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If you're sneezing and wheezing this morning, you're probably
one of the millions of Americans suffering from asthma and
allergies.
Now, every year, listen to this, we spend billions, yes billions,
on cleaning products to try to make our homes healthier.
So, why are you still sneezing and wheezing?
Well, the reason might be right under your nose.
So, today, we're going to tell you why your house may be making
you sick, and help you get rid of those household allergens and
irritants.
Our resident guru, Michelle Cassalia, is here to get us
started.
Good morning.
Thanks for being here.
Well, thanks for having me.
Well, I first should say Happy Allergy Awareness Month, right?
Yes, May.
Very important to say that.
Asthma and Allergy awareness month.
Absolutely.
Because 1 in 4 Americans are dealing with asthma and
allergies.
That's 1 in 3 households in America.
And that would be me, because my daughter Dani, she suffered from
asthma when she was younger, and I gotta tell you,
with the coughing and the wheezing, we had to change air
ducts.
Oh wow.
We did a lot in the house to make her comfortable.
Wow, good.
Let me ask you this, because a lot of people ask me, so Dani
has asthma, yet my son has allergies.
What's the difference?
Asthma is a lung disease which can make it hard to breathe.
Allergies are an immune disease, which can cause problems with
your nasal passages, and with your lungs.
Now, tell me what are the symptoms let say, for asthma and
for allergy, and I'm going to assume they are both very
dangerous.
Yes, they both can be severe and deadly.
Some of the symptoms of allergies can be a runny nose,
watery eyes, scratchy throat, coughing.
Asthma can be heavy breathing, chronic coughing, wheezing.
And I know last time you came, you shared your story about your
son, and I know he suffers from food allergens, so I know that
there are certain foods that can trigger it, but there are also,
and I've heard this before, non-food triggers that can cause
an allergy or asthma attack, right?
Yes.
Correct.
What are those?
Asthma and allergies can be triggered by allergens and
irritants lurking in your home.
They may be out in the open, or they might be hidden.
It depends.
What about all the household cleaning products that we spend
so much money on?
Do they work?
Are they healthy?
Well, Americans do spend over 10 billion dollars on products and
services.
10 billion?
Yes, and it amazes me because these products and services
claim to be allergy and asthma free.
Don't tell me they're not.
Well, there has been no scientific proven claim and no
government regulation on any of these products and services.
So we could be buying these products, as I have many times,
and contributing more to the problem.
Correct.
Ave Maria.
So how does one know what to get for their daughter, or their
husband, or anyone that's suffering from asthma or
allergy?
Well, the first stop should be to go to the Asthma-Allergy
Foundation of America.
Okay, tell me about that.
It's AAFA.org and it's an amazing website.
It has many wonderful resources.
It is the largest and the oldest non-profit charity patient
organization in the world.
So when one goes there, it will walk me through and tell me what
I need to get, and what I can be sure of that will help the
situation, as opposed to exacerbate the situation?
Yes, actually, AAFA and the top medical doctors, back in 2006
came together to create a guide, a program, so you as a consumer
are empowered, and you know when you go to buy a product or
service that has the certified seal, you know that you are
definitely getting a product or service that has been certified
asthma-allergy friendly.
So that could kind of give me piece of mind that I know this
is what I need.
Yes, you know that it's been proven, rigorous testing, in a
scientific lab.
And that includes things like vacuum cleaners, filters, not
just products that you use to clean the house, everything and
anything?
Cleaning products, portable air filters, pillow encasements,
mattress pad encasements.
You know when you go to buy a certified allergy asthma pillow
encasement, you know that you are getting a product that is
true.
Great information.
If I had known you, maybe let's see, seven years ago when I had
all that wheezing going on, I would have known all this.
Yes.
And I wouldn't have spent so much money!
Thank you so much.
I know you're coming back this week for more tips.
I am!
Great.
Always love to have you.
Thank you my dear!
And of course in the meantime, head on over to that website,
AAFA.org or our website TheBalancingAct.com for all
great information there.
Coming up next, as promised, we've got some of these great
home products that are certified asthma and allergy friendly, and
we're going to show them to you, so don't go anywhere.
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