Dust mites and allergies
Link: greenbamboobedding.com
We've all heard the phrase, "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." Contrary to popular belief, although dust mites don't actually bite, these little bed bugs can still wreak havoc on our allergies.
Unable to be seen without a microscope, these eight-legged bugs -- classed in the arachnid, or spider, family -- cause an immune system reaction to a certain protein found in the mite.
A large portion of dust in our household is actually dead skin cells. And since dust mites feed primarily on dead skin cells, there is a virtual smorgasboard awaiting these tiny creatures in our mattresses, bedding, carpets and even curtains.
The dust in our homes not only contians the skin cells the mites feed on but also the decaying bodies and feces of dust mites. It is in this dust mite debris that the protein that causes the allergy is found.
This protein causes an inflammation to the lining of the nasal passages called "allergic rhinitis".
Some of the symptoms of this dust mite allergy are:
Sneezing
Runny nose
Itchy, watery eyes
Dry cough
Frequent awakening
And in children, an upward rubbing of the nose
Before we talk about we can go about keeping these mites at bay, most importantly, without the use of harmful chemicals -- let's discuss some of the more, shall we say, interesting facts.
According to www.dust-mite.org:
* 10% of the weight of a two-year old pillow is made up of dead and alive mites.
* Your mattress can be home to more than 10 million dust mites.
* 1 gram of household dust can hold over one thousand mites.
* Dust mites lives 1-3 months on average
So, what steps can we take to keep the dust mite population under control, therefore getting our allergies in check?
To begin with, bedding as well as pillows made with washable materials, need to be washed every week to two weeks respectively, on the "hot" setting. A popular misconception is that just washing your bedding will get rid of them completely but unfortunately, dust mites can swim, so it has to be hot water.
If your pillows are made with non-washable materials, they can be placed in the freezer for 24-48 hours and this will kill the mites as well. Replacing feather and down pillows with synthetic materials is also recommended.
Using fitted sheets is a low-cost way to control dust mites since having them on the mattress slows down the accumulation of dead skin cells. Also commonly available is zippered, dust-mite proof pillow cases as well as mattress covers. Wool blankets should also be replaced with cotton or nylon blankets.
And since just one square yard of carpeting can contain tens of thousands of mites, regular dusting and vacuuming with a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter will greatly reduce the numbers found around the home.
Another innovative, natural way to control dust mites is through the use of bamboo. Bamboo is antimicrobial and contains something called "bamboo kun" that prevents the cultivation of bacteria, yeast, mold and fungus and best of all, it's naturally resistent to dust mites. There are cot mattresses, bedding and even clothes made with bamboo that can be purchased online and in stores.
Although dust mites will always be a part of our lives and home, there are ways we can keep them affecting our family's health.
