Tim McGuiness

Smart Tips For Summer Allergies Learning Library Smart Allergy Tips For Summer Vacations Maintaining A Healthy Car Environment Research has shown that our cars harbor high concentrations of allergens like dust and dander, as well as mold, particularly those in hotter or more humid areas, causing summer allergies to really flare. Here are some quick tips to prep your car for "Driving Allergy Free". Continue reading →

  Sinus Care Solutions A Firsthand Experience Last week, I accompanied my sister and her son on their trip to the allergist. Because so many doctors trust National Allergy with their patients, I thought it would be important for me to hear how doctors interact with and advise their patients so we can do our job better. I also figured that going on a doctor visit would be a great way to step into the shoes of so many of you who are making frequent visits to the allergist looking for answers. Continue reading →

Part 1: Ways of Avoiding Harsh Chemicals At Home & The Benefits of This Why Should I Be Concerned About Chemicals? When exposed to certain chemicals or compounds, many of our chemically sensitive customers experience allergic reactions similar to those that dust-mite allergy sufferers experience. Chemical exposure can aggravate eczema and cause asthma flare-ups for those who are particularly sensitive...

Healthy Gift Ideas Bedding For Allergy Sufferers We always emphasize to our customers what doctors have been saying for years - the bedroom is the key place to start when creating an allergy-free home. Mite-proof encasings for pillows, mattresses or comforters are something your loved ones may not have considered for relief from allergies and asthma, but they probably need them. You may also be interested in some of our other comfortable bedding products, great for cozy nights in any season. Continue reading →

Pollen - Not Just A Springtime Enemy Beginning around August 15th, airborne pollen from a variety of weeds makes its way into the air we breathe. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), ragweed pollen is most responsible for the spike of allergy symptoms in the fall. And if you suffer from ragweed allergy, you are definitely not alone: a recent study found that more than half of Americans have allergies and, of those, 20% suffer from hayfever, also called pollen or ragweed allergy. Continue reading →

How Does The Nose Trap Particles? Your nose is designed to filter air as you breathe. The areas in and around the nose are lined with a delicate tissue called mucosa that contains tiny hairs called cilia. Nationally-renowned ENT specialist and nasal irrigation expert Dr. Murray Grossan explains that "these wonderful machines [cilia] act like oars, moving 16 strokes each second to propel bacteria, dirt, and cancer-causing poisons out of the nose and chest, before they have a chance to enter the body." Instead, these particles are pushed by mucosa to the back of the throat where they are swallowed and destroyed by the acids in the stomach. Problems can occur when this system becomes impaired, either because nasal and sinus secretions stagnate, or because the nose produces too much mucous as a result of bacteria, dirt or allergens impeding the cilia movement. Continue reading →

Ever think to yourself, "Taking pills and using sprays for my allergies can't be good for me!"? Natural allergy relief is a concept that a growing number of allergy sufferers are starting to embrace. Expensive medications and worries about side effects have caused consumers to look for alternatives, like using environmental controls for natural allergy relief. Allergies And Your Immune...

Healthy Traveling For Allergy Sufferers A Personal Account Allergies and travelling are both very relevant in my life. I have a passion for travelling, and I have had allergies for as long as I can remember. Ironically, my first major allergy attack was on a family beach vacation in Florida. I was almost two years old and all too happy to eat a mound of fresh shrimp. After going to bed, the next thing I remember I was on an emergency room table at Fish Memorial Hospital (no kidding) in New Smyrna Beach. I was suffering from anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal reaction to an allergic irritant, in this case, the shrimp. Had it not been for the astute observation of my big sister, "Mommy, Katie's breathing funny," my wheezing may have had more severe consequences. Continue reading →

Sleep & Fatigue: Your Allergies May Be A Factor Rest Well By Dr. Zedalis Over the last several years, more individuals have realized that they suffer with allergies and sleep-related problems. Patients who have upper respiratory infections often suffer from significant fatigue and sleepiness, as well as have concentration problems. Most physicians assumed that this relation was due to a complex mixture of chemicals that caused both the respiratory infections (colds) and the fatigue. However, it has been discovered that allergy-induced fatigue is due to a more fundamental process. Both children and adults with allergies experience a fragmented process of sleep instead of continuous deep sleep. As a result, these individuals suffer from a reduction in sleep quality and quantity.This reduction in sleep quality and quantity affects children by causing irritability and poorer performance in school. Interestingly, these children often appear relatively alert and show no obvious signs of inadequate sleep. They do not appear to be visibly sleepy and usually fight going to bed. However, when they are placed in darkened rooms with stimuli removed, they fall asleep rapidly. Adults, on the other hand, are more able to recognize when they are excessively sleepy and are more likely to take appropriate action to improve their sleeping habits. Unfortunately, many adults do not make the connection between allergies and daytime sleepiness. Continue reading →

The Best HEPA Vacuums For Controlling Allergens What Is House Dust? Why Doctors Recommend HEPA Vacuum Cleaners for Controlling Dust and Other Allergens? What Vacuum Technologies are Available? What Type of HEPA Vacuum is Right for Me? Comparison Chart for HEPA Vacuum Cleaners Tips for Vacuuming Your Home What Is House Dust? I try to vacuum regularly with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, or at least when I know company is coming over. Whenever I use my Miele HEPA vacuum cleaner, I can see and even breathe the difference, but just what is all that dirt and fuzz? Research shows that about 70-90% of what we vacuum up is gray/brown dust that contains a significant amount of dead skin cells. Somewhere between 5 and 25% of that debris is carpet or smaller fibers that have been loosened by traffic or by the mechanism of the vacuum itself. About 5% of the waste collection is hair. The remaining vacuumed debris is actually what can be the most dangerous for allergy sufferers, containing fur, food particles, insects, mites, sand and mineral dust, pollen and other plant parts, carbon and other pollution particles, and paper and packing materials. Other vacuumed microbes include soil and skin organisms, and bacteria and mold spores like penecillium, ascoporium, aspergillus and alternarium. There may even be allergenic animal dander – even if there is no pet in the home. Continue reading →