Case Studies

Happy Families breathe easy

Gary is a mechanic who suffers from asthma. Until recently he was using an inhaler twice a day and was particularly susceptible to attacks during the night, especially when the weather was muggy. As a result he was sleeping extremely erratically and was prone to panic when his chest tightened at night. This year for the first time, Gary also suffered from hayfever, and was worried that his allergies were on the increase.

His partner Carla sprayed their bedroom, bed and soft furnishings with Health Guard’s Total Hygiene DM•1 five weeks ago and since then Gary has only had to use his inhaler twice and his hayfever symptoms have subsided. As a result of this improvement, Gary is sleeping far better and has stopped worrying about his breathing problems at night.

This week he was able to resume his hobby of paintballing, which he had abandoned because of his breathing difficulties, and did not even need to resort to his inhaler!

More than scratching the surface

Gary is not the only one to stop worrying about his breathing, Carla too is able to have an undisturbed night now that she can stop listening to Gary fighting for breath next to her.

As if this was not enough to concern her, Carla, who is training to be a nurse, suffers from eczema, and as a result of her trying to help Gary’s asthma by treating their bedroom with DM1, she has noticed that her own skin condition has also diminished. She has noted this improvement despite the fact that she is stressed out trying to arrange a wedding, start university, deal with two children aged 5 and 2, and organise a holiday – all of which would normally exacerbate her eczema.

Many families have a genetic predisposition to allergies and Carla and Garry’s daughter Charlotte is also affected by eczema. For this reason, Carla also treated her daughter’s bedroom with Health Guard’s Total Hygiene DM•1 and within days Carla noticed that her condition had improved considerably, and continues to do so day by day.

Not to be sniffed at!

After Corinne Wright’s baby was born seven years ago she suffered a series of blows to her health. One of the most debilitating was the onset of chronic allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. She was forced to undergo a Rhinoplasty operation and then another corrective operation to rectify the damage to her nasal cartilage caused by the first operation, neither of which alleviated her condition at all. From that day to six weeks ago, she has had to take large doses of steroids, antibiotics, antihistamines and nasal sprays to try and suppress her symptoms. In fact she worked out that last year she had 10 courses of 12 steroids and began to dread the autumn when typically her condition steadily worsened.

A process of elimination revealed that Corinne is extremely allergic to house dust mite as well as chemical household sprays. She had gone to great lengths to eliminate the dreaded house dust mite, however her large house is covered in old carpet that she cannot afford to replace. She was therefore spending a fortune on having them chemically cleaned on a regular basis, however the chemical solution to the problem was actually exacerbating her condition. In addition to which she was cleaning her bedroom, airing her bed and turning her mattress every day but found the process to the daily suppression techniques time consuming and exhausting.

A friend suggested that she tried a new product called Total Hygiene DMI from HealthGuard‰ and that was several months ago now. She has noticed an almost immediate improvement in her condition and can now go to bed without her nose running and can lie in bed without constantly snivelling, which as she wryly commented “has improved my relationship no end”. She no longer needs to use her nasal sprays and has not had a prescription for steroids since.

Corrine feels that DMI has made a huge difference to her life. Before using it her immune system was constantly compromised and she felt permanently exhausted as a result of her condition, yet after a few full nights sleep and without the large numbers of drugs in her system, she is able to attack life with renewed vigour.

“I was wary of the product at first as I am so allergic to cleaning chemicals and household sprays, but I was reassured that it is created using organic chemistry and suitable for even the most sensitive people. I can’t tell you what fantastic stuff this is and I would truly recommend it to anyone who suffers from allergic rhinitis, as it has been a real godsend for me! I must be saving the NHS a fortune in repeat prescriptions.

Ear today, gone tomorrow

“It has been recognised by doctors that chronic perennial allergic rhinitis combined with chronic otitis media (glue ear) may be caused by an allergy to the house dust mite. House dust mite allergens are a contributing factor in vulnerable patients … often children.1,2”.

Glue ear is a common problem among young children, particularly those aged between two and five years. The condition occurs when sticky fluid collects in the ear and causes a blockage in the Eustachian tube - the one that connects the ear to the throat. “The nose is connected to the ear by the Eustachian tube. The function of this tube is to help balance the air pressure on the inside of the eardrum. It also drains away any fluids produced by the ear itself. The tube becomes dysfunctional when blocked by mucus from the nose, causing the air in the middle ear to be trapped. This trapped air is replaced by a sticky secretion, which adheres to the small bones that are essential for hearing. This effect may lead to degrees of deafness. The condition is referred to as 'glue ear'. It is important to identify allergy to house dust mites so that it can be treated. 3, 4”

If left untreated, glue ear can result in permanent loss of hearing. According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), around 5 per cent of children get recurrent glue ear.

The symptoms of the condition are often difficult to detect. However, the most common is that the child fails to develop expected levels of language and speech, due to loss of hearing. As a result, children with glue ear can often display behavioural problems because of the frustration of not being able to hear properly.

Scientists at St George’s Medical School have discovered that the pathogens in dust mite excrement, bacteria, mould and fungi, cause allergic reactions in humans. Dust mites are arachnids, members of the spider family, that live in our mattresses, carpets, curtains and soft furnishings and which feed on the skin cells we shed. They leave excrement-containing pathogens everywhere they go. The average bed harbours 2 million dust mites and the average six-year-old pillow may owe 10% of its weight to dust mites and their waste as well as mould and mildew!

Total Hygiene DM1, which is launched this week, is a new proactive method of prevention and independent tests have shown this product created using organic chemistry to be at least 99% effective at eliminating the invasion and stopping the re-infestation of dust mites. The product has been acknowledged by the International Asthma Foundation and the Allergy Research Foundation as it dramatically reduces dust mites colonies, mould, bacteria, and fungus. As a result, common household odours emanating from infested articles are also cut significantly. DM1 also creates a durable barrier that prevents re infestation for up to six months by preventing microbial growth and denying the dust mites’ food source.

Because DM1 also completely removes microbial growth it can be used to protect mattresses of even the most sensitive individuals, by preventing the build up of bacteria, mould and fungi.

DM1 is applied to mattresses, carpets, curtains, sofas, and soft furnishings. The article will remain protected for up to six months, after which you simply reapply for continuing protection. DM1 is created using organic chemistry, environmentally friendly, user friendly and biodegradable. It is neither an irritant nor sensitising. Total Hygiene TM1 costs £14.99 a can and is exclusively available from Healthguard via its website www.HealthGuardTM.com. For more information, telephone 020 8343 9911.

1. Fireman P. ‘Allergy and Allergic Diseases’ Blackwell Science 1997;2 Otitis Media: Chapter 104. Edited by Kay A.B.
2. Meltzer E.O.,Orgel H.A., Jalowayski A.A., ‘Histamine levels and nasal cytology in children with chronic otitis media and rhinitis’. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: May 1995 :74;406-410
3. Naclerio R, Solomon W. ‘Rhinitis and Inhalant Allergens’ JAMA Dec 10 1997 278;No.22:1842-1848
4. Brostoff J, Gamlin L. ‘The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance’ Bloomsbury 1992 ISBN 0-7475-1260-4