Allergies and Flying

I’ve written before about allergies and travel.  But what about allergies and flying?  This was a great topic suggested by one of the blog readers.

“Peanut fares” and “flying for peanuts” turned Southwest Airlines from a regional carrier to a major national airline.  Even though their peanuts are iconic, they offer peanut-free flights.

If you have a nut allergy, it is imperative that you let the airline know when you book the flight.  This way, they can accommodate your need to be nut free and the other passengers’ desire for a snack.  I know nut allergy can be life-threatening, but I will admit, when Southwest announces that a flight will be nut-free I inwardly groan.  Pretzels are usually the substitute snack of choice and I despise pretzels.  But I digress.

Also, book your flight for early in the day as possible.  Because airlines turn around flights quickly on the ground, the plane isn’t really cleaned between flights as much as “tidied up”.  This means that peanut residue may linger from earlier flights.  The first flight in the morning will be the cleanest.  Even if you are on the first flight, be sure to have your Epi-Pen handy.

If you are concerned about the spread of viruses and bacteria due to recirculated air, the only mask that is going to protect you is an N95-type mask.

These are designed and manufactured to prevent the inhalation of particles as small as 0.1 microns.  This will protect against viruses and bacteria.  If you remember from the recent swine flu, bird flu, and SARS scares, these were the types of masks you saw people wearing in public.

As far as dust mites and pollens go, the bad news is that the seats and carpets of airplanes aren’t frequently cleaned to remove allergens.  This means that everyone that walks on the plane is bringing a small amount of pollen from the location they are leaving.

The good news is that dust mites aren’t found in large numbers on our clothing.  This means that you shouldn’t have high dust mite populations on your seat.  That is a good thing because it is hard to get liquid through security in your carry-on.

You could put 3 or 4 ounces of ADMS Anti Allergen Spray in a small bottle and spray it around your seat, but do you really want to waste that precious space in your one allowed quart bag of 4-ounce liquids?  Not me!  I’ll save that room for toothpaste and deodorant every time!

If you are having an allergy attack when you are flying, you need to pay close attention to your ears.  Sometimes allergy can lead to the Eustachian tubes being swollen.  It is important that this passage be clear when you experience changes in altitude.

It might be necessary to take a decongestant before your flight.  If so, remember to allow plenty of time for it to enter your bloodstream.  Speaking of medications, if you are like me and suffer from an occasional bout of motion sickness when flying, your allergies are in luck.  The active ingredient in Dramamine is very similar to the antihistamine found in Benadryl.

Don’t let your allergies keep you grounded…flying is not a problem if you are prepared!

Til Next Time

Have An Allergy-Free Car for the Holidays

The holidays are here and for many that means long car rides. You made your homes as allergy free as possible and now it’s time to tackle the car. How many times have you gotten in your car just to go to work, school or shopping and by the time you arrive you have sinus problems, drippy nose, or headaches. Now think about how you may feel after 8 – 10 hours.  Better make the car allergy-free before you hit the road!

an allergy-free car makes road trips better

Many times your symptoms are related to mold growing in the air-conditioning / heating system. It is often in the evaporator coils, drain tubes or in the ducts themselves. Leaking windows or doors, often the result of aged weather stripping, has allowed moisture to build up in carpeting or upholstery, contributing to mold growth. If this problem is in the back seat, you may may never see or smell it because you don’t sit in the back very often.  An allergy-free car is allergy-free in both the front and back seat.

Oh, and don’t forget that dust mites can live in upholstery and carpeting regardless of where it is.  Now that the freezing weather has set in the mites will die but their allergens will still be there.  Even if the dust mites are dead that doesn’t you have an allergy-free car.

Over the years we have found that the Allersearch ADMS or ADS spray you use in you home to control allergens works great in your car. Stay away from those smelly air fresheners. Make sure you vacuum the carpets and seats often because they collect a lot of dust. Don’t  forget to pull out the floor mats. and clean under them as well. If you happen to have an ozone generator, set it in the car and let it run for an hour or so then turn the AC on and let it run some more (make sure you are  not in the car).  If your car’s ac system  is equipped with a filter, don’t forget to change it.

If you get in the habit of treating your car just as you do your home.  When you arrive wherever you are going you may find that you feel just the way you did when you left home. Be safe  and enjoy the drive in your allergy-free car.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

Allergy Store – Helping customers since 1989

 

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Allergies and Dust during the Holidays

The other day my daughter and I were taking the Christmas decorations down from the attic and she just started sneezing and got all stopped up. Had to stop working for a while and take her Claritin.  Seems like holidays can inadvertently bring allergies and dust together.

I hadn’t even thought about it until I read an article in the St. Petersburg Times -Dusty decorations, Christmas trees, and cold weather can touch off allergies, asthma and it reminded me that we all need to be careful, especially those with allergies and/or asthma when digging through stuff we have stored.

So many times those stored items have dust.  Allergies and dust don’t go well together.

Before you just grab that box off the top shelf in the closet you may want to take a look on top. It doesn’t take much time for a layer of dust to build up. Plain household dust can have mold, pollen, dirt, dander, and a few other allergens that can cause your allergies to flare up. If the boxes are coming down from the attic they can also have some fiberglass mixed in. Nasty stuff.  You might want to wear a mask like the QMask to protect yourself.

Funny how much dust settles on stuff you only touch every 12 months or so.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com – Helping customers since 1989
800 771-2246