Tips to avoid holiday allergy misery!
It’s that time of the year, when many households are bringing the holidays in with fresh decorations and their Christmas tree, in to their homes. Have you noticed that each year, you may experience what appears to be a winter cold, flu or perhaps something more? Guess again! You are likely dealing with allergic reactions to your fresh tree itself.
In fact, as soon as within 3 day, the indoor level of mold spores start to dramatically rise inside your home (up to five times normal). That means puffy eyelids, watery, itchy eyes, sneezing and other familiar telltale signs of good old allergies. Savvy Connecticut researchers, believe it is very likely to be due to molds that accumulate on the tree.
- Tree decorations should ideally be washable or at least wipe-able to reduce the residue that may have accumulated too.
- You may wish to remove the tree sooner, especially if allergy related symptoms are bothersome.
- Consider a faux or non-live option for your holiday Christmas tree. Always keep it protected and properly covered to avoid excess dust, mildew, etc. from creating more issues, during the off season.
- Try running a HEPA air filter in the room where the tree resides, that may help reduce mold exposure. Some of my patients say it really helps, however, there is no guarantee it will work. In some cases the tree and its sap may be simply be enough to irritate your nasal passages and eyes.