If you haven’t used it before, the Environmental Working Group has a great database for cosmetics and skin care products called the Skin Deep Database

It allows you to look up products to see if any of the ingredients are toxic.  They rate products on a scale of 0 – 10. This is one time that being a 10 is bad. You want a number as close to 0 (pure water is a 0) as possible.

I know that the Free & Clear products from Vanicream are free from most of the toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde and parabens that you find in other personal care items, but I wasn’t sure how the ingredients that were in the products rated.

I was very pleased to see ratings of “2” for the Free and Clear Shampoo and Conditioner.  I knew that the products were effective and didn’t cause allergic reactions in most people, its nice to know that they are low on the toxicity scale also.

If you haven’t used the Free and Clear Shampoo before, you should give it a try. It is gentle but effective. It won’t dry your hair out or strip or fade the the color.  It leave your hair soft and shiny.  I like the Free and Clear Hair Gel also.  Unfortunately, it is not included in the Skin Deep Database.  I don’t know if it is a safe assumption, but if the Free and Clear Shampoo and the Free and Clear Conditioner are rated “2”, I don’t know why the other hair care products made by Vanicream would rate higher.

Spend some time with the database and look up some of your favorite brands. I was surprised to find that Aveda, which markets its products as botanicals has products that commonly rate 5 or higher!  Neutrogena Triple Moisture Shampoo, which is supposed to be so mild, rates a 7!

Your skin is the largest organ in your body and what you put on your hair affects your skin.  Don’t you want it to do more harm than good? 

Til Next Time

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

You learn something new everyday in this business. That’s for sure.  I spoke with an elderly lady last week who told me her dentist had advised her to get a dust mite proof cover for her mattress.

We discussed how to measure the mattress for the cover and about the different type of fabric.  We decided that she would be most happy with the cotton/polyester AllerSoft Blend.  Still, during the entire conversation, I kept hearing a little voice in my head saying “Did she say dentist????”

As soon as we ended our conversation I fired up the trusty Google search and looked for the connection between dust mites and dentists.  I was amazed. 

Dentists frequently see patients with a toothache that is not a toothache.  The person has a sinus infection, usually caused by uncontrolled allergies or a recent head cold that has not been resolved. 

From a dental x-ray, the dentist can see the maxillary sinus.  Because it runs next to the upper teeth, pain from this sinus area is frequently confused with a toothache.

So, if you have a toothache in that area, ask yourself if you have had a cold recently and if you are prone to sinus infections.  If you have taken an antihistamine or decongestant and the toothache went away, then your problem is probably sinus. 

The appointment you make might be the doctor instead of the dentist!

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Today is Father’s Day.  A day set aside to honor our fathers and their importance to our society on the third Sunday of June each year.  If you are reading this outside the US, the date varies.  But most countries and cultures set aside a day to commemorate the importance of fathers and fathering.

In the United States, the first father’s day was held in 1908 to remember the 210 men who died in the Monongah, West Virginia mining accident in 1907.  The idea came from a woman whose own mother died when she was young and was raised along with her 5 sibilings by her father.  This was a bit of an odditity in that era.  When women with children died, they were usually shuffled off to be raised by other female family members or the father re-married quickly.  Sonora Dodd realized how very special her father was and felt that all fathers should be celebrated.

If you have allergies, you can likely thank your father (or mother) because recent studies have indicated that there is a hereditary factory to allergy.  So if Dad (or Mom) has allergies there is a good chance their children will also have allergies. Now that doesn’t mean that the children will inherit the same allergies.  For example, Dad is allergic to dogs, which means it is likely his children will have allergies.  This is especially true if the Mom has allergies too.  But even if Dad and Mom are allergic to dogs, that doesn’t mean their children will be allergic to dogs.  Their children could be allergic to peanuts (although children who are breast-fed are less likely to develop food allergies) or dust mites and not necessarily dogs. 

My mother has never complained of allergy.  However, I remember my father (who passed away many years ago) would complain about recurrent sinus problems and sinus infections.  I have often wondered if those problems were caused by undiagnosed and uncontrolled allergy.  I guess we will never know.  I wasn’t diagnosed with allergies until I was grown and had two children of my own and didn’t make the connection at the time between my chronic fatigue and his chronic sinus problems.

So whether your allergies came from your Dad or not, take a moment to thank him for all he has done for you!

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

I strip my bed every Sunday morning.  I turn the Austin Air HealthMate up to high (because I know just the act of pulling off the sheets is going to send many particles in the air) and pull off the flat sheet, the fitted sheet, and all the pillow cases off ALL the pillows (and there are lots).

I walk them straight to the laundry room.

I do this so that I know I can’t go to bed Sunday night until the sheets are washed and the bed is put back together.  Its just my little trick to make sure the bedding is washed weekly.

If you are allergic to dust mites, even if you have the dust mite proof mattress and pillow covers, it is important that the bedding on top be washed once a week. While your zippered covers are keeping any new mites from getting in the bed and pillow and trapping existing mites, you don’t want to get a build-up of mite allergens on top of the covers. If you don’t wash weekly, that build up will trigger your allergies.  I know by he time I wake up Sunday morning, I can tell it is time to wash the sheets.

It takes water of 140°F to kill dust mites.  You can go to your hot water heater and adjust the temperature before washing to get it hot enough to kill mites.  Just remember to turn it back down after washing, or someone in the home could easily be hurt by water that temperature. Most hot water heaters are set at 125°F or less for safety reasons.  Even at 125°F, a person could get a second degree burn if exposed for two minutes.

I personally am not going to waste the time or energy needed to get my hot water to 140°F to wash my sheets. I wash in cold water with a laundry additive, De-Mite.  Just a couple of tablespoons of De-Mite and my laundry detergent and I can wash with cold water, knowing that the mites are dead and gone.

By stripping the bed in the morning, I give myself a deadline for having everything washed and put back together. It is a great motivator for me, and if you need something to remind you to wash your sheets once a week I recommend it.  It doesn’t have to be Sunday, just pick a day and do it!

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

I don’t ride ATV’s or dirt bikes or participate in motocross events.  But I talk to lots of people that do.

Riding all terrain vehicles (ATVs) is a very popular pastime. The first models were released in the 1960’s and the first 4 wheeler came out in 1983.  People tell me they like being outdoors, riding in different terrain, and seeing our beautiful countryside. 

Because they are riding off road, dust is a major concern for these riders.  They are looking for something that will keep them from breathing dust, but not be so hot they can’t stand it.  Fitting comfortably under a helmet is a plus. I hear stories of all sorts of things they have tried. Everything from respirators to plain bandanas.

How do I hear these stories? Well, it turns out that our U2 Sports Mask is a big hit with the trail riders.  The mask combines the same material used to make the Q-Mask in a neoprene covering that allows the mask to cover both the nose and mouth without restricting airflow.  Because particles hit the “filtering” material and bounce off, it doesn’t clog up and won’t get hot under the mask.  The neoprene and filtering material are both thin, so the mask straps fit comfortably under a helmet.

We originally sold the U2 mask thinking that people that ride bicycles needed a way to keep molds and pollen out of their respiratory system during their excursions.  I liked the mask, because one of my favorite bike riding routes goes past some wetlands that can be full of gnats and other small flying insects.  While you can keep your mouth closed, you still have to breathe through your nose and I inevitably inhaled a bug or two every time..one of the grossest feelings in the world!  The U2 mask looked perfect for biking and it was. It allowed me to ride without being exposed to pollens and molds, without restricting my airflow and kept the bugs out of my nose and mouth, all at the same time.  As far as I was concerned it was the perfect bike riding mask.

Once we put them out on the internet, ATVers started snapping them up.  Seems they had the same needs as the bikers for a great, comfortable mask.

As one of our customers said, “I can follow my buddy on the trail now without eating his dust”. 

So next time the rider in front of you says “Eat My Dust” just put on your U2 Sports Mask and reply “I don’t think so”!

Til Next Time

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

ps It has also been a big hit the last few years at Burning Man