Dust– this is the first thing that allergic people must face. The hypoallergenic method is wet cleaning with running water and a cloth. All horizontal surfaces in the home should be cleaned at least once every 1 to 3 days.
Vacuum cleaners and their filters. Any filter allows dust to pass through and an even greater amount flies through the cracks of the vacuum cleaner itself. The safest cleaning method is a damp broom, mop and cloth. Allergy people should avoid "dry" cleaning of the house altogether. And if this is not possible, entrust it to someone close when you go for a walk.
The best option for an allergic person is the absence of curtains or replacing them with blinds with metal slats that are easy to clean from dust.
Mosquito nets retain dust well, and a special filter screen will protect you from pollen and other allergenic particles.
The fewer items in the house that accumulate dust (furs, rugs, canopies, curtains, souvenirs, figurines, books, stuffed animals), the better. It is advisable to store things in closets in special boxes or bags.
Inside, it is preferable to use synthetic fabrics: nylon, polyester, etc. They are more practical: they are not destroyed by light, humidity changes, they do not rot and are very resistant to wear. Easy to care for: they accumulate less dust, are easy to wash and clean. And they themselves are not a source of dust or allergens. The most allergenic natural fabrics are wool and leather, as well as natural and artificial materials (viscose, acetate) with fur.
Another risk factor is bedding, as a potential habitat for dust mites, whose waste products can cause serious allergies. It is recommended that instead of the most allergenic filler – "feather" – use hypoallergenic options: holofiber, bamboo, natural latex, etc.
There are special covers with locks that protect bedding from dust mites. It is best to change bedding once a week and wash it at high temperatures, and clean pillows at least once every six months.
Using a child's bunk bed is dangerous because the child sleeping underneath receives a double dose of allergens from the "dust. "
Mold control and prevention.– an important factor in hypoallergenic living, because mold fungi are second only to dust mites in the list of household allergens and, in most cases, act together.
If the air in the apartment is dry, more dust accumulates in it and it becomes difficult to breathe, and if there is excess humidity, this contributes to the proliferation of dust mites and mold.
The humidity in the house can be controlled using a special humidifier. "Folk" methods of humidification include placing containers with water in the apartment, especially during the heating season, and hanging wet towels, mainly on radiators. Having an aquarium or indoor fountain in the apartment serves the same purpose. Indoor plants (they must be hypoallergenic), which require daily spraying, also contribute to air humidification.
Pets.Allergies are usually caused by pet excrement products (fur particles, lint, feathers, secretions) and foods (for example, dry fish food). Allergens can persist in a room for more than 2 years from the time a cat, dog, hamster, parrot and other pets no longer live there.
Hypoallergenic diet
The first rule of any allergy sufferer is to avoid contact with the allergen if unpleasant symptoms occur and take the necessary medications. Adjusting the diet in this case significantly improves the condition of an adult or child.
Of course, if there is a food allergy confirmed by clinical diagnostic studies, the doctor prescribes a specialized diet. But there is also a non-specific hypoallergenic diet approved by doctors. It can be followed regardless of the nature of the allergen (domestic, insect, medicinal, etc. ) to reduce the burden on the body and accelerate recovery. Including atopic dermatitis, which usually worsens in winter.
Prohibited products.Depending on the degree of allergenicity, all products can be divided into highly, moderately and low allergenic.
First of all, it is necessary to exclude everything fried, smoked, salty and spicy. As well as semi-finished meat and fish products: cutlets, sausages, fish burgers, sausages, etc. , since they contain a large amount of flavoring and stabilizing additives. The preferred cooking method when following a hypoallergenic diet: bake, boil, stew with a minimum amount of oil. Instead of coffee, drink rosehip infusion, weak tea and still water. To monitor your diet, keep a food diary and write down everything you eat during the day.
Recommended foods |
Products to exclude |
|---|---|
Dairy products and eggs.Goat milk. Fermented dairy products (day-old): kefir, acidophilus, matsoni, narine, cottage cheese (individually). Butter: younger children 10-15 g, older children: 20-25 g. (preferably melted) Non-spicy cheeses. Yolk lasts at least 1-2 times a week (individually). |
Unleavened cow's milk (including dry and canned), curdled milk, fermented baked milk, cream, sour cream, children's cream cheese, processed cheese, sharp cheeses, spiced cheeses. Egg (including products that contain it: mayonnaise, creams, sauces, some types of bread, sweets). If you are sensitized to mold fungi, exclude kefir, cottage cheese, muffins, kvass and moldy varieties of cheese. |
Cereals and dishes made with them.. Buckwheat, pearl barley, oats, corn, rice porridge (cooked in water). Pasta (1-2 times a week). To reduce allergenicity, it is advisable to soak the cereal in cold water for 1-2 hours. |
Semolina and millet cereals, Artek cereals, wheat, rye. |
Vegetables (green or white).Potatoes (soaked 10-12 hours). Cabbage (white, cauliflower, fresh). Parsley, dill, lettuce, zucchini, pumpkin, fresh cucumbers (except greenhouse ones). Boiled carrots (individually). To reduce allergenicity, it is advisable to soak vegetables in cold water for 1-2 hours. |
Pumpkin, turnips, rutabagas, tomatoes, tomato sauce, radishes, sunflower seeds; eggplants, peas, beans, peas, celery, raw onions, sorrel, pickles, sauerkraut. |
Fruits, berries (light color).Green apples, plums, white and yellow cherries, white currants, green pears. Blueberries, blueberries, lingonberries, prunes. Older children: currants, blueberries, bananas (individually). Peeled fruits, stored in the refrigerator, baked or in the form of compotes are less allergenic. |
Strawberries, wild strawberries, raspberries, currants (black, red), cherries. Peaches, apricots, melons, persimmons, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, papaya, pomegranate, sea buckthorn. Canned juices and compotes. Citrus fruits (orange, tangerine, lemon, kiwi, etc. ). |
Fats.Refined vegetable oil: up to 30 - 40 g (preferably corn or olive oil). |
Lard, animal cooking fat, margarine. Fish (red and white, smoked and salted), canned fish. Caviar (red and black). Vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper, mustard, garlic, cinnamon, horseradish, salty foods. |
Bread.Bread with bran. White (sugar-free) and black (sugar-free) bread; simple dryers, crackers, crackers, diabetic cookies. For older children: homemade yeast cake without eggs, with prunes or apples. Apple jam. Marshmallows (in small quantities). |
Chocolate, chocolate sweets, coffee, cocoa, cream cakes, delicious baked breads and buns, tula and honey mince pies, marshmallows, ice cream. Nuts, halva, honey. |
Meat.Beef (steamed, boiled). Rabbit, turkey. Horsemeat. Pork and lamb (lean). Specialized children's preserves. The allergenic activity of meat decreases during freezing and subsequent gradual thawing, soaking and prolonged cooking. Meat from young animals is more allergenic. |
Chicken, duck, goose. Chicken, meat, fish, mushroom broths. Pork, lamb (fatty). Veal. Liver, kidneys. Fungus. Sausages, sausages, offal, sausages, ham, canned meat. If an allergy to cow's milk is detected, beef, veal and beef liver are excluded from the diet, becausecow's milk protein has antigenic affinity with bovine tissue products. |
Drinks. Black tea (leaf, unsweetened, unflavored and without fruit additives). Keep drinking water. Juices (diluted with boiled water by 1/3) and compotes from dried fruits and fresh fruits and berries recommended above. |
Carbonated drinks. Kvass. Canned foods. Food additives (dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers, aromas). Gum. |
In addition to a hypoallergenic diet, foods rich in histamine or that are histamine-releasing should be excluded from the diet of people with food allergies.
Foods rich in histamine:Pickled herring, strawberries, wild strawberries, peanuts, beans, game, brewer's yeast.
Histamine releasers:Sour cabbage, spinach, pork liver, dried smoked sausages, fermented cheeses, mayonnaise, vinegar.
It is recommended to follow a hypoallergenic diet for at least 7-10 days. And if at the end of this period there are no noticeable improvements, it is necessary to consult a doctor and conduct a series of laboratory tests. They will help establish the true cause of the allergy and differentiate it from intolerance.
I hope this information helps you create comfortable and safe living conditions. Stay healthy and take care of yourself!