By Samantha Nader
Imagine having a constantly runny nose resulting in tissue piles around the room. Or incessant sneezing that interrupts every class, all the time. Perhaps wheezing or coughing like you’re asthmatic. Maybe some seriously bloodshot eyes that are NOT from illegal substances, you swear! And if you get a rash of some kind, then the world owes you a HUGE apology. If you have allergies, then you don’t have to imagine any of these things: this is your reality.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16.9 million people have been diagnosed with hay fever (a common seasonal allergy) in the last 12 months alone. So what do you do to combat the runny nose blues? College kids aren’t known for being the cleanest people around, nor are we much inclined to skip hanging out with friends to scrub the floors. Instead, here are just a few simple things you can do to keep those pesky allergens at bay:
- Never touch your face without washing your hands: Throughout the day, we pick up dust, dirt, pollen, and some pretty gross germs, none of which should be anywhere near your eyes, which could become irritated or enflamed. Remind yourself that resting your head in your hands in that 8 AM class isn’t worth the aggravation it will result in (or the potential breakout).
- Wash your sheets and towels often: No one ever feels like doing laundry, but washing your linens in hot water on a regular basis can make a huge difference in the amount of allergens that are lurking in your bed sheets and comforter. Just toss your bedding in the wash in the morning, and pick it up later so it’s ready for the next night!
- Don’t forget to vacuum! : Vacuuming can take as little as five minutes out of your day, but it can really help to eliminate dust and dirt particles in your room. The next time you’re cramming for a test and you want to scream, take a quick break to rock out to some music and dance around the room, while pushing along a vacuum in front of you. Simple, yet effective.
- A little dusting goes a long way: Dusting the hard surfaces of your room (headboard, desk, bookshelves, etc.) with a wet cloth, or something as cheap as a disinfecting Clorox wipe, is a great way to scoop up dust fast without it flying up into the air and landing somewhere else in the room. Just a quick swipe around the room once a week can make your room cleaner and healthier.
- Leave the fan running: If you don’t live in an air-conditioned dorm, leave a fan running in your room. While it isn’t the greenest answer to your allergies, the lack of air circulation in buildings without AC causes rooms to get stuffy and the air to become stagnant, which doesn’t allow fresh air in, or allergy-causing particles out.
Image Source: http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/green-eyes-on-bee-pollen-cures-allergies.html