Yesterday I went to the allergists and had some skin testing done. Some basic questioning ruled out food allergies so we were mainly focus on environmental allergies, both indoor and out door.
The good news is I am not allergic to grass, most pollens, flowers, and many molds but the skin prick test reveal I was pretty darn allergic to 2 things.
1) Ragweed
2) Dust mites
Fabulous! Outdoor AND indoor allergies. There would be no escape for me.
The skin prick test hinted at a few other allergies and so the intra-dermal testing would confirm one of my biggest fears. I am allergic to
Cats:
And Dogs!
I also have a minor allergy to one kind of outdoor mold but it's minor.
So what does all this mean? Will Yin and Yang be looking for a new home? Not necessarily. Here's what I've found out so far.
Allergies are cumulative. Since I am allergic to a few things lets say I go out for a run and the ragweed starts an allergic reaction. Then I get home and am cleaning and the dust makes the reaction worse. Then Yang comes around looking for some love and BANG! I'm a mess. Summing it up, if I can reduce my exposure to some allergens others may not be as bothersome but buddy them all up and buddy I am in trouble!
So here's what I know about my allergies.
RAGWEED: Ragweed is the most common pollen allergy of all. Ragweed is a flowering plant in the sunflower family. It occurs in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and South America. It prefers dry, sunny grassy plains; sandy soils; and grows along river banks, roadsides, disturbed soils and vacant lots. (sounds like a perfect description of upstate, New York) Ragweed was far less common in the Eastern United States before dense European settlement/agriculture in the late 1700s. (thanks a lot guys! 
).
Each ragweed plant is reputed to be able to produce a billion grains of pollen over a season and is wind pollinated. Even a mild wind can carry the pollen for many miles. Ragweed pollen becomes airborne from mid-August through September, which is also hay-baling season "Hay fever" is not associated with hay but with ragweed that is pollinating in late summer and early fall. Rainfall can help reduce the ragweed pollen in the air. The longer it rains, the lower the concentration.
What can I due to reduce my ragweed allergy?
- Use air conditioning at home and in the car.
- Avoid use of fans which will only draw pollen into the house.
- HEPA air cleaners may be helpful when air conditioning is not available
- Stay indoor on high pollen days and especially between 5am and 10am when the ragweed pollinates.
- If you vacation during the ragweed season choose locations such as the beach or seacoast which are more pollen-free.
- Remember that pollen is sticky and will adhere to your skin and clothes until washed off. Showering after long exposure and rinsing hair before going to bed will remove accumulated pollen.
- Do not hang your clothes outside to dry. Pollens and molds will collect on them.
- Antihistamines, nasal sprays and allergy shots are all effective in managing ragweed allergies.
DUST MITES: Dust mites are microscopic bugs that are a form of spider. They live by the thousands in bedding, carpeting and mattresses and feed on flaked off human skin cells found there. Their droppings are the size of a pollen grain. If you're not allergic to them then no problem, you co-exist peacefully. For the allergy sufferer however, they are the main cause of a "dust" allergy.
Each mite may leave as many as 20 pollen sized droppings each day. Each female lays as many as 50 eggs. New generations are produced every 3 weeks. Their dropping are the source of allergy misery, even months after the mite itself has died. The inhalation of waste products and fragmented mite parts causes allergy symptoms.(Ewwww! 
)
Dust mites multiply and thrive in warm humid environments. Their numbers dwindle with the onset of the cooler weather and lower humidity but the legacy of their products remains. Usually during the warmer weather windows are open and fresh air circulates through the house and dilutes the mite allergens. With cooler weather, windows are closed and the heat comes on, re-circulating air in the house. This is usually when mite sufferers notice a worsening of their symptoms. By late winter some individuals may notice some improvement as mite products decay.
84% of US homes have detectable levels of dust mite allergens in beds. 40 pounds of dust accumulates in the average home in 1 year. 40,000 dust mites can inhabit just one speck of dust. 44 million us homes have dust mites levels high enough to trigger an allergic reaction. The average bed has 2 million dust mites.
What can I do about my dust mite allergy?
- Since you spend the most time out of your day in your bedroom be sure this is as dust free as possible.
- Encase mattress, box spring and pillows in zippered allergen impermeable encasings.
- Replace feather pillows and comforters with synthetic fills. Avoid wool blankets.
- Wash all linens in hot water (135 degrees F) at least every two weeks. Hot water kills dust mites. The dryer alone does not do this.
- Remove carpeting from the bedroom, as well as other rooms if possible. Removable scatter rugs are permissible if washed weekly.
- Remove all dust mite gathering items from the bedroom (stuffed furniture, throw pillows, stuffed animals)
- Children's stuffed animals can be placed in the freezer for 24 hours (to kill the mites) then washed (to remove the droppings)
- Use readily cleanable window treatments that may be washed frequently (in other words get rid of big heavy drapes)
- If you have hot air heating in the home be sure you have adequate filters in place.
- Keep relative humidity at less than 40% and use air conditioning in the summer.
- Use a quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
- Vacuum and dust frequently, preferably when the dust sensitive individual is out of the house (hmmmm… thinking I might need to be hiring a cleaning service!). If the dust sensitive person must do the cleaning they should wear a dust mask.
- Avoid handling objects visibly covered in dust.
- Avoid attics, basements and closets and if exposure is unavoidable wear a mask.
CATS AND DOGS: It's a common misconception that the allergies from animals come from the hair and shedding. This is not entirely true. The allergy is from exposure to a protein located in the saliva and dander of the dog/cat. Since cats and dogs lick themselves the allergen can be found on hair. Cat allergen is particularly sticky and can be found on clothing, furniture, carpets, beds, and even wallpaper. The length of hair on a cat or dog will not reduce allergy symptoms in an allergic individual. An estimated 6 million Americans are allergic to cats and approximately 1/3 of them have cats in their homes.
What can I do about my dog/cat allergy?
- Remove the dog/cat from the home (recommended if highly allergic) Note it may take several months after the dog/cat is removed for allergens to dissipate significantly and for symptom improvement to occur.
- If you choose to keep your pet do not allow them in your bedroom. (ugh, I have a studio apartment! 
)
- Wash hands and change clothes immediately after contact with pet.
- Remove carpeting and upholstered furniture (especially in the bedroom)
- Cover the mattress, box spring and pillows with impermeable plastic covers.
- Use a face mask and vacuum cleaner with exhaust filter when vacuuming.
- A room HEPA filter can reduce airborne cat allergen concentration but 50% or more. This is true only if there is no carpeting and cat is not allowed in the room.
- Treating carpet with a 3% tannic acid (allergy control solution) decreases cat allergen content significantly. Again, only helpful if cat is not allowed in the treated room.
- Bathing cat weekly can help decrease airborne cat allergens, however it is not clear whether this reduction persists long enough to reduce allergy symptoms.
- Allergy shots have been shown to be fairly effective.
So there you have it. My allergies and what I know about them so far. Feel free to share your stories and suggestions. It's greatly appreciated as I figure out my plan of attack.