How Can Moms Ensure That the Water Their Family Drinks is of Highest Quality

 There are many sources from which our drinking water comes, and as such, they contain different types of contaminants that can cause a myriad of health issues. Therefore, it’s important to understand whether or not your tap water is safe, and the number of pollutants it may contain. Even though the water that comes out of your taps goes through extensive purification treatments, some contaminants may stay behind, which causes a potential threat to your family’s health. 

 As a mother, you're undoubtedly always concerned about your family's health, wondering if they're getting enough nourishment, drinking safe water, and getting enough exercise, among other things. Whether or not your family is getting safe drinking water should be your number one concern. Here’s how you can ensure that your family is getting quality drinking water. 

1. Get A Filtration System 

 Installing a filtration system is the most effective way to ensure that your family has access to clean, pure water. These systems are made to filter out harmful chemicals that could threaten your family's health and provide you with pure water. There are many different types of filtration systems available in the market, each with its own set of features and advantages. So, before you get one installed, make sure you do your research. Compare the pricing of different models while also evaluating the budgets that each one offers. Once you’ve got the system installed, be sure to change the filters regularly as instructed by the filter system company. 

2. Get Regular Inspections 

 One of the best ways to ensure that your drinking water is safe is to get regular inspections to calculate the number of harmful toxins, if any, that are present in the water. Most localities have rules regarding how many times your home’s water should be inspected to ensure it’s safe. Be sure to read up on these rules. When you have an inspector over, focus on the following things. 

+ Whether the water is corrosive 

+ Water’s taste, smell, appearance

+ Pressure and temperature of the water

+ Presence of contaminants including copper, arsenic, lead, nitrates, and other harmful substances. 

+ Levels of chlorine and other disinfectants present 

3. Add Water Softener 

 Water softeners are used to treat hard water by attacking the minerals present in hard water and converting them into sodium. So, not only does a water softener remove the different contaminants from your water, but also converts hard water to soft water. This will significantly improve the quality of your home’s drinking water. In fact, you’ll not just notice your drinking water getting better, but also your laundry water will work more effectively to clean your clothes. However, make sure that you get assistance from a professional to get a water softener system installed into your water supply. With years of expertise, they will be able to help you select the most suitable model for your home. 

4. Get A DIY Tester Kit

 You can find a water tester kit at most hardware stores for a reasonable price. These kits can be used to test whether your water contains bacteria, lead, or other harmful contaminants. If you’re not comfortable taking a test yourself, get help from a professional, or get a free water consultation from your local water supply services. A consultation is essential at least once a month if you want to ensure that the quality and cleanliness of your water is up to acceptable standards. Whether you test your water yourself or have someone else do it, ensure that the number of contaminants in the water is below standard levels. 

5. Use Disinfectant  

 If your test shows that your home’s water contains bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms, you can use a disinfectant to kill off these organisms by inhibiting their growth. One such disinfectant is chlorine bleach, which is usually used to disinfect drinking water. It’s important that you understand that the different types of disinfectants are used to remove different microorganisms. 

6. Boil Water 

 If you’re left with no other options, the best and simplest way to make your water free from harmful chemicals and contaminants is to boil it. Place the water in a pot, bring it to boil, and let it boil for a minute. Ensure that you cool the water before drinking. Although this isn't a fool-proof solution, it should be kept in mind for last-minute emergencies. 

It’s essential that the water your family drinks daily has no harmful chemicals that could pose a risk to their health. For this, you will need to regularly get inspections and consultations to ensure the quality of water. You can also use different solutions to treat the harmful water and make it safe and healthy for your family.

What is Mold Sickness And How To Detox Mold From The Body

 As I prepare for allergy shot number two, I realize that many of my allergy and asthma symptoms, including food allergies, may be related to mold sickness. Several months before I had been exposed to mold in my home and experienced mold sickness. Keep reading to discover my symptoms of mold sickness and how I detoxed the mold from my body.

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases 

Several months ago, I made the decision to start an allergy shot treatment plan. The reason for receiving allergy shots was many but the main reason was my asthma was out of control. The allergy shots would help with my seasonal plant allergies and dust allergies. This would take a layer off my inflamed lungs and in return help with managing my asthma symptoms.

 Having asthma is nothing new to my body but I did not make the connection that I had asthma until 2018. That was when I discovered that a dairy allergy was the cause of my severe asthma symptoms. For many years, I experienced an annoying cough in the spring, summer, and fall. The doctor said that it was seasonal allergies and prescribed 2 different allergy medications. The allergy medicines worked for the most part but I would still have the occasional asthmatic cough. When I brought it up with the doctor, she would say it was due to the abundance of mucus drainage in my throat. The reality was I had undiagnosed allergy-induced asthma that reared its ugly side in 2018. 

Could mold sickness be the cause of my out-of-control asthma?

Symptoms of mold sickness commonly include fatigue, brain fog, headaches, anxiety, gut disruptions (like gas, bloating, or diarrhea), skin rashes, frequent urination, and insomnia.

 The other day I received a newsletter in my email from Taste For Life and the subject line contained the word Mold. So having recently gone through the process of mold remediation in my house, 6 months ago from a broken pipe in the laundry room and several days ago discovering mold in the bathroom, I had to read the article in this email. The article was about mold sickness and once I read the symptoms of mold sickness, I realized that the mold in the laundry may have been affecting me for many years before we discovered the mold in the wall for our bathtub-to-shower conversion.

While I thought that my severe asthma symptoms were mostly related to food allergies which I discovered through an allergy blood test, this article helped me understand that my mold allergy was related to mold sickness. The symptoms that I had been experiencing for several years like fatigue, brain fog, and insomnia were due to mold sickness and not because I was over 50 going through menopause. These symptoms that were related to mold sickness were not caused by the COVID pandemic of 2020 when everyone was stuck at home. 

I thought that my lack of concentration was due to having 3 children home with online schooling and a husband calling the living room his new office. I thought my anxiety was having to listen to my husband's phone conversations about COVID-19 procedures. My husband works for the health department so he was on the phone a lot. While I was using CBD to manage my anxiety, mold was growing in my house.

What are the symptoms of mold sickness?

+ Fatigue

+ Brain Fog

+ Headaches

+ Anxiety

+ Gut Problems

+ Skin Rashes

+ Frequent Urination

+ Insomnia

+ Asthma

 After I read the article about mold sickness and read about mold sickness symptoms, I started making the connection of having mold in our house. While we discovered the mold 6 months ago, I wonder if the mold had been in the walls for longer. In 2011, we had a frozen pipe burst down the same wall. We had mold remediation back then but they did not remove the walls. Then several years later our hot water heater leaked, again it was on the same wall. Then in 2017, the water connection to the water heater leaked. So this mold could have been there this whole time. Maybe the mold was dormant and the slow leak in the broken pipe caused it to wake up. 

Mold symptoms that I experienced since 2020

+ Asthma ~ My asthma symptoms started to increase in 20117

+ Insomnia ~ I thought that going through perimenopause was the reason I was not sleeping

+ Frequent Urination ~ I was getting up several times a night to pee

+ Anxiety ~ I for the first time started having anxiety attacks

+ Brain Fog ~ I found it hard to do my writing for Mom Knows Best

+ Fatigue ~ I was tired all the time since I was not sleeping that well

 In the past couple of years, my health was not been the best. I was experiencing many asthma symptoms. I was also experiencing so many other things like not sleeping well and brain fog. I was waking up to use the bathroom several times a night and I was always tired. I wanted to sleep but I could not sleep. So I stayed up late, it was a vicious cycle. I never knew that these were symptoms of mold sickness as I did not know that I had mold in my house.

How to Tell If Your Home Has Mold

While the obvious signs of mold are seeing the black stuff on surfaces, mold can hide inside the walls. Mold does not always have a musty scent. If your walls look unusual like wet or soft, you could have mold. We discovered mold after we moved our washing machine. We discovered that the wall was wet and saw the mold. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and suspect it might be mold, get your home tested for mold. If you had a water leak in your home, it might be wise to get your house tested for mold

Removing mold 

The first step in recovering from mold sickness is to get the mold out of your home. The first time we discovered mold, we called our home insurance and they took care of the mold. We had mold specialists do the mold removal in our house. The mold remediation was extensive. The water restoration company placed a huge loud dehumidifier in the laundry room to dry things out. Then the area was sealed off with plastic while they removed the portion of the walls that had the mold. During this time and a week later, we also had an air purifier running. 

 The insurance company put us up in a hotel for ten days while they did the mold work. This was mostly because they had to remove the water heater. A week after the mold company removed the mold, they did a mold test to make sure there was no mold in the air. This mold remediation process took over a month.

Then the upstairs toilet leaked

 When we discovered mold after the upstairs toilet leaked, we did not contact the insurance since it was a small amount. My husband also knows about mold removal through his work with the health department. The mold was discovered under the toilet as the wax ring had leaked. So my husband removed the parts of the floor that had mold on them and then sprayed a bleach solution on the floor. If you choose to remove the mold yourself ~ wear gloves and an N95 face mask, even while spraying the bleach. Also, open windows for ventilation. Do your research first before you remove mold.

 From the Homedepot website: A bleach solution works to kill mold. Mix one cup of bleach in a gallon of water, apply to the surface, and don't rinse. 

Recovering from Mold Sickness

 Now that the mold is out of my home, I am doing many things to recover from mold sickness. I saw an allergist to be tested for allergies. I already knew that I was sensitive to mold but I wanted to discover what else I was allergic to. I discovered that I was allergic to a ton of plants, weeds, grass, trees, and dust. Since my asthma was not being managed well, the doctor suggested allergy shots. You can read about allergy shots here. 

To recover from mold sickness ~ you need to detox your body

 I also started a wellness treatment to heal my lungs from the mold and also my asthma. Part of my mold healing plan includes detoxing the mold out of my body. While sweating may be one way to help your body detox, using plant-based minerals from BEAM Minerals will speed up the process.

 The BEAM Minerals supplement has many health benefits and one of the benefits is to help the body detox. I am using the Humic mineral supplement and the Fulvic electrolytes daily as recommended by BEAM Minerals  You can read more about the BEAM mineral supplement that is made from plants HERE.

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals

From this article that I read about mold sickness, Dr. Crista recommends these supplements for people with mold illness. I have not tried any of the below supplements but I will be adding some of them to my supplement routine along with the BEAM Minerals. BEAM Minerals helps the cells in your body absorb the supplements so your body can better use them.

DHA, EPA, AND GLA FATTY ACIDS ~ Promotes production of bile, which carries out mycotoxins.

PSYLLIUM HUSK FIBER ~ Binds toxin-laden bile, so you excrete it rather than recycle it.

QUERCETIN ~ An antihistamine that calms inflammation.

GLUTATHIONE (LIPOSOMAL) ~ Promotes detoxification, and is a potent antioxidant.

OIL OF OREGANO ~ Has antifungal actions to support microbial balance.

My long-term mold healing plan

 My body has to heal from the mold, that was discovered in my home. My lungs were the most affected by the mold. I have been sensitive to mold since I was a child. Looking back at my childhood helped me to understand my mold allergy. My mom told me that I was allergic to penicillin, which is a drug derived from mold. I also suffered in the winter, from bad eczema and earaches, which both cleared up once I moved out of the home as an adult. So that may have been related to mold in the home.

 I also have asthma problems when I stay at hotels that have mildew in the bathroom. Allergy testing has revealed that I am allergic to mold.

 For now, my mold healing treatment plan involves healing my lungs and avoiding things or triggers that affect my asthma. So I am doing allergy shots for my seasonal allergies, as they are huge asthma triggers for me. I am also exercising inside to avoid other asthma triggers like bad air quality. The allergist said that my allergy shot formula couldn't contain mold as it would cancel out the other allergens in the allergy shot treatment. I may have to do a second round of allergy shots for the mold allergy.

 I am also feeding my body healthy food and exercising, which is good for asthma. I am also taking many supplements, including BEAM Minerals to help my body detox the mold and heal from the mold sickness symptoms. 

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals

4 Essentials for Post-Surgery Care

  After you've gotten breast lift surgery, it can be frustrating to know how to address your post-surgical scars. You've put in the time, energy, and money required to receive your surgery, so now, the last thing you want is to be left feeling dissatisfied with your results. Knowing how to proceed with scar treatment is confusing as well because initially, collagen rushes to the scene, attempting to heal wounded tissue by spreading fibers all over. Scars and bumps are created as a result, and they need time to heal and spread out more effectively. Here are four essentials for post-surgery care to help you navigate this process and get the most out of your surgery results.

1. Follow Initial Aftercare Instructions 

 The first thing you should do is listen to your surgeon’s or provider's instructions after your surgery. The process for care immediately after treatment is critical because you will need to keep the closure strips on your incisions for two weeks. 

Your surgeon will provide you with a garment intended to support and protect the incision areas and your breasts. The garment is necessary to get through the initial healing successfully, and it is essential to keep the closure strips on and in place, or you could have more significant breast lift scars later on. 

2. Apply Silicone Ointment After Two Weeks 

 After the two-week mark has passed, all of your incisions should be closed and mostly healed. From this point, keep the area protected by using a topical silicone gel or cream. You can buy these for yourself over-the-counter. 

 Just be sure that the main ingredient is silicone, as this keeps scar areas hydrated, preventing dryness, thus promoting the continued healing you need for best results. You can always check with your doctor for recommendations if you are unsure which ointment to go with for your aftercare.

3. Massage The Scar Area With Ointment 

 As you apply the silicone ointment, massage the scars gently, as this helps to organize collagen fibers and smoothen out scars. 

 The massaging movement also helps circulate blood flow, quickening the healing process if done consistently enough. Ensure that you massage the scar areas gently to allow the skin to breathe and to not interfere with the healing process. 

 Don't press too hard, or you may accidentally scratch sensitive areas. As your scars heal, they can tolerate rougher motion, but massage with minimal applied pressure even then. 

4. Be Patient With The Healing Progress

 It will take some time for your surgical scars to heal, and it is essential to give your body enough time to conduct this natural healing process to experience the best results in the end. 

 Just as you would have the patience for a knee scrap to heal on its own, you should extend the same amount of patience to your surgery scars. It can be challenging to maintain patience when you're eager to see results, but this is the second part of your treatment, so give it the same effort as you did the initial surgical stage of treatment. To make it easier, focus on other aspects of your health to make your healing process even more accessible and practical. 

Be Willing To Wait It Out  

 Just as a watched pot never boils, obsessively waiting for your post-surgical scars to heal will only make it feel like the process is taking longer. Understand that scar healing is part of treatment, so be willing to wait it out so you can enjoy completely healed and restored results. 

The results will be worth the wait, so be patient and follow aftercare protocols diligently. As long as you follow your post-surgery instructions, your scars should continuously fade in due time.  

My Fabulous Safe Beauty Finds For The Family

 This month I discovered some safe beauty products that you need to know about. These are products with ingredients that are safe for my sensitive skin and asthma.

 I have always had sensitive skin for as long as I can remember and asthma for over 10 years if not longer. The reason, I say that I have probably had asthma for more than 10 years, is simply because I did not know that the annoying cough that I would experience in the spring through fall months was asthma. Back when my daughter was having breathing problems, 20 years ago, the doctors said it was not asthma unless she had wheezing. It took an emergency room visit, with my daughter struggling to breathe, to finally be diagnosed with asthma.

 For me, the doctors just told me that I had seasonal allergies and prescribed allergy medicine. When my youngest son experienced that same annoying cough but much worse than mine, I took him to an asthma specialist and testing revealed that he too had asthma. I just put up with my cough and took allergy medicine until the allergy pills no longer worked. In 2018, my cough became worse and at times I struggled to breathe. It was my middle son, who said, while I was coughing, mom I hear wheezing. I later discovered, through a food allergy blood test, that I had a milk allergy and that was making my asthma symptoms severe.

Chemical Fragrances trigger my asthma

 I like to do things the natural way and I wanted to manage my asthma symptoms naturally. So I became aware of what triggered my asthma symptoms and eczema. I learned that beauty products with fragrances were causing me to have an asthmatic cough. So I switched all my beauty products like shampoo, soap, and lotion to beauty products made with natural ingredients. Once I started using a shampoo that was made without toxic ingredients, I noticed that my skin was no longer itchy. I no longer had to use lotion on my skin after a shower. I made sure to buy beauty products without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and chemical fragrances.

 Then a bathroom remodeling project had my boys taking showers in my bathroom and it was then that I realized, I had to switch out their traditional beauty products to ones that were made with safe ingredients for my asthma. Their fragrant manly body washes would linger in the air and I would have an asthma attack, hours after they took their showers, when I went to bed. 

My health is important and the whole family uses safe personal products

  I am creating a house that is free of asthma triggers and I only buy beauty care products that are made with safe ingredients. I even started my boys on aluminum-free deodorant so they never had to make the switch to natural deodorant. So I am always looking to try new beauty products that are free of toxic chemical ingredients and this month I discovered some safe beauty products for my teens and myself. Keep reading to learn more.

 This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Safe Acne Products For Teen Boys

 The teen years can be tough for boys when they have acne. Those hormones can do a number on their skin. Then add plenty of sweat from athletics and you have a face full of pimples. Boys can be picky about what products they use and they don't want to be using a face wash that was marketed towards girls. Then throw in having to find acne products that have safe ingredients that won't cause your mom to have an asthma attack. I am glad that I discovered Stryke Club skincare products that are made for boys.

 Stryke Club was founded by four women with 11 children and they noticed that most products are made for girls. So they thought boys have skin too and should have products that are made for them. So they created skincare products with safe ingredients in packaging that boys would like. My older teen son loves Stryke Club's Everywhere Wash and acne Stryke Stick. While the college son grabbed the Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes to use at the gym. So my boys were glad to receive the STRYKE CLUB's Fresh Start Kit for their skin. These locker room worthy products are formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and are proudly cruelty-free — because safety is non-negotiable. Check out what is included in this skincare set. 

STRYKE CLUB's Fresh Start Kit

+ Everywhere Wash: The all-in-one shower cleanser is perfect for everywhere, from head to toe. 

+ Stryke Stick: No one wants a zit. Fight back with this portable spot treatment.

+ Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes: The easy-clean option for when a sink isn’t within reach.

+ Stay Smooth Lip Balm: Give lips a hydrating refresh. 

+ Bamboo Toothbrush: Bad breath isn’t great for making friends – just add the toothpaste.

+ Toiletry Bag: Because all the essentials need to go somewhere!

Healing Virgin Hair Masque

 I have dry curly hair and at times it is unmanageable. While I love my natural curls, sometimes they can get quite tangled together. My hair needs moisture to look nice. Trust me there are days that I just put my hair back in a ponytail as I don't feel like trying to get a comb through my curls. So I am glad that I discovered Pura D’or HairClimax: Healing Virgin Hair Masque.

This amazing hair masque helps combat my dry hair. Pura D’or HairClimax contains a blend of virgin oils to give new life to my hair. It helps revitalize damaged hair and is a tangle tamer. I just love the coconut oil scent. This hair product is vegan and made with gluten-free ingredients. I love how it deep conditions my hair from the roots to the tips to combat dry, damaged, frizzy, and thinning hair. After I use this hair treatment in the shower, my curls look amazing and are frizz-free. I just love the wood and glass container!

Therapeutic Skin Whip

 The cold dry winter leaves my hands painfully dry. Having to run the heat in the house and washing my hands more also doesn't help my skin. Then there are the cracks in the skin around my fingers. So most days my hands are in pain and they need plenty of moisture. My hands need moisture and soothing from a thick cream. My hands also need pain relief.  I am glad that I discovered CBD-infused BESO Whip.

This thick skin cream is the best of both worlds. Now I don't have to use separate products on my hands. I used to have to use a greasy CBD ointment followed by a hand cream to give my hands relief from the painful dry skin conditions. Now I can use a non-greasy thick cream on my hands that is infused with full-spectrum CBD.  

 Beso, which means “kiss” in Spanish is an all-natural plant-based formula from the most therapeutic essential oils. This whip contains ingredients such as mustard, black seed, frankincense, myrrh, turmeric, shea, coconut; all whipped into a luxurious grape seed base. It is designed to moisturize, soothe, and heal your skin from head to toe.

Anti-dandruff Shampoo

 The same son who has acne also has a dry scalp problem. So in addition to dealing with pimples on his face, he has flakes from dandruff on his clothes. Those teenage years are hard enough so he does not need to feel embarrassed by his hair. My son is happy that I discovered an anti-dandruff shampoo with safe ingredients to keep his hair looking nice. That way his curls can also look nice too. Mayraki’s Purifying, Anti-dandruff & Volumizing Amino Acid Shampoo is made without sulfates and parabens.

This sulfate-free, anti-dandruff shampoo purifies the roots of the hair to prevent build-up that can weigh the hair down. Mayraki also nourishes the scalp and hair strands with the power of 15 amino acids. My son likes this shampoo cleanses the oil from his hair without stripping the moisture so his curls look nice. Made from 100% plant extract and other natural ingredients, this shampoo effectively treats and prevents hair and scalp problems. I have been using Mayraki products for quite some time and I love the Mayraki hair mask. This hair mask is made from natural ingredients and I use it in the shower to give my hair some intense moisture. This hair mask also has ingredients in it to strengthen the hair and promote hair growth

Safe beauty products that you need to try

Those are the fabulous safe beautiful finds that I discovered this month. I am glad that I discovered beauty items that my son enjoys and does not bother my asthma. Looking good is important to him but he knows that protecting mom's health is even more important. I like that my boys are being raised without harmful chemicals. So take a look at the beauty finds and maybe you will discover some that you need to try.

Looking for other natural beauty products with safe ingredients? 

You need to check out Natura.

 Natura carries innovative lines of personal care products designed for both the ageless beauty and contemporary male. From refreshing shower gels and soaps to lightweight lotions, oils, airy-whipped mousses, butters, and hand creams – our luxurious collection makes each person’s experience unique. Our Mamãe e Bebê line is made with the essentials for the baby’s sensitive skin, which is a gentle, safe, 100% vegan formula. For Natura, beauty all begins with care. I discovered Natura's Hand Cream last year and it is amazing. This is a thick hand cream that is made from brazil nuts and it does a great job of moisturizing the skin. I let my husband use the hand cream and he loved it so much that he must have brought it to work as I can't find it in the house.

 

Save Money at Family Dollar on Garnier Hair Care

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

 Do you shop at Family Dollar? Make sure to check out their deals! Right now you can save $3 off any TWO (2) Garnier® SCT/Style Products! Maintain your hair’s natural moisture and provide intense nourishment for stronger, well-defined, , frizz-resistant curls for up to 24 hours. Affordable, natural, and strengthening routine for your hair. Pick up yours today! Offer good through 3/22/22. Click HERE for more information.

My Experience With Allergy Shots ~ 1st Appointment

I decided to start an allergy shot treatment program to help manage my asthma symptoms. This is a summary of my first allergy shot appointment

This post may contain affiliate links

Several months ago my world was rocked and my dairy allergy became life-threatening. I experienced my first anaphylaxis episode. During this time my asthma symptoms worsened as we discovered mold in our house. Last fall was a crazy time for my health. It was then my husband encouraged me to see an allergist and get some allergy testing done. While I mostly knew what I was allergic to, this doctor appointment was to get the much-needed food allergy emergency medicines. 

 I went to my allergy doctor appointment to get a prescription for an epi-pen for my food allergy but I was required to get allergy testing done. I also had to get some asthma testing done at this allergy specialist doctor appointment. I did not do well on the peak flow meter test. The allergy testing revealed that I was severely allergic to many of the native weeds, grass, and plants in my state. 

The asthma doctor asked me several questions about my asthma symptoms and helped me to realize that my asthma was not under control. The doctor wanted to start me on prescription asthma medications and recommended that I do an allergy shot treatment. The doctor said if I don't do something that my asthma could turn into COPD.  I was not too crazy about using prescription asthma drugs as I did not like the side effects. I wanted to control my asthma naturally but I realized that I was unable to manage my asthma symptoms without intervention. So as part of my lung healing treatment plan, I signed up for allergy shots.

What are allergy shots?

 Below is information that I found on the Mayo Clinic Website about allergy shots. Basically, allergy shots are a treatment to get your body used to the allergies that are causing your body problems. So that your allergy symptoms will go away. 

 Allergy shots are regular injections over a period of time — generally around three to five years — to stop or reduce allergy attacks. Allergy shots are a form of treatment called immunotherapy. Each allergy shot contains a tiny amount of the specific substance or substances that trigger your allergic reactions. These are called allergens. Allergy shots contain just enough allergens to stimulate your immune system but not enough to cause a full-blown allergic reaction. Over time, your doctor increases the dose of allergens in each of your allergy shots. This helps get your body used to the allergens (desensitization). Your immune system builds up a tolerance to the allergens, causing your allergy symptoms to diminish over time.

I had questions about allergy shots 

 Before I agreed to start allergy shots for my asthma, I did some research on allergy shots for seasonal allergies. I wanted to know the side effects of allergy shots. While I found plenty of allergy shots information from medical websites, I found very little from other people's experience with allergy shot treatment. I had questions about allergy shots that needed answers. I wanted to know the side effects of allergy shots. I wanted to know how people felt after they received their shots for allergy treatment.

 I was frustrated that I could not find any reviews for allergy shots. So I decided that I would use my voice and writing skills to share my experience with receiving allergy shots at an allergy clinic. So others could understand the process of allergy shots. My allergy shot treatment plan is a four to 5-year treatment plan with a 6-month build-up phase and a 4-year maintenance phase. You can read more about my allergy shot treatment plan HERE.

So for the next 6 months (2 times a month), I will be getting injections of the allergens into my arms. The doctor said, that for the most part, the side effects from the allergy shots will happen the day of and the next couple of days. So I will be documenting my allergy shot side effects on Mom Knows Best.

My first allergy appointment

 I was a little anxious about my first allergy shot appointment, as I did not know what to expect. I was worried that I would have a severe asthma attack. Those three vials of my allergens contained all the plants that I was allergic to as well as dust. I felt like I was going to be walking into a yard of overgrown weeds on a rainy day with bad air quality while someone was tossing dust around me.

 When I arrived at the allergy shot place, I signed in. I then sat down to be called back to the allergy shot room. After 5 minutes, my name was called. I walked into the room and was greeted by the person who would be giving me the allergy shots. She asked me about my asthma symptoms and reminded me that if my asthma was out of control, that I would have to reschedule my shot appointment. The allergy shots could cause an asthma attack.

 So I rolled up my sleeves and the clinic employee, injected two shots into my left arm and one into my right arm. The shots contained small amounts of the things that I am allergic to. Like all shot injections, it felt like a small pinch. I then had to sit in the waiting room for 30 minutes. That was a precaution so that the clinic could treat any serious side effects from the allergy shots.

My side effects from the allergy shots

+ Stinging at the injection site

+ Mild asthma symptoms

+ Itchy arms

+ Sore arms

+ Woke up at night with breathing issues

+ Keep reading to learn more 

 I sat down in the allergy shot waiting room and did some work on my tablet. Then about 5 minutes later, the injection spots on my arm started to sting. Thankfully that did not last long. Then I started to experience some mild asthma symptoms of an asthmatic cough and some breathing issues. I took some deep breaths and felt better.

 I tried to busy myself so that I way I would not focus on any further symptoms. After my breathing issues, my arms started to feel itchy. While the itching was mild it was on my whole arms and the shot site had a small hive. The allergist said this was normal. My arms were also a bit sore. The itch part lasted about 15 minutes. After the 30 minutes of waiting time was done, the only symptom that I had was a sore arm.

 I had my allergy shot at 2:00 PM and the rest of the afternoon, my left arm continued to have some soreness. Then around 6:00 PM, I had some asthma symptoms that had my family asking if I was OK as I was coughing. Some deep breathing exercises helped me. My left arm also started to hurt more. 

 I went to bed that night feeling fine. I don't know what time I woke up in the middle of the night coughing. I had to sit up to cough up some mucus to restore my breathing from my asthma attack. Thankfully after a couple of coughs and deep breaths, I felt better. I had no further problems while I slept.

I felt better the next day

 I woke up the day after my allergy shot appointment feeling better. I did have some coughing but my ClearLungs helped with that. I was able to do my normal exercise routine that morning as exercise is beneficial for asthmatic people. Some people think that you can't exercise when you have asthma. That is so wrong as exercise helps me manage my asthma better. I may cough a lot when I exercise but that is just my body expelling the excess mucus from asthma.

 I made sure to take my BEAM Mineral supplement with the other supplements I use for asthma. The BEAM Minerals will help my cells process those supplements so they will work better. These plant-based minerals are a huge part of my lung healing treatment along with the allergy shots. You can read more about the benefits of BEAM Minerals HERE.

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals

Will Allergy Shots Help My Asthma?

While allergy shots won't cure my asthma, I am using this treatment to help me manage my asthma symptoms. Keep reading to discover more about my experience with allergy shots.

This post may contain affiliate links

 Two months ago, I had allergy testing done and that doctor's appointment helped me to make the decision to start an allergy shot treatment plan. The reason for my allergy testing was a food allergy scare that I had several months ago. The dairy allergy, that I had discovered through an at-home food allergy blood test and through an elimination diet, became life-threatening. After having an anaphylaxis reaction to dipping my hands in milk, I had to see an allergist. 

 It was after that scary food allergy episode that affected my asthma, I realized that I could no longer manage asthma symptoms naturally. I needed emergency asthma medications and had to have allergy testing. The allergy testing revealed that I was severely allergic to almost every native weed and several other plants. These seasonal allergens were affecting my asthma. The doctor told me if I don't get my asthma under control, I could have COPD later in life. The allergy doctor gave me a couple treatment options and one of them was allergy shots.

  Since I have been dealing with seasonal allergies for over 20 years and my out-of-control asthma for many years, this natural form of treatment called allergy shots, was an option that I needed to try. While the allergy shots would not help my food allergies, they would help with my seasonal allergic asthma symptoms. As the doctor explained, it would take a layer of inflammation off of my lungs and may help lessen my food allergy reactions. 

What are allergy shots?

 Below is information that I found on the Mayo Clinic Website about allergy shots. Basically, allergy shots are a treatment to get your body used to the allergies that are causing your body problems. So that your allergy symptoms will go away. 

 Allergy shots are regular injections over a period of time — generally around three to five years — to stop or reduce allergy attacks. Allergy shots are a form of treatment called immunotherapy. Each allergy shot contains a tiny amount of the specific substance or substances that trigger your allergic reactions. These are called allergens. Allergy shots contain just enough allergens to stimulate your immune system but not enough to cause a full-blown allergic reaction. Over time, your doctor increases the dose of allergens in each of your allergy shots. This helps get your body used to the allergens (desensitization). Your immune system builds up a tolerance to the allergens, causing your allergy symptoms to diminish over time.

 So I am starting a 4-year allergy shot treatment plan in hopes that my seasonal allergies will diminish.  The first 6 months of the treatment for allergy shots may be difficult and I may have some allergy reactions. I am not really sure how my body is going to react to the allergy shots but I know, in the long run, it will be good for my overall health. The allergy shots are part of my natural lung healing treatment plan. 

 The next 4 years will be a learning experience for me as I receive the allergy shots. The allergist created an immunotherapy treatment plan that will be best for my body. Since I have many things that I am allergic to, I will be receiving 4 shots at each visit. Each shot will contain different allergens that I am allergic to. I will be receiving the shots for allergy immunotherapy every two weeks for about 6 months for the build-up phase. Then I will receive the shots of allergens once a month for about 4 years for the maintenance phase. The allergy shots will be injected into my upper arm.

To be effective, allergy shots are given on a schedule that involves two phases:

- The buildup phase generally takes three to six months. Typically shots are given one to three times a week. During the buildup phase, the allergen dose is gradually increased with each shot.

- The maintenance phase generally continues for three to five years or longer. You'll need maintenance shots about once a month.

BEAM Minerals Supplement will help my body cells

 The allergy shots will come with some side effects and some risks. The doctor has informed me that the side effects could be like my typical seasonal allergy symptoms. The doctor said taking an antihistamine medication before getting my allergy shot can reduce the risk of a reaction. There may also be some more severe reactions to the allergy shot treatment. So I will have to stay at the doctor's for 30 minutes after I get the allergy injections. If I do have a reaction, the doctor's facility will have the medicines to help me but again these risks are rare. Below are the risks that may occur.

- Local reactions, can involve redness, swelling, or irritation at the injection site. These common reactions typically begin within a few hours of the injection and clear up soon after.

- Systemic reactions, which are less common — but potentially more serious. You may develop sneezing, nasal congestion, or hives. More-severe reactions may include throat swelling, wheezing, or chest tightness.

- Anaphylaxis is a rare life-threatening reaction to allergy shots. It can cause low blood pressure and trouble breathing. Anaphylaxis often begins within 30 minutes of the injection, but sometimes starts later than that.

 So I am doing several things to best prepare my body for the allergy shots. I have decided to do my exercise indoors on my elliptical, that way I minimize my exposure to the outdoor allergens which are also asthma triggers. I also have been being very careful with my diet. I have been focusing on not only eating a healthy diet but also staying away from my food allergies. That way my body is better prepared for the allergy treatment effects. I have also started taking BEAM Mineral Supplements. 

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals  

  These plant-based minerals will also better prepare my body for allergy shots and help my body recover after the allergy shot treatments. BEAM Minerals are a unique supplement that aids body cells. Your body has 37 trillion cells and every single cell needs minerals to function. BEAM Minerals help your body cells perform better. Read more about BEAM Minerals HERE.

Join me on my journey with allergy shots

 I will be documenting my experience with allergy shots on Mom Knows Best and on my social media channels. This experience will be all new to me so I am not sure how my body will react. I will be talking about the good and the bad of receiving allergy shots. Since I will be receiving the shots every two weeks, I may do some mini-posts after every allergy shot doctor appointment or I may do a post once a month. It all depends on my time and what I am experiencing.

 When I was deciding on if allergy shots were right for me and if allergy shots could help my asthma, I found very little information from other patients. I had so many unanswered questions about receiving the allergen shots. So I knew that I needed to help others with my experience with receiving allergy shots. I remembered many years ago when my youngest son was going to have surgery for tonsil removal and not finding answers to my questions. I wrote about my son's tonsillectomy HERE. This information has helped many other parents with their questions about Tonsillectomy procedures and recovery. I look at my writing as the power of one. If I only have helped one person, then I have done my job.

UPDATE: Check out my first allergy shot appointment experience here and the side effects that I experienced

UPDATE: Do Allergy Shots Work? ~ My Personal Experience

What questions do you have about allergy shots?

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals

What Are The Benefits of BEAM Minerals For Mold Sickness + Discount Coupon

 Five years ago, I started on a health journey starting with out-of-control asthma to discovering food allergies. Then we discovered mold in my house. I have had my ups and downs with my health. I am thankful for the supplements that have helped me heal.

 Looking back at the past five years with my health issues has been quite eye-opening. From turning 50 and thinking that old age was the reason for my struggles with exercise to out-of-control asthma, which left me unable to sleep. Then I discovered, through a food elimination diet, that I was allergic to milk products. A food allergy blood test and a lactose test confirmed that my lactose issue was a dairy allergy. Once I eliminated all dairy from my diet, I was able to manage my asthma naturally without any prescription medications. I still had asthma issues but I did not have the struggling-to-breathe issues or an all-day asthmatic cough.

Keep reading to learn more and discover a plant-based mineral supplement that is helping my body heal.

The Pandemic of 2020 forced me to stay at home as all the chemical cleaners and hand sanitizers were big asthma triggers. Then as things began to get back to a new normal, we discovered mold in our house as we were doing some home renovations. The mold was discovered as we were doing a bathtub-to-shower conversion. 

What is Mold Sickness - How To Remove Mold From The Body 

 Since I am allergic to mold, the mold in the house made me very sick. The mold made me have severe asthma symptoms and caused me to be tired all the time. I was also having concentration problems. Many of these mold symptoms were happening before we discovered the mold in the walls. I just did not make the connection until after the mold was discovered.

It took several weeks for the mold remediation team to get the mold out of our home and during this time, my family stayed in a hotel. We also had to remove the water heater, as the mold was behind it

  Just as we got the safe report from the mold remediation experts, we discovered a gas leak. The plumbers did not re-install the water heater correctly.  My lungs were very inflamed from all of these problems. 

Then I almost died

 Several days after moving back home, I woke up struggling to breathe. It was then that I discovered that my dairy allergy became life-threatening. I had dipped my hands in a bowl of milk before I went to bed. I had made the mistake of cutting jalapenos without gloves and my hands were burning. All of the other home remedies were not working so I tried the milk remedy, not thinking about my milk allergy.

 Dipping my hands in the milk triggered my milk allergy and that closed my throat up. Thankfully, my inhaler helped me as well as other medication. That was a night that I will never forget, I thought I was going to die that night. 

Sponsored post with BEAM Minerals

I made an appointment with an allergy specialist

 An allergy doctor's appointment revealed that my lungs were traumatized from the mold. I also had allergy testing and discovered that I was allergic to many other things like plants, weeds, trees, and cats. At the allergist's advice, I signed up for allergy shots. I also did some treatments to heal my lungs naturally. 

 One of the natural treatments was adding Beam plant-based minerals to my daily supplements. The BEAM Minerals have amazing benefits that are helping my body recover from my past health problems.

What Are the Benefits of BEAM Minerals?

 I discovered BEAM Minerals a couple months ago at a health conference. After listening to the speaker speak about how a plant-based mineral supplement helped her regain her health after many years of sickness, I knew that I had to give these minerals a try. The plant-based minerals help her body heal when the many other conventional treatments could not help her. I knew that I needed these minerals made from plants to help my body detox the mold and help with my recovery.

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals

What are BEAM Minerals?

 BEAM Minerals are plant-based bioavailable supplements. The BEAM Mineral Advanced Electrolyte & Micronutrient Support Set, that I received, provides a full spectrum of electrolytes, trace minerals, micronutrients, amino acids, and some B-vitamins, in a 100% bioavailable, ionized format. The BEAM Minerals are a powerful combination of Electrolytes and Micronutrient Support. These minerals contain important cellular nutrition and detoxification support in a liquid format that is easy to take. The mineral supplements taste like water. 

BEAM Minerals are a unique supplement that aids body cells. Your body has 37 trillion cells and every single cell needs minerals to function. BEAM Minerals help your body cells perform better. 

The two main ingredients of the BEAM products are completely natural, plant-based fulvic and humic complexes. 

- Fulvic complexes ~ provide important transportation for nutrients into the cells and bio-waste and toxins out of the cells. Fulvic complexes boost the metabolism and provide exceptional immune system support.

- Humic complexes ~ are the champion of antioxidants! They collect free radicals and bio-waste, bind with heavy metals, and provide important detoxification support by carrying these unwanted elements out of the body. 

-100% Plant-Sourced: BEAM Minerals electrolytes and minerals come from ancient plant deposits and are available to the cells in the form Mother Nature intended.

- 100% Bioavailable: BEAM Minerals electrolytes and minerals are 100% dissolved, making them immediately bioavailable . . . so they go to work as soon as you ingest them.

- 100% Pure: The plant-based fulvic complexes in BEAM Minerals supplements are extracted via a unique proprietary process that preserves the integrity of the precious electrolytes. Absolutely no chemicals are used . . . Ever!

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals 

BEAM Minerals helped my body detox from mold exposure

 When I started the BEAM Mineral supplements in December, my body was still recovering from the mold exposure, that I experienced last fall. The minerals, made from plants, help my body detox the mold from my body. It takes tons of fresh vegetables to make this unique mineral supplement from BEAM Minerals. When compared to juicing, these plant minerals have amazing nutrition in them. The plants for the minerals are grown in healthy dirt which is loaded with billions of healthy microbes.

 BEAM Minerals were so easy to take on a daily basis, as they have great taste. Some days I drank the BEAM Minerals from a small measuring cup and other days I added the plant-based minerals to my smoothie. The minerals really had no taste to them and were simple to add to my other daily supplements and vitamins. In fact, taking the BEAM Minerals with my vitamins and other supplements increased their effectiveness of them! The minerals helped the other supplements get into the cells in my body so they could use the nutrients in a more effective way. 

 What appealed to me most about these plant minerals were their many health benefits like supporting natural detoxification and helping with inflammation. These minerals from plants have many other benefits but these were the ones that stood out to me. The Beam Minerals are also 100% Bioavailable so they go to work as soon as you ingest them. I really liked that they came from plant sources and were not chemically sourced from salts, rocks, chalk, and eggshells, like other mineral supplements. The human body doesn't easily assimilate elements like eggshells!

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals 

The results of taking BEAM Minerals for a month

When I started the daily BEAM mineral supplements, I was still having an asthmatic cough at night and it was interfering with my sleep. By the end of the month, I was no longer coughing and sleeping through the night. I also no longer needed to use my essential oil inhaler before I exercised. 

 These minerals played an important part in my healing as they helped my cells detox all the stuff like mold. So I knew that the minerals would be beneficial to my body cells during my allergy shot treatments. These minerals will basically help body cells use the nutrients and supplements that you intake. Then in return help, the cells take the waste out. Minerals are body cell helpers and keep your body cells healthy. I like to think of BEAM Minerals as Mother Nature's cell transporters and janitors.

 One can eat plenty of healthy food and take supplements but if your body cells are not healthy, the cells can not use the nutrition When your body cells are healthy, they can take in the good things that you are giving your body. That is where BEAM Minerals comes in. These awesome minerals made from plants help your cells become healthy. Everyone can benefit from taking minerals as our bodies need them to function properly.

You need to head to the BEAM Mineral website to see all the different benefits that these plant-based minerals offer the body. Minerals can benefit even a body that is healthy as they will help the cells get their nutrients and take the waste out. So I encourage you to learn more about Beam Minerals and make them part of your healthy year plan.

Use code MOMKNOWSBEST to save 20% on BEAM Minerals 

Follow me on my allergy shot experience

 As part of my healing, I will be starting an allergy shot treatment plan. When I went to the allergy doctor, I had allergy testing done. The allergy shots revealed that I am highly allergic to many plants, weeds, trees, and dust mites. These allergies are causing some of my asthma attacks in addition to other asthma triggers like my food and mold allergies. So the allergist recommended allergy shots for the plants and dust mites. This will help my lungs be less inflamed which in return will help reduce my asthma symptoms.

The allergy shots will be 4 shots twice a month for 6 months for the build-up phase and then once a month for 4 years for the maintenance phase. You can read more about the allergy shots HERE. My body will be getting exposed to the things that I am allergic to so that will be tough on my body. So I will also be taking the BEAM Minerals during the 6-month build-up phase as they will be super beneficial for my body. I will be documenting my allergy shot treatments for the next 6 months on Mom Knows Best, Facebook, and Instagram. If the allergy shots are successful, I will not be allergic to those allergens anymore! The 6 months may be rough but it will be worth it if it helps my asthma symptoms to diminish.