I have to admit that I've not been feeling great the past few weeks, and I've been blaming my allergies. More specifically, I've been blaming my symptoms on my wheat allergy.

The symptoms that were bothering me most were fatigue, insomnia, and waking up feeling very unrested. Also $brain_fog$, but that could have been due to lack of sleep, or it could have been allergy symptoms.

As usual, I suspected wheat. But something about my symptoms did not seem to match my usual reaction to this allergen.

Opinion

Is it OK to cut down trees for the sake of allergies?

A couple in Palo Alto, California, is having a dispute with the city about cutting trees next to their property. The couple wishes to remove the trees because (or so they say) they have allergies. The city is refusing the request.

The fact is that pollen carries an awfully long way on the wind. As sympathetic as I am towards people with allergies (I have allergies myself), I don't see the point in cutting down trees on properties were the owners have allergies.

I am nearing the end of my house-sitting stint at my friends house - the house with the moldy basement. Most basements in this city are moldy it seems, which is why I am loath to move (I live in a house with a dry, relatively mold-free basement).

I've been managing my allergies by completely avoiding the basement (except for rare occasions, when I have done my best to take a deep breath before opening the door, running down the narrow stairs, doing what I have to do, running up again ... hopefully all on one breath as I slam the door behind me).

Do you find that your allergies are worse in the late fall, after the leaves are down and when it rains a lot?

On of the most common areas for a serious mold problem to occur in a house is in the basement, yet it is probably one of the most ignored. One could say that a damp and moldy basement is one of the biggest but most overlooked disasters for those who have allergies.

A leaky roof or bathtub is much more likely to be noticed quickly and fixed promptly. This probably has a lot to do with people's dislike of damp walls and marred paint. Forgotten in this calculation are health concerns. Mold is a major health concern whether you have an allergy or not.

I am one week into a three week stay, house-sitting for a friend of mine. The air quality is not what I am used to.

Here is one secret to feeling great and having lots of energy: manage the air quality of where you live and where you work.

Latex allergies are quite common: 4% in the general population, 10% in industrial workers that process latex or latex-based products, and 10% to 15% amongst healthcare workers.
This section (see table of contents, below) covers a number of related subjects about latex allergies.

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Air conditioners can be excellent mold breading grounds. dust gets deposited on the cooling fins, then becomes damp because air conditioners condense water out of the air. Damp dust is a pretty good medium for growing mold. The mold may not grow all that well when the air conditioner is running and cold, but between cycles, and during longer periods when the air conditioner is not needed, the mold can have a real field day.

The mold section is starting to expand. There is now a better definition of mold. There will soon be more about mold and food, and how mold affects indoor air quality.

A section on how to reduce mold in the home and other enclosed spaces is also planned.

All this to help you manage your mold allergy and stay healthy!

Other subjects that we plan to cover in the future:

Environmental Health

Broadly, environmental health describes how your immediate environment affects your health. For those concerned with public health issues, this includes such divers subjects as food, water and air pollution.

For the individual, it has more to do with the air you breath and the level of stress caused by noise or other environmental-based effects. Food and water are important too, but as an individual you have more control over what you eat and drink, so these types of issues are dealt with separately on this site.