News

We'd like to take a few moments today to acknowledge the events that transpired in Boston yesterday. It was a tragic situation that marred what has been traditionally a time of celebration and joy for not only Bostonians but runners from across the country and around the globe. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by the senseless violence.

- AchooAllergy.com Team

It is human nature for many of us to go through "buyer's remorse" after a purchase. For some, even a small purchase can cause a bit of guilt after the fact (especially for me if that purchase is chocolately and of the high calorie variety). No matter what we purchase, afterwards, we want to feel like we made the right decision. J.D. Power is the leading researcher when it comes to purchasing and consumer sentiment after a purchase. It's their business to check and report on those things, satisfaction and remorse.

We all see the ads, particularly when it comes to automobiles, about J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction surveys, but they also rate a wide variety of products from home appliances to airlines. Most recently, they released customer satisfaction results for canister vacuum cleaners and a benchmark study (their first) for uprights.

Using a variety of criteria, they ranked upright and canister vacuum cleaners across six factors, including, performance, ease of use, styling, price, warranty and features. The survey not only gives you some idea of what factors are most important after the purchase, but also sheds some light on satisfaction and indirectly, it can give you some idea about buyer's remorse when it comes to purchasing a vacuum cleaner.

To read the article or to see the report results.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

This morning while I was getting ready for work, I had the NPR news app running on my iPad. I like to listen to it since it's short enough but broad enough that it at least gives me quick roundup of some of the headlines of the day. One of the stories that caught my attention was one about the use of a yellow rice. This yellow rice, "golden rice," is not a natural food. It has been genetically modified to contain high amounts of beta-carotene, hence the color. On its face, this sounds like a good idea. In areas across Asia and Africa, millions of people do not get enough vitamin A in their diet, and beta-carotene is a primary source of this nutrient. What I wondered was how a food like this plays into the food allergy conversation.

Yesterday I came across a very in-depth article in the NYT about a large food allergy study/experiment on children who were highly allergic to multiple foods. Through oral immunotherapy a doctor was able to raise the tolerance of children to multiple food allergens to the point where they could again safely interact and grow up more like normal children. Some of the cases were extremely severe, to the point where even crumbs or traces of food allergens would send some of these children into anaphylactic shock - a nightmare scenario for any parent. Foods like wheat, dairy, nuts, and the usual suspects were actors in this play, but what struck me was the unspoken reality that accompanies the rise in food allergies - no one knows exactly why. So with such a big question mark, I wondered how does this relate to the "golden rice"?

There are many theories about the causes of allergies, and while the most popular, the "hygiene theory" does seem to hold some water when it comes to respiratory allergies like rhinitis, hay fever, and sinusitis, it meets a serious challenge when you try to apply it to food allergies. Studies have shown that children raised on farms or environments that are a little more germ-friendly than the typical suburban American household do show lower instances of allergies and asthma. However, in even these places, respiratory allergies are still increasing, and food allergies are rising at a much higher rate.

So why? Why is the food that has sustained the human race for centuries now threatening the lives of so many of our youth? Dr. Nadeau from the NYT piece leans away from the hygiene theory and more towards the chemicals and toxins that saturate modern life. The idea is that environmental factors damage genes or transform them at a very fast rate. These genes are then passed down, which could explain why children of parents with allergies are much more likely to have allergies.

There is some evidence to support this theory - research pieces that show higher rates of allergies in children when allergic parents as well as others that demonstrate the development of food allergies in children who have immigrated with their parents and adopted a "western diet" (even when there is no parental history of allergies).

This brings me back to the "golden rice". I understand the potential of such a crop, but I also understand some of the dangers commonly levied against genetically modified foods. (FYI, a quick look through your pantry will likely reveal that about 30% of the processed foods you find have genetically modified substances in them.) Brushing these aside and focusing only on the allergy aspect, I keep coming back to a singular question. We do not know why many of the foods that we eat are threatening the lives of more and more children every year, so is it wise to push ahead by adding yet another variable into the mix? We have yet to figure out why the foods we currently eat are affecting food allergies and would most certainly have even less knowledge as to how these new foods could play into that mix.

When turn this question over in my head, I think of a chef who can't figure out why his dish turned out tasting so poorly, but instead of working his way back, eliminating ingredients and trying to find the culprit in the recipe, he simply adds more ingredients and hopes for the best.

To read the full NYT Oral Immunotherapy Story or the NPR story about "golden rice".

Author: K. Gilmore

Winter cedar allergies or mold spores from fallen leaves getting you down? One of our most recommended masks, the Respro Allergy mask, has recently been recognized as an "Allergy Friendly Product" by the British Allergy Foundation and Allergy UK. And with N95 equivalent particle filtration, the Allergy Mask is an ideal way to block fall and winter allergies!

The Allergy Mask by Respro takes a lightweight polyester shell, then inserts two exhale valves and a layer of particle filter media to trap 95% of particles 0.3 microns or larger. This means the Allergy Mask is ideal for allergy and asthma sufferers alike.

With the a washable shell and replaceable filters, this mask is built to provide you years of reliable service. And if chemicals, smoke or odors are a concern, there are Chemical/Particle filters available. These still filter particles at the same N95 rate but have activated charcoal/carbon through the filter media to adsorb smoke and odors. Though conditions and pollution levels will vary, under most conditions the Allergy Mask filters last about 60 hours before needing to be replaced.

In recognizing the Respro Allergy Mask, the British Allergy Foundation and Allergy UK are highlighting that for allergy sufferers this Respro mask may benefit allergy, asthma, and MCS sufferers as well as those who want to reduce their chemical/allergen load. All product bearing the “Allergy Friendly” label have been evaluated by a panel of advisors and corresponding allergy experts as well as used and tested by allergy and asthma sufferers.

Other products that have received this seal include 3M air purifiers, Honeywell HEPA air purifiers, Dyson vacuums, and SEBO Automatic X, Felix and Airbelt K vacuum cleaners.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

On Wednesday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning about the use of single load liquid laundry detergent packets. Though convenient and considered less messy than regular powder or liquid detergent, single use packets are accounting for a growing number of accidental poisonings and hospitalizations, particularly amongst children. Colorful, small and soft, children sometimes mistake them for toys or candy, and this can lead to serious problems for those exposed.

Laundry detergent is a part of modern, everyday life, and not many of us worry about getting detergent on our hands while we do our laundry or wash our dishes. Pods or single use packets of laundry detergent offer a convenient and less messy way to wash our clothing, but there are a couple key things to keep in mind.

• Single Use Laundry Detergent Pods Are Highly Concentrated - Smaller than a traditional cup of powder or liquid detergent, single use packets are a more concentrated form of detergent, and this means that when you are exposed to it, you are ultimately exposed to a greater concentration of chemicals that can cause skin and eye irritation and can sometimes result in hospitalization if ingested.
• Single Use Pods Are Water Soluble - Meant to be tossed in with a load of laundry without having to be opened, each pad is contained in a highly soluble cover so that it can quickly dissolve in the washer. This means that even small amounts of water, saliva, even something as simple as wet hands while handling, can cause these packets to rupture and being to leak.
• The Chemicals in Modern Detergents Can Be Toxic - Packed with highly concentrated fragrance and harsh surfactants, detergent can pose a myriad of health risks.
• Single Use Packets Are Not Toys
- This is obvious to adults, but to small children they are simply bright, colorful, squishy packets.

The CPSC recommends three primary tips for using these packets. First, keep them away from children. Second, store them in their original packaging away from children. Choose a high cupboard or somewhere where they cannot be easily reached. Lastly, if exposed to the eye or ingested, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. If you are looking for a non-toxic alternative, consider something like the Ecology Works Laundry Detergent. Planted based and formulated to be effective without the toxic chemical and harsh fragrances, Ecology works detergent is a suitable alternative that minimizes health risks while eliminating allergens from your clothing and laundry.

For a full copy of the CPSC Detergent Warning.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

In a recent study presented at the European Respiratory Society conference in Vienna, researchers defined the link between the use of a common asthma treatment drug and a child's height. For years it has been believed that budesonide, the primary active drug in Pulmicort, temporarily slowed the growth of children but that as the children grew into adults, their height eventually "caught up." This most recent study finds that the long term effects on adult height, though minimal, are permanent.

When accounting for all factors across multiple age groups, researchers found that prepubescent children who took a twice daily dose of the inhaled glucocorticoid were an average of 1.2 cm (just under half an inch) shorter than those in the placebo group. As the children grew to be adults, the slowing in growth was not cumulative nor was it progressive.

Overall, this is likely a case of not wanting to throw the baby out with the bathwater. While height is minimally effected, particularly with higher doses and with younger children, the overall effect of fewer asthma attacks ultimately outweighs this potential side effect.

For doctors and parents, this study should prompt a discussion about the use budesonide and finding the minimal dose required to control asthma while limiting any potential growth issues.

To read the original articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

Keep an eye out the next three days as this week is VIRUS WEEK!

Though I know the Olympics are coming up very quickly, thoughts about it have largely been tucked away in the back of my mind. From an allergy/asthma perspective, there are certainly athletes competing who are dealing with asthma, like US swimmer Pete Vanderkaay, but with the games being hosted in London, there have not been the red flags going up like there were four years ago in Beijing. Is London's air quality really that good?

In the months leading up the 2008 games in Beijing, there was a lot of well placed concern over the air quality that Olympic athletes would have to deal with. Concern over the air quality in Beijing is well placed as it has some of the most consistently poor air quality of any city on this planet. The Chinese did recognize this problem and attempted to improve air quality in a few ways, namely they cut emissions in the time leading up to the games. One effort involved cutting the number of vehicles that were operating in the city in half. Fast forward four years, and there's been nary a peep about air pollution in London.

London has a troubling past when it comes to air pollution. Everyone's heard the term "London Fog," but in this instance, I'm not referring to a soup, cocktail or nightclub. In 1952 thousands of Londoners died from the effects of "the great smog of '52". Air pollution settled over the city in a thick smog, and following this event air pollution laws went in to effect to prevent this from happening again.

I'm not suggesting that a toxic cloud of smog is going to amass over London and wreak havoc, but critics are quick to point out that London is not in compliance with EU air quality guidelines and that levels of nitrogen dioxide are frequently high. Additionally, studies attribute roughly 4000 premature deaths each year in London due to air pollution. While not occurring from a single event like the Great Smog, the death toll from exposure to consist pollution annually equals that of the Great Smog - 4000.

For most people this will equate to a moderate warning that you will find in a lot of U.S. cities during the summer months. However, for Olympic athletes, these small reductions in air quality can translate into the difference between 1st and 2nd.

Author: Kevin Gilmore

I wanted to deviate a bit from the usual blog topics, particularly in light of the news yesterday. The entire AchooAllergy.com staff would like to extend our sincerest thoughts and prayers to the victims and those effected by the shooting in Aurora, Colorado. It is a truly tragic event that has saddened a nation.

The popular allergy relief drug, Clarinex, will soon be available in a generic form. The active ingredient in Clarinex, desloratadine, has received FDA approval and is now offered in 5mg doses under the Mylan Pharmaceuticals label.

Desloratadine is an antihistimine prescribed to allergy sufferers to relief runny nose, red, itchy and tearing eyes as well as other hay fever and allergic rhinitis symptoms. Currently, desloratadine is only available as Clarinex, but with the introduction of this new generic, allergy sufferers will soon have a less expensive alternative to turn to when seeking allergy relief medication.

Clarinex, available as a tablet and oral solution, has been prescribed to millions of allergy sufferers worldwide, with sales reaching nearly $200,000,000 last year.

While the political debate over whether emissions regulations are too onerous on manufacturers, evidence linking increased exposure to emissions and asthma and lung damage continues to pile up. From decreased lung development to increased rates of asthma, studies published in the last decade demonstrate a link between emissions and respiratory troubles with some regularity. So what can you do to reduce expsoure, particularly in areas where traffic congestion is at its worst?

Face masks have become a popular choice for those spending time outdoors in urban areas. Specific brands, like Respro, have built most of their business around serving the filtration needs of those concerned with air pollution, while working or playing outdoors. Activated carbon, combined with particle filter media collect emissions particles as well as pollen and dust, to protect the lungs from the effects of repeated exposure.

We have seen strong interest in compact and portable purifiers, like the Roomaid and others. They're typically inexpensive, lightweight and very compact. While the Roomaid can sit in your car, other models are also small enough to take with you when you travel. Even though compact air purifiers rarely offer as comprehensive filtration as full size models, they do reduce harmful air pollutants no matter where you go.

Though studies reaching back nearly a decade show clear links between emissions exposure and asthma rates, the debate over vehicle emissions and regulation is one that will not be going away soon. Public policy is rarely shaped by health considerations alone, but those living near traffic congestion or suffering from asthma cannot afford to wait for legislatures to pick up the banner of cleaner air. By limiting your time outdoors, avoiding time outside when traffic pollution is at it's worst (during the rush hours), and taking steps to filter the air that you breathe in your car or home, you make huge strides in reducing your exposure to emissions pollution.

Author: Kevin Gilmore