Spring Cleaning? Don’t forget the air!
Ah, spring! Open all the windows! Open up that door! Let in all that spring-fresh air! Look at how the world is starting to bloom, and enjoy the, ah…ah…ah-CHOO!
For springtime allergy sufferers – and there are millions of us – it’s not really a laughing matter. The runny nose, puffy eyes, sneezing and itchiness of so-called “rose fever” is a real problem. And exposure to pollen can be serious.
When it comes to pollen allergies, it’s good to know your enemy. And surprisingly, the enemy is not usually beautiful springtime flowers.
Flower pollens are entomophilous – a fancy way of saying they are spread by animals and insects. The birds and the bees, as the saying goes.
Entomophilous pollens are not produced in great numbers, and they are big and heavy and sticky. They cling to the legs of bees, the feathers and beaks of birds, and the fur and skin of animals, and are transported by them to other plants.
Fewer people are sensitized or allergic to flower pollens, and come into contact with them far less often. They’re usually stuck to something – a flower, or a bumblebee’s leg. Flower pollens don’t blow around much, so you’re less likely to inhale them.
Grasses and trees, however, are another story. Their pollens are anemophilous – spread through the air. This random method of dispersal requires that they be quite tiny and light, and produced in huge numbers.
Tree and grass pollens can travel by the millions, for mile after mile, on a mere puff of breeze. Some of it lands where it needs to, fertilizing a patch of birches or a field of grass.
Some of it – in fact, a great deal of it – ends up in contact with unsuspecting humans, and then the trouble starts.
These troublesome pollens are so numerous and such great travelers, it doesn’t help cutting down trees and eradicating grass. You must reduce your exposure to them in other ways.
Probably the best way is to pay attention to pollen counts in the news, and stay indoors when the numbers are high. Switch on the air conditioning, and make sure that you’ve got a new Filtrete filter in place; Filtrete filters attract and capture airborne allergens from the air as it passes through your filter.
Nighttime often feels like the worst time for allergies. Keep doors and windows shut, run the air conditioner, and operate a Filtrete Ultra Quiet Air Purifier in the bedroom. Its quiet operation helps you have a restful night’s sleep while removing over 99% of large airborne allergens that pass through the filter. It’s important to consult your physician if you need allergy relief.
And remember, tree and grass pollen counts do have highs and lows, and the pollen season only lasts so long. When pollen counts start dropping, go outside and enjoy!
