Everybody Has a Concrete Floor

The first time I ever heard about someone staining the floors in their home was about 15 years ago. We had a friend that didn’t like the carpeting but could not afford to replace it with tile or wood.

Susie’s solution was to rip out the carpet and stain her floors. Up until then, the only stained concrete floors I had seen were in warehouses and garages.

Fast forward to today and it is everywhere. I now see it in homes, restaurants, and stores. It’s easier to take care of and in most cases cheaper than tile or wood floors.

We have been telling our customers that carpeting is not a good thing to have it when you have allergies. No matter how clean it looks it still holds all sorts of allergens including pollen, dust, grass, and dust mites. I believe staining is a nice alternative that should be considered.

Anyway here are a couple of videos I ran across on Youtube while looking for more information. The first one just confirms what we already know. The second one is step-by-step instructions.

Video – Controlling Allergens With Concrete Floors

Video – DIY Concrete Staining: How to Stain Concrete Floors

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause
AllergyStore.Com
800 771-2246

Enjoy a Happy and Healthy Summer Vacation

Summer has almost officially started and so have the thoughts of summer vacation. It conjures up visions of relaxation, sports, and sunny days spent on a sandy beach or a mountain trail.

Summer Vacation!
Summer Vacation!

For individuals and families with allergies and asthma though, it means extra thought and preparation before letting the “good times roll”

As we head full tilt into summer here are some common sense but commonly missed suggestions for a healthy vacation.

Medications – Make a detailed list of any medications showing prescription refill numbers, prescribing doctor, phone number, and dosage. Make sure you pack your medications in a carry-on bag just in case the airline happens to misplace your checked bags. One would think that could not happen with what they charge for checking a bag these days but it does.

Also, make sure to pack an extra Epipen in case someone has an allergic reaction to an insect sting or something they ate. Another good thing to pack is topical hydrocortisone cream.

Essential Gear – If someone has asthma and is using a peak flow meter be sure to bring it and their chart to record results. I don’t need to tell you not to forget the nebulizer but if you are traveling overseas don’t forget the electrical converter.

We have heard from many customers over the years they could not use their nebulizer because of power problems. For people who are camping, you can either use a power converter that hooks into your car or buy a portable one that runs on batteries.

To protect yourself from dust mites it may be wise to pack your own allergy-proof pillow and mattress covers. Many of our customers use the king-size fitted mattress covers and king-size pillow encasing the when I travel.  They are easy to use and the king-size covers fit any bed.

Insurance – Don’t forget to check your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered in the area that you’re traveling. Way too many people get a big surprise if they run into a problem and need to go to a clinic or emergency room.

Sensible Behavior – During the hot summer months, people with allergies and asthma should drink plenty of fluids, especially water.  Try to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke whenever possible. Make sure you request a hotel room that is non-smoking and mold-free.

If you have food allergies call ahead and order a special meal on the airplane or better yet pack your own snacks. When eating out make sure you let your server know you have allergies.

Just because you have allergies does not mean you cannot have a great summer vacation. You just need to do a bit more planning.

Have a great Summer!

Mike

Air Pollution and Asthma … Bad Air Affects Us All

air pollution and asthma are relatedFor years the EPA has been saying the air inside our homes and offices can be more polluted than the air outside the front door.

This is very true because of how tight our homes are engineered to save money.  Then factor in all the various household chemicals we use day to day, and you can see we can have indoor air pollution as well as outdoors.

Whether inside or outside, air pollution and asthma are not a match made in heaven.

People with asthma need to be aware of all the “stuff” outside in the air that can hurt them. Man-made air pollution comes from cars, trucks, industries, and other sources of burning fuels.

During the summer months when it is very hot, lots of sunlight and low winds create something called a smog cloud. In some places like LA, it literally looks like fog. Not a day goes by that we don’t hear something about the ozone level or layer.

In our local newspaper, we have an ozone chart that shows what the ozone level for the day will be. In South Florida, most days are good or mild. We have the ocean breeze that keeps the ozone levels down.

No matter where you live, it is important that you monitor your daily ozone levels. People with asthma need to stay in air-conditioned spaces when the ozone levels are high.  Ozone is the major reason that air pollution and asthma don’t play well together.

FYI… If someone tries to sell you an air purifier that they say stops harmful ozone and hangs around your neck .. RUN…

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com – Serving Customers Since 1989
800 771-ACHOO