If you don’t experience food or any type of allergy yourself, there’s a pretty good chance you know someone who does. 

More than 15 million people have food allergies, and that number is on the rise: according to some reports, food allergies have doubled between 1997 and 2011. Currently, 1 in 13 children is affected (that’s almost two children in every classroom in the country and nearly $ 25 billion in healthcare costs per year). 

Some people eventually outgrow food allergies, but for those who don’t, there is currently no cure – only constant maintenance, such as strict eating habits and relentless vigilance. 

Shopping and cooking around an allergy are tough enough. Not to mention we’re simply not in control of how our food is made or how our waters are bottled. While some eateries list potential allergens, it’s not a given. And if they don’t know what’s in their food, how can we?  

In either case, you’d know that living with any sort of allergy isn’t easy. That said, you always have to keep your guard up and watch what you drink or eat. 

From mould, dust, and pollen to certain types of food- you likely have to deal with a variety of allergens. The good news is that you’re not alone in all this – allergies are the sixth most prevalent cause of chronic diseases in the U.S, which means that living a healthy life despite having an allergy isn’t that hard, after all. 

What’s more, modern technology has simplified the development of various innovative solutions that make it easier to manage or avoid allergies. From smart water filters, pollen tracking systems and digital inhalers – you now have access to a broad range of tech innovations to fight allergies. 

In this post, we’ll delve into various useful applications of new-age technology that help people manage allergies. 

Air Purifiers 

Air pollutants aren’t just traffic smog or factory smoke. Pet dander, dust mites, spores, pollen, and mould in the air inside your home can lead to severe problems if your family has asthma or allergies. Using HEPA air filters can eliminate these pollutants and may help bring relief from your allergies.

High-efficiency particulate air filters work by pushing air through a fine net that traps harmful agents such as dust mites,  pet dander, pollen, and tobacco smoke

Finding and Using Air Filters

You can find HEPA filters in almost any air purifier. Usually, these are small, mobile units that work in a single room. If you are considering buying an air filter, make sure you learn about the amount of air that filter can clean.

Also, ensure you buy a filter that is large enough for the room you use the most. Typically, the best room for an air filter unit is your bedroom (the better the air, the restful the sleep will be). You can find HEPA filters in almost any online marketplace or improvement store.

Smart Water Filters

Although the local water suppliers do their utmost to make sure that the water delivered to our homes is drinkable enough, the millions of litres per day that processes are distributed through miles of pipes of various ages. There is a wide range of chemicals that may be found in drinking water supplies, chemicals like Chlorine that can destroy vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids, along with intestinal gut flora that helps with digestion; rust, lead and fluorine.

In most cases, the idea that chemicals we found in tap water can aggravate allergies is often overlooked. If you consider having allergies to tap water it’s normally down to the fluoride or Chlorine in the water coming out of your tap. Fluoride and Chlorine are classified as irritants, and enough exposure can lead to sensitiveness in people who are susceptible -those dealing with asthma, allergies and eczema.

Levels of fluoridation and chlorination can vary drastically from region to region; you might find you have problems at a relative or a friend’s house, but the problem at your house is not as severe.

Choosing to filter your tap water can drastically reduce the volume of fluoride and Chlorine and provide you with a valuable and feasible solution. If you want clean, great-tasting tap water and alleviate your allergy symptoms at the same time, you can explore sites such as  www.filtersmart.com  for a range of water filtration products.

Websites & Mobile Applications 

Wouldn’t it be great to know every time a type of pollen is present in your neighbourhood before getting outside? Imagine how easy it'd be to choose the right time for spending a holiday in a foreign country.

When you live with an allergy, easy access to what you need when you need it can be important. Luckily a variety of seasonal allergy apps are here to tell when and where is the best time to plan your holidays. Smart apps like My Pollen Forecast or Plume Air Report can track pollen count to keep your allergies under control. Not only that, but these stylish apps check the air quality wherever you are or wherever you’re going and are well-designed to give you customized recommendations about the best time for your favourite outdoor activities, so you can keep pollution exposure to a minimum.

More websites that provide similar pollen forecast and data include Pollen.com, The Weather Channel, and National Bureau Pollen Counts.

These apps and websites offer a timely warning on pollen data and send a regular notification to take your allergy pills. Some mobile apps even allow people with allergies to record their symptoms and track their history of allergic reactions.

The advancement in sensor technology has also made it possible to design mobile food allergen detectors. As such, they allow you to scan a small food sample and find out whether it contains any allergens such as peanuts or gluten.

The use of these pollen tracking websites and apps can go a long way to help people who suffer from pollen allergies.