Air purifiers and filters for your home from Allergy Cosmos

Come and visit us at The 2012 Allergy & Free From Show! It is the UK’s largest annual gathering of people living with allergies, eczema, hay fever, asthma, and chemical sensitivities.

Come along to our stand for fantastic special show promotions and talk to one of our experts. 

Follow the link below to register for FREE tickets complimentary of us here at Allergy Cosmos. 

See you soon!

www.allergyshow.co.uk/go/allergycosmos

It is a pity that Mumbai's air pollution is threatening the cities growing importance as a player on the global economic stage. Industrial emissions, the burning of refuse and vehicle exhausts are combining to produce unacceptably high levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM) in Mumbai's air. The population of the city has grown dramatically in recent years, and has now reached 18 million – the fourth highest in the world and the most densely populated. The World Health Organization (WHO) urban air pollution database finds that average levels of PM10 pollution in Mumbai is 132 micrograms per cubic metre.  Eventhough Mumbai's air is very polluted, it is far from being the most polluted city in the world. That dubious distinction goes to the city of Ahwaz in Iran,

In a new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, Chinese researchers shed light on which components of PM2.5 pollution do most damage to health. Previous work has shown that exposure to PM2.5s (particles less than 2.5 microns in size) are linked to heart and lung problems and to excess mortality.  But it has not been known just what compounds in the PM2.5s do the most damage. 

China has one of the highest concentrations of PM2.5 pollution in the world, but the impact that air pollution exposures have on the health of the Chinese population is not well understood.  A team led by Haidong Kan of Fudan University in Shanghai studied PM2.5 pollution in Xi’an, which is one of China’s most polluted cities. It is the largest city in northwestern China and has a

Pet allergens affect 10 per cent of the population (25 per cent of those with asthma). So, what do you do if you are allergy-affected, yet also count yourself as an animal lover wanting to give a pet a home or, indeed, if an animal is already part of your family? It is not the fur or hair of the animal itself that is the problem. The allergenic proteins are actually shed in urine and saliva which stick to minute skin flakes (pet dander). These, in turn, get into the air and stick onto surfaces via the animal's hair (which makes it seem as if hair and fur are actually the problem – they are not, they are just the vehicle for the problem!). Here are nine top tips to help you live with an allergy and a pet.

1.) Keep the animal outdoors as much as possible – a garden dog, a cat flap, a rabbit in a hutch can all help keep indoor pet allergen levels

Allergens like house dust mite dropping, pet dander, and mould spores lurk in dust and dirt, so be sure to target them in your annual spring cleaning project.  Try this 11 point check list to improve your asthma and allergy symptoms this hay-fever season.

1. Declutter. Ornaments, old newspapers, unused or broken appliances, unwanted furniture – they all collect dust. Do a little at a time, go through each room, and aim to get surfaces clear so they can be dusted quickly and easily. If an object isn't useful, beautiful or of real sentimental value, get rid of it. 


2. Dust like a professional. Never use a feather duster, as all it does is stir up the dust and make it airborne.  Invest in some good quality dusters and use them slightly damp. Another option is an electrostatic dust cloth
   

Sara and Bruce Campbell started a campaign a couple of weeks ago, with the aim to get 1,000 people to sign an e petition.

What is the petition for?

Sara and Bruce want to change the law so that people in their homes have the same legal redress when affected by local external influences, (such as building work) as people in the workplace would have from their employers. 

Sara sufferers with severe asthma and is affected by any kind of building works and roadworks that is done near her home. The local housing association have decided to start a major works program which is replacing the roofs of 7 blocks of flats within the area, over a period of 4-5 months. They are started on the nearest 2 and will be moving on to the rest, which are all within half a mile which will affect Sara.

Sara and Bruce

The arrival of spring is always welcome – although maybe not so much so for people who suffer from hay fever. Seasonal allergic rhinitis, as hay fever is also known, is triggered by allergy to various forms of pollen – the tiny 'seed' grains emitted by trees, grass and then weeds as spring turns to summer and then autumn. Right now, we have entered the tree pollen season and here are some of the species whose pollen may cause a problem to those with hay fever:

Willow Sycamore

Oak

Hazel

Chestnut

Birch

Ash

Cypress

Cedar

Currently, the focus is upon birch pollen which is expected to be more abundant this year because of the mild winter.  Weather conditions also mean that the birch pollen season is going to start a couple of weeks

Asbestos is a particularly deadly form of air pollution. Each year, 4,000 people die because they inhaled asbestos fibres at some point during the past. According to the Health and Safety Executive, which oversees legislation on asbestos every week, asbestos claims the lives of:

• Four plumbers
• 20 tradesmen
• Six electricians
• Eight joiners.

Asbestos fibres penetrate the lung and are responsible for:

• Mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs which is always fatal and is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos
• Asbestos-related lung cancer, which is often fatal
• Asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs which is not necessarily fatal but is very debilitating
• Diffuse pleural thickening, which is a thickening of the membrane surrounding the lungs. This causes breathlessness by restricting expansion of the lungs. 

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