So….what exactly is an allergen? 

According to medterms.com, an allergen is a substance that can trigger an allergic reaction in the body. There are countless allergens present in our world, from penicillin to pollen to peanuts. However, in this entry we’ll focus on airborne allergens – substances so light they can be carried through air currents. There are four common airborne allergens:  

1. Dust Mites: These tiny critters love stable, indoor environments, especially upholstered surfaces like mattresses, pillows and carpets, and feed on dead skin cells. Want to see one of these resilient bugs for yourself? Get a microscope. They’re so small, 10 million could be living in your bed right now!  

2. Pet Dander: Pet dander is created by the dead skin cells (not hair!) that are shed by animals. Certain proteins in the dander can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. The most common pet allergen? Cat dander. It’s super sticky and can become airborne as microscopic particles. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, up to 30% of us are allergic to cats.  

It's probably a good thing we can't actually see them.

3. Indoor Mold: Indoor mold is caused by moisture from condensation, leakage or another source. It spreads via spores that become airborne when they are disturbed directly by the air current.  

4. Pollen: A fine, powder like material produced by seed plants when they reproduce, the proteins inside pollen often cause allergic reactions. The common term for an allergy to pollen is hay fever, and it’s estimated that 15 to 20% of us suffer from it every year, particularly in the spring and late summer months.  

These allergens can cause a wide variety of allergic reactions, from itchy, watery eyes to severe wheezing and shortness of breath. 

We’ll cover how to find relief from allergens next. Stay tuned.  

Sources:
American College of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology
Allergybegone.com
Kidshealth.org

The July issue of Total Health Magazine features an article on PureZone. The article focuses on the clinical study originally published in Annals of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, which  proved that using PureZone as a single therapy significantly improved nighttime and morning nose and allergy symptoms for 86% of patients tested.

Read the full article, “Using New HEPA Filtration Pillow Device,” on page 14 of the online issue.

Powered by The Wellness Imperative People, Total Health Magazine is dedicated to empowering its readers through education by providing them with the resources necessary to achieve optimum health and longevity.

Check out the article about PureZone in the recent issue of Advance For Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine: “Clearing the Air: New options for allergen control can aid asthma management.”

The article cites PureZone as a practical solution for night-time allergy and asthma relief. In contrast to removing carpets, drapes, upholstered furniture, or pets from the home, PureZone is a system that fits neatly into any lifestyle. It’s been clinically proven to reduce symptoms in 89% of allergy and asthma patients.

Advance For Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine is not only a useful journal for clinicians and healthcare professionals, but also a great resource for anyone who suffers from allergies or asthma.  The complete June 2010 issue is accessible online.

This week’s Advanced Respiratory Care and Sleep Medicine newsletter talks about what’s new at the American Thoracic Society’s annual meeting and highlights blogger Jim Thacker’s annual 108-mile walk to raise money and awareness of asthma.

The newsletter’s feature on the PureZone System describes this product as a new therapy to help battle against those invisible airborne contaminants that allergy and asthma sufferers breathe while they sleep:

“PureZone’s innovative HEPA Sleep System is a quiet and compact bedside device that combines air purification and pillow encasement. Published clinical results show both night time and morning symptom relief and improved quality of life measures. Finally, clinicians can recommend an environmental control product that is proven effective, affordable and simple to use.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

How many people do you know or in your own family who suffer from seasonal and year-round allergies and allergy-triggered asthma?

Asthma alone accounts for about 10 million absences from school each year as well as tens of thousands of ER visits- most often in the middle of the night! All those kids with runny noses and itchy eyes continue to get bombarded even when they’re tucked in their beds hoping to rest up for the challenges of the next day. Drug therapies combined allergen avoidance is the standard of care but it gets complicated to follow all the steps that are often recommended – if it all sounds overwhelming you can start with just controlling the breathing zone around your pillow!

Visit our website at www.purezone.com to learn more about our company.