Are you living in one of the worst places for fall allergies?  Check out the latest list for the Top 20 Fall Allergy Hotspots.   

Fall Allergy Hotspots: The 20 Worst Places In The U.S.

If you’re an allergy sufferer, you hardly need us to remind you, but it is that time of year again! Fall allergy season is upon us.  Think you live in a particularly bad spot?

The non-profit Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has, once again, compiled a list of the 100 worst metro areas for seasonal allergies — rankings that are based on pollen scores, the number of allergy meds used per patient in any given area, as well as the number of specialists in that spot. According to WebMD, one of the main culprits for fall allergies is ragweed, which typically begins pollinating in August, but can linger into the fall. Mold spores can also play a major role.

Wondering if your hometown made the so-called “allergies capital” list? Check out the 20 worst offenders below as reported in the Huffington Post.

1. ENCASE:  Cover your bed with allergy encasings!  They’re the #1 doctor-recommended step for allergy relief!
2. WASH:  Wash linens to remove allergens.  Make your job easier with allergen-removing detergents.
3. CLEAN:  Every little bit helps with cleaning and certain household cleaners are designed to tackle allergens.
4. REMOVE:  It’s best to remove carpets, but that can be touch.  Use carpet treatments that remove allergens.
5. FILTER:  Air filters trap allergens and keep them from circulating in your home. 
6. PURIFY:  HEPA air purifiers capture airborne allergens.  Save now on Blueair HEPA filter replacements! 
7. SAVE:  What’s this 7th step?  Oh yeah, it’s an extra bonus from us!  SAVE 20% with code 20SPOT until 10/31.  If you’re in a tight spot with allergies, get the products and the relief you need! 

“If you suffer from allergies, you may experience sneezing, stuffiness, a running nose and itchiness in your nose, the roof of your mouth, throat, eyes, or ears. These allergic reactions are most commonly caused by pollen, mold spores in the air, or effects in the weather and location,” says Rima DeFatta, M.D., an ear, nose and throat specialist at Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals.

“Finding the right treatment is the best method for managing your allergies. There is no reason to suffer during allergy season,” says Dr. DeFatta.

Limit exposure to the pollen or molds that cause allergy symptoms

Find out — Know your triggers
Watch out — Monitor pollen and mold counts, stay indoors when counts are high
Keep the pollen outside — Keep windows closed at your home and in your car
Mask your misery — Wear a pollen mask when outside for long periods of time
Clean — After being outdoors, take a shower, wash your hair, change your clothing, have furnishings and carpet cleaned, and clean your nasal passages with saline sinus rinse
Take a Vacation — Consider taking a vacation during the height of the season to more of a pollen free area, close to a beach or sea
Don’t let up — Don’t stop your allergy medication too soon

Read the full Chippewa Herald article at: http://chippewa.com/lifestyles/article_f32e4d9e-ea07-11e0-bb9a-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1ZM8wL8Pl

If you’re in college or have a college-aged child, we’re sure you’re not surprised that bed bugs are becoming such a problem across the U.S. and internationally as well.  The news regularly reports on the bed bug problem, and it’s pretty ugly out there.  College dorms are seeing a huge rise in bed bug infestations.  A recent study by the National Pest Management Association found that 54% of college dorms have bed bugs.  Gross!  

We know you have might have just taken your child back to college or maybe brought him or her for the first time.  It’s hard enough to get ready for that journey away from home – packing the car for every day college needs…never mind having to worry about bed bugs!  At college, you shouldn’t have to worry about bed bugs in your room.  Save the getting acquainted part of college for your roommate, not a blood-sucking pest.  And Mom and Dad,  we hope that you didn’t get any unwanted travellers that came back home with you.  While you’re focusing on unpacking all of the college necessities, Mr. Bed Bug & Friends may be hopping a ride in your stuff for the trip back home. 

 Click here to view the video of a story that shows a college family and their recent experiences with bed bugs and trying to get rid of them.   

Do you have any stories you can share with us regarding your college experience?  Do you have tips or ideas on how to avoid them at school?  Did your college or university address the issue with you before arrival?  We want to know!

A seriously gross thing that we heard on National Geographic’s bed bug video is that these nasty critters can bite you up to 500 times a night!  The bites are itchy and painful, and while they are horrendous to even think about, the bites may be the least of your problems.  If you’ve encountered bed bugs, you’ve got Trouble with a capital T!  If you’re at a hotel with bed bugs, you could bring them home where all heck will break loose (more on this topic this week).  And if bed bugs have infested your home, serious steps will need to be taken to get rid of them.  Some people have to resort to throwing away bedding, mattresses, couches or other bed bug havens.  And these pests are hardy so they don’t go down without a fight. 

Encasing your bed is a major preventative step to avoid bed bug problems and save your bedding (and your sanity).  Consider how the simple step of encasing your bed can help you: 

• Bed bugs like to burrow into dark, soft areas where they are in close proximity with their major food source … namely you and your blood.  (We have to say ICK again, just writing these words.)
• If bed bugs get into your home, they will likely head for your bed and bedding.  If you’ve covered your bed with a bed bug proof encasing, the bed bug can’t get into the bedding to make its home there.  The encasing acts like a KEEP OUT sign to protect your pillow, mattress, box spring or comforter.
• Encasings slip onto your bedding in a matter of minutes to form this protective barrier.  And it’s not like you have to trade off comfort and resort to some sort of crinkly, hot encasing.  These encasings are not vinyl!  COTTON PERFORMANCE encasings are made from 100% cotton.  Pristine COMPLETE encasings are 100% microfiber.  Both are soft, smoothe, quiet and invisible on the bed.  You won’t know they are there! 
• You might be wondering how 100% cotton or 100% microfiber gets the job done to keep out bed bugs?  These encasings aren’t made from any old fabric.  They’re specially woven, advanced fabrics that are about as high tech as you can get when talking about fabric.   In addition to the specialized fabric, the encasings have superior construction features that block bed bugs (or keep them in, if you’ve already had a problem).  The seams, stitching and zippers are all high quality and tight so that bed bugs don’t get in or out. 
• If you already have bed bugs in your home (ouch, we feel for you), you can salvage your mattress or box spring by placing encasings on both and leaving the encasings on for at least 18 months.  These pests can go a long time without food and therefore, leave the encasings on to starve them!  As for pillows and comforters, encasings can help here too but you may want to consider getting rid of both or possibly numerous hot water washes. 
• Two other great things about COTTON PERFORMANCE and Pristine COMPLETE encasings are that they also protect you from dust mite and pet allergens for a healthier night’s sleep AND they are 25% OFF  through 9/30 when you use code BUGWEEK! 

Our best advice, be proactive with encasings rather than being reactive!  Use the 25% discount with discount code BUGWEEK and encase your bed.  Enjoy allergy relief, bed bug protection and savings!

Welcome to BED BUG WEEK at Allergy Control Products in honor of National Bed Bug Awareness Month!  

Photo from NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

This week we’ll shed some light on bed bugs in the home and office, college dorms and when taking it on the road.   Check back every day for more information and a promotion designed to help prevent bed bugs infestations in your life.

Today, get the facts and be in the “know” as we feature an article we found pretty gross yet helpful!   Get the ‘Myths’ and ‘Truths’ pertaining to bed bugs and their existence in our world.    Check it out here! See how many True/False statements you can get right!

Let us know your personal experiences with bed bugs and any tips you might have learned along the way.  Things that you may have learned will help others avoid the nightmare of bed bug infestation!

Article from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 

School is starting and if you have a child with food allergies, it can be an especially scary time.  In this video, Dr. Ruchi Gupta discusses food allergies along with some equally scary facts:

• A whopping 6 million children suffer from food allergies (1 out of 13 kids!). 
• Nearly 40% of the food allergic children have severe reactions. 
• Their study showed top food allergies are to peanuts and milk  (25% have a Peanut Allergy and 21% have a Milk Allergy).  Other food allergies included Shellfish, Egg, Wheat and Soy. 
• Food allergy reactions often differ from environmental allergies.  Reactions can include trouble breathing or other life-theatening symptoms.
• Sensitivity can be caused by touch and does not always have to be through ingesting the food. 
• Scientists are studying causes of food allergies.  Some theories include additives in food causing sensitivity or even that we are too focused on cleanliness.  Without exposure to some healthy bacteria, our immune system can get out of whack and start fighting incorrect things like foods or particles in the environment.   

To watch this this informative video, click here:  Dr. Ruchi Gupta Discussing Food Alleriges 

Or watch for more information:   

Parents, if you have advice for handling food allergies in the classroom or at birthday parties, we’d love to hear your comments! 

Don’t miss Animal Planet’s show on the serious bed bug problem across the U.S., which re-airs Thursday night, 8/25 at 10 p.m.  Not home tomorrow?  Make sure to set your TIVO’s / DVR’s to record “Bedbug Apocalypse” because this show is not to be missed.  The show was described in our office as “incredible and incredibly scary” so prepare for some serious ick-factor!  Leave us your comments about what you thought on the show! 

See how Animal Planet describes the show:

See Bedbug Apocalypse air-times by clicking here.

If you think you’ll never sleep the same way again, consider encasing your bed with Allergy Control Pristine COMPLETE encasings or Allergy Control COTTON PERFORMANCE encasings.  The encasing goes around your pillow, mattress or other bedding like a protective cover.  They are tested and proven to keep out bed bugs.  Just a few minutes to slide the encasings on your bedding can save you from a huge headache in the end.

Very soon, millions of children will be returning back to school.   A lot of us have school-aged children with food allergies.  Parents…what are some things that you do to make sure the children are safe in their classroom?   Teachers…do you have any advice for the parents out there who want to provide a safe environment for their children and their friends?  Below is an article regarding food allergies that we thought might be helpful.

The director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai, Hugh Sampson is a pediatric allergist/immunologist who has spent 30 years specializing in food allergies.

Who’s at risk

Childhood food allergy has been in the news lately, with a recent CDC study estimating that 1 in 13 American kids is affected.  ”Food allergy is an adverse reaction to a food brought about by an abnormal response of your immune system,” says Sampson. “As many as 6% to 8% of young kids may have food allergy, but most of them grow out of it by age 10.  In the general population of adults and kids, about 2.5% of Americans have a food allergy.  The most common childhood food allergies are to milk, eggs and peanuts, followed by tree nuts and soy.  ”Kids usually outgrow milk, egg and soy allergy, but the other allergies tend to persist to adulthood,” says Sampson. “Adults are most often allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish and fish.”  Doctors still don’t know exactly why some kids’ immune systems respond to food abnormally.   ”There appears to be a genetic predisposition because it does travel in families,” says Sampson.  ”A study of identical and nonidentical twins found that about 80% of heritability was due to genetics, which leaves the remaining 20% up to the environment – probably something to do with the Western lifestyle and the way our food is processed.”  Children with food allergies are also at increased risk of what doctors call atopic diseases – allergic rhinitis (aka, hay fever), asthma and eczema, an itchy skin rash.  ”We call it the ‘atopic march’ because kids with food allergy and eczema in early childhood tend to develop asthma and allergic rhinitis down the road,” says Sampson.

Signs and symptoms

The most common symptoms of food allergy manifest through the skin, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system.  ”The classic reaction is an itching sensation of the mouth, swelling of the lips and tongue and tightness in the throat,” says Sampson.  ”There’s often an itchy red rash, like hives and some kids develop a runny nose, watery eyes and wheezing.”  Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, crampy abdominal pain and vomiting, frequently accompany other ðallergic symptoms.  If the allergic reaction is severe, it can cause a drop of blood pressure, hypotensive shock, loss of consciousness and even death. One thing that makes food allergy so hard to treat is that it’s impossible to predict how severe the next reaction will be.  ”You can have a mild reaction one time, like mild swelling in the tongue and mouth and then a very severe reaction the next time and go into shock,” says Sampson. “Typically, if a reaction involves more than the skin and upper respiratory tract, we consider that anaphylaxis, which is a severe reaction that threatens the whole body.”

Questions for your doctor
If you think your child has symptoms of food allergy, ask your pediatrician, “Can my child be tested?” Sampson warns that a blood test alone isn’t enough, so you may want to be referred to a specialist.  Another key question is, “When will my child outgrow this and how will I know?” Fortunately, most kids outgrow food allergy while they’re still in grade school.

For the full article, click here.

For a great guide on how to manage children’s allergies, please click here for a book by allergist, Dr. Paul Erlich et al.

Your home can be a huge source of allergies, even when it looks spotless!  Dust mites, pet dander, molds and more can be lurking everywhere, causing allergy and asthma symptoms.  The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) offers top tips to reduce indoor allergens and to help you feel better and control your symptoms.  Highlights from the article are below, or check out the full article on the AAAAI’s website by clicking here.

Millions of people suffer from allergy symptoms caused by indoor allergens such as house dust mite droppings, animal dander, cockroach droppings and molds. The symptoms are the result of a chain reaction that starts in the genes and is expressed in the immune system.

Your immune system controls how your body defends itself. For instance, if you have an allergy to dust mites, your immune system identifies dust mites as an invader or allergen. Your immune system overreacts by producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies travel to cells that release chemicals, causing an allergic reaction. This reaction usually causes symptoms in the nose, lungs, throat, sinuses, ears, lining of the stomach or on the skin.

With the help of an allergist / immunologist, often referred to as an allergist, you can learn what indoor allergens cause your symptoms and make environmental changes to avoid them.

Healthy Tips
• Keep your home clean and dry to help make it “allergen-free.”
• Focus on sites where allergens build up – bedding, carpet and upholstered furniture.
• Weekly vacuuming can help. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or double bags.
• Keep humidity low by using an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
• Fix leaks to avoid mold, and clean or remove moldy materials promptly.
• Avoid pests by keeping food in sealed containers and using covered garbage cans.

You can visit your phyisican or allergist for medical advice on controlling allergies.  Also check out the hundreds of products to help your allergies at www.AllergyControl.com.

Allergy Control Products was excited to be featured on The Martha Stewart Show this month. Martha discussed the best step to control allergies in the home with Dr. Dean Mitchell. Some of the recommended steps included encasing your bed and using allergen-blocking bedding. Additionally, Dr. Dean Mitchell recommended using an air purifier to capture airborne allergens. The Honeywell HPA-150 Tower Air Purifier was recommended, since it includes a HEPA filter to capture 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns and it features a slim space-saving design. Allergy Control Products worked with Honeywell to provide a free air purifier for all lucky audience members!
Check out the video and the popular Honeywell Tower Air Purifier that many have ordered since the show aired!