We can’t believe we missed this video on YouTube, especially since it has about a quarter of a million views already! This is a special National Geographic did on bed bugs. It’s very informative, so enjoy!

Not sure which over-the-counter medications to buy? Pharmacologist Joe Graedon from “The People’s Pharmacy” shares some of his wisdom about allergy treatments that you can find at the grocery store.

It’s time to kick back and go on vacation, but are you gonna let allergies ruin your trip? As you may already know form experience, hotel rooms can be a hot bed for allergens. Here’s a great list of ways to make your hotel room allergy free, from the Allergy Buyer’s Club:

1. Very few hotels have “green rooms” but it’s worth asking. Green rooms carry less allergen than traditional rooms. They are specially equipped with hardwood floors rather than carpets, blinds rather than drapes, hypoallergenic bedding, and allergy free dust mite encasings.

2. Get a non-smoking room and if you are allergic to pets, a room that has not had pets stay in it.

3. Take a spray along to kill the mold and remove the dust in the air conditioning system. I recommend “Filter Plus”, available at Home Depot.

4. Ask that the air conditioner filter be changed before you arrive.

5. Hotel room a little dry? Throw a few wet towels around, or turn on the shower to fill-up the room with steam and keep your sinuses moist. Keep using your saline spray frequently. We don’t recommend asking the hotel for a humidifier - many of them only spray around ugly bacteria.

6. Allergic to dust mites? Take your own dust mite pillow encasings with you. You might try taking your own allergy free pillow if you travel by car.

7. If you are allergic to mold, do not get a room near the swimming pool- it is likely to have a higher concentration of mold spores.

8. Ask the hotel to provide you with a hypoallergenic, feather free pillow.

9. Ask that the room not be sprayed with scented air freshening sprays before you arrive.

According to Dr. Clifford Bassett, the dark circles beneath your eyelids are directly related to allergies and inflamed sinuses. How do you prevent them this allergy season?

Dr. Basset says:

The best way to prevent this is to choose your parents wisely! No joke, allergies are generally inherited from our parents and when they affect us we need to act and get proper treatment, which in many cases will improve the “shiners.” Allergy injections, medications and sinus care may provide relief, allowing your dark circles to lessen.

Another strategy that helps is to place a cool compress at the end of a long work day over your eyes, too. Also, gently irrigating your eyelids once a day with tear-free shampoo can assist in removing airborne pollutants and those pesky seasonal allergens thus lessening your “allergic shiners.”

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Americans spent $11 billion on doctors’ bills, prescription drugs and other allergy treatments in 2005. That’s an average of $500 per person.

In 2000, Americans spent only $6 billion on allergies—nearly half of the 2005 figure. The question is, how much of the increase has to do with an increase in allergies, and how much has to do with a rise in prices? In both 2000 and 2005, popular medications such as Zyrtec and Claritin were strictly prescription drugs. Now, the two are over the counter—our guess is that there will be a significant increase in spending evident whenever they do the study next.

Brian Humphries experienced such a bad bed bug infestation in his Denver, Colorado, apartment that he was able to fill a quart-sized Ziploc bag. He shared the evidence with his landlord who took two weeks to address the problem. According to Humphries, the problem never went away.

Five months later, Jackie Howe moved into the same complex, also suffering an infestation. She claims that she was never told of the preexisting problem—the Denver Environmental Health department had three complaints from that complex prior to her moving in.

The complex is run by Shockcor, Inc., which owns and maintains many properties in the Denver Metro area. Well, it looks like Shockcor is in for a shocker—the Denver Daily News is all over the story.

The summer is back, as we’ve already mentioned several times during the past two weeks, but we’ve taken little time to talk about how that effects your risk of bed bug infestation. Have any travel plans? Well, these unwelcome travelers can very easily find their way from your hotel room to your luggage to your home if you don’t take some precautions.

Here are some tips we stumbled upon on the Web:

• Survey for signs of an infestation, such as dark brown or red spots on sheets.
• Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots, including the mattress, headboard and furniture. Bed bugs are nocturnal and tend to hide near their food source—you!
• Elevate your belongings on a luggage rack away from the bed and wall, where bed bugs often hide behind headboards, picture frames and electrical outlet panels.
• Examine your luggage while repacking and when you return home. Remember, bed bugs are only 3/16 of an inch and can easily fit in cracks and crevices.
• Professionals can treat these resilient pests, which are extremely difficult to kill and can survive extreme temperatures.

So, how the allergies treating you so far? Unless you got our previous posts about how to control your allergies this allergy season, probably not too great. That said, here are some more summer allergy tips, a la HealthNewsDigest.com:

• If you stay in air-conditioned areas with windows closed, you may reduce your symptoms. Be aware that symptoms will flare up the moment you go outside and may remain with you for the rest of the day.

• Window air-conditioning units are useful in filtering out large, airborne pollen particles. If you are allergic to pollen it is recommended to run the air-conditioner as much as possible during the warm-weather months. If you use an air conditioner, keep it clean. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems harbor moisture, mold and dust.

• If you suffer from mild symptoms, over-the-counter antihistamines will help for a few hours. Caution should be taken because they may cause drowsiness. Driving and operating heavy machinery should be avoided. Occasionally, older men develop urination problems when taking antihistamines.

• If you need more relief, over-the-counter antihistamines combined with a decongestant can relieve symptoms, but read the package for health warnings. Individuals who take multiple medications, and those with chronic medical issues like hypertension or prostate problems, should consult a physician.

• If you are concerned about your symptoms, please see your physician. In almost all instances, identifying allergic sensitivities and tailoring treatment with prescription drugs, nasal sprays, eye drops, non-sedating antihistamines or allergy shots, or specific allergen avoidance can help alleviate symptoms.

Here’s an informative, hilariously corny video about the dangers of letting your children play on the carpet — home to 100,000 to 10,000,000 dreaded dust mites. It’s actually an ad for a children’s double-decker play table, but there’s much to learn from their message!

Watch the video!