In Class IX, I discovered that my body was changing, and so was my tolerance towards a number of things. It started innocently, but then, one day, when I clutched at my chest, unable to breathe, trying to ease up my constricted throat, it was a painful realization that I didn’t then think I wanted to endure again.
Alas! That started my constant battle with asthma and a number of steroids which I quit at the age of 25. I told myself that if I had to die, I would do it without all these steroids inside me. I would do it on my own.
Eight years down the line, I’m still standing, and I have to admit, I still carry my inhaler at places where I know the pollution is high, or there’s too much dust, but otherwise, the asthma has sort of eased up. This is specifically because of a few changes I brought into my home, which really helped.
- I stopped my dad from smoking around me. Sure, this means I don’t get to passive smoke, and he’s banished to the stairs when he smokes, but well, he has realized that it is for me, and he doesn’t mind.
- I made sure my room had proper ventilation. I picked the room with the highest number of windows that was as open as possible, and I open the doors and windows in the night to let fresh air circulate properly. Also, until and unless its absolutely necessary, I tend to keep my windows open and I don’t use the air conditioning system in my room much.
- I have my cleaning lady clean up my room every single day. This is non-negotiable. If she doesn’t come, I do the dusting and mopping. More than dusting, cleaning the floors and ledges with a wet cloth works, because the dust particles cling to it and is eliminated thus.
- At least three times a year, I take the time out to shuffle the furniture in the room. This way, the nooks and crannies which I cannot reach normally are exposed, and I clean that up. Of course, I ALWAYS wear protective gear (and consume anti-allergenic medication before tacking that).
- One other thing I always dust up are my books. My book collection is considerable, and dust gets collected easily there. In fact, I feel that dust to old books is like moth to a flame – its a fatal attraction. So, the best thing to do is to wear a mask on your face and tackle the books with a brush. It is a painful task, but it really helps.
Of course, there are other methods too. For example, did you know Asian Paints Royal Atmos is a paint that can reduce air pollution at home? It also has the ability to absorb myriad strange odor and increase the freshness of the air inside your home. In short, its the perfect companion if you are asthmatic like me.
Disclaimer: This post has been made in association with Asian Paints. For more, follow the hashtag #CleanAirBeautifulHomes on social media.
