Sunday 7 April 2013

STYLING YOUR HOUSE TO MEET YOUR MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

This is a topic not often talked about, but I think is very important. It came upon me while I was educating/ counselling and asthmatic. It's just not enough to go or take your child to the hospital every week to collect more anti-allergens or anti -asthmatic medications when your have animal furs littering your space or a wall-to-wall carpeting. We need to be empowered with knowledge of how to do the right thing.

As a medical practitioner, this is a topic very dear to my heart and I thought, maybe if I put it up here, I'll get to reach more people instead of waiting for the already affected folks to come through the door of my consulting room. As the old saying goes; "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE".

At the top of my list for people most affected are the asthmatics. They are the ones most affected by the environment ranging from elements of the weather; temperature (cold) to dusty places, smoke, fumes and soot; flowers (pollens); animals (fur and feather and feeds) e.t.c. The list is endless.  We all must have come across an asthmatic or know one personally. We know how it gets when they are unable to breathe. the mechanism of action of how asthmatic attack occur, I won't bother to bore you with. Bottomline, Asthma is a very serious health problem if not properly managed.

What do you take into consideration when you are or have an asthmatic in the house?
1) Kitchen: Do you have an air vent above your cooking area? the vent helps to remove fumes from frying as you cook. Multiple windows to aid ventilation. If you use a stove instead of a gas cooker, make sure the patient isn't nearby when it is been put off.


Kitchen Vent


2) Flooring: It is advisable to use ceramic tiles of hardwood floors. None of the wall- to-wall carpeting no matter how good you think you vacuum cleaner is. In the tropics, it traps in dust particles and in temperate regions, it promotes the growth of the mold both of these conditions worsen the symptoms

Ceramic Floors
Hardwood Floors
















3) Ventilation: Again the need for good clean fresh air, because cold is a trigger factor, fresh air is preferred to air conditioning. If you are in specific geological zones that experience winter, then you do not need to be told to install a heater or temperature regulating system.
4) Animals: I know this will be a bit difficult as a lot of people like to keep pets, ranging from as little as a hamster to a big dog. What you must think about is to weigh the risk of keeping the animal against the benefit of letting it go. If the animal must stay, then maybe a specific part of the house be mapped out for it e.g. a dog can have a dog house outside the house, appropriate cleaning of litter boxes for cats and so on
5) Flowers: Flowers are absolutely gorgeous! but for an asthmatic they could spell "danger". If possible, all flowers should be outside the main building.
6) Roofing: Asbestos are a huge problem. If leaving in an apartment building, don't opt for the topmost floor, choose one that has concrete decking

Wood ceiling

P.O.P

P.O.P








Other cases include people using wheelchairs, hypertensives, obesity e.t.c
If you are hypertensive, instead of gracing your coffee table or dinner table with salt and pepper shakers,try a bowl of fruits. As you know, there is a saying; an apple a day keeps the doctor away. There is no use adding salt to your meals after they have been cooked. Salt causes fluid retention which in turn raises your blood pressure.
Fruit Bowl










For an obese individual, apart from dieting you would also be needing exercise. You need to either get to the gym or create one in your home. Turn your basement or garage or maybe a part of it to a mini gym so you get to exercise every time without going out. Fruits also help you reduce the amount of caloric intake, so you'd also be needing that fruit bowl knock off the candy jar.



Treadmill
Cycler
Dumbbells and Balls


If you are or have someone on a wheelchair, you need to live in a house without much stairs or be on the ground floor of the building. Even with that in mind, the entire floor can't be of all same levels, so create mini-ramps to aid easy movement around the home.

Ramp

If you read this and love it, then feel free to recommend it to friends and family. Cheers!

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