Stop the Seasons Sneezin

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Clean Up Mold to Reduce Allergies

Molds, technically fungi, are plantlike organisms that lack the roots, stems, leaves and green pigment of higher plants. They cause mildew and the spots that develop on old bread and long-forgotten refrigerator items. Molds reproduce by releasing microscopic seedlike spores into the air, which can trigger allergies. But unlike the various pollens, which rarely fill the air for more than a few months each year, mold spores are with us year-round. They grow almost anywhere that’s dark, damp and poorly ventil-ated. To limit your exposure to mold spores:

• Kill all visible mold in and around sinks, plumbing, garbage cans and bathrooms by periodically wiping those areas with chlorine bleach.

• Increase ventilation. Keep a window open in your bathroom, basement and garage, and consider installing fans.

• Increase illumination. Install lighting in your closets, and add lighting in your basement, garage and any sheds.

• Minimize dampness by removing all carpeting from basements, garages and bathrooms. If your basement is usually damp, consult a contractor about water-sealing. In the bathroom, keep your shower curtain open across the tub, not bunched up in a corner.

•• Drain standing water from your plants’ trays and underdishes, as houseplants are magnets for molds. People with severe mold allergies might benefit from eliminating their houseplants. You also might switch from leafy plants that like damp soil to cacti and succulents that thrive in drier soil.

• Hire a gardener. Mowing lawns and raking leaves stir up mold spores.

• Use mold-retardant paint when painting your home.

• Look for a new home when in the market to buy; newer is better than older. Older homes have more nooks and crannies where mold can grow.

Herbs Can Help

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has a long history as a treatment for respiratory problems. Researchers at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, gave 98 hay fever sufferers either a placebo or daily capsules of freeze-dried nettle (600 mg). The nettle users reported fewer and milder hay fever symptoms. Since this study, stinging nettle has become a popular herbal allergy treatment. “It’s my first choice,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and a leading mainstream advocate of complementary therapies. “I use stinging nettle myself during the spring ragweed season in southern Arizona and rarely need anything else.” Weil says freeze-dried nettle is more effective than air-dried. Freeze-dried nettle capsules are available at most health-food stores. Use 600 mg a day.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) leaves and roots have been a European folk allergy remedy for centuries. Swiss researchers tested the herb head-to-head against the prescription antihistamine Zyrtec. Sixty-four allergy sufferers took the pharmaceutical, while 61 took the herb (8 mg of the active compound, petasin, four times a day). Both treatments produced similar benefit, but the herb was less sedating. The recommended dose is 4.5 to 7 grams of butterbur root daily.

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