vital signs BREAKTHROUGHS

Breathe Easier
Reducing allergy triggers may be as easy as 1-2-3.

It’s easy to take breathing for granted—we all do it 30,000 times a day—until something like asthma or allergies interferes.

Generally speaking, what’s good for keeping allergies at bay will also serve well for subduing asthma. Andy Nish, M.D., president of Allergy & Asthma Care Center in Gainesville, Ga., explains that up to 80% of asthmatics also have allergies, and research shows that reducing exposure to allergens “leads to better control of both hay fever and asthma.”

Here are three simple ways to keep allergens away. 1Shut your closet doors. Sounds simple, but Nish says it helps because it keeps your clothes away from the dust mites that can trigger indoor allergies. When pollen counts are high, you should even shower and change clothes after coming in from outdoors.

2Check pollen and mold spore counts at the National Allergy Bureau Web site ( www.aaaai.org/nab), suggests John Duplantier, M.D., an asthma and allergy expert at Central Indiana Allergy. Plan outdoor activities for lower-pollen days. When pollen counts are high, keep your windows closed in the house as well as your car, and use the “recirculate” option in your car’s air conditioning.

❚ vital statistic

According to a nationwide
survey, more than half
( 54.6%) of all U.S. citizens

3Go low-tech for indoor allergies (dust mites, animal dander, mold). Use allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers, vacuum frequently with a HEPA filter vacuum, and keep animals out of the bedroom, says Duplantier.

test positive for one or
more allergens.

Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical

Immunology (2005) 116: 377-383

PHOTOS, TOP TO BOT TOM: ROB MELN YCHUK; NICHOLA EVANS/GE T TY IMAGES

Clean Your Way
to Allergy Relief

Is your home making your asthma worse? It’s

likely, says a report recently published in the

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunol-

ogy. Results from a new national

survey demonstrate that elevated

allergen levels in the home are

associated with asthma symptoms

in allergic individuals. The findings

show that exposure to multiple

indoor allergens is common in U.S.

households, with 52% having at least six

detectable allergens at high levels.

So, what can you do? More

regular house cleaning may be

part of the answer, suggest

researchers. Interestingly,

homes with children were

less likely to have high allergen

levels. Researchers speculate that’s

because homes with kids may be

cleaned more frequently.