Sneezing? Wheezing? Coughing? Although you may be quick to blame pollen from weeds, trees and grasses for your allergies, the real guilty parties may be right under your nose. Although you may know that carpeting, mattresses, pillows and stuffed items are home to dust mites that commonly cause allergies, your home can play host to a multitude of allergy-triggering scoundrels you may never have suspected. They include:
• Buttons and Costume Jewelry:
Metal buttons on clothing and costume jewelry are often are made with the metal nickel which triggers rashes on almost 20 percent of people.
Solution: Replace nickel buttons with plastic ones or coat buttons with clear nail polish.
• Candles:
Odors from candles can irritate nasal cavities.
Solution: Ditch the candles. If you can’t imagine a home without candles, buy those with the fewest added ingredients and by using the process of elimination, figure out which scents cause you problems.
• Christmas trees:
Mold grows on cut Christmas trees and you may also be allergic to the chemicals sprayed on natural trees.
Solution: Use an artificial tree.
• Citrus:
Limonene, a compound in some citrus fruits, such as lemons and limes, irritates the eyes and noses of many people as well as irritates the skin.
Solution: Avoid using lemons and limes in cooking, and treat rashes with topical hydrocortisone creams.
• Cleaning Products:
It’s usually not the chemicals in soaps and detergents that trigger itching and sneezing, it is perfume added to the product.
Solution: Buy organic products and those carrying “no additives” or “nonscented” labels.
• Spices:
Spices, especially those used in Indian and Middle Eastern foods, are a common cause of allergies. They include dill, paprika, cumin, saffron, coriander, and poppy seeds.
Solution: Keep a food diary so you can connect symptoms with foods eaten. You’ll soon discover the culprit—or culprits—and can avoid them in the future.
• Spirits:
Grains in alcohol, such as wheat, barley, corn and rye, as well hops used in the production of beer, can trigger allergies. Sulfites used in wine are a common problem for many people as well as fruit flavorings.
Solution: Drink grain-free liquors like rum (made from sugar), vodka (make sure you buy the kind made from potatoes rather than grains), and tequila (made from the agave plant). Look for wines labeled “sulfite-free,” and avoid flavored liquors.
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