VITAL NEWS
Oh, Christmas Tree!
Keep your holiday tree free of allergy-irritating mold spores.
12/2007
The discovery was made recently by researchers at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn., who measured mold counts in a room with a Christmas tree for two weeks. The tree was decorated and placed ten feet from a heat source; the temperature in the room was between 65° and 68°F. For the first three days, mold counts in the Christmas tree room remained at 800 spores per cubic meter of air. (Normal indoor air has a mold level of 500 to 700.) The number then began to climb steadily, reaching an astonishing 5,000 by day 14.
Why the rapid mold growth? Simple: Mold, a type of fungus, thrives in damp, dark environments and works to break up dead material, says study researcher Philip Hemmers, D.O. "A dead tree sitting in standing water surrounded by heat and humidity is a recipe for mold proliferation," he says.
Who does it affect? The incidences of mold allergy range from 6 to 24 percent in the general population and up to 80 percent among asthmatics, according to Hemmers. If you suffer from other allergies like pollen, it's quite possible you're sensitive to mold, adds Rebecca Gruchalla, M.D., Ph.D., chief of allergy at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.
Symptoms: Mold allergy symptoms are similar to other allergies, such as sneezing, itching, nasal discharge, throat irritation, congestion, headache, and dry skin. Mold spores can also reach the lungs and trigger asthma attacks, Gruchalla says.
But you can still have your tree and enjoy it, too. If you're a candidate for mold allergies, follow these tips:
Get it fresh: Go to a tree farm and cut it down yourself. Trees bought at a lot may be several days old, which gives mold a head start to develop, says Hemmers. Any type of tree is fine, although you may want to avoid Mt. Cedar, which pollinates from December to February and can affect people with pollen allergies, says Gruchalla.
Put it up later: The longer a tree is around, the more it can develop mold, so keep its appearance to a minimum. Put it up no more than a week before Christmas (or as close to the December 25 as possible). "As soon as allergy symptoms appear, it is time to get rid of the tree," says Hemmers.
Give it some air: Place your tree in a well-ventilated room to reduce mold mixing with the air. An air purifier can also help keep the area more spore-free.
Take it outside: Who says the tree has to be smack-dab in the middle of the living room? If you have a porch, consider placing it there as long as it can be in full view. It will cut down on your exposure, but not your viewing pleasure.
Consider artificial: Plastic trees aren't great for the environment but they don't have the mold issues that live ones do. A few precautions: When you put the tree away for the year (some trees come with ten-year warranties, and most can be used for many more years), store it in a tightly sealed plastic bag to keep away 12 months of dust, and don't leave it in a muggy basement or attic, which attracts—you guessed it—mold.
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