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 According to The Local, a new Swedish study shows that eating fish reduces the risk of developing allergies.
Researchers found that children who eat fish more than once a week are less likely to have allergies.
Earlier studies have suggested that eating fish may be a risk factor in developing allergies, but this study suggests otherwise.
"Fish is good food. There is nothing that we need to be worried about when it comes to allergies," says Inger Kull, a Stockholm nurse who took part in the study. "We don’t have specific information on what kind of fish the children ate. The hypothesis is that fatty fishes are most beneficial."
For more information about nutrition and allergies, see Nutrition for Allergy Sufferers and Foods That Aggravate Allergies & Foods That Fight Allergies.
Posted by Craig on Friday, November 30, 2007
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 Medical News Today reports that November 27 to December 2 is National Influenza Vaccination Week.
Since the flu is especially dangerous for people with asthma, the CDC recommends that all asthma sufferers get a flu shot.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has created a system so that asthma patients can easily locate flu shot clinics:
Find a Flu Clinic Near Your with AAFA's Flu Shot Finder
Note: People who are severely allergic to chicken eggs should not receive a flu vaccination shot.
Posted by Craig on Monday, November 26, 2007
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(Really. I'm not making this up. November is actually National Sleep Comfort Month.)
Apparently November is full of bizarre & unique holidays.
To ensure that you have a happy National Sleep Comfort Month this year, treat yourself to the most comfortable mattress available: a Tempur-Pedic® Sleep System.
If you've ever dreamed of owning a Tempur-Pedic® mattress,
now is the time to act.
Tempur-Pedic® prices are going up at the beginning of 2008.
If you haven't noticed, we've add several new Tempur-Pedic® mattresses to our offering in the past month.
As a Tempur-Pedic® Medical Division dealer, achoo! ALLERGY is in a unique position to offer The Pro-HealthCore Bed by Tempur-Pedic™; you cannot purchase this mattress at a regular retail mattress store. The Pro-HealthCore Bed by Tempur-Pedic™ was designed specifically for people with chronic back pain.
And the best part about TEMPUR® material: Dust mites cannot live in it!
Related Sleep articles:
Posted by Craig on Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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 Cade McDonald, CEO and founder of achoo! ALLERGY, was recently re-tested for allergies.
He stopped taking his immunotherapy allergy shots a couple of years ago because he developed a bad sinus infection (and it's not a good idea to receive allergy shots when you're very sick). McDonald was re-tested last week because he is considering trying the shots again.
In just two years, McDonald has actually become more sensitive to certain allergens - like the European cockroach. And, unfortunately, he's still allergic to dust mites,
pollen, pet dander, and mold.
Looking at the photo of his arm, you may think that allergy testing is a painful process.
"Not at all," says McDonald.
During an allergy test, the skin is barely pricked, and a small amount of allergen is introduced into the skin. If you have an allergy, redness and swelling will appear in the spot where the allergen was introduced. The reaction happens quickly, and results are usually available within 15 minutes after testing.
Allergy testing is very important for a couple of reasons. First, if you have severe allergies and you're considering getting allergy shots, your doctor will need to know your specific offending allergens before he or she can prepare the correct injectable serum. And, even if your allergies are not so severe, it helps to know your environmental allergens so that you can do everything possible to avoid them.
Different allergens require different environmental control measures.
If you're allergic to dust mites, for example, your first step in allergen avoidance should be to cover your mattress and pillows with Allergy Armor™. On the other hand, if you're allergic to pollen, you may first consider getting an air purifier, mask, HEPA vacuum cleaner, or window filter, depending on the location of your worst allergy attacks.
If you'd like to learn how to avoid your specific allergen(s), feel free to email me. I'll be glad to help.
Posted by Craig on Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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Mediabistro.com reports that part of the Fox News Channel newsroom contained evidence of bed bugs, and an exterminator was brought in late last week to treat the problem.
An employee of Fox News most likely unknowingly transported bed bugs into the newsroom.
Over the past few years, New York City and other metropolitan areas have seen an increase in bed bug outbreaks in hotels and apartments.
See Five Ways to Bite Back at Bed Bugs for more information about the pests.
(Photo: CDC)
Posted by Craig on Monday, November 19, 2007
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Several pharmaceutical companies had impressive exhibit booths at the 2007 ACAAI meeting in Dallas.
One of the more interesting booths was for Xolair, a medication to treat allergic asthma. Xolair works by blocking immunoglobulin E (IgE), an underlying cause of allergic asthma. Approximately 60% of asthma cases are mediated by IgE.
The Xolair "Air Xperience" was a 3-D, multimedia experience that allowed me to feel the chest tightness and difficult breathing that occur with asthma attacks.
As you can probably see from the photo, I wasn't very comfortable in the tight vest (I was really trying to smile) - and I had not yet stepped into the Air Xperience when the photo was taken.
Besides the vest, I also had to wear 3-D glasses. Once inside the Air Xperience booth, I watched a 3-D movie about allergic asthma. Whenever the main character had an allergic asthma attack - when a cat walked into the room, for instance - the vest got very tight around my chest (much like an arm cuff on a blood pressure machine), making it harder to breathe.
I was relieved to take off the vest, but I'm glad that I got to experience some of the discomfort of an asthma attack.
Visit www.xolair.com to learn more about the medication.
Visit The Asthma Solution Guide to learn more about asthma.
Posted by Craig on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
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I just got back from the 2007 meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in Dallas, Texas.
We had an achoo! ALLERGY booth in the exhibit hall to answer questions about Allergy Armor™ and other environmental control products. It was a great opportunity to interact with all the healthcare professionals who treat allergy sufferers across the nation.
To lighten the mood and give all the doctors a break from their busy routines, we decided to set up a contest for all the allergists in attendance: Guitar Hero: Rock of Allergy.
Congratulations to Dr. Michael Land of UCLA Medical Center! Dr. Land crushed the competition with his expert Guitar Hero skills. We'll be sending Dr. Land an Allergy Armor™ Ultra bedding package as his prize. Look for an interview with Dr. Land in the next issue of Allergy Consumer Report.
Here are some photos from the meeting:
Ashley Vinson & Khristina McClinic at the achoo! ALLERGY booth.
Dr. Land smiles after his prize-winning guitar solo.
Guitar Hero: Just what the doctor ordered.
Watch out for those dust mites!
Power Suit, Power Chords - Rock On!
We look forward to attending the 2008 ACAAI meeting in Seattle!
Posted by Cade on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
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 I just moved into a new home here in Atlanta and had to do quite a bit of remodeling. The floors were in really bad shape, and I decided to rip up the remaining carpet, pull up all the nails and tacks, sand the original wood floors, and refinish them. I am very happy with the results! Now the dust mites won't be able to hide in carpet!
If you decide to remodel your home, be sure to wear a mask (especially if you're sanding floors). Construction dust is particularly harmful to the lungs. You can also seal off rooms with plastic and work on them individually to prevent contaminating the air in the whole house.
I've been running an AllerAir VOCARB air purifier at my house since I started the remodeling, and it's done a great job of getting rid of that initial mildew odor plus the subsequent paint smells.
Ventilation is important, too. Be sure to open windows and doors when you're working with paint or other chemicals.
Want to allergy-proof your home? Read about how we allergy-proofed our office: Allergy Relief Retailer Allergy-Proofs New Headquarters.
Posted by Craig on Monday, November 05, 2007
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The hygiene hypothesis is a hot topic among allergists and immunologists; it suggests that the prevalence of allergic diseases in modern societies is related to our overly hygienic lives. For example, kids who grow up on farms usually have lower rates of allergies and asthma. However, if a child stays indoors in a sterile environment all the time, then his immune system is never challenged and never has a chance to "learn" what it should attack. Thus, the immune system overreacts to substances like pollen.
The Washington Post recently reported that Duke University researchers think that the appendix - long thought to be a vestigal organ - may serve an important function after all.
Appendectomies have been common throughout the history of modern medicine, and people live fine without an appendix, so it was thought that the organ was non-functional. It turns out that the appendix plays a role in the immune system by protecting good germs. The human body contains both bad bacteria (that cause illnesses) and good bacteria (that assist with bodily functions like digestion).
The appendix "acts as a good safe house for bacteria," says Dr. Bill Parker, study co-author. It's a bacteria factory that cultivates good germs. This is important because some conditions (like cholera) can kill off all the good bacteria in the gut. In such a case, the appendix can reboot the system.
In modern society, a "reboot" is usually not necessary because if a person's good bacteria get killed off, it's very easy to pick up more good germs from other people. So, if you have an inflamed appendix (appendicitis), you should still have it removed. About 400 Americans die from appendicitis each year.
Dr. Parker says that the appendix may be another case of an overly hygienic society triggering an overreaction by the body's immune system.
Learn more about the hygiene hypothesis in the following interview:
Dr. Thomas A.E. Platts-Mills on Allergen Avoidance through Environmental Control
Posted by Craig on Friday, November 02, 2007
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 This week's cover story for Newsweek expores the problem of children's food allergies at school.
Peanut allergies among children under five doubled between 1997 and 2002. Kids are developing allergies to all sorts of foods like sesame and kiwi, and childhood food allergies are lingering longer than they did in the past.
The articles points out that some research suggests that kids born by C-section could be at higher risk for allergies.
Many schools now have "peanut-free zones" in their cafeterias to protect kids with food allergies, and many airlines have quit serving peanuts.
The best advice for parents of food allergic children is to always have an EpiPen handy for emergencies.
See the Food Allergy / Anaphlyaxis Solution Guide for more information.
Also see Robyn O'Brien on Food Allergy Kids & Advice for Parents, an interview with the founder of allergykids.com.
Posted by Craig on Thursday, November 01, 2007
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