A recent study demonstrates the harmful health effects of many candles reports Health.com. South Carolina State University researchers studied petroleum-based and vegetable-source candles to determine their emissions. They analyzed substances released into the air after burning candles from various manufacturers for up to six hours in a small box.

Paraffin candles, which are the most inexpensive and most popular, emitted toluene and benzene which are both toxic chemicals. Soybean candles, however, did not emit these chemicals.

The researchers mentioned that using paraffin candles every once in a while is not likely a health threat. However, using candles often in unventilated areas can lead to problems, especially for individuals with asthma or allergies.

No matter which type of candle you use or how often you use them, it's a good idea to make sure that there is adequate ventilation because combustion alone contributes to indoor air pollution.

A new study has found that the concentration of toxic fumes in tunnels is so high that it can cause harm to passengers and drivers, Medical News Today reports.

Atmospheric Environment published the study which measured ultrafine particle concentration levels outside a vehicle in a tunnel in Australia. The study involved more than 300 trips through a four-kilometer-long tunnel with each trip lasting up to 26 minutes depending on the amount of traffic. The results showed that, at times, concentration levels of pollutants were up to 1000 times higher inside the tunnel than in other urban conditions.

Professor Lidia Morawska, director of Queensland University of Technology's International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health and co-author of the study says, "The human health effects of exposure to ultrafine particles produced by fuel combustion are generally regarded as detrimental. Effects can range from minor respiratory problems in healthy people, to acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) in people with existing heart complaints."

Individuals in convertibles, on motorcycles, or in older cars that are inferior in terms of sealing out harmful air are the most at risk. Drivers and passengers should always keep windows closed when driving through tunnels. In addition, personal air purifiers such as the Amaircare Roomaid Air Purifier with an auto adapter kit can help combat the effects of toxic automobile emissions.

Is your child afraid of your noisy vacuum cleaner? Or do you have a child that loves to watch mommy or daddy use the vacuum cleaner? Now your child can clean the house just like mommy and daddy with a replica of the best canister vacuum available!

Our toy Miele canister vacuum comes complete with a hose, wand, combination floor and rug tool, and cloth dust bag. It even has on-board tools. This toy vacuum is great for helping kids get over their fear of real vacuums. It is equally helpful in teaching kids about the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy home.

Miele Toy Vacuum Cleaner Product Features:

Realistic buttons with on/off switch

Three-level suction control

On-board tools in storage compartment

Detachable cloth dust bag

For ages 3 and up

Weighs 4.2 pounds

Powered by four C batteries, sold separately

Available only in mango red color

Please keep in mind that these vacuums are toys. Do not purchase a Miele toy vacuum cleaner and expect the same sort of quality performance as a real Miele vacuum. Remember, these vacuums are only toys.

What do ET (yes, we mean the Extraterrestrial being from the Stephen Speilberg movie), asthma, and depression have in common?

They were all part of a recent study, reported on by FoxNews, which showed that children who have asthma and symptoms of depression experience greater airway resistance when they are sad or stressed.

Dr. Bruce D. Miller of State University of New York at Buffalo and his colleagues studied the breathing patterns of 90 children between the ages of 7 and 17 before and after they watched scenes from ET: The Extraterrestrial. After watching distressing scenes of the movie, asthmatic children who also had depression symptoms consistently exhibited breathing problems that indicated worsening asthma.

Even if asthmatic children do not have depression, it is important to know that stressful or emotionally traumatic events may cause more intense asthmatic reactions.

A recent Wall Street Journal article discusses the next wave of swine flu which is a big concern for parents as school children head back to class. The following quick facts are a summary of the information and recommendations presented in this article:

• As of August 13, more than two million people have contracted swine flu in the United States. Over 7,500 have been hospitalized and 477 have died.


• A vaccine against swine flu is being developed, but it is not likely that it will be widely available before the next flu season begins.


• Health officials, though they originally feared swine flu would be much more deadly, have found that it is very much like seasonal flu.
  
• One unusual thing about swine flu is that young people contract it while the elderly have generally been spared. This is possibly due to immunity they might have from exposure to H1N1 (the swine flu strain) from 1918 to 1957.


• Pregnant women and those with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses are most at risk.


• The only way to know for sure if you have swine flu is a lab test.


• Treatment for swine flu is similar to that for regular seasonal flu: rest, stay hydrated, take medicines to reduce fever. Additionally, it's important to stay away from others until 24 hours after your fever is gone. Children under 18 should not be given aspirin, and children under four should not be given cold medicine without talking with a pediatrician.


• Call a doctor if you experience trouble breathing, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion, persistent vomiting, or if symptoms persist.
  
• Antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza can shorten the duration and severity of swine flu, but they are not recommended for people with mild cases.


• The vaccine may not be available until well into the flu season and will be recommended first for those at highest risk of complications as well as health-care workers and those in close contact with infants.


• The swine flu vaccine will not provide protection against seasonal flu and vice versa. There are some concerns over the safety of the vaccine, but health officials believe it is safe.


• To protect yourself from contracting swine flu, wash hands often with soap and water or use sanitizer. Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

According to his friends and family, last week noted skateboarder and community activist, Andy Kessler, died after an allergic reaction to an insect sting.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology said that Kessler's death is a reminder that stings can be deadly for those with an allergy to certain insects.

According to the organization, at least 40 people in the United States die each year as the result of insect stings. Also, 5 percent of Americans are at risk for a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction from insect stings.

The news article from CNN goes on to state that in the most serious cases, a person can go into anaphylaxis, a condition in which he or she may have difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include swelling of the mouth or throat, itchy skin, wheezing, cough and localized pain, said Dr. Clifford Bassett, medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.

Dr. Basset offers the following tips to reduce the danger of stinging insects:

1. Stay away from stinging insect nests whenever possible.
2. Consider wearing closed-toed shoes in an area where there are bees and insects.
3. Remain calm and quiet and move slowly away from the insect.
4. Avoid brightly colored clothing, as well as perfumes and scented hair products and lotions.
5. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing which can accidentally trap a stinging insect.
6. Use caution when eating outdoors especially when sodas or other sweetened drinks are available.

According to WebMD, penicillin antibiotics are the most common cause of drug allergies. Additional related antibiotics, such as cephalexin, cefprozil, and cefuroxime can also cause problems for those with a penicillin allergy.

Reactions or side effects to penicillin are frequently mistaken as an allergic reaction to the drug, but a true allergy involves the immune system. Symptoms of an allergy range from a rash to life-threatening anaphylaxis. The best way to confirm a penicillin allergy is a skin test.


Higher risk groups for developing penicillin allergies are females, those with HIV/AIDS, those with cystic fibrosis, and those with a previous history of allergic reactions to penicillin or other drugs.

Individuals who have previously had a positive skin test for penicillin allergy, hives that appeared quickly after the drug was taken (as opposed to a few hours or days after it was taken), or an anaphylactic reaction to penicillin are more likely to experience an allergic reaction to penicillin. Densensitization treatment, in which small amounts of penicillin help your body become accustomed to the medication, may be recommended.

Interestingly, people are not born with penicillin allergies, but rather develop them after exposure to the drug. Re-exposure can trigger an allergic response.

Preventing an allergy to penicillin entails avoiding the drug and similar antibiotics in general. Of course, some infections require the use of antibiotics, and in this case, allergy skin tests are an important way to discover a sensitivity to penicillin.

Remember that any sign of a penicillin allergy, such as trouble breathing, hives, or other symptoms of anaphylaxis (including shock, low blood pressure, constriction of the airways, flushed or pale skin, dizziness or fainting, and nausea or vomiting and diarrhea) should be taken very seriously and medical help should be sought immediately.

Regions Park stadium of Hoover, Alabama recently held a peanut-free night at the ballgame, CNN reports. For several consecutive days, the Barons power-washed the stadium to get rid of any peanuts or their remains. In addition, all peanuts and any products containing peanuts were removed from vendor booths.

One percent of all children in the United States have an allergy to peanuts. Each year, at least 120 deaths, among all ages, are caused by peanut allergies.

Families dealing with peanut allergies must always be on the look-out for contact with any peanut-containing food. One family who enjoyed the peanut-free baseball game described how they send their two peanut-allergic children to school with lunches from home and ask classmates' parents not to prepare any lunch food that could contain peanut products. In addition, the children always keep an EpiPen with them as well as an emergency inhaler for asthma attacks.

The exact reason for the rise in food allergies all across the globe remains unknown. Some theories include the hygiene theory and a lack of Vitamin D. Food allergy specialist Dr. Robert Wood of Johns Hopkins Children's Center says, "In reality, it probably is a variety of things over the past 10 or 20 years in the environment that has led to this increase."

Though immunotherapy treatment is "quite promising," as Dr. Wood put it, trials are still in their initial phases. In the meantime, awareness and preparedness are daily necessities for food allergic individuals.

Our Allergy Armor line of bedding recently expanded to include allergy pillows and blankets. The concept of Allergy Armor took shape in 2002 when entrepreneur and long-time allergy sufferer Cade McDonald saw an opportunity to create the nation's leading brand of allergy bedding.

"Other companies have tried to establish a national brand of allergy bedding, but the fabric quality was always sub-par, and the prices were too high," says McDonald.

After four years of research and development, Allergy Armor dust mite encasings debuted in 2006 and quickly became a company best-seller by generating over a million dollars in revenue in less than two years.

In 2007, Allergy Armor Ultra hit the market taking the weaving process one step further. The Ultra fabric is manufactured and stretched to create the smallest average pore size in the industry.

Building on the growing momentum of the brand, last year the company introduced the newest additions to its bedding line: Allergy Armor pillows and blankets.

The new pillows are wrapped in Allergy Armor Ultra, so there is no need for a separate allergy relief cover. AchooAllergy.com partnered with Polartec, the world's leading manufacturer of synthetic fleece to create the Allergy Armor blanket. The blanket is extremely plush and soft, yet durable enough to stand up to repeated washings.

McDonald explains, "From talking with our customers over the years, it seems like most allergy sufferers neglect their blanket. They don't wash it regularly and we want to address that problem. After extensive testing, we found that the Polartec fabric makes the ideal blanket for allergy sufferers. It's very durable and comes with a lifetime warranty, and it has an antimicrobial finish that prevents mold and bacteria growth."

AchooAllergy.com was founded in 2000 as a one-stop shop for allergy sufferers. The company specializes in allergy bedding, but we also sell air purifiers, HEPA vacuum cleaners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, sinus care products, and more.

Not long ago, we blogged about coffee allergies which are not always as straightforward as they seem. Some allergic reactions to coffee are often reactions to components of the coffee.

One component that can pose a problem is caffeine. Aside from the well-known and sometimes sought-after effects of caffeine (like keeping you alert), a caffeine allergy or intolerance deserves as much attention for what it is not as for what it is.

Here's what I mean: Caffeine can cause extreme alterations in behavior, including delusions, franticness, and mania. These behavior symptoms can lead to diagnoses of mental disorders like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, ADD, or bipolar disorder. Properly recognized caffeine allergies could avoid these diagnoses, their attendant treatments, and other consequences.

As AllergyRemedy.org explains, caffeine targets cells and neurons directly causing the body to release large amounts of dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline, which are responsible for these alterations in behavior and personality. In smaller amounts, these chemicals produce the desired effects of caffeine, but when they are excessive, there is a problem.

Caffeine allergies are also interesting in that the cause of becoming allergic to caffeine is often related to a person consuming too much caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine causes the body to react to even a little amount of ingested caffeine, because of the high levels already present in the body.

Physical symptoms of caffeine allergy include a tingling in the mouth (often the first symptom), difficulty swallowing, itchy skin, chest pain, hyperventilation, heart palpitations, and anaphylaxis.

Remember that many products besides coffee contain caffeine including soft drinks, tea, chocolate, and even lotion!

Spreading awareness about caffeine allergy and how mental illness diagnoses may mask it is the first step in helping caffeine allergic individuals.

A recent exchange between the Canadian Lung Association and Canada's Health Committee highlights an important question: Should pets be allowed in the passenger cabin of airplanes given the risk to passengers and crew with asthma, COPD, and animal allergies?

Medical News Today reported on The Lung Association's online campaign for pet-free flights in July. The campaign followed Air Canada's decision to allow pets to travel in the passenger cabins of airplanes. The Health Committee Chair, Joy Smith, responded that she "shares the concerns for the effects ... on the health of those travelers with allergies" but that Air Canada's decision is "operational ... made by a private company at arm's length from the Government."

The Director of Government Relations for The Lung Association, Cameron Bishop, expressed the group's disappointment with such a stance. "As Chair of the Health Committee, Joy Smith has a mandate to act in the best interests of Canadians with lung disease who may be adversely affected ... Simply because a company makes an 'operational' decision does not negate her or her Committee's responsibility to review that in a public health context."

He continues, "People with asthma, COPD, lung cancer or other respiratory diseases should not be put at risk because of an airline's desire to put corporate needs in business class while public health is forced to ride in economy."

As many allergy sufferers know from unpleasant experience, the air inside airplane cabins re-circulates. Even a tiny amount of allergen spreads quickly; no matter how far away an allergy sufferer may be from a pet, they could still suffer and develop sypmtoms. For those who have asthma or COPD, the response can be wheezing, coughing, and swelling in the airways which can be life-threatening.

While products such as the Plane Clean Air Filter can help, sometimes they are not enough, and sometimes consequences are too risky.

What do you think? Should the government step in and regulate this issue? What has your experience been when taking flights with other passenger's pets onboard?

We have been blogging about the resurgence in bed bugs in the United States for several years now. Recently, several national media outlets, like the New York Times, have printed long articles detailing the struggles people have faced with this nasty insect. Bed bugs are extremely hard and costly to get rid once they have a foothold in your home.

In the past couple of weeks, a news crew visited our company from the CBS affiliate in Atlanta. The founder of our company Cade McDonald talked with the reporter about bed bugs and our company’s efforts to step up the fight against them. While AchooAllergy.com did not appear in the final CBS story, Cade gave the news crew some great information about bed bugs and how people are able to try and prevent bed bugs from becoming a problem in their homes. An ounce of prevention might be better than a pound of cure.

Here is a link to a short video of the CBS Atlanta report and another link from the CBS Atlanta web site to a story about bed bugs.

According to PetPlace.com flea allergy dermatits is the most common allergy in dogs and is caused by the saliva left behind when fleas bite. Cats are also affected by flea allergies.

Symptoms of flea allergies in pets include intense itching, which causes chewing, licking, and excessive scratching. Hair loss is a secondary symptom. Bacterial skin infections are not uncommon. The animal's rump is the most usually affected area.

Ironically, most animals who are allergic to fleas groom excessively and therefore have only a few fleas - but only a couple bites every couple of weeks are enough to cause persistent itching.

Interestingly, fleas love humidity. So if you have a pet allergic to fleas, a dehumidifier may help give them some relief.