Sensitive Choice

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  • The blue butterfly

    • What is the Sensitive Choice blue butterfly?
    • About Sensitive Choice
    • Expert panel
    • A global program
    • Contact us
  • Asthma first aid

  • Asthma & allergies

    • Living with Asthma & Allergies
    • Know your triggers
    • Creating a healthy home
    • News
    • FAQs
  • Concerns

    • Air quality
    • Asthma and allergy
    • Building and renovating
    • Cleaning
    • Hay fever
    • Healthy home
    • Healthy living
    • Indoor humidity
    • Weather events
    • All concerns
  • Products & services

    • Air Treatment
    • Babies and children's products and services
    • Bedroom
    • Building and renovating
    • Cleaning
    • Flooring
    • Furniture
    • Health and personal care
    • Indoor environmental control
    • Laundry appliances
    • Vacuum & deep cleaners
    • Water Filtration
    • All products & services
  • Partnerships

    • For business
    • Why join us?
    • How to join
    • Expression of interest
    • Marketing tools
    • Our partners

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Home / FAQ

FAQ’s

Find answers to frequently asked questions about our program or living with asthma and allergies.

If you have any other questions, please contact us.

How do I know which product is best for me?

We can’t tell you whether a product will help in your individual circumstances, or which approved products or services might suit you best.

Our expert panel reviews products and services to determine whether they have a potential benefit to people with asthma and allergies before they can be approved to carry the Sensitive Choice blue butterfly. This does not mean comparing against other competitor products or that the approved product is better than similar products.

Should I avoid milk and other dairy products?

No, unless you have a specific dairy allergy. The ‘milk myth’ – the idea that milk makes mucous or dairy triggers asthma – has been busted by scientists for some time. Cow’s milk and other dairy foods very rarely trigger asthma symptoms in people without milk allergy.

Eating a well-balanced diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about food reactions.

Will moving somewhere else help my asthma or allergies?

Moving to another suburb, city or even state is a big step and may not have as much impact on your asthma or allergies as you hope.

Everyone has different triggers, however people with asthma and allergies often have an underlying allergic sensitivity called atopy. For example, if you are allergic to grasses and pollens, you might have fewer symptoms on first moving from an inland region to a coastal area.

However, over time you might develop sensitivities to triggers in your new environment, such as dust mites.
Before making such a move, speak to your doctor or asthma educator about your concerns. There may be some simple steps you can take in your current home.

How do I recognise a Sensitive Choice approved product, and what does that mean for me?

Look for the blue butterfly symbol on the packaging of a product you are purchasing or on the manufacturers website.

The blue butterfly means that the approved products and services have gone through a rigorous review process by an independent panel of experts to ascertain there may be a potential benefit to someone with asthma or allergies.

What is the best air purifier on the market? Will it stop my asthma and allergy symptoms during spring and/or bushfire season?

There is no one simple answer to this question, all air purifiers are made slightly differently with different features and designed for different sized rooms, so the answer is that it depends on your needs.

What is important when purchasing an air purifier is to make sure it has a HEPA 13 or equivalent filter along with an activated carbon filter, as these filters will help to remove pollen, dust mites, pet hair as well as gasses and other particulates from the air.

Understanding what your specific triggers are and the size of the room you want to put the machine into, will help you to pick the most suitable air purifier for your needs.

How can I be sure that Sensitive Choice products will help my asthma and allergies?

Each Sensitive Choice approved product or service has gone through a rigorous review process by a Panel of Experts and been proven to offer a potential benefit to those with asthma or allergies.

However, asthma and allergy triggers are different for everyone, even people within the same family, so it is very important to consult with a medical professional to work out your triggers, and put effective plans in place to remove those triggers from your home.

What is the difference between an air purifier, steriliser, humidifier and dehumidifier?

Although air purifiers, sterilisers, humidifiers and dehumidifiers all fall under the air treatment category, each product has a different function.

Air purifiers purify or clean your air, removing pollens, dust, pet hair and other particles from the air, some purifiers also have activated carbon filters which will filter our gasses and other smells.

Air sterilisers do everything an air purifier does as well as help to remove bacteria and viruses from the the air, effectively sterilising the air in your home.

Humidifiers add moisture to the air in your home; however these devices are only recommended in very dry environments, adding too much moisture can lead to mould growth.

Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from your home and are great for very humid conditions where there is mould growth or condensation on your windows.

Looking to get your product or service approved by the blue butterfly?

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  • The Blue Butterfly

    • What is the Sensitive Choice blue butterfly?

    • About Sensitive choice

    • Expert panel

    • A global program

    • Contact us

  • Asthma & allergies

    • Living with asthma & allergies

    • Know your triggers

    • Creating a healthy home

    • News

    • FAQs

  • Concerns

    • Air quality

    • Asthma and allergy

    • Building and renovating

    • Cleaning

    • Hay fever

    • Healthy home

    • Healthy living

    • Indoor humidity

    • Weather events

    • All concerns

  • Products & services

    • Air Treatment

    • Babies and children's products and services

    • Bedroom

    • Building and renovating

    • Cleaning

    • Flooring

    • Furniture

    • Health and personal care

    • Indoor environmental control

    • Laundry appliances

    • Vacuum & deep cleaners

    • Water Filtration

    • All products & services

  • Partnerships

    • For business

    • Why join us?

    • How to join

    • Expression of interest

    • Marketing tools

    • Our partners

Sensitive Choice is a program of the National Asthma Council Australia.
National Asthma Council Australia 2023.

Suite 104, Level 1,
153-161 Park Street
South Melbourne VIC 3205

(03) 9929 4333

[email protected]

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