Month: March 2008
Eye Allergies and the Naso-Ocular Reflex
Allergy sufferers’ red, itchy, watery eyes may in part be a response triggered by an allergic response of the nose. As Reuters Health reports, the nasonasal reflex, in which an allergen introduced into one nostril causes the other nostril to…
HEPA Filters Improve Cardiovascular Health
MedicineNet.com reports that researchers in Denmark found that using HEPA filters for just two days significantly improved cardiovascular health in healthy, nonsmoking elderly people. ‘Our main finding was a significant improvement in the function of small finger blood vessels after…
AAAAI & ACAAI Comment on FDA Investigation of Singulair
Last week, leaders from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) released the following statement in response to the announcement of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation…
Top Ten Cleaning Chemicals to Avoid
National Geographic’s Green Guide reports on The Top Cleaning-Product Ingredients to Avoid. Achoo! ALLERGY’s recently launched offering of natural cleaning products do just that. Learn about our top ten toxic cleaning chemicals to avoid. If you’re outsourcing commercial cleaning services, you…
Mucus vs. Mucous vs. Mucosa
I often see ‘mucus’ and ‘mucous’ used incorrectly and people ask, “What is mucosa?” So I thought I’d try to explain the difference here. (Yes, I’m a geek…) Mucus – Noun – A viscous, slimy mixture of mucins, water, electrolytes,…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Seasonal Allergies & Suicide Rates
The most interesting session I attended at AAAAI 2008 was entitled ‘Neuroimmunologic Consequences of Allergic Inflammation.’ How do allergies affect your brain and mood? We all know that allergies can make people feel miserable. Therefore, a link between allergies and…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
At this year's meeting, several allergy researchers spoke about SLIT – sublingual immunotherapy. This ‘new’ allergy treatment is similar to SCIT- subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots) – but SLIT delivers the solution in the form of drops under the tongue, as…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Psychosocial Issues Facing Children with Asthma
Licensed social workers Melissa T. Korenblat-Hanin and Jennifer Moyer Darr spoke to healthcare professionals about the psychosocial impact of asthma. An asthma diagnosis can be devastating to children on psychological and social levels. Suddenly they hear that they're not supposed…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: The Role of Vitamin D in Atopic Disease
Before I begin this post, allow me to restate that I am not a doctor, and therefore my understanding of information presented at the AAAAI 2008 meeting is not 100% clear. That said, I will do my best to accurately…
Can Greasy Hair Clean Your Air?
According to NewScientist, greasy hair may reduce the amount of ozone that you inhale. Researchers at the university of Missouri in Rolla found that, on average, unwashed hair absorbs around seven times more ozone than washed hair. ‘Ozone is probably…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: A Look at Common Food Allergens
Dr. Robert A. Wood, MD FAAAAI, told attendees that cow's milk allergy is not going away. In fact, it looks like it's getting worse. Back in 1990, the first big study on cow's milk allergy concluded that most children become…
Hissing Cockroaches Cause Mold Allergies
It may not be news that cockroaches cause allergies because of their feces, saliva, and bodies, but the Madagascar hissing cockroach poses additional allergy threats, as Medical News Today reports. Unlike the household pests we detest, hissing cockroaches have enjoyed…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Air Pollutants & Airway Inflammation
Dr. Andre E. Nel, MD PhD, explained how air particulates injure the airways and promote allergic sensitization. Small particles create oxidative stress; that is, they generate oxygen radicals that can cause damage and lead to cell death. The smaller the…
2008 AAAAI Annual Meeting in Philadelphia
I just got back in town from Philadelphia, where I attended the 2008 annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The trip was exhausting, but it was also a wonderful, non-stop learning experience. _achoo! ALLERGY…
No Laughing Matter – But Here’s An Allergy Joke Anyway
As an allergy sufferer myself, I realize that allergic diseases are no laughing matter. In fact, some people who don't have allergies seem to think that allergic conditions are not as serious as other medical conditions – or that allergies…
Molly Shannon: Allergies Are No Laughing Matter
Actress and allergy sufferer Molly Shannon has teamed up with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and the makers of Zyrtec to launch the Allergies Are No Laughing Matter campaign. Molly and the AAFA will teach allergy sufferers…
Cleaning Product Chemicals Pose Asthma Risk for Children
The Daily Mail reports that Chemicals found in household cleaning products cause asthma in children. Researchers discovered a link between high exposure of expectant women to bleach and air freshener, among other common products, and asthma and wheezing in their…
Can You Avoid Allergy Medications?
A reader recently sent in an interesting question: I have a question. Generally speaking. If you take preventive action against allergic triggers, could you avoid all the pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medications like singulair and nasonex? In some cases, yes, allergy…
Price Foundation Asks FDA to Block ‘Heart Healthy’ Claim on Soy
Speaking of soy… The Westin A. Price Foundation, a non-profit charity focused on nutrition, has asked the FDA to block the ‘heart healthy’ label from use on soy food products, according to physorg.com. ‘We have filed this petition because there…
Fermented Soy Less Allergenic
In addition to the hypoallergenic egg that may be in development, scientists are at work on soy products that would be safe for soy-allergic individuals. Medical News Today reports on two studies by the University of Illinois that show how…
Housework Triggers Asthma
A study published by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests that exposure to cleaning products, even just once a week, raises the risk of asthma in adults. Although cleaning products have been linked with increased asthma…
Hypoallergenic Egg Defies Food Allergies
ScienceDaily reports in an article entitled Incredible, Hypoallergenic Egg: New Process to Help Egg-Allergy Sufferers that German and Swiss chemists have developed a new process that greatly reduces allergens in eggs.Food allergies have been increasingly on the rise in recent…
Allergen Exposure Linked to Asthma
What may seem intuitive to many who suffer from allergies and asthma is that the two are linked. And now it's official: results from a recent national survey have found that ‘asthmatics that have allergies may alleviate symptoms by reducing…