Allergy Tips Archives

It’s Pollenageddon It’s A Pollen Vortex, It’s Everywhere! Visine-A For Eye Allergy Relief #EyesonVISINE

May 9, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post for VISINE® and The Motherhood, who sent me product and compensated me for my time. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve been traveling a lot, I went to Tennessee and everything is green there is so much pollen floating in the air. Then I came home and there was a layer of pollen on the car, it was much thinner than Tennessee but it was there. Then I went to LA and the smell of all the flowers and pollen went straight to my eyes. AHH, I was so irritated. I felt like I had every single sensation going on Itching, Redness, Tearing, Swelling and puffiness of the eyelids, a “Foreign body sensation”, Burning sensation, and Watery eyes. If you are experiencing any of those you might be experiencing eye allergies. 1 in 5 American suffer from eye allergies so you know you are not alone. Before I went to LA I received some Visine-A drops to take with me. I carried them in my purse and camera bag so they were always with me. VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops combine an antihistamine with a redness reliever to temporarily relieve eye itchiness and redness, helping eyes get back to normal. Do you see the redness anymore? This was after hiking in LA!

Luckily, with the help of VISINE®-A® and a few tweaks to your daily routine, you can outsmart the “pollen vortex” and continue to look and feel your best. Use VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops to temporarily relieve itchy, red eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander. VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops are clinically proven effective for eye allergy relief. Here are a few tips from Visine-A to help prevent eye allergies.

· Avoid rubbing your eyes which can worsen the allergic reaction, instead, gently wash around the eye area, to remove any allergens that have settled in or around eyes

· Stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when pollen counts are generally higher, try to schedule errands and your workout for later in the day on high-pollen days

· Wipe down pets that come in from outdoors with a damp towel to remove pollen from their feet and fur

· Keep windows and doors closed to reduce the flow of pollen into your home and remember to take off your shoes before coming inside so you don’t track in pollen

· Use a few drops of VISINE®-A® for clinically proven relief for red, itchy, watery eyes and puffy eyelids caused by indoor and outdoor allergens, helping eyes get back to normal fast

As a contact lens wearer I really feel that I should also mention that you have to remove your contact lenses to use these drops. Contact lens wearers should remove contacts, add VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops, wait for at least 15 minutes, and then place contacts back into the eyes; contact lens wearers should not use VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops while wearing contact lenses. The 15 minute wait time will allow the eye drops to be absorbed into the eyes before the contacts are put back in.

For more allergy season tips and tricks, visit http://www.visine.com/understanding-eye-allergies/histamines

Tending Our Flower Garden With Allergy Care

June 14, 2011 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls Collective on behalf of Children’s Claritin®. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program.

Being an allergy sufferer myself it pains me to see my own children suffer from allergies too. My poor daughter has those itchy red eyes, relentless nightly cough, and perpetual runny nose all throughout allergy season. Miles hasn’t show quite as many allergy season symptoms as his sister, but the doctor did tell us to keep on the lookout for them and how to limit Spring’s adverse affects. Does that mean we keep our kids indoors all Spring and Summer long? No way! For one, I’d go insane trying to keep two kids indoors with the sun shining outside.

We take it outside every day and do the best we can dealing with those pesky spring allergies. Now my allergies have gotten so bad that my husband has banned me from the flower garden. Which means, he and the kids do it for me. Zoe loves helping in the garden. Daddy lets her use the big giant shovel, get covered in dirt, and even lets her sweep up the mess when they are all done. I know, I’m very lucky my children show great enthusiasm for cleaning up messes.

Here are some Allergy Prevention Tips we Take:

We make sure the kids wash their hands whenever they come inside

We don’t bring very many wild flowers into the house

We make sure they change their clothes if they were digging and playing with flowers

At night, we take other precautions that help limit the symptoms of gardening. The kids have to take a bath to wash off all the allergens. We also keep our windows closed for as much of the season as we possibly can. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, Zoe suffers from allergies in her eyes quite a bit. One tried and true all purpose remedy that I learned from my own mother, is to give her a cool wash cloth. One night when she couldn’t sleep because her eyes were so itchy, I brought her a cold wash cloth. It must have worked, because I’ll often find a wet wash cloth in her bed. Our doctor did recommend that we take Claritin if the symptoms persist and I have a bottle ready to start using it if we decide her allergies are as bad as last year. We’ve had a very unusual Spring with much colder temperatures and much less outdoor time. Last year, we used Claritin for the entire summer.

Clear to Enjoy Spring: The Allergy Guide for Moms and Kids

View more presentations from Children’s Claritin

For more tips on relieving allergies, visit www.Facebook.com/Claritin. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Lysol Allergy Proofing Your Home Giveaway

April 28, 2011 by Momstart 181 Comments

I know that I write about allergies a LOT. Well it’s because I suffer from them and this Spring has been miserable for the whole family. My eyes itch, and everyone in the family is suffering from that perpetual runny nose. I’m actually trying to go this season without allergy medicine, not sure if it’s the right decision or not, but there ya go. So what are ways that we can fight allergens within the home?

Lysol has some great tips in their Allergens 101. Learn about tips for reducing allergens and you can join head Lysol® Microbiologist Joe Rubino and nationally-renowned Pediatrician Dr. Laura Jana on an interactive tour of a real home as they show you some of the most important places where you can take action to reduce allergens in your home.

Enter to Win:

Giveaway prize package:

(1) LYSOL® Disinfecting Wipes
(1) LYSOL® Disinfecting Wipes: Dual Action
(2) Allergy Defense Pillow Protector
(1) Dust Pan and Brush

To Enter:

Leave a comment in the comment section telling me what your best allergy tip is.

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This giveaway ends May 9th. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation

Creating A Healthy Home Filtrete’s Clear Advantages

March 21, 2011 by Momstart 3 Comments

Personally, I work very hard to keep our home healthy, and I try to keep it healthy in many different ways. Yes, I want to keep my family mentally healthy but I also scour all of the surfaces for germs and we try the best we can to fight allergens. Filtrete’s Clear Advantages and Dr. Alanna Levine’s, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), ABC’s to help maintain a healthier home environment for children. Because most allergens begin in childhood it is very important to maintain a healthier home environment for children. Here are Dr. Alanna Levine’s ABC’s according to MomStart.

A – Avoid. For me one of my largest allergens is dust pollen that lives outside. So I have to stay out of the garden even though I love gardening. A good tip is to do just that, whenever possible, avoid irritants that trigger your allergies. Some easy ways to avoid a few of these allergens could be as simple as not using down pillows or blankets. Also you can cut down on allergens by using hypoallergenic pillows on your kid’s beds and limit their exposure to perfume, talcum powder, hair spray, air fresheners, fabric softeners or other strong odors or sprays. Strong fragrances and odors may aggravate allergy symptoms.

B – Balance. Have a balance in your home. One thing that was listed by Dr. Alanna that we do in our house is we keep the windows closed. By keeping the windows shut and the central air conditioning on during high pollen season children are protected from pollen particles that trees, grasses and weeds release into the air. All of these pollens and particles have been known to cause eye, nose, and airway allergy symptoms to arise. A tip I’ve never considered was giving children washable, non-allergenic stuffed toys when possible.

C – Change. Change your filter every three months using a high performance filter, you might even want to find an allergen filter like the one that Filtrete makes, the Filtrete Elite Allergen Reduction Filter from 3M. Also consider changing things that are often neglected. For instance change the leaky faucets, pipes and other high moisture areas that are common places for mold growth. We have to stay on top of moisture living in the Pacific Northwest. I mean it rains almost every day.

By following these simple tips, you’ll be on your way to a healthy allergen free house fit for you and all of your kids.

For more healthy home living tips, money saving offers, filter change reminders and more, Moms can register to receive seasonal e-newsletters through the Clear Advantages program by visiting www.Filtrete.com. You can also get these and more by following them on Twitter at @Filtrete.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Celebrate The First Day of Spring with A Halls Allergy Preparation Giveaway

March 20, 2011 by Momstart 641 Comments

Remember a few weeks ago when I was sick? I’m laughing out loud right here, because no I don’t expect any of you to keep up with when I’m well or when I’m sick, but for a reminder, I had a cold and Halls sent me a gift set of Halls Cough Drops just in time. I still have that lingering cough, but it’s much better. There is something going around that leaves you coughing for a month..it really sucks, so I’m happy to host a giveaway with Halls.

Not only does this help those of you that might already have a cold, but today is the first day of Spring.

Happy Spring!

So what comes with Spring that isn’t so wonderful, yep, those pesky allergies. I love to work in the garden, I really do, but I almost always end up with a cold or sinus infection. Then of course, I need and look to using cough drops again! And I put my husband in the garden to finish my work for me. Thank Goodness for him. Did you know that you could consider supplementing your allergy regimen with Halls?

While allergy medication provides all-day relief, HALLS with Advanced Vapor Action can offer FAST, soothing relief – it starts working within 10 seconds!

Need more reasons to try Halls cough drops check out the Halls Spring Allergy Fact Sheet I posted a few weeks ago. Keep up with Halls, see specials and tips on the Halls Facebook Page.

Enter to Win:

25.00 American Express gift card to purchase your spring allergy needs – tissues, OTC meds, etc. and a supply of HALLS to get you through the season

To Enter:

Visit Halls and tell me which variety you like or would like to try the most.

And or/ Leave a comment telling us what your Allergy Prevention Tips are.

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Share your Allergy Tips to Win a 25.00 American Express Gift Card #Giveaway @MomStart http://bit.ly/f5Jwrd

This giveaway ends April 4th. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disclosure – The product featured, in this giveaway were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Say Good bye to allergy season Lysol Giveaway

April 14, 2010 by Momstart 223 Comments

Lysol is the germ fighting king around my house. If you have been a follower for even just the shortest amount of time, then you know my family has been living with MRSA. Well, I went out and bought a ton of Lysol products to help us rid our house of the ugly vermin. Then shortly after I made all those purchases Lysol contacted me and asked me if I wanted to post a review and giveaway about using Lysol to fight allergy season. Well you can imagine how quickly I responded because we are going through Lysol products left and right here. Did you know?

Allergy flare-ups are often attributed to the allergens outside your front door. The same allergens are found on surfaces inside 75 million homes across America? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), some of the most common indoor allergens, include dust mites, mold and household pets.

Tips on fighting colds and allergies:

· Reduce Pet Dander – Decrease your exposure to pet dander by keeping your pet out of your bedroom, since this is typically the room in which people spend a majority of their time.

· Wrap Things Up – Put fabric covers over common dust mite hideouts such as pillows, mattresses and sofa cushions and wash bedding often.

· Clear the Air – Prevent pollen from entering your home by keeping windows and doors closed during peak allergy

· season. Air filters are also considered useful for helping clear the air of lingering allergens triggers.

· Wipe Down Surfaces – Be sure to frequently clean hard surfaces to get rid of allergens in your home. Use LYSOL Disinfecting Wipes to remove 90% of pollen particles and dust mite debris, in addition to killing 99.9% of illness-causing bacteria. Also use LYSOL Disinfectant Spray to kill the source of mold allergens on hard, non-porous surfaces.

· Avoid Mold Spores – To help reduce mold: use an air conditioner in humid climates and avoid the use of humidifiers in dry climates. Also, run the bathroom fan or open the window when showering.

· Talk to Your Doctor – It is important to talk to your doctor about whether or not allergy testing, medications, and/or other measures are recommended.

Tips provided by Lysol.

For more information, visit www.lysol.com.

To Enter:

Tell me what you are allergic to, or what you need to sanitize in your home.

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The contest will run until May 3rd 11:59 pm Pacific. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

It’s Allergy Season: Allergy Tips

April 9, 2010 by Momstart 3 Comments

Select Comfort’s Vice President of Sleep Innovation and Clinical Research, Pete Bils – who has been researching sleep for more than ten years, has several sleep tips for those dealing with allergies.

1. Clean your bedroom weekly. This includes floors, furniture, tops of doors, window frames/sills, etc. with a damp cloth.

2. Vacuum carpet and upholstery regularly.

3. Vacuum bed upholstery. Better yet, get a bed, like the Sleep Number bed which allows you to actually open and vacuum the inside of your bed too.

4. Wash curtains often and bedding weekly at 130+ degrees to kill dust mites.

5. Use allergen barrier covers for your mattress and pillows.

6. Undress in another room to avoid bringing outside allergens into the bedroom.

7. Keep pets out of the bedroom.

8. Keep room at humidity below 50 percent to reduce dust mite population and mold growth.

9. Regularly launder stuffed animals.

10. Use a high quality HEPA air filter in the bedroom.

Look for more tips on www.beds.com, via the Sleep Number Facebook page, or on Twitter @SleepGeekPete.

Don’t forget that you can find a complete line of hypoallergenic Sleep Number bedding accessories including bed pillows, pillow protectors, mattress pads, blankets and comforters. at www.sleepnumber.com.

Oh and be sure to enter my Sleep Number Bed Giveaway.

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Tips on fighting colds and allergies:

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Select Comfort Sleep Number Bed Giveaway Valued at $2,059.97