area for your pet to sleep, like a crate in the kitchen.
Don't allow your dog or cat to sleep with you if you are allergic to pets. Pet dander readily collects on sheets, mattresses, and pillows.
Do keep firewood, which can carry pollen, in the garage or outside.
Don't allow smoking in your home. Cigarette smoke is a common allergen and can worsen allergies. It's particularly bad for people with asthma.
The Allergy-Free Home
A room-by-room approach
Your home is your castle, but when you're suffering from allergies it can also feel a lot like a prison. There are steps you can take, though, to eliminate or control common allergens throughout your home, reducing your exposure and minimizing your symptoms.
Follow this room-by-room approach for banishing allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, smoke, and mold.
Bedrooms
You spend more time in your bedroom — eight hours a night — than perhaps any other room in your home. That's why it's the perfect place to begin allergy-proofing. Start by using dust mite–proof covers on pillows, mattresses, and box springs, and change your bedding, including comforters, at least once a week, washing it in water above 130 degrees. Hard flooring like wood or linoleum is best in bedrooms because it's easier to keep clean and free of allergens than carpets. At the very least, carpets must be vacuumed weekly with a vacuum cleaner that has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Window coverings are another place where allergens can linger, so wash them weekly as well. In addition, keep pets out of the bedroom, eliminate as much clutter as possible, and make sure all furniture has hard, easy-to-clean surfaces. Finally, keep windows closed and eliminate any stray allergens from the air by running a HEPA filter while you sleep.
Bathroom
Mold and moisture reign in this room, so take steps to eliminate as much moisture as you can. Use an exhaust fan during and after baths and showers to quickly move steam out of the room. Repair any leaking plumbing. Eliminate moisture-trapping rugs, window coverings, and fabrics when possible, or clean them regularly. Avoid wallpaper and opt instead for a nonporous wall surface like tile or mold-resistant enamel paint. Towel-dry the tub or shower after each use. Clean or replace moldy shower curtains or liners. Clean the tub, tiles, sink, toilet, and floor weekly. Kill any visible mold with a 5 percent chlorine bleach solution.
Living Room
As in the bedroom and bath, eliminate places where allergens can linger as much as you can. Examples include carpeting, upholstered furnishings, curtains, blinds, wall hangings, and knickknacks. Keep dust (and dust mites) to a minimum with weekly cleaning sessions that include a thorough dusting. Wash hard flooring or vacuum your carpets weekly with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter. Watch for signs of mold and moisture near windows, and clean as needed. Don't allow smoking in your home. Keep windows closed during allergy season and keep pets (and their allergens) outside.
Kitchen
The main goal in the kitchen is to control moisture (and the resulting mold), as well as to keep insects and other pests at bay. Use an exhaust fan to vent steam from cooking; keep countertops, cabinets, appliances, floors, and other hard surfaces clean; and fix any plumbing leaks promptly. Keep the sink empty and dry. Clean any visible mold immediately. Check your refrigerator weekly for moldy food, and empty water from the drip pan as needed. Additionally, empty garbage containers daily and be sure they have insect-proof lids. Address any insect or pest problems at the first signs of invasion, and take steps to eliminate pests' access to food sources.
Laundry Room
Some measures you can take in the laundry room include checking plumbing for leaks and repairing as needed, venting dryer steam outside, and cleaning hard surfaces and flooring weekly. Be sure to avoid letting clothing remain damp or wet for long.
Basement
These dark, damp areas are mold traps. Avoid carpets, upholstered furniture, and fabric in the basement because they can harbor moisture. Check foundations, windows, and stairwells often for signs of wetness or mold and clean as needed. Store collectibles in sealed plastic containers. If moisture remains a problem, use a dehumidifier. Replace filters in heating and cooling equipment once a month.
There are many steps you can take to eliminate or reduce allergens around your home. Initiating these steps and being consistent about allergy-proofing may seem daunting at first, but the comfort you'll enjoy as a result will be worth it when your home is a haven from irritating allergens.
Planning a Move With Allergies in Mind
How to manage your allergies wherever life takes you
When you or someone in your household has allergies, the condition is an important factor to consider when you're relocating, whether across town or across the country. But not to worry — with careful planning, you can keep allergens under control in your new home.
Keep the following factors in mind when planning your move:
Check Out the Area:
Some parts of the country are worse for allergies than others. One way to predict how a move will affect your allergies is to check the Asthma and Allergy Foundation's list of worst places for fall and spring allergies. If you or someone in your family experiences severe allergies and your prospective hometown is on the list, you may want to reconsider your plan to move there. If that's not an option, familiarize yourself with the allergens common to the area and how they may affect you and your family. And remember, if you're moving simply to get away from your allergies, there's really no "allergy free" destination; some places, however, are better than others. Even if the allergy triggers that trouble you now aren't found where you're moving, a new set of potential allergens could await.
Consider the Climate:
In general, allergens such as dust mites and mold are much more common in damp or humid areas. Similarly, pollen counts differ widely from place to place. Currently, Hartford, Connecticut; Greenville, South Carolina;, and Boston rank as the worst three locations for hay fever. And while you may have received advice to move to the desert to escape allergens, the desert may not ease your symptoms. Even Tucson, Arizona, has its fair share of pollen and mold counts. Again, lists like the top 50 allergy capitals compiled by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation can help you determine the allergen load in your new location.
Factor In Pollution
Another thing to keep in mind when moving is the amount of pollution you'll encounter in your new home. While pollution alone isn't an allergen, it can make your body react more acutely to any allergens you do encounter. In addition to smog and automobile pollution, be sure to consider other sources — such as emissions from industrial plants and burning dumps, chemicals from farms and factories, and exhaust fumes from boats, trains, and other vehicles. According to the American Lung Association, Los Angeles tops the list for smog and pollution, followed by several other locations in southern California, and Houston, Dallas, New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
Talk to Your Doctor
Once you know what allergens you'll be facing after the move, schedule a visit with your doctor to develop a treatment plan. Perhaps allergy shots could help, or a combination of over-the-counter and prescription medications would provide the best relief. Whatever the case, preparing to face your new allergens before you arrive will make the transition much easier. Your doctor may also be able to help you locate an allergy specialist in your new area, and arrange for your medical records to be transferred. If your child is the one with allergies, be sure to provide new caregivers, schools, teachers, and coaches with information about his or her condition and how to manage it.
Choose Your New Home
Finally, after you have a good idea of what challenges you'll be facing in your new hometown, it's time to look for an allergy-friendly home. For example, consider asking your realtor to show you only those homes that have high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter heating and cooling systems, or houses located in the parts of town that are farther from pollution sources and known allergy triggers.
Be sure to check out indoor sources of air pollution as well. Does the home have new cabinetry, paint, flooring, or carpets that could still be releasing irritating chemicals? If possible, choose a home with hard flooring such as linoleum, wood, or tile instead of carpets, which can trap allergens and be difficult to clean. Also, be on the lookout for signs of mold or mildew. If pet allergies are a factor, ask whether animals have been living in the home. And finally, if you will be replacing flooring, repainting, or remodeling, be sure to choose less irritating low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) products for the job. These products release little or none of the irritating gases that can contribute to indoor air pollution.
In short, forethought and careful planning can help ensure that allergies won't get the better of you or your family when you move — no matter where life takes you.
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Dao yin
Self-massage
A Chinese tradition:
It’s hard to think of anything more relaxing and invigorating than a good massage from a professional therapist. But according to Chinese medical traditions that are over 2,000 tears old, your own hands can provide an effective and convenient massage at no cost at all.
Energy pathways
Chinese self-massage – called Dao yin (Dow-in) – is one technique of a larger branch of Chinese medicine called qhe-kung (che-kung), meaning “energy work.” In Chinese medicine, it’s believed that the internal organs are connected to every part of the body by large and small channels, or meridians. Though these meridians flow “qi”, the body’s vital life energy.
The purpose of self-massage is to maintain and restore balance and harmony of the body’s various parts. To help achieve this, the flow of qi can be stimulated or unblocked by kneading, rubbing, slapping, pinching and gently pounding the surface of the body, particularly on certain acupressure points. It’s believed that this beneficial not only for the tissues you’re massaging, but also for the internal organs that connect to that area by meridians – and ultimately, the body as a whole.
You don’t have to know much about Chinese medicine to feel the benefit of Dao yin self-massage. The following routine can help release tension, reduce anxiety, make your feel more relaxed, and increase circulation of the blood, qi and fluids (like our “Bio-Magnetic Water). In addition, research has shown that massage can cause your body to release natural painkillers and may also boost your immune system.
Use Caution:
Self-massage shouldn’t be painful. Use extra caution or even avoid rubbing areas of arthritis in your joints. Talk to your doctor about self-massage if you’ve had a recent heart attack or if you have osteoporosis or are prone to deep vein thrombosis.
Further Reading:
Chinese Self-Massage Therapy, by Ya-li
Moves you can us
Although teachers or experienced practitioners of Dao yin self-massage can make use of a long list of potential maneuvers, a basic Dao yin session may include:
• Wash Face – Start rubbing your hands together quickly until they are warmed by friction. Place your palms on your forehead and pressing into your face, pull your hands down until your fingertips touch your chin. Circle your hands around your face a couple of times, as if washing it.
• Palm eyes –Rub your hands together and cover your eyes with your palms. Hold for about 30 seconds with your eyes open to receive the warmth of your hands.
• Ear rub – Use your thumb and index finger to gently rub your outer ears until they’re warm. Gently pinch and press the whole ear.
• Shoulder massage – Reach back to your shoulder and neck with one hand and press and knead the muscles in that area. Repeat this on the other side.
• Chest work – Pat or tap your chest area and then massage around the depression located below each of your outer collarbones near the shoulder joint. In addition, grasp and knead the tissues that together form your armpit.
• Arm and hands –At the armpit, gently slap or lightly pound along the underside (palm side) of your arm. When you reach your fingertips, turn your hand over and gently start slapping or pounding upward along the top (little finger side) of your arm. Repeat the procedure several times. Massage the joints along the way – elbow, wrist and hands – and knead the various pockets and protrusion. Repeat on the other arm.
• Abdomen massage – Place your palm over your navel. Place your other hand on top and, with light pressure rub in a circular direction that goes left to right across the bottom and right to left across the top of the abdomen.
• Back and buttocks – Standing, slap or pound your lower back and buttocks for 30 seconds, briskly rubbing your lower back with both hands, feeling the warmth.
• Legs and feet – Similar to what you did with your arms, gently slap or pound along the outside of your legs from your hip to your toes. Then slap or pound up the inside of your leg to your groin. Repeat several times, going down on the outside and up on the inside.
• Rub your legs – from thigh to toes, stopping at the knee and ankle joints along the way to give them some special attention. Spend extra time massaging the hands and feet.
Not in isolation
Just as painting the outside of a house does nothing to improve the interior, so self-massage isn’t meant as a cure-all for a body that isn’t being well cared for. Self-massage works best as a complement to a healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet, plenty of Bio-Magnetic Water, proper rest, exercise, and quiet time for meditation and reflection.
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Please take good care of yourself, and your loved ones.
Gary & Janet