There rarely passes a week when you don't hear or see something related to allergies, and the larger trend recently seems to revolve a great deal around food allergies. Despite what seems to be a sharp increase in the number of children allergic to specific foods, a recent article in the journal Pediactrics calls in to the question the use of modern allergy tests and how their overuse can be having a needlessly negative effect on children.
Lead authors, Scott Sicherer, MD and Robert Wood, MD suggest that with the current array of allergy tests commonly being used, relying strictly on the results of these in making a diagnosis leaves a lot of room for error. And with slight to dramatic lifestyle changes hinging upon the diagnosis of a potentially life threatening allergen, a more well rounded approach is advised.
Specifically, the researchers focued on the Skin Prick Test (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) blood test. A few interesting findings,
"Positive sIgE test results indicate sensitization, but are not equivalent to clinical allergy....
sIgE test results typically do not reflect the severity of allergies...
Allergy tests for sIgE must be selected and interpreted in the context of a clinical presentation; test relevance may vary according to the patient’s age, allergen exposure, and performance characteristics of the test."
Testing large panels of allergens without factoring in affecting circumstances like patient history, disease characteristics and geography can have severe consequences. Particularly with food allergies, you can often see measures of dietary change and extreme avoidance, which if not necessary, can be a hardship children can certainly do without.
Ultimately, they suggest that an overreliance on tests which can produce false negatives AND false positives in a given context can have major consequences for children. While there is no suggestion of disregarding tests, the study instead pushes the need for a more nuanced and balanced approach. A course of action that focuses on patient history, specific symptoms (less so an allergy to a specific allergen), and more frequent testing and observation can yield far more accurate results and treatment.
A full version of the study can be found at Pediatrics.
There have been countless studies done on how certain issues like lack of sleep, and even problems at home, can affect children and their performance in school. More recently, individual states and cities have been taking this a step further and have examined the link between poor indoor air quality and increased instances of hospitalization due to asthma.
Studies like this are important for two reasons. First, they highlight how building maintenance and cleaning procedures (or lack thereof) can impact students vis-à-vis indoor air quality issues (IAQ). Secondly, they illustrate the link between increased instances of asthma and how this can affect students' academic performance.
In this New York State Department of Health study, even school districts with Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) programs in place found that there were still environmental allergy triggers and conditions present.
As some of the largest respiratory irritants, dust or dust reservoirs were reported in 99% of schools. Additionally, 84% reported mold or moisture issues, and nearly half (42%) reported possible exposure to diesel fumes and exhaust (usually from idling school buses).
A recent CNN article highlights that these conditions are often exacerbated by a poor economy. With today's slimmer budgets, renovation, upkeep, and the construction of new buildings are often an afterthought. Unfortunately, a possible consequence of this can be a slow but steady increase in the rates of allergies and asthma – both of which can negatively impact a child's educational experience.
These problems are not just confined to students. Surveys of some of the nation's largest school systems have shown as many as 30% of teachers reporting health issues or sickness related to the school environment.
With 7 million children currently diagnosed with asthma1 and approximately 8.5 million who have suffered from respiratory allergies in the last year, the impact of poor IAQ in our schools is no small matter.
Aside from dealing with these issues on an individual level, either with OTC antihistamines or non-pharmaceutical allergy relief methods, there are some excellent CDC resources as well as helpful tips and guides that can be useful in highlighting this situation and helping improve conditions in your local schools.
1CDC Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children – December 2011
Tags: school, indoor air quality, asthma, allergies
This winter has been an odd one for many parts of the U.S. Unlike last year when Atlanta experienced several inches of snow and colder than average temperatures, this past December was punctuated by nearly a weeks worth of temperatures in the 70’s - literally 20 degrees warmer than average! This pattern has not just held true here in the South, but all over the U.S.
Aside from ski resorts having to make more snow than usual, another effect of these warmer than average temperatures is an increase in mold allergies this winter. Normally, cold temperatures and snow stunt mold growth. So in places where rotting fall foliage produces massive amounts of mold spores, snow usually stops the growth and blankets the spores. But with little to no snowfall, mold sources are foregoing their usual pattern of winter hibernation.
While mold is more prevalent, the warmer temps generally mean people are not spending as much time as they normally do indoors. The combination of these two factors has led to many allergists seeing an increase in the number of patients coming in during what are traditionally slower months.
Luckily, there are several effective ways to reduce your likelihood of having to visit the allergist with the best solution being nasal irrigation. It does not matter what type of irrigation that you use (bottle, neti pot, pulsing irrigator) since all will rinse away allergens, like mold spores, that can accumulate in your nasal passages.
By rinsing in the morning and evening you can not only wash away allergens that cause sneezing, watery eyes and other symptoms, but irrigating during the winter months is also a great way to combat the symptoms of low indoor humidity. For an economical solution, try a bottle rinse kit or neti pot. For those looking for a more versatile product with expanded features, the Sinupulse Nasal Irrigator can be a great choice.
You're probably aware of the resurgence in bedbugs that has plagued apartment buildings, hotels, and homes throughout the country, regardless of social class. Bedbugs are notoriously easy to get, and infestations happen quickly and pervasively, often filling entire apartment complexes from the initial infestation of just one unit.
If you've ever wondered just why infestations happen with such speed and intensity, a study discussed in Fox News article Inbreeding Reason for Bedbug Spread provides some insight.
Entemologists led by Coby Schal and Ed Vargo of North Carolina State University presented a study at the recent American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene meeting in Philadelphia. The scientists studied "the genes of bedbugs infesting three multistory apartment buildings in North Carolina and New Jersey and found very low genetic diversity, meaning most of them were very close relatives."
The upshot of this finding is that it may only take one or two bedbugs hitching a ride on some furniture or a suitcase to begin an entire infestation. Imagine how quickly a mated female can proliferate: Once her eggs hatch, the new bedbugs mate with each other and with their mother – and bedbug populations soar.
Interestingly, this type of inbreeding (without the detrimental genetic effects that occur when some animals inbreed) is also found with cockroaches, another insect that can lead to allergies.
FoxNews.com article Woman in Coma After Allergic Reaction to Hair Dye reports on the tragic case of a mother in England who experienced an apparent allergic reaction when she dyed her hair – something she had done many times before.
Julie McCabe is on life support after the hair dyeing incident, which caused her to have difficulty breathing. On her way to the hospital, her heart also stopped.
Mrs. McCabe's family believes she even did the skin test recommended on the box of hair dye to see if consumers are allergic. So how did such a severe reaction occur, given that Mrs. McCabe previously tested not allergic and that she used the product many times with no apparent effects?
The family believes that the chemical paraphenylenediamine (PPD) caused the allergic reaction. This chemical is often found in permanent hair dye. According to Brian Plunkett, a hair and scalp specialist (known as a trichologist), allergies to hair dye increase as individuals are increasingly exposed to PPD. He explains, "People who are using color all the time build it up in their systems. It stays there for the rest of your life."
This extremely sad case illustrates the dangers of potent chemicals, even when we aren't "chemically sensitive." The tragedy also underscores the fact that allergies can drastically impact anyone's life at any time.
It wouldn't be that shocking if you discovered the couch you're sitting on was manufactured with 'suspect chemicals'. Sure, formaldehyde and flame retardants are common carcinogens we have grown to reluctantly accept into our homes as the trade-off for inexpensive, and even luxury, home furnishings. What if you were to discover these types of toxic chemicals were found in your newborn baby's crib mattress?
What had us raising our eyebrows was a recent report from the Washington Post stating that 72% of crib mattresses use suspect chemicals, some of which are not detailed by the manufacturer. To make matters worse, we've been told by pediatricians for years to limit our crib bedding and blankets, in prevention of SIDS and suffocation. Meanwhile, with little barriers in place, our babies are breathing in another type of danger, toxic chemicals.
One way to prevent your newborn from chemical and toxin exposure is by doing a little research before you start decorating the nursery. As far as safety and health is concerned, Moonlight Slumber manufactures some of the best baby bedding and mattresses we've found. As seen on Good Morning America, these mattresses are PVC/Vinyl free, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and are made with earth-friendly materials. We offer both foam and cotton Moonlight Slumber mattresses as well as organic cotton baby blankets.
Protecting your child from the over-exposure of harmful chemicals is not an easy task, but by starting before the baby arrives you can not only begin creating good habits for yourself but start your newborn off on the right foot.
According to a recent large European study, children who drink raw milk are less likely to develop allergies and asthma, reports FoxNews.com.
While a direct cause-and-effect relationship between raw milk consumption and less incidence of allergies and asthma cannot be confirmed, researchers believe that certain proteins found in raw milk (they are destroyed by the heat used in pasteurization) are beneficial to children's developing immune systems.
However, drinking raw milk carries its own set of dangers. As Georg Loss, a researcher with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel who worked on the study, says, "The consumption of raw milk is a double-edged sword. On the one side it is protective for the development of asthma and allergies but on the other side it may imply serious health risks due to harmful microorganisms."
Indeed, raw milk is one of the riskiest foods of all when it comes to the dangers of contracting dangerous foodborne illnesses. "From CDC's perspective, raw milk can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can cause severe illness and even death," researcher Hannah Gould explains. "While it is possible to get foodborne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all."
The study found that, "compared with kids who only drank store-bought milk, those who drank raw milk had a 41-percent reduction in their odds of developing asthma. They were also only about half as likely to develop hay fever -- even after accounting for other factors that might be relevant."
This study is unique in that it points to the exact components in the milk that might be protective. Specifically, "The protective effect was linked to so-called whey proteins in the milk, such as BSA and alpha-lactalbumin."
While the study's results are impressive, it would be a mistake to recommend the consumption of raw milk. Rather, as Loss puts forth, "Pasteurization remains an effective tool to inactivate harmful microorganisms but may simultaneously destroy whey proteins. The results may give rise to technological developments aiming to destroy harmful microorganisms but preserving beneficial components of milk. The ultimate aim is to use a safe and protective milk for prevention of asthma."
New research further supports the link between a mother's diet during pregnancy and her child's risk of developing allergies, reports Medical News Today in Mother's Diet Influences Baby's Allergies.
Published in The Journal of Physiology, the research found specifically that if a mother's diet includes a particular category of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), these " improve how gut immune cells respond to bacteria and foreign substances, making the baby less likely to suffer from allergies." These PUFAs can be found in foods such as fish, walnut oil, and flaxseed.
Previous findings have linked fish and walnut oil supplementation during pregnancy with a child's likelihood to develop allergies. What makes this research different is the discovery of how this supplementation works to minimize allergies.
Dr. Gaëlle Boudry, of the INRA research institute in Rennes, France explains it this way: "Our study identifies that a certain group of polyunsaturated fatty acids known as n-3PUFAs causes a change in how a baby's gut develops, which in turn might change how the gut immune system develops. These changes are likely to reduce the risk of developing allergies in later life."
More specifically, according to Medical News Today, "The team found that supplementing a mother's diet with n-3PUFA caused the new-born's gut to become more permeable. A more permeable gut enables bacteria and new substances to pass through the lining of the gut into the bloodstream more easily. These new substances then trigger the baby's immune response and the production of antibodies."
These n-3PUFA fatty acids have also been shown to increase gestational length and maturation of the central nervous system as well as improve performance of mental tasks in early childhood.
You may think that the resurgence of bedbug infestations has died down, but unfortunately that's not the case. In Bedbug infestations growing in certain settings, survey finds, the Washington Post reports that bedbug problems continue to plague people across the nation.
The National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky recently released a survey of more than 400 pest management companies that indicates a double-digit growth in infestations – in just the past year alone. Specifically of concern to the thousands of children of all ages returning to school (and their parents) is that 54 percent of pest companies reported treating bedbugs in college dorms, compared to 35 percent in 2010. In addition, 36 percent reported treating schools and day cares for bedbugs, a figure "more than triple the 10 percent in 2010."
National Pest Management Spokeswoman Missy Henriksen says the reason for the increase in treatment for infestations is likely two-pronged: Bedbug populations are on the rise, and people are more aware of the problem. She adds, "With bedbug populations spreading, it’s important that people understand each and every one of us has the potential to get bedbugs."
Jharell Dillard, age 15, died after eating a cookie that had traces of peanuts, which triggered an allergy attack that blocked the youngster's ability to breathe. Charles Dillard, the child's father, said that his son was "very, very careful about what he ate" and didn't normally carry around an EpiPen for this reason.
When Jharell realized the cookie he'd eaten contained nuts, he attempted to rinse out his mouth and took over-the-counter allergy medication, but the reaction continued and although he was hospitalized, it was too late.
Jharell's parents decided to donate his organs and report that "he has already saved seven other lives."
Difficult as it is to hear, news like this is a sobering reminder of how dangerous allergies – especially food allergies – can be.
In Asthma Risk Lower In Breastfed Babies, Medical News Today reports on a Dutch study which found that babies who are exclusively breastfed up to the age of six months have a lower risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam in The Netherlands and was published online in the European Respiratory Journal. The researchers emphasize that their findings support current recommendations that infants in industrialized countries should only receive breast milk up to the age of six month.
This study is part of a broader body of research called the Generation R Study, which is "following thousands of multi-ethnic urban children from before birth until early adulthood, to identify early environmental and genetic causes of normal and abnormal growth, development and health," according to Medical News Today.
While previous studies have linked breastfeeding and asthma risk, this study is the first to show a link between duration of breastfeeding and number of wheezing periods.
Researchers summed up their conclusion in the following statement: "Shorter duration and non-exclusivity of breastfeeding were associated with increased risks of asthma-related symptoms in preschool children. These associations seemed at least partly explained by infectious but not by atopic mechanisms."
We may take it for granted that frightening and serious conditions like asthma require medication. However, a study discussed in Time's article Study: For Asthma Patients, Placebos Feel Just as Good as the Drug calls this assumption into question – at least in terms of how medication makes patients feel.
Conducted by Harvard Medical School, the study demonstrated that placebos (treatments that aren't real but the patients don't know it) "can be as effective as standard medical therapy."
Researchers gave 39 chronic asthma patients one of four interventions: albuterol inhalers, placebo inhalers, sham acupuncture (in which the patients didn't actually receive acupuncture, but believed they were), and no treatment at all.
Over 12 medical visits that spanned up to four months, patients' symptoms were gauged objectively through measuring lung function and subjectively through asking patients if they felt better. Results indicated no statistical difference between real and sham treatments in how patients said they felt.
However, placebo treatments did not actually improve lung function, indicating that the placebo effect, while it doesn't actually make a physical difference in patients' symptoms, has a powerful effect on patients' perception of how they feel.
As study author Ted Kaptchuk, director of the program in placebo studies at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center puts it: "It's clear that for the patient, the ritual of treatment can be very powerful. This study suggests that in addition to active therapies for fixing diseases, the idea of receiving care is a critical component of what patients value in health care. In a climate of patient dissatisfaction, this may be an important lesson."
Tags: asthma, albuterol inhaler, asthma placebo treatment, asthma and acupuncture
Herbal Medicine Reduces Inflammation in Allergen-Induced Asthma
We've talked before about alternative treatments for allergies, asthma, and related conditions like eczema. And we love spreading the word about natural remedies for allergies. Following is promising news regarding an Asian herbal allergy treatment.
Medical News Today reports on new findings published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology that point to the success of "a traditional Korean medicine, SO-CHEONG-RYONG-TANG (SCRT) that has long been used for the treatment of allergic diseases in Asia."
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine have demonstrated that therapy with SCRT treatment alleviates asthma-like pulmonary inflammation by suppressing specific chemokines, or proteins.
Interestingly, the researchers tested the success of SCRT in reducing inflammation by applying the treatment to asthma symptoms induced by house dust extract containing cockroach allergen and endotoxin.
As research assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine Jiyoun Kim, PhD describes, "In this study multiple aspects of pulmonary inflammation were examined including the production of inflammatory mediators and the pulmonary recruitment of inflammatory cells."
Results showed that SCRT treatment significantly reduced airway hyper-reactivity. In addition, the immune response of pulmonary inflammation was significantly reduced.
Before I began writing for AchooAllergy.com, I had little involvement with allergies. I don't typically suffer from allergies myself (although I do have allergies when pregnant) and no one in my family has any food allergies.
I wasn't writing about allergies for long before I began to realize how acutely quality of life is affected for those with allergies. What hit me hardest was that people with certain allergies, like food allergies, can actually die from the condition.
This realization, coming as it did in my late 20's and only because I was in a sense forced to engage with the information, is I think typical of many Americans' lack of knowledge about allergies in general and food allergies specifically.
Of course I knew that food allergies like peanut allergies or milk allergies could be life-threatening, but the possibility seemed remote. However, with the number of food allergic children on the rise, the prevalence of such reactions is much less remote than it was – although awareness may not be keeping up with the increased danger.
Experts have known that the number of those with food allergies is on the rise, but a study just published online in Pediatrics and reported by USA Today, among other news outlets, says that food allergies affect about 1 in 13 children, double the latest government estimates.
This means that 6 million American children suffer from food allergies, with the majority of allergies being to milk and peanuts. This translates to about two children per classroom who have food allergies. Forty percent of these children have severe reactions.
As Dr. Calman Prussin, an investigator with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, puts it, the study "confirms that food allergy is a substantial public health problem." Indeed.
One strength of this study is that it specifically differentiated between food intolerances and actual food allergies. Symptoms of a true food allergy include skin rashes, wheezing, tightness in the throat or difficulty breathing. Parents interviewed in this latest survey were asked if their children had these particular symptoms.
Interestingly, the study was funded by the Food Allergy Initiative, a nonprofit advocacy group founded by parents of children with allergies. Hopefully, as awareness increases, sad situations like this protest against the accommodations made for a severely allergic girl will diminish.
In addition, we can only hope that as the problem of food allergies grows, the effects can be stymied not only by increased public awareness, but also by increased education about ways to manage and treat food allergies. Seeing an allergist is fundamental to managing allergies, and even to possibly treating them permanently through allergy shots. Yet many allergic individuals seem to not even consider seeing such a specialist.
Our monthly allergist interview series attempts to raise awareness about the type of help allergists can offer. This is just one way we at AchooAllergy.com attempt to contribute to the efforts of raising awareness about allergic conditions of all kinds.
Tags: food allergic children, children with food allergies, milk allergy, peanut allergy, allergy shots, allergist
Good news! Allergy treatment really is improving. As The Washington Post reports in Cutting Allergy Shots, advances are being made in immunotherapy that uses isolated proteins that make up specific allergens.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published a study covering a new shot developed to desensitize people with cat allergies. Cat allergies affect about 10 percent of the population, and they play a major role in triggering childhood asthma. While standard cat allergy shots require weekly injections for at least a year, the new vaccine "uses synthetic versions of short peptides from the protein responsible for most cat allergies."
These peptides are 1,000 less allergenic than traditional cat allergen. This means that shots are much less likely to lead to an allergic reaction. In addition, the total treatment with this new cat allergy shot is only four doses. Stay tuned for future news about this allergy treatment, because the vaccine is in its final stages of development.
We've talked before about vitamin D levels and allergies, and a study recently published in the online version of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirms the association. ScienceDaily reports on this in Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Allergies in Kids.
Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University looked at serum vitamin D levels as well as sensitivity to over 17 allergens in more than 3,100 children and 3,400 adults. Results showed no association between vitamin D levels and allergies in adults; however, in children and adolescents, low vitamin D levels were correlated with sensitivity to 11 of the 17 allergens. These allergens included both environmental allergens, such as ragwood and pet dander, and food allergens, such as peanuts.
Again, it's important to note that such research does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship, but rather points to some kind of possible relationship. Nevertheless, making sure your children are getting enough vitamin D seems like an important part of efforts to keep them from developing allergies. Be sure to discuss supplementation with your doctor.
Is it possible that having allergies could be a good thing? We might not go so far as to say yes, but CNN reports today on a correlation between having allergies and a decreased likelihood of developing brain tumors.
In Can Allergies Prevent Tumors?, Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us, "More than a dozen small studies have suggested that people with allergies are less likely to develop gliomas, which are tumors that begin in the brain or spine, and are the most common type of brain tumor."
Contributing to such research, a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention found that the more allergies a person has, the less likely he is to develop a glioma.
It's important to note that while this association has cropped up in many studies, we do not have any proof of a causal relationship. In other words, we cannot say that the presence of allergies actually prevents the tumors from forming, only that there is a correlation between the two.
Additionally, if it were the allergies that prevent the tumors, the mechanism of how this would happen is not known. It could be that those with allergies have a hyperactive immune system, which guards against the development of tumors.
One scientist theorizes that histamine is involved: "Dr. Melissa Bondy of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who was not involved in this particular study but has done similar research, thinks there is a trigger of the production of histamine - an inflammation-causing compound released in allergic reactions - that protects against gliomas and perhaps even other kinds of cancers."
There is still much to be studied in this arena, including whether the use of antihistamines compromises the "protective" effect of allergies against tumors. But don't stop your allergy relief measures yet; it's much too early for any recommendations to be made.
As always, we look forward to keeping you informed on developments in this new and fascinating connection and how it plays out in the medical community.
On January 4, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act became law as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act. It mandates the creation of voluntary food allergy management guidelines to apply to schools across the United States. While voluntary, the guidelines will be a valuable and consistent resource for schools in all states.
It calls on the federal government to create food allergy management guidelines for the schools so that any school in the U.S. has something to look to if they need help managing students with food allergies.
The specific guidelines are still being developed by the CDC - Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), and the National School Boards Association (NSBA).
The bill does a couple of important things:
1. Requires the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and make available to schools a voluntary policy to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools.
2. Will provide for school-based food allergy management incentive grants to support implementation of food allergy management guidelines in public schools.
For more information regarding the actual implementation of the bill and food allergies in general:
The link between a lack of vitamin D and allergic conditions is well documented. A recent study, reported in a CNN article titled, "Lack of vitamin D at birth may increase respiratory infection risk", adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the importance of this essential nutrient in relation to respiratory health.
Researchers in New Zealand tested the cord blood of nearly a thousand infants and asked their parents about respiratory infections by the age of three months and wheezing by the age of fifteen months. They checked in with these families every year after that, until the age of five.
As CNN reports, “The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that children who had low vitamin D levels in the cord blood at birth had a higher risk of respiratory infection in their first few months of life, as well as a higher risk of cumulative wheezing in early childhood.”
Although researchers are not certain how vitamin D influences wheezing, one thought is that this nutrient affects the immune system as it develops in utero, as well as during the first months after the baby is born. Another possible explanation is that a mother passes on her habits, such as time spent outdoors, and characteristics, such as skin pigmentation, to her child.
Vitamin D affects many aspects of health, and this new research on its possible role in preventing childhood wheezing is additional confirmation. It is possible, however, to get too much vitamin D. Therefore, it’s best to consult with your physician or your children’s pediatrician about vitamin D supplementation.
For more on vitamin D and allergic conditions, see:
Eczema treatment has long been among the most elusive solutions when it comes to allergic conditions. However, ScienceDaily reports a Major Shift in Understanding How Eczema Develops that offers new hope for those who suffer from this uncomfortable and persistent disease.
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory condition resulting in the skin becoming "leaky." When the barrier of the skin is thus compromised, allergens such as dust mite allergen, pet dander, and pollen are sensed by the skin and send the immune system into overdrive. Furthermore, water leaks out, contributing to the dry, itchy skin characterizing the condition.
Most current treatment focuses on the presumed culprit of eczema: the upper-most layer of the skin, called the stratum corneum. However, a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology "found that a second skin barrier structure, consisting of cell-to-cell connections known as tight junctions, is also faulty in eczema patients and likely plays a role in the development of the disease."
Treating both the upper most layer and this second layer may provide relief to the millions suffering from eczema. Lisa Beck, MD, lead study author and associate professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, says, "We want to figure out what current eczema therapies do to both barrier structures and start thinking about new treatments to close the breaks that let irritants in and water out and subsequently drive the inflammation and dryness that is characteristic of the disease."
Eczema often goes hand-in-hand with other allergy-related conditions, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. It comes as no surprise, then, that there are common characteristics of underlying causes: Tight junction defects are involved in other inflammatory disease, including asthma, in which the lining of the airway is weakened. Perhaps exploring ways to treat problematic tight junctions will open new possibilities for treating not only eczema, but also asthma and other inflammatory diseases.
Allergy sufferers may have a somewhat complicated relationship with wine. For one thing, allergies often compromise a person's sense of smell and therefore taste because of nasal congestion. As AchooAllergy.com founder P. Cade McDonald once pointed out, "I can't tell the difference between a 20 dollar bottle of wine and a 200 dollar bottle." (Jury's still out as to whether this is a good or bad thing.) For more information on the connection between allergies and how you taste things, see Allergies and Your Sense of Smell.
Some, though, are actually allergic to the wine itself. Around 500 million people worldwide suffer from headaches, stuffy noses, skin rashes, and other allergy symptoms when they drink wine, according to Science Daily's article Low Allergenic Wines Could Stifle Sniffles and Sneezes in Millions of Wine Drinkers. Of these, only one percent are allergic to sulfites.
Recent research has uncovered information about the offending culprit in the rest of the cases: glycoproteins, proteins coated with sugars that are produced naturally as grapes ferment. While glycoproteins were suspected, not much was known about their structure and function. In analysis of Italian Chardonnay, 28 glycoproteins were uncovered. Interestingly, "scientists found that many of the grape glycoproteins had structures similar to known allergens, including proteins that trigger allergic reactions to ragweed and latex. The discovery opens to door to development of wine-making processes that minimize formation of the culprit glycoproteins and offer consumers low-allergenic wines."
In the ever-evolving quest to combat allergies, many treatments are aimed at the allergic individual, helping desensitize them to allergens, or minimizing their exposure to allergens, for example. However, low-allergenic wines offer a solution from another angle by reducing allergic symptoms through altering the offending substance itself.
Those with asthma have been routinely told to double their dose of inhaled steroids when they felt the signs of an impending asthma flare-up. But recently, Canadian researchers have found that this practice doesn’t appear to forestall asthma attacks, reports Fox News.
Dr. Andy Nish, asthma expert of the Allergy and Asthma Care Center in Gainesville, Georgia comments, "Sometimes we do things that seem reasonable and yet maybe aren't as effective as we would like to think." He was not involved in the study.
The Canadian researchers conducted their research by analyzing available data on outcomes with higher doses of inhaled steroids such as Pulmicort or Flovent. The medications keep airway inflammation under control on a daily basis, and doctors supposed that higher doses would be effective in emergency situations. However, the researchers found that doubling or even quadrupling the amount of medication at the start of a flare-up didn't make patients any less likely to require emergency treatment. (The research was conducted with adults, so it's important to note that the findings may not apply to children with asthma.)
So what should asthma patients do when they feel an attack coming on? Dr. Francine M. Ducharme, who was involved in the study, offers the following: "The most important strategy to reduce the rate and severity of flare-ups is to take daily preventive medications for asthma." She also recommends rescue inhalers, which contain short-acting drugs like albuterol to open airways.
Dr. Nish adds that preventing flare-ups is key. "Avoid cigarette smoke, stay indoors if it is a high-smog day, avoid exertion if it's a cold or a hot day, and get your flu shot."
In a FoxNews segment entitled Myth or Fact: Flu Shot Allergies, Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld answers the question Is it true that you should not get the flu shot if you are allergic to eggs? demonstrating that the answer is not as straight-forward as it may seem. Here's what he has to say:
Over the years and even on this show, I have warned people who are allergic to eggs not to get a flu shot because the flu vaccine is made with egg product. And I think that may be a little too strong. If you can eat products that are made with eggs and don't get a reaction, you're probably okay.
But the news is that there are a couple of vaccines that have come out specifically for people who are allergic to eggs. If you're allergic to eggs, ask your doctor to get you those particular brands. Get a tenth of the dose. Wait 30 minutes, and if you don't have a reaction, get the rest of the shot. It's extremely important to get a flu shot if you possibly can.
My prediction is that in the near future, they will change the way they make the flu vaccine and they will be made from viral cultures and no eggs will be used.
If you are allergic to eggs, rather than simply not getting a flu shot, discuss your options with your doctor. Flu vaccinations are an important component of safeguarding your health.
A recent survey published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology about the frequency with which children with allergies are bullied has sparked outrage and debate. According to the survey, a quarter of children, teens, and young adults report being teased, harassed, or bullied, reports MSNBC. Thirty-five percent of children over 5 reported such bullying, and among sixth through tenth graders, the number was even higher, at 85 percent.
The teasing takes many forms, with verbal taunts and threats being the most prevalent. But, alarmingly, for 35 percent of survey respondents, the harassing took a physical form – everything from waving food with peanuts in front of the face of an allergic child to purposefully contaminating something with the allergen.
Of course, the emotional impact is detrimental, but even more, some of these allergic children have allergies so severe that even breathing peanut particles could set off a life-threatening reaction. The consequences of such bullying could very easily be death. And with the number of food allergic children on the rise (Centers for Disease Control data shows an 18 percent increase between 1997 and 2007), this type of bullying is likely to become increasingly common.
CNN also picked up the story, relating stories of allergic children being bullied. For example, director of allergymoms.com Gina Crowe describes how children may go all day without eating because they don't want to get harassed for eating different foods from the other children.
The situation brings up several issues: One matter that comes up is the ongoing debate about how schools should handle the safety of allergic children, specifically, how should they address not only the allergies themselves, but such malicious and dangerous bullying? Additionally, the survey sheds light on the ignorance that many still have regarding the nature and severity of food allergies, highlighting the need for continued and broad education, especially as food allergies continue to become more and more common.
Chicago residents have been experiencing very high mold counts this September. Saturday mold counts hit 81,000, the highest count in five years, reports Medical News Today. Any mold count above 50,000 signals dangerous air quality – and the reported count is for outside air alone; inside counts could be even higher.
Dr. Joseph Leija, allergist at Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, describes symptoms that can occur when mold counts are high: "Heavy chest and difficulty breathing, runny noses and fatigue will be common among Chicagoans with sensitive respiratory systems."
Dr. Leija also cites the conditions that have led to these exceptionally high levels of mold, pointing out that wind, heavy rains, humidity, and barometric pressure changes have all contributed. While high mold levels are unhealthy for everyone, those with allergies and asthma should be especially on the alert. Exposure to mold can trigger allergies and lead to asthma attacks. Dr. Leija advises, "Asthma sufferers should stay indoors and rest as much as possible, take their allergy medications and consult their allergist if symptoms worsen."
To read more about mold and its effect on allergies and asthma, check out the following:
The finding that asthma, and even bad air, may lead to an increased incidence of suicide is based on two studies conducted in Asia and published in the American Journal of Psychology. The crux of the research indicates that respiratory problems may worsen a person's mental state.
The South Korean study that associates air pollution with suicide found that when particulate matter (a type of air pollution) rose, the suicide rate increased by 9 percent. Among those who also suffered from heart disease, the risk of suicide rose by 19 percent.
Dr. John Mann, a psychiatrist and professor of translational neuroscience at Colombia University in New York, points out that the study does not substantiate a causal link between the air pollution and suicide, but also concedes that the study offers an "intriguing and puzzling finding that clearly needs to be explored in more detail."
Though a causal link is not definite, the study's authors offer a number of explanations for the possibility of one: Lead, mercury, diesel exhaust, and other substances in particulate matter may impact neurological functioning. Alternately, particulate matter may cause inflammation which is associated with depression. Inflammation may also worsen the symptoms of other chronic conditions, which also could account for the increase in suicides.
A Taiwanese study followed asthmatic teens for over a decade to look at a possible link between asthma and suicide. Findings indicated that asthmatic teenagers were more than twice as likely to kill themselves; the likelihood of suicide was even higher when they experienced several asthmatic symptoms.
The study concluded that about 1 in 14 of the suicides among this group were related to asthma, most likely because of the illness's physical toll combined with its psychological and social challenges. Previous research in the United States corroborates this link.
The upshot of such findings seems to be that parents and doctors should be looking for signs of depression and anxiety in asthmatic young people. As Wayne Katon, M.D., chief of psychiatric services at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle puts it, "The implication is that doctors should be screening for depression, anxiety, and suicidality in their patients with asthma."
Use of acetaminophen can lead to the development of asthma and eczema, Science Daily reports in their article Acetaminophen Use in Adolescents Linked to Doubled Risk of Asthma. Monthly use of the drug was linked to more than a double risk of asthma and eczema; while yearly use was associated with a 50 percent increase in the risk of asthma.
Study first author Richard Beasley, M.D., professor of medicine at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand on behalf of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) says, "This study has identified that the reported use of acetaminophen in 13- and 14-year-old adolescent children was associated with an exposure-dependent increased risk of asthma symptoms." The research will be published online on the American Thoracic Society's website, followed by publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
More than 300,000 13- and 14-year old children in 113 ISAAC centers throughout 50 countries participated in the study. They were given two written questionnaires and one video questionnaire, which asked them to quantify their acetaminophen use as well as their asthma, eczema, and allergy symptoms.
Researchers discovered a significant association between acetaminophen use and the risk of asthma and eczema: 43 percent higher in medium users (at least once in the last year) and 2.51 times the risk in high users (at least once in the last month). Allergic nasal congestion was also linked to acetaminophen use: 38 percent higher for medium users and 2.39 times greater for high users. Eczema risk was 31 percent and 99 percent higher in medium and high users.
While a causal link could not be definitely determined because of the way the study was conducted, evidence gained from other studies does suggest such a link. Biologically, acetaminophen may have a systemic inflammatory effect that leads to enhanced allergic immune responses. In addition, the drug may suppress the immune response to and prolong the symptomatic illness from colds, leading to asthma exacerbation.
Dr. Beasley points out that "if the associations were causal, they would be of major public health significance" and that "randomized controlled trials are now urgently required to investigate this relationship further and to guide the use of antipyretics, not only in children but in pregnancy and adult life."
In a time of year when many are used to sun bathing, another kind of bathing proves not only safe, but beneficial. A recent New York Times Health featurette explores the claim that exposure to plants and parks can boost immunity.
"Forest bathing," a term adopted from the Japanese practice of visiting nature parks for therapeutic effect, does in fact appear to have health benefits, according to a series of recent studies. Venturing into forests or parks with lots of trees - if pollen sensitivity and the discomfort of summer heat allow - increases immune function.
Stress reduction and phytoncides, "the airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect them from rotting," and insects seem to responsible for the benefit to humans.
One January study followed 280 healthy individuals in Japan who practiced forest bathing, Shinrin-yoku in Japanese. The people were split into two groups, one which walked through a forest or wooded area for a few hours, and the other which walked through a city area. The following day, the group switched places. Scientists found that being in the forested areas created "lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure," among other health benefits.
Other studies have demonstrated that visiting nature-rich areas raises white blood cells. For instance, one study found a week-long increase in white blood cells in women exposed to phytoncides in forest air. This summer, boost your immune system, get exercise, and enjoy some natural scenery by some forest bathing.
Summer has already arrive here in the South where temperatures have been over 90 degrees for the past week. Ice cream, the cool summer treat, is probably flying off the shelves. But, food allergy sufferers always have to be concerned when trying new foods and ice cream is no exception.
The Kroger Company announced last week that it is recalling select containers of the Kroger Deluxe Chocolate Paradise Ice Cream. The ice cream may contain tree nuts not listed on the label.
People who are allergic to tree nuts could have a serious reaction if they eat this ice cream. For people not allergice to tree nuts, there is no safety issue with the product. Customers can return the product to stores for a full refund or replacement container of ice cream.
It seems that Kroger has acted swiftly to issue the recall and to get the information out to the public. For more information, you can read the press release on the Kroger company website.
This article about allergy suffering in America has some very interesting new information about what has made this allergy season tougher than ever on allergy sufferers.
According to the article, Dr. Clifford Bassett, a NYC based allergist, blames this year's miserable allergy season on two main factors: record-breaking winter precipitation combined with unusual flashes of warm weather in early spring "primed the pump" for trees and plants to overproduce large amounts of pollen.
Bassett warns against self-diagnosing and treating what may seem like allergies. "A lot of people spend blindly on over-the-counter medications and are extremely unsatisfied," he says. Instead, he recommends visiting the doctor to test for particular allergen in order to develop a strategic treatment plan.
Testing can help people control their exposure to various allergens. Bassett says that for a third of allergy sufferers, symptoms can also be aggravated by consuming related foods. Apples, hazelnuts, carrots, celery, peaches and pears are cross-reactive with tree pollen while celery, cereal grains, potatoes, melons and tomatoes are cross-reactive with grass pollen.
The 5 cities where American suffer allergies the most:
The BP oil spill off the coast of Louisiana is a devastating environmental disaster that is already looking like it will eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Many of BPs attempts to minimize the damage have already been a failure.
“They recovered 8 percent of the spilled Exxon Valdez oil," Jeffrey Short, Pacific science director for Washington, D.C. conservation organization Oceana told Livescience.com. "That is typical of these exercises when you have a large marine oil spill. You're doing really great if you [get] 20 percent."
In addition to the effect on the environment and the economy, there is a huge health risk to those living in the affected areas. Fisherman along the coast of LA have reported being able to smell the fumes from the water.
If you or someone you love is in an affected area, protect yourself by taking the following measures:
Close all windows and stay inside as much as possible
Use air purifiers in any space where you spend a significant amount of time. You will need one that filters out Volatile Organic Compounds such as the Austin Healthmate Plus, an Allerair Vocarb model.
If you spend a lot of time in a boat or car consider getting a portable air purifier. The Amaircaire Roomaid as an auto adapter kit and a VOC filter (must be purchased separately.)
For time spent outdoors wear a mask such as the Respro Techno Mask or the 3M 8293 Mask which is just for oil based particulates.
This oil spill’s impact will be felt for many years to come. Please call us with any questions about how to protect yourself or your loved ones from this devastating disaster.
Breathing volcanic ash can have a big impact on respiratory health. There are people all across Europe who are suffering from the devastating impact of the eruption of the volcano underneath the glacier, Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland. Health effects are worse for those who already have a respiratory condition such as asthma, children and the elderly but can be harmful for many.
There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself from ash in air as well as other harmful particulates.
Wear a mask when outdoors such as the Respro Techno or Respro Aero masks or the 3M HEPA Mask. If you are going to be around these pollutants for a long time make sure to order extra filters so you have them on hand when you need them.
Use an air purifier in your bedroom and main living space. You can get very good filtration from Austin or Blueair air purifiers and exceptional air purification for those with additional health risks or immune issues with the IQAir or AllerAir air purifiers. Make sure you know the square footage of your space when choosing the right model.
Use a HEPA vacuum cleaner to assure that your indoor environment stays as clean as possible. The Miele Callisto is excellent for improving indoor air quality.
Wear glasses instead of contact lenses and to reduce risk of eye irritation.
Cover sensitive equipment such as computers and other equipment with plastic bags.
Keep children and pets indoors as much as possible.
If you are not currently in an area that has volcanic ash, keep these tips in mind because right now there are at least 1,500 active volcanoes around the world and at least 100 in the US that could be active!
Everyone is coming out with a “Best Movies of the Year” list this month. One movie likely to be on the list is the popular 2009 summer movie the Hangover, which told the story of four friends and their comical adventures after a night of drinking in Las Vegas. The movie caused big laughs in the theater, but drinking alcohol can cause more than a hangover for some allergy sufferers.
In this article last week on the Medical News Today web site, they talk about the possible ingredients in alcohol that could trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.
One of the preservatives found in wine is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is found in many foods that trigger allergy symptoms. Another cause might be histamine generated by the bacteria and yeast in alcohol. During an allergic reaction, histamine is naturally released by the body, so an increase in your histamine levels from drinking alcohol can worsen allergy symptoms.
Have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve and be aware of the dangers of drinking too much.
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.
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.
For many air travelers, the worst part of airline travel is the air quality. One of their biggest fears is getting sick from air travel. Airplanes are confined spaces that are known for poor onboard air circulation. While waiting to take off, passengers are exposed to any number of air contaminants including ozone, gas fumes, chemical cleaners, and pesticides used on airplanes.
In a recent Wall Street Journalarticle, writer Scott McCartney states that a year ago, a blue-ribbon panel of experts across the aviation industry recommended voluntary standards for onboard air circulation, lower ozone exposure, new monitoring for contaminated air from oil or hydraulic fluid leaks, and limits on pesticides used on planes.
According to McCartney, airline companies and aviation industry experts have yet to take any action to improve air quality or meet these voluntary standards.
More than a decade ago, the aviation industry asked the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers to form a panel to investigate air quality inside airliner—long a topic of concern for travelers and flight crews, particularly during health crises like the H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
Byron W. Jones, the committee’s chair and associate dean at the College of Engineering at Kansas State University says, “In general the air on an airplane is not too bad, but when things go wrong, they can get really bad. And it happens in a hurry.” Dr. Jones and other committee members describe the response from regulators to the new standards as “fairly muted” so far.
It seems that for now passengers are on their own when it comes to improving the air quality on airplanes. For the proactive traveler, we carry a personal filter for airplane use that may help some travelers improve air quality and prevent them from getting sick.
In the most recent issue of Men’s Health Magazine, a short blurb on the nutrition bulletin page discusses a study promoting the benefits of eating broccoli. According to the results of the study, there is a naturally occurring compound in broccoli that may help protect against the nasal inflammation that helps cause asthma and allergic rhinitis.
According to Dr. Marc Riedl, the study’s principal investigator and an assistant professor of clinical immunology and allergy at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, “This is one of the first studies showing that broccoli sprouts—a readily available food source—offered potent biologic effects in stimulating an antioxidant response in humans.”
I guess mom really knew what she was talking about when she made sure that you finished your broccoli and other vegetables. For more information on the study and the methodology of the research, check out this excellent article on the broccoli study from the UCLA newsroom web page.
An experimental asthma treatment cut the rate of extreme asthma attacks by 32 percent and reduced trips to the ER by 84 percent, Fox News reports.
The device is called Alair. It's a thin tube that is inserted into the lung's air passages to kill off some of the muscle tissue. This in turn reduces the narrowing of airways.
Dr. Mario Castro from Washington University in St. Louis explains, "In asthma, what happens is these patients develop enlarged smooth muscles surrounding their brochial tubes. This contributes to asthma attacks. The idea is to decrease that."
The study conducted by Dr. Castro and his colleagues followed 297 patients in six different countries for a year. Two-thirds of these patients received three treatments with Alair, while the remaining third were given a placebo. Results were promising with 79 percent of patients who received Alair treatments showing improvement.
Alair is an ideal solution for controlling asthma cases that do not respond well to medications. The treatment already has been approved in Europe. A decision regarding approval from the U.S. FDA is expected in the fall.
Each year the Asthma and Allergy Found of America declares that May is "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month." May is a perfect month for increased awareness of these conditions, because of the increase in allergens, pollen, and other triggers in the air we breathe.
May is also the beginning of the summer travel season and that means increased amounts of smog and air pollution. The month of May is a great time to educate family, friends, co-workers, and others about the dangers of allergies and asthma.
Check out this press release from the AAFA. There is great information on recent asthma and allergy news, as well as, an entire section with information about the recent Swine Flu outbreak.
In the Asthma and Allergy Foundation 2009 rankings of the 100 most challenging cities to live in with asthma, St. Louis ranked number 1. Atlanta, our beloved city and the headquarters of AchooAllergy.com, showed up in the top 10 with a 9th place ranking.
More than 20 million children and adults live with asthma all over the U.S., making it one of the most common and costly diseases. Experts agree that people can not move away to help their asthma, because every city in America has different risk factors.
Instead, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation recommends that people should work with an asthma specialist to develop a good asthma management plan.
These rankings were based on a number of factors with regard to air quality including higher than average pollen scores, continued poor air quality, access to asthma specialists, medication usage, and a lack of local "100% smoke-free" laws.
See the other top 10 cities and the full report here.
During the past two weeks, our customer service representatives have been bombarded by callers who have questions about whether or not a protective mask will protect them against Swine Flu. The flu scare has increased demand for face masks and respirators all over the United States (Check out this article by a writer for the Chicago Tribune.)
To provide information to people and to answer some questions about their masks, Respro, one of our partners in the battle against allergens, has issued a press release and posted it to their web site. The company talks mainly about prevention and they describe a couple of characteristics that are essential for a mask to be effective. Respro also provides some technical information on masks that protect against mold, hydrocarbons, Avian Flu, pollen, and other airborne particles.
We have an entire section of information and choices for someone in need of a protective mask. Check out these masks that we still have available.
By this point you have no doubt been saturated with news of the "swine flu." The rapid spread of this virus, coupled with its unique origins and a 24-hour news cycle have made this a very hot topic online, on the radio, and on television. While the major media outlets have certainly done their part to sensationalize this story, the reality is this is another variation of a virus that millions deal with each year.
In the last week we have seen the number of orders for masks rise exponentially for a variety of masks we sell, and unlike others we are NOT raising the price simply because demand has increased. We provide quality products to help those with asthma, allergies and other illnesses, not to take advantage of people need.
The swine flu, like the more common version of tge flu that visits us every year, is primarily spread through contact with an infected person. An uncovered sneeze or cough can expell the virus from an infected person and easily transmit it to those nearby. While masks do certainly help to keep the virus contained and often away from you, there are some other very basic measures that can be taken to help prevent you from becoming ill.
First, as mom always said, wash your hands. And like Chicago voters, do it early and often! There are really few better ways to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. Germs abound and viruses in particular are more resilient to conditions outside of the human body. They can live for extended periods of time on telephones, doorknobs, countertops, and other places that germs use as a crossroads in their travels around the world.
Secondly, avoid crowded areas when possible. For most of us, that is much more easily said than done. Workplaces and schools are where most illnesses often spread. A good rule, if you're sick, stay home. Sure, your boss might be a little disappointed, but he would be much more disappointed if half of his employees wound up missing work due to illness. If your child is sick or feeling sick, keep them home for the day. Besides, do you or your child really want to spend a day feeling miserable at work or in school?
Lastly, stay away from people who are sick. The hugs and handshakes can wait without hard feelings. And if you do happen to be sick or have the flu, cover you nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough. Nothing ruins a friendship faster than when an ill coworker sneezes on you.
Like many viral infections, this swine flu will burn itself out in time. For most, those effected by the swine flu will not require a doctors visit or anything beyond the normal measures used to combat seasonal flu. For the elderly and children, particular care should be taken and should you feel the need, don't hesitate to visit your local physician to assess the situation. Until the swine flu eventually dies down, follow these simple steps to help stay healthy and keep the spread of this virus to a minimum.
Last week, newspapers and web sites across the country reported on a growing bedbug problem that our company has been talking about on this blog since the summer of 2006.
Bedbugs have made a tremendous resurgence in the United States. According to this article from NPR, bedbug reports have increased over 70 percent in the last five years. The problem finally has reached the attention of the federal government. The Environmental Protection Agency hosted its first ever bedbug summit in Arlington, Virginia.
Bedbugs are small wingless insects that feed on blood. These insects seek shelter in dark cracks and crevices in the home. Bedbugs are not known to transmit diseases; but their bites can cause infections and allergic reactions in some people. The insects release an anticoagulant to get the blood flowing. They also excrete a numbing agent so that their bites do not often wake their victims.
For more information and to answer some specific questions about bedbugs, check out this document drafted by the Harvard School of Public Health.
Around election time last November, we blogged about one of President Barak Obama’s most important campaign promises. He promised his daughters, Malia and Sasha, that he would buy them a puppy after the election.
The story piqued our interest because in a widely reported quotation the President said that the dog had to be hypoallergenic, because his daughter Malia suffers from allergies. This past weekend the President fulfilled his promise. The White House announced that the Obama family has welcomed a Portuguese water dog named “Bo” into the family.
Portuguese water dogs have a single-layered coat and the dogs do not shed. This means that their presence in the home may be tolerated better by allergy sufferers. Any person with dog allergies should definitely spend time with any animal before purchasing to test whether or not the dog negatively affects them.
According to the book, The Complete Portuguese Water Dog, the breed is first recorded in history in 1297 A.D. The dog was described in a monk’s report about a drowning sailor who had been pulled from the seas by a dog with a “black coat, the hair long and rough, cut to the first rib and with a tail tuft.”
To see a picture of the new First Dog and to read about some of the intrigue behind the release of the puppy story to the media, check out this article from USA Today.
Spring is here and that means warmer weather for every part of the country. After being trapped indoors all winter, must of us want to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. However, spring is also allergy season. Here in Atlanta, we already are seeing the tell-tale yellow deposits of pollen on our cars, porches, sidewalks, and roads.
Pollen is not the only allergen that causes trouble for allergy sufferers. Dust mites, animal dander, and mold also induce runny noses, sneezing, and watery eyes. On a recent morning episode of the Today Show, a feature story focused on six unexpected sources of allergens and some room-by-room solutions for controlling these allergens in your home environment.
To combat the pollen increase in the air, we recommend changing your HVAC and furnace filters. The other suggested solutions from the article and other allergy relief products can be found on our web site. HEPA vacuums, Anti-Allergen laundry detergent, Vital Oxide solution, Allergy Armor bedding and pillows, and air purifiers are all weapons in the fight against allergies.
Almost every week in our AchooAllergy.com team meeting, we talk about our company’s mission and what we are doing to fulfill that mission. We are in a battle with allergies and our number one weapon is environmental control.
Sometimes in the day-to-day bustle and the desire to meet deadlines, we can lose sight of how important some of our products are to the everyday lives of allergy sufferers.
However, yesterday on the front page of CNN’s web site, an article about a young child and his parents dealing with food allergies was a poignant reminder of how allergies can harm our quality of life.
Teddy, a four year-old with severe food allergies, has to stay clear of milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts. His parents have to be vigilant with any food products they buy at the grocery store, but they also have to monitor what Teddy eats in places outside the home like at school or restaurants.
One paragraph from the article illustrates Teddy’s situation:
If milk touches Teddy, he gets hives -- he doesn't even have to ingest it. This is a lot different from "lactose intolerance," which some people confuse with a milk allergy. Lactose intolerance produces gastric distress for someone. A milk allergy can be life-threatening.
Thinking about Teddy in a school cafeteria with peanut butter sandwiches and milk all around him has to be frightening for him and his parents.
At AchooAllergy.com, we want to do our best to promote education and research that will help allergy sufferers like Teddy. We want people to experience a higher quality of life and to breathe better.
In an article published today in the Wall Street Journal, recent findings of a pilot study conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital show that a handful of children with severe peanut allergies can now eat peanuts without worry. Scientists and doctors have spent years retraining the children’s bodies by feeding them very tiny amounts of the food that endangered them.
The process is time intensive and tricky. You should not try this at home! Millions of Americans have food allergies. Peanut allergy is considered the most dangerous, with life-threatening reactions possible from trace amounts. It accounts for most of the 30,000 emergency-room visits and as many as 200 deaths attributed to food allergies each year. Although some children outgrow peanut allergy, that is a rare occurrence among the severely affected.
More rigorous research must be completed before this treatment becomes available to more allergy sufferers. However, if this oral therapy continues to work as an effective treatment, the approach could mark a major advance in the battle against peanut allergies.
According to a recent article on the Women’s Health Magazine web site, food allergies in adults are on the rise. While there are many questions at this point about the causes of this increase, experts do not have many answers. In the article, writer Alisa Bowman explores three possible causes:
1. The increase in carbon dioxide caused by global warming makes plants and trees generate more pollen. This leads to an increase in hay fever in adults. It is possible if you develop environmental allergies that you are more susceptible to food allergies.
2. Are antibiotics to blame? The overuse of antibiotics might kill good bacteria that are necessary for proper digestion of food. Some doctors think this might lead to a phenomenon called “leaky gut” syndrome—undigested food particles are able to pass through the GI tract and into the bloodstream. This causes an overload to the immune system and an allergic reaction.
3. Some younger women are experiencing allergic reactions to foods that they eat immediately after working out. These reactions to food are hard to pinpoint by allergists. If you experience a reaction to food after working out, keep a journal of symptoms and consult your doctor.
With food allergies on the rise, is there any good news for allergy sufferers. Yes, the good news is that more regulation of food labels allows allergy sufferers to avoid the foods that might cause allergic reactions. The author of this article even found that when she had to stop eating a certain food, she found a whole new set of foods as replacements!
Can an activity that seems like second nature really do more harm than good? We all blow our noses when we have colds or sinus infections. Tissues even come with aloe to keep your nose from drying out from too much blowing. However, blowing your nose might do more harm than good when you are battling a cold.
According to a recent New York Times article by Anahad O’Connor, researchers at the University of Virginia conducted CT scans as patients coughed, sneezed, and blew their noses. Coughing and sneezing, the natural body functions that dispel bacteria and viruses, generated no increased pressure in the sinus cavities. On the other hand, a person blowing their nose actually propelled mucus into the sinus cavity every time.
One age-old remedy that we recommend trying to alleviate sinus build up and stuffy noses is nasal irrigation. Nasal irrigation is a drug-free and inexpensive way to cleanse your nasal passages, feel better, and breathe better.
Babies are constantly putting things in their mouthes. In classes for raising newborns, nurses and teachers always talk about checking your floors to make sure there is nothing that the child can fit into their mouth and choke on. Choking is a big concern, but some parents also are determined to raise their kids in an ultraclean environment. By not allowing children to get a little dirty, these parents might be preventing them from developing their immune systems to respond to allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases.
“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” writes Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, in her new book, “Why Dirt is Good”. “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”
In this article in the New York Times, writer Jane Brody talks about some of the advantages that a little dirt can have for children. She also examines a couple of different scientific studies that are looking at dirt’s benefits to our immune systems. Her conventional wisdom seems to be that washing with soap is still pretty good, but you also can let children run around outside barefoot. You might be helping their immune system in the long run.
Cleaner air over the past two decades has added nearly five months to average life expectancy in the United States, according to a federally funded study. Researchers said it is the first study to show that reducing air pollution translates into longer lives. Here is the entire article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution web site.
Between 1978 and 2001, Americans' average life span increased almost three years to 77, and as much as 4.8 months of that can be attributed to cleaner air, researchers from Brigham Young University and Harvard School of Public Health reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.
Here at Achoo!Allergy.com, we are devoted to helping our customers breathe better and live longer. If you are intersted in improving the air quality in your home or office, check out our air purifier offering.
The current issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Research examines the results of a study conducted to determine whether taking one grass pollen tablet every day can alleviate hay fever and asthma in children. The results appear to be promising. Using this treatment, asthma symptoms declined by 64% and hay fever symptoms declined by 24%.
The study was conducted by a team of medical experts in Germany. The study featured over 250 children. The positive results are important because experts estimate that up to 25% of the population in western industrial countries has hay fever. Untreated hay fever in children also can cause children to develop asthma later in life.
To read more about this particular study and its methodology, please check out this article from the Medical News Today web site.
If you are an allergy sufferer, you already know that stressful situations can cause an allergy flare up. A 2008 study conducted by researchers at Ohio State University describes recent experiments that tried to gauge just how psychological stress affects allergy sufferers. Studying allergies, allergen avoidance, and asthma is becoming more and more important. According to the OSU press release, allergic reactions are the fifth most common chronic disease in America, and the medical costs to treat allergies approaches $3.4 billion dollars yearly.
The most interesting aspect of this study for me is that the researchers found that many allergy sufferers had a delayed reaction to the increased stress level. In some cases, allergy symptoms did not show up until the next day. We often take medications for immediate allergy relief, but the medication might be ineffective if symptoms do not appear immediately. This next day symptom change often is called a “late phase reaction.” For more information on the research methods and the findings, check out this OSU press release.
This week USA Today launched an investigative report about toxic air in the environment around America’s schools. The newspaper used an Environmental Protection Agency model to examine the impact of industrial pollution on the air quality outside of over 100,000 schools in the United States. The special report is entitled the “Smokestack Effect.” One beneficial aspect of the report is that the web site gives the reader the ability to search for a specific school and see the results of the study for that school.
Scientists have known that kids are particularly susceptible to the dangers of breathing in harmful toxins and chemicals in the air. Kids, whose bodies are still growing and developing, breathe in more air in proportion to their body weight than adults do. Long term exposure during their time at school has a lasting impact. Some children develop asthma during adulthood that might be caused by early exposure to toxins.
Our company is focused on improving indoor air quality with air purifiers and other allergy relief products. We are concerned about the affects that pollution and other chemicals in the air have on our children and their ability to breathe better. This study is required reading, because the USA Today special report illuminates some of the hazards, the problems, and the future ramifications of pollution in the air surrounding the schools that our children are required to attend.
A study released today by Vanderbilt University suggests that babies born during the fall before the normal cold and flu season are at a greater risk of developing asthma. These children have a 30 percent higher risk for asthma, because of the common infections associated with the cold and flu season. Dr. Tina Hartert, the director of the center for Asthma Research at Vanderbilt University, and her colleagues studied the medical records of 95,000 infants and their mothers in the state of Tennessee.
Why is this study important? The researchers think that environmental exposure to infections may activate genes that predispose children to developing asthma. Nearly every child is infected by respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, between the ages of 3 and 6 months. The study found that autumn babies were at the highest risk for exposure to RSV.
“All infants are exposed to this and it is potentially preventable,” according to Dr. Hartert. “What we were able to show was the timing of birth and the risk of developing asthma moves in time almost to the day with the peak of these viral infections each winter.”
The next step for the researchers is to prove that preventing the infection at this early stage will prevent asthma development. With this research and development, we might be able to prevent a lifelong, deadly disease. We can lessen the impact of breathing problems and help people lead healthier lives.
While surfing the interwebs to do research for our Miele vacuum cleaners renovation project, I discovered a wide range of articles, videos, and information on these special canister vacuums. You can do a quick search and watch European television commercials with the vacuums flying through the air. Or you can check out online discussion groups where people profess their devotion to the Miele brand.
One of the most memorable was a profile piece written just last month in the Seattle Times by writer Tyrone Beason. The title is okay, but the tag line definitely grabs your attention: “A Miele vacuum appeals to the sensual as well as the sensible.” Keep in mind, we are talking about a vacuum cleaner, but the Miele canister vacuum has that affect on some people.
For the article, Beason interviewed Ted Biery a Seattle area Miele dealer. The intriguing part of the article for me is that while the writer stresses the supposed glamour of the vacuums, Biery, the expert, touches on two very simple, but very important points about these vacuum cleaners. First, he stresses their longevity and durability. Biery goes on to comment on how much Miele owners appreciate their new vacuum cleaners:
“Often times, customers are unhappy with their experiences with other vacuums…They’ve replaced their vacuum every three years and they’re tired of that.”
“When most customers discuss other brands, they use subdued terms such as ‘like’, but when they talk about Miele, they literally say ‘love.’ They develop an emotional attachment.”
Miele vacuum cleaners are designed to last for an average of 20 years. Owners appreciate the quiet operation and the odor busting sealed dust bags. There is definitely something special in the looks and styling of these vacuum cleaners. Their colors and modern materials catch the eye, but the durability and functionality will make you fall in love with your new Miele vacuum.
Allergies are an increasing problem for people all over the world. The quest to help people breathe better is being undertaken by scientists, allergists, and researchers from all nationalities. Allergies, asthma, and air quality are issues that affect everyone. This week a new study was released that suggests a less painful process for allergy sufferers. The results of the study suggest that allergy sufferers need far fewer shots when doctors gave them injections into the lymph nodes instead of the usual jab under the skin.
The disparity in the number of shots is staggering. In one case, three shots into the lymph nodes provided the same protection as 54 shots underneath the skin. Also, the period of time from the first shot to the last was much shorter. The researchers from the University Hospital Zurich gave the lymphatic allergy shots over a period of eight weeks. Traditional immunotherapy injections for allergies take almost three years and require approximately 70 doctor’s office visits. Patients getting the new treatment needed smaller doses, had fewer bad reactions, and felt less pain.
The study was lead by researcher Gabriela Senti. The patients were monitored over a period of three years. While explaining the reasoning behind the study, Senti said, “The problem with standard injections is that only a small fraction of the pollen aimed at the lymph nodes ever reaches them to stimulate an immune response. With a direct shot, the injection delivers all of the vaccine into the gland.”
For more information on the methodology of this study, check out this Bloomberg article by journalist Chantal Britt. Senti and her team’s findings will be published November 18th in the American journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In a new study released yesterday, two Cal State Fullerton economics professors claim that air pollution costs the economy of California $28 billion annually. The economists’ theory also suggests that the health costs are more staggering. Each year more than 3,800 premature deaths are attributable to the negative health effects of the air quality in this region of the United States.
In the press release on the Cal State Fullerton web site, the tag line in small print under the title should make California residents pause and take notice. The study says that more than 90 percent of Southern California residents breathe dangerous air. The research suggests that nearly every resident in the San Joaquin Valley area is exposed to life threatening pollutants on a regular basis.
Here are a few of the statistics for this region that are examined by the study:
Premature deaths among those 30 and older: 3,812
Days of reduced activity in adults: 3,517,720
Lost days of work: 466,880
Asthma attacks: 141,370
Days of Respiratory symptoms in children: 2,078,300
Amazingly, the number of pollution-related premature deaths in Los Angeles County is more than double the number of motor vehicle-related deaths. Improving air quality is a very important issue in our society. The results of this study show the huge economic benefits of cleaning up the environment in just one area of one state in the union. We can save a ton of money, but more importantly by improving air quality we can save peoples’ lives.
When you make a promise to one of your children, you had better deliver. During the lengthy 2008 Presidential campaign, President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama promised their two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, that win or lose they would get a new puppy.
Last week, after the election, one of the first press stories about the new First Family focused on the puppy promise and when the new addition to the family would be residing in the White House. One of the side stories that came out of the reporting was that one of the Obama children is allergic to dogs.
In a widely reported quotation, President-elect Obama summed up the family’s choice in this way. “We have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic,” said Obama. “On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.”
The problem for the Obamas is that these two criteria can be very contrary to each other. Most puppies found in shelters are often mixed breeds. These mutts are not hypoallergenic and will aggravate allergies. Pet dander is the primary trigger for children and adults allergic to pets. The other issue is that most pure bred dogs up for adoption are not puppies. Finding a pure bred, hypoallergenic shelter puppy is very difficult for the average citizen.
The Obama family does have a wide variety of choices for these dogs. According to an article in Newsday, the American Kennel Club created a web site to allow people to vote on which dog the Obamas should select for the White House. The winner of that puppy election was the hypoallergenic Poodle over the soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, the miniature Schnauzer, a Bichon Frise, and the Chinese Crested.
Our advice is that when adopting or purchasing a new pet, people with allergies need to take extra care in their pet selection. Try to selct a hypoallergenic breed. Also, regular bathing and brushing in conjunction with the use of an air purifier can help lessen the amount of pet allergen in the house. In a moment of prescience, one of our staff blogged about their experiences with a hypoallergenic dog in August. To check out that blog post, click on this link.
Tags: Barack Obama Puppy Pet Allergy Hypoallergenic
Cornell University researchers Paul Sherman, Erica Holland, and Janet Shellman Sherman have published a new article in the December 2008 edition of The Quarterly Review of Biology that suggest allergies help protect against certain types of cancer.
The research indicates that allergies perform this function in two ways. Allergy symptoms expel foreign particles that may be carcinogenic in nature. This action prevents the carcinogens from coming into contact with the organs in the body. In addition, allergies may serve as an early warning system that lets us know when there are substances in the air that should be avoided.
Previous research into the connections between allergies and cancer has found mixed results. The spectrum of results and answers goes from a direct linkage between the two to no connection at all between allergies and cancer. In an attempt to explain this wide range of results, the Cornell group studied the studies. They looked at over 600 studies from the past fifty years. They found an inverse relationship between allergies and cancers found in body tissues that are exposed to environmental factors. According to this study, if you have allergies, you are less likely to get cancer in these exposed areas.
These results are new and untested, but they fit in with our philosophy here at achoo! Allergy. We believe in environmental control and allergen avoidance to help fight allergies. We want to limit contact with airborne allergens and carcinogenic substances that enter the body. Our focus is on improving indoor air quality through the use of air purifiers, allergy relief bedding, and HEPA vacuum cleaners.
In October, we blogged about a report released two weeks ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which estimates that food allergies in the United States are on the rise. Almost 3 million children in the United States have at least one food allergy. That statistic is an 18 percent increase from just ten years ago. This dramatic rise has prompted doctors and researchers to attack this problem and to find new ways to treat food allergies in children.
This trend is particularly alarming because food allergies have a tremendous impact on the quality of life of a child. Usually, managing food allergies involves avoidance of the food triggers, waiting for the child to outgrow the allergy, and dealing with the allergy symptoms when they occur. This last option is scary because of the severity of some reactions. The stress caused by the outbreaks affects children and parents alike. We need to come up with new and improved ways of helping children combat these allergies.
“Given that the quality of life of a child with food allergy is comparable to the quality of life of a child with diabetes, we urgently need therapies that go beyond strict food avoidance or waiting for the child to outgrow the allergy,” explains Robert Wood, MD, the senior investigator on the study and the director of Allergy & Immunology at John’s Hopkins Children’s Center.
A new study conducted jointly by the Hopkins Children’s Center and Duke University found some positive results for oral immunotherapy in the case of milk allergy. According to Dr. Wood, “Our findings suggest that oral immunotherapy gradually retrains the immune system to completely disregard or to better tolerate the allergens in milk that previously caused allergic reactions.” Even though the researchers only studied 19 children, this study is the first ever double-blinded and placebo-controlled study of milk immunotherapy. Because neither the children nor the investigators knew which children received the placebos, the possibility for bias and error was minimized.
The findings of the study require further research and parents should not try this type of oral immunotherapy without medical supervision, but the positive implications are clear. If we can find a better way to treat children with food allergies, we can improve their daily diet and their quality of life.
According to an October article in Indoor Environment Connections, an initiative to improve indoor air quality is set to launch in 2009. Already in use in five states, the package is designed to ensure that energy efficiency is improved without sacrificing health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will give homes a seal of approval if they use certain building techniques to protect against radon, pests, and pollutants. This program will greatly reduce the lead, chemicals, mold, allergens and pests in new homes. According to Tom Kelly, the director of the EPA’s indoor air program, the new program builds on the EPA’s 1992 Energy Star initiative that promotes efficient electrical appliances.
The first national summit on improving air quality in new homes was hosted in Baltimore by four difference federal agencies. This Healthy Homes Conference presented several studies that showed how the improved building methods lowered the risk of asthma and other health problems. The studies were done in Cleveland, New Orleans, and Seattle. The three day summit drew more than a thousand participants interested in building a consensus among builders, health advocates, and environmentalists. This summit underscores the improvement of indoor air quality as an emerging political and health issue for many Americans.
One area where improvements in new home construction has been seen is in the use of lead. According to Jon Gant, an official with the Housing and Urban Development Office, the number of kids with lead poisoning fell from 890,000 in 1992 to 310,000 in 2002. He went on to say that the techniques used to lower the number of cases of lead poisoning can be used to help tackle other health and environmental issues. The “Indoor Air Package” program is a big step in the fight to improve the air we breathe in new houses and buildings.
A CDC report released today supports a growing belief amongst allergists and pediatricians. Food allergies among children are on the rise, to the tune of a 18% increase over the last decade. Currently, approximately 4% of all children suffer from some sort of food allergy. Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat account for 90% of these.
What is most alarming about this report is that not only is the occurrence of food allergies on the rise in children, but that children with food allergies are nearly three times as likely to suffer from respiratory or skin allergies as well. Roughly 30% of children with food allergies also suffer from respiratory allergies. Additionally, 25% of children with food allergies also suffer from eczema or skin allergies. Those without food allergies suffer from either respiratory or skin allergies less than 10% of the time.
There is no consensus as to why the increase is occurring in the U.S. What is known is that similar trends appear to be common in countries where the diet is similar to that found in the U.S. One interesting note is that in countries like China, peanuts are consumed nearly as frequently as in the U.S., but the occurrence of allergies related to peanuts is much lower. One possible reason could be in the way peanuts are prepared before consumption. In the U.S. most are dry roasted whereas in China most peanuts are boiled or fried.
What is clear from this study is that food allergies among children is a growing problem. Regardless of the causes, it is an issue that must be met with more research. For now the best advice is early diagnosis and avoidance. Through education and preventative measures, we all can work to ensure our children are safe.
*The CDC data come from two sources: the National Health Interview Survey, which sampled some 9,500 children in 2007; and the National Hospital Discharge Survey, which includes 270,000 inpatient records from about 500 hospitals.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, writer Kelly Greene explores the link between aging and the increased risk for developing allergies. The commonly held belief that allergies and asthma subside with age is proving to be incorrect. According to Greene, allergies affect 17% to 20% of the U.S. population. The numbers affected do not decrease with age.
Reasons for an allergy flare up later in life are diverse. Moving to another part of the country, accumulating exposures over a long period of time, and changing health conditions are all possibilities. The most prominent of these is a move to another part of the country, particularly to a different climate. Retiring and relocating to a mild climate where pollen is prevalent year round is a common allergy trigger. After a few years, you can build up reactive cells that respond to allergens and cause allergy flare-ups.
Some doctors point to the “Lifetime Load” theory. As you age, you can become sensitive to things you may have had with you for a very long time. For instance, through the course of time, you become more sensitive to mold because of long term exposure to older household goods. "With aging and allergies, one thought is that the sheer duration and breadth [of] stuff you get exposed to over life have a cumulative effect that winds up eventually sensitizing the body's immune system -- and creating an allergy you didn't have before," says Dr. James Pacala, a geriatrician and professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
So, what is the best way to deal with allergies in later life? First, stop ignoring the symptoms and seek treatment. Allergy symptoms are not simply signs of getting older. If you are suffering from nasal drip, reddening of the eyes, wheezing, or other symptoms, you have to get help to feel better. The article and we at achoo! allergy do not recommend over-the-counter medications. Some of these medicines can exacerbate heart problems as well as cause dizziness or drowsiness. The side effects could lead to more health problems for older patients. Most importantly, they may interact with prescription medicines causing severe side effects.
Once you assess the problem, you can turn your attention to a remedy. One popular remedy is a NetiPot. The Netipot allows you to pour a saline solution into your nose to clean the nostrils and to rinse the allergen away. If the particles triggering the allergic response are flushed from the nasal passages the symptoms will subside. During the winter, a second solution is to purchase a humidifier. When you have the heat on in your home, the air inside the home becomes very dry, and one unfortunate side effect of growing older is the natural drying of airways. Drier nasal passages and airways lessens the effectiveness of cilia to purge these pathways of allergens. Humidifiers keep inside air from drying out your nasal and air passages.
In our society, allergies and asthma are considered an affliction of the young, but that is a mistaken assumption. Aging puts more people at risk for developing allergies and asthma, and people need to consider that as a possible reason for their allergy symptoms.
In 2008, the Miele S5280 Callisto and the S163 Universal Upright won Consumers Digest Best Buy awards. The ranking committee was impressed with Miele’s control settings, easy-to-use wand, and overall filtration performance.
For almost fifty years, people all over the world have trusted Consumers Digest magazine to make sense of a vast array of products and services. With advertising schemes and marketing ploys, the amount of information about products is confusing and difficult to navigate. Consumers Digest helps steer people to outstanding values in the marketplace. They define a “Best Buy” as a product that offers outstanding value for its price and that merits special attention from shoppers. Each year, the designation is awarded to nationally available products.
“We are thrilled to have not one, but two vacuum cleaner products in the Best Buy family,” states Paul McCormack, Senior Marketing Manager for Miele, Inc. “We’ve always felt that our high standards of quality, performance, and filtration add up to a great value. Now there’s absolutely no doubt.”
The Callisto is the most popular of all of Miele’s canister vacuums. It offers the conveniences of the S5 Galaxy series with a few notable improvements. The electric powered SEB 217-3 Powerbrush comes standard. This is a significant improvement over the air driven brush. In addition, the Callisto comes with a powered hose. This hose gives you a wider range of more versatile attachments. When I ran this model, I found the SEB 217-3 Powerbrush was better at extracting pet hair from thicker carpet. In contrast, the electrically powered brush cleaned our high pile carpet much easier. Another noticeable upgrade with the Callisto is the handle. The Callisto is equipped with a deluxe handle. The design fits better in your hand and puts less strain on your wrist while you vacuum.
The S163 Universal Upright is great for someone living in an apartment or loft. The vacuum works well on low pile carpeting and smooth floor surfaces. You can switch from carpet to smooth flooring with a flip of a switch. The additional accessories are a crevice nozzle and an upholstery tool. The most notable quality of this vacuum is its versatility. You can operate the S163 as an upright vacuum or you can remove the wand and operate it as a hand-held vacuum to clean steps or under furniture.
The Callisto and the S163 Universal Upright are two of the best vacuums Miele has to offer. They are at different ends of the Miele spectrum, but they represent quality products that have great accessories and provide solid cleaning and filtration performance.
The fight over our changing global climate grows more intense every year. In this year’s vice presidential debate, the causes of global warming were contested. No matter what the causes and if we can slow them down, millions of allergy sufferers already feel the effects. In a USA Todayarticle, journalist Kim Painter writes that growing evidence suggests that an increase in allergies may be linked to global climate change. The premise is that when it is hotter outside, allergy sufferers are exposed to more allergens for longer periods of time.
This idea is especially true for pollen sufferers. Trees, grasses, and weeds (including the ragweed tormenting many people this fall) churn out more pollen over more weeks when temperatures and carbon dioxide levels rise, says Richard Weber, a Denver allergist who helped write the paper on the link published this month in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. “I think we can expect allergy sufferers are going to be suffering more,” says Weber, a professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
Avoiding indoor allergens takes more work and more commitment. If allergy sufferers are willing to take multiple steps, they can and will breathe better. Most research (and we at achoo! Allergy agree) suggests that controlling the environment is more beneficial to allergy sufferers than ever before.
“We’ve got really good evidence now that environment matters,” says Jay Portnoy, a Kansas City allergist and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “Just taking a pill is not going to solve your problem.”
For the past eight years, our mission here at achoo! Allergy has been to promote allergen avoidance and environmental control. Every product that we offer is focused on helping allergy sufferers win this battle. Here are some environmental control measures that will help you breathe better:
Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter that does not emit ozone.
Control dust mites by keeping indoor humidity below 50%.
October is Breast Cancer awareness month and to celebrate we are offering the Blueair AirPod PINK at 50% off. Additionally, during the month of October, we are running a special price on all our Blueair AirPods. Click here to check out the customer reviews of the Blueair AirPods.
Blueair is making strides in the battle against breast cancer. On April 29th, the Blueair AirPod PINK was featured as an audience giveaway on the morning talk show, the View. This television appearance gave the AirPod PINK exposure to millions of viewers. The AirPod PINK is a proud partner of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Blueair donates $5 from each AirPod PINK sold to this worthy organization. To help publicize this partnership, the AirPod PINK will be featured in a number of breast cancer issues during October including Weight Watcher’s Magazine, Balance Magazine, InStyle.com, Shape Magazine, and Home Magazine. Make sure to check out these publications this month.
We live in a world where clean air is a precious commodity. The air we breathe inside and outside contains many impurities. Surprisingly, the quality of air indoors is often worse than the air outside your home or office. To fight poor air quality, the AirPod’s patented HepaSilent filter is the machine’s workhorse. Inside the 6.3-inch square docking station, a 12V DC fan whirrs so silently that you may wonder if your AirPod is turned on. Also, the docking station houses an electrostatically-charged ionizer and power unit.
With a clean, stylish, and modern design, the AirPod is stripped down to its essential components—the filter and the docking station. This makes it easy to take this unit with you, wherever you go. The sleek shape gives you more room to breathe with no visual clutter. Express your personality. Choose a stylish filter pattern that suits your mood or your environment. Then, you can sit back, relax, and feel the difference in air quality. For better air quality in your personal space, there is no product better than the AirPod.
Last week in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, researchers presented findings about everyday exposure to environmental pollutants. Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. According to press reports, the researchers concluded that exposure to environmental pollutants including tobacco smoke, allergens, air pollution, and dust mites may be the root cause of chronic cases of laryngitis.
Laryngitis is characterized by symptoms like hoarseness, a constant cough, and chronic clearing of the throat. Most physicians generally attribute the inflammation to a viral infection, second-hand smoke exposure, and overusing the voice. However, the findings of this recent study suggest that exposure to certain pollutants and allergens can cause “environmental laryngitis.” The researchers used animal models during the study to help determine the affects of poor air quality.
“The findings are significant, given recent reports on diminishing air quality and increased unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution, especially in countries like China, which could lead to more cases of laryngitis and chronic laryngitis,” commented Dr. Peter C. Belafsky of the University of California at Davis.
If you are experiencing chronic laryngitis or any of the symptoms associated with laryngitis, you need to control your environment and reduce your exposure to allergens. We encourage you to start by controlling the environment in your bedroom. To improve your air quality, we recommend purchasing an air purifier. Air purifiers clean the air of indoor pollutants and harmful allergens. By using one of these in your bedroom, you should immediately notice an improvement in your sleep patterns. You also should feel better in the morning with less eye, ear, nose and throat issues.
Dust mite exposure is cited in the study as a contributing factor to “environmental laryngitis.” Many people do not understand how harmful dust mite exposure is to everyday health. We recommend that you encase your mattress and pillows with Allergy Armor encasings to control exposure to dust mite allergen. By starting in the bedroom where you spend 1/3 of your time, you quickly should see an improvement in your daily symptoms.
Tags: Dust Mites Laryngitis Air Quality Allergen Avoidance
During the Olympic Games, the media report on dozens of amazing personal interest stories. One of the best stories this year chronicled the perseverance of Jeanette Bolden, the coach of the US women’s track team. In a recent article titled “Going for Gold with Asthma” in Allergy & Asthma Today, freelance writer Kimberlee Roth tells the story of Bolden’s personal battle with asthma. As a young person, Bolden struggled with her asthma and her desire to run track. Through a variety of techniques and strength of character Bolden was able to make two Olympic track teams as a runner; and in 2008, she was one of the American track coaches at the Beijing Olympics.
Bolden started running track in high school. Soon, she was running well and winning races. In spite of her success, she faced a constant struggle to manage her asthma. One attack before a track meet during her junior year was very debilitating and forced her to spend time in the hospital. “It was a big setback mentally. Here I am running and accomplishing a lot and winning races and getting written up in the newspaper in my small town, and I’m in the hospital and cannot breathe. That was a reality check,” said Bolden. Bolden needed to come to grips with her asthma and learn to manage her condition better.
With her doctors, she developed a warm-up routine for practice and track meets that focused on keeping her asthma in check. She would always keep her inhaler nearby. Being prepared to combat the symptoms of asthma is important for every teenager not just athletes. When traveling to meets, Bolden did her research. She looked for the locations of nearby hospitals and pharmacists. She always carried ample medications, and had her doctor’s telephone numbers and other emergency numbers with her at all times. Her vigilance paid off with athletic achievements. She made the US Olympic team in 1980 and 1984. In 2007, her career came full circle when she was named as the head coach for USA’s women’s track and field team that competed in Beijing.
The air quality in Beijing was a major concern; and one of our leading companies, IQ Air, supplied high quality air purifiers to the US team. For athletes who perform at a high level, particularly for those like Bolden, having air purifiers on hand was very helpful. Bolden knows first hand the intensity of an asthma attack. “What will the air quality be like? Will I be able to do my job properly?” Bolden asked herself before the Olympics. By having a strategy to control her environment and by taking on the responsibility of managing her asthma, Bolden is an inspiration to young people struggling with their own breathing worries. About her message to young people with asthma, she says, “I try to instill determination. I talk to them about choices: You choose to write your own story as someone who’s very determined or someone who settles for mediocrity. Me, I’ve never been one to settle for mediocrity.”
In a recent Boston Globe news article, reporter Stephen Smith writes about a link between asthma and child abuse. According to a study done by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, children in Puerto Rico who endure physical or sexual abuse are twice as likely to suffer from asthma as children who are not mistreated. Somewhat surprisingly, the researchers found that abuse was more likely to cause asthma symptoms in children than the family's economic status.
Puerto Rican children were studied for several specific reasons. According to the article, about 25% of these children are diagnosed with asthma at some point during their childhood. They also are more affected by asthma and asthma symptoms than any other children in the United States. Regardless of whether the children live on the island of Puerto Rico or in the States, they are more likely to die from the disease.
What is the connection between the abuse and asthma? The authors of the study believe that the increased stress suffered by children of abuse leads to a predisposition towards asthma symptoms. Stress causes hormonal changes in the body. These changes may cause the body to be more susceptible to asthma triggers.
Although not involved with this particular study, Dr. John Heffner, a past president of the American Thoracic Society, said, “It certainly seems biologically plausible, particularly considering that it’s hard to think of any more stressful circumstance for a child than physical or sexual abuse, especially when that abuse comes from within the family.”
There are many factors in the rise over the past 30 years in the number of asthma sufferers around the world. Many of the triggers are beyond our control, but the link of child abuse to asthma is one societal trigger that we can work to eliminate.
Growing up, you may have heard many old wives’ tales about thunderstorms and their affects. There is one that suggests thunderstorms spoil milk. You are warned not to swim or shower during a storm. Many believe that dogs can sense the atmospheric changes long before a storm shows up, or that an acorn in a window wards off lightning. There exists the popular (but false) idea that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. You also have heard that a thunderstorm with steady rain will “freshen, clean, or clear” the air of pollutants and pollen. Well, last month a team of academics in Atlanta released a study that challenges this myth, links thunderstorms to an increase asthma attacks, and raises awareness for all allergy sufferers.
Researchers from the University of Georgia and Emory University released the results of an in-depth study that links thunderstorms to asthma attacks in the Atlanta Metro area. So, how can a thunderstorm cause an asthma attack? The authors of the paper say that the best hypothesis is that “pollen grains may rupture upon contact with rainwater, releasing respirable allergens, and that gusty winds from thunderstorm downdrafts spread particles . . . which may ultimately increase the risk of asthma attacks.”
The researchers studied a database consisting of more than 10 million emergency room visits in some 41 hospitals in a 20-county area, in and around Atlanta. For the period between 1993 and 2004, the team found a 3% higher incidence of visits for asthma attacks on days following thunderstorms.
“While a 3% increase in risk may seem modest, asthma is quite prevalent in Atlanta, and a modest relative increase could have a significant public health impact for a region with more than five million people,” said Andrew Grundstein, a climatologist in the department of geography at UGA and lead author on the research. He went on to say that “3 % is likely conservative because of limitations in this study.”
Here are some national statistics cited in the UGA news release:
• According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 20 million Americans have asthma. There has been a dramatic increase in reported cases of the disease--cases have increased 75 percent between 1980 and 1994.
• Nearly 5,000 Americans die annually from asthma attacks.
• According to the Division of Public Health of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, approximately 210,000 Georgia children under the age of 17 have asthma. 65 percent of that number had an attack within the last year.
For more information on the research team, the study, results, and methodology of the research, check out the news release on the University of Georgia web site.
When you are a marketing executive for a professional sports team, you are always looking for ways to sell a few more tickets to each game. In major league baseball, stadiums hold around 40,000 fans for each game. As a marketer, you have to fill those seats. That pressure can be beneficial to the consumer in that it makes professional teams focus on their customers and their customer’s specific needs. One innovation this summer that should interest peanut allergy sufferers is that several major and minor league baseball parks are offering “peanut free zones” or “peanut free nights” in their ballparks.
It is estimated 12 million people in the U.S. have food allergies, about one-quarter of them children. According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, the incidence of peanut allergies among children doubled over the five-year period from 1997 to 2002. Going to a baseball game is a great way for a family to enjoy a summer evening out of the house. Having a peanut free area in the stadium is a wonderful idea to help allergy sufferers and parents enjoy themselves without worrying about coming into contact with peanuts.
On September 9th, the Mariners’ ballpark, Safeco Field, will have two “peanut free” seating areas. Team management is taking several steps before and during the game to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience. The Food Education Allergy Support Team will clean and check the seating area just prior to game time. Secondly, the seating areas are going to be cleaned thoroughly the night before the game, and all peanut products will be banned from the areas. At concession stands near the sections, peanut products will not be sold. Additionally, the Mariners are recommending a way to enter the stadium with the least chance for peanut exposure. Earlier this summer, a similar night in Seattle had a large response with the sections being sold out.
To learn more about the Mariner’s peanut free section, click.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins also set aside peanut-free seating areas this season. The concept is not limited to the big leagues. A minor league team in suburban Chicago made its entire stadium peanut free earlier this month; and, the Nashua Pride in New Hampshire have been peanut free all season. Though it might seem sacrereligious to some to not be able to buy peanuts at a baseball game, in most stadiums there are plenty of other food options. For example, when I lived in Pittsburgh, PNC Park served the best hot wings in town, from a local restaurant called Quaker Steak & Lube. Peanuts can be potentially deadly for some allergy sufferers, and make more a miserable experience for others. Ultimately peanut free seating a few times a year is a very small concession for teams to make, so if having a “peanut free” zone in the stadium allows more people to enjoy the game I fully support the idea.
(Boston, MA) In a study presented to the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association conference, Ohio State researcher, Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, found that even slight stress can increase a person’s reaction to common allergens. Of 28 volunteers, all were administered standard prick tests and blood, saliva and serum samples were taken multiple times throughout the experiment. After submitting some participants to different types of stress, the findings demonstrated that allergic reactions were strengthened and present for a longer duration in stressful situations.
Each participant was given a variety of psychological questionnaires to determine stress and anxiety levels. Once this baseline was established, the volunteers were given the skin prick test then asked to perform an array of tasks ranging from reading to giving a ten minute speech in front of a panel of observers and solving math problems without pen or paper.
By measuring the “wheals” that formed from the prick test, researchers determined that the wheals were up to 75% larger on the individuals placed in more stressful situations. More importantly, a day later the allergic reaction for the same people was four times more likely to be stronger than those under low amounts of stress. As Gailen Marshall, co-investigator of the project, noted, late-phase or delayed reactions are often unresponsive to common treatment. “Late phase reactions also occur in allergic asthma and can, in proper settings, be potentially life-threatening.”
While common treatments such as antihistamines can reduce the severity of the reaction, persistent problems can become a serious issue for those who are often anxious or under higher levels of stress. Reducing stress has been proven to have positive health effects in a range of areas. This study reinforces this but also helps to warn against possible complications in allergy sufferers who cannot reduce their stress levels and relax.
Click here to read the original article, and for a more complete overview of this study you can visit OSU’s research page.
Since first being discovered in the U.S. in 1999, the West Nile Virus (WNV) has quickly spread across the U.S. Mirroring the national trend the number of cases spiked in 2002-03 but fell in following years. Here in GA we saw an increase in the number of cases last year, and the peak of the season is now upon us as August and September are the two most susceptible months for transmission.
The Department of Health continually monitors WNV in GA by testing and tracking for the virus in humans, horses, birds and mosquitoes. Earlier this month, the likely first case was discovered in a trapped mosquito at Frankie Allen Park in Buckhead. Each year WNV is found throughout Georgia, but now is the time when people need to take particular care when outdoors.
Most often mosquito populations are found near standing pools of water which is unfortunate since most enjoy spending time with friends and family at the many beautiful lakes and parks scattered around the metro area. When working or playing outdoors over the next 30-45 days it is increasingly important to use insect repellent. For those concerned with DEET, Herbal Armor offers a DEET free combination of oils that provides excellent protection against mosquitoes and other biting insects. The Center for Disease Control and Environmental Protection Agency lists Oil of Citronella, the primary active ingredient in Herbal Armor, as a biopesticide (derived from plants) that works by masking natural human odors that biting insects use to identify hosts. In addition to the use of repellents, people should remove all standing water from their property and ensure that screen doors and windows are in good working order, well fitted and not torn or damaged. Long sleeved and better covering clothing are also good ideas, and reporting the discovery of dead birds to your local and state health departments helps track WNV on a local level.
West Nile generally causes serious illness in roughly 1 out of every 150 people that contract the virus, but as we saw in the outbreak of cases of encephalitis in 2002-03 it is always best to err on the side of caution. By taking a few preventative measures we can all work to reduce the spread of West Nile in our communities.
In a new book titled "Healthy Child, Healthy World," Michelle Obama calls for increased efforts at asthma education and prevention.
The book contains contributions by Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, and Tom Hanks, as well as Obama's essay "On Having a Child with Asthma" - and it recommends air purifiers from our website.
Michelle and Barack Obama's daughter Malia suffers from asthma, and they do everything they can to keep their house dust-free and dander-free. When the Obama family decided to enter the Presidential race, they made a deal that their daughters could get a dog. After some research, the parents opted for a hypoallergenic dog - a soft-coated, Wheaten terrier - that does not trigger Malia's asthma.
"Parents of children with asthma need to know how to reduce the chances of an attack, how to treat an attack if it happens, and when to go to the hospital," writes Obama. "Irritants and allergens in the air, such as smoke, dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, mold, and pollen, can make attacks more likely. So parents who have children with asthma should keep houses clean of potential triggers.
"But that's not all of it. The number of children with asthma has more than doubled since the 1980s, and this epidemic disproportionately affects minority communities. As a society, we need to help parents in the inner city live in clean environments that aren't dangerous to their children's health.
"From my experience in health care, I know that a lot of what contributes to the crisis is people not taking adequate care of themselves on the front end. In addition to living in unhealthy communities, our children eat poorly and exercise less than they should. They spend more time indoors, in front of the TV, where so many other asthma triggers reside. All of this together weakens their immune systems. So we need to make our children's environments healthier.
"Less than four cents of every health-care dollar is spent on prevention and public health. Our health-care system has become a disease-care system and the time for change is well overdue."
According to CNN, a National Academy of Sciences report contradicts White House officials who say that the connection between smog and premature death has not been shown sufficiently.
"The report is a rebuke of the Bush administration which has consistently tried to downplay the connection between smog and premature death," says Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch.
The report concludes that "short-term exposure to ambient ozone is likely to contribute to premature deaths." It also states that "studies have yielded strong evidence that short-term exposure to ozone can exacerbate lung conditions, causing illness and hospitalization and can potentially lead to death."
If you must spend time outdoors in heavily polluted areas, wear a mask - and clean the air in your home with an air purifier.
WebMD reports that you might breathe easier if you watch your salt intake and avoid processed foods (which is where most Americans get three-quarters of their salt).
In a recent study at Indiana University, researchers found that test subjects with a low-salt diet could exhale far more air than those on a high-salt diet; they also needed their bronchodilator drugs less often and presented fewer markers of airway inflammation.
Researchers think that salt increases the volume of blood in the tiny vessels in the lungs, forcing fluid into the space between the vessel and airway, thus making it harder for oxygen to travel across that space and into the bloodstream.
"The Western world food is full of salt," notes Dr. Tim Mickleborough. "Certainly, if you’re asthmatic or an exercise-induced asthmatic, you’ve got to stay away from fast foods and the salt shaker at the table."
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 reduction of indoor air particles. This effect most likely indicates a general improvement in the function of the inner lining of small vessels, including those supplying the heart," says Dr. Steffen Loft of the Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen. "This suggests that indoor air filtration represents a feasible means of reducing cardiovascular risk."
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 into Singulair:
"There are no data from well-designed studies to indicate a link between Singulair and suicide. The concern expressed by the FDA is based entirely on case reports and there is no indication that such effects apply to other leukotriene-modifying medications.
"Post-marketing case reports are incomplete. Furthermore, comparative data are lacking on the incidence of suicide in the general population versus the incidence in patients taking Singulair. Thus, it is unknown whether there is an increased incidence of suicide in patients receiving Singulair.
"Based on the information currently available, patients taking Singulair should continue to take the medication as prescribed provided: 1) the patient and physician feel the medication is effective; and 2) the patient does not experience any suicidal behavior or thoughts.
"Patients who experience suicidal thoughts or demonstrate suicidal behavior should consult their physician immediately to discuss whether to continue with this medication. Patients should not hesitate to consult their physician if they feel uncomfortable continuing on the medication."
Tags: singulair, fda, aaaai, acaai, suicidal, fda investigation
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 reacting with components of hair oil," says one of the researchers. "For dirty hair, the ozone concentration around the head is likely to be substantially lower than the level in the room."
Ground-level ozone can cause respiratory problems and trigger asthma attacks; it has also been associated with increased mortality.
However, before you throw out all of your shampoo, note that ozone may form secondary respiratory irritants when it reacts with hair oil.
A better option would be to switch to non-toxic hair-care products - because chemicals in personal care products like shampoo and conditioner can also react with ozone in the air to form other harmful chemicals.
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 years, especially among children. Egg allergies are one of the most common food allergies in infants and children.
Egg prodcuts are widely used in a broad range of processed foods and traditional recipes, so those with egg allergies are not only unable to eat eggs, but also have to be vigilant about what foods may contain egg products and avoid them.
Although previous attempts have been made to reduce allergens in eggs, this new method successfully uses high heat and enzymes to break down eggs' main allergens. The resulting treated egg was 100 times less allergenic than an untreated raw egg. Flavor and texture are not significantly altered.
The study, "In Vitro Determination of the Allergenic Potential of Technologically Altered Hen's Egg," will come out in the March issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
WNYT News reports that today, February 28, 2008, the FDA will open two days of hearings regarding communicating the possible risks of the allergy drug Singulair, which has been used by millions of allergy and asthma sufferers. The August 2007 suicide of 15-year-old Cody Miller after just 17 days of Singulair use has sparked interest in the drug manufacturer Merck's notification program. Cody's mother said that by the second week of her son's Singulair use, he began having trouble sleeping, followed by "three days of really falling, negative emotional meltdown" before he took his own life. Neither they nor their doctor had any awareness of Singulair's danger.
Although the company says that it has notified pharmacists and physicians of potential dangers, Singulair's warning didn't include suicidal thoughts and actions until October 2007, two months after Cody's death.
Whenever taking any medication, it's important to read existing warning labels and whatever other information is available about the drug; in addition, because not all information may be publicized, it is crucial that special attention be paid to any unusual side effects - including atypical behavior - that appear around the time of beginning the drug. Discuss anything suspicious with your doctor immediately.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that California now requires hospitals to report specific kinds of staph infections to local health authorities. Cases that require reporting are those that infect otherwise healthy people, who are outside of hospitals or nursing homes, and that result in death or a stay in the intensive care unit.
This requirement is in response to the recent increase in drug-resistant staph infections that now kill about 19,000 Americans per year. Health officials hope to gain a better understanding of why the disease is on the rise, and how to deal with it.
Dr. Gilbert Chavez, State Epidemiologist of California, says, "We are concerned about recent reports of severe MRSA infections in previously healthy individuals," and adds that from the new requirement, "We believe we will have a better picture of the incidence of staph infections in California."
MRSA is responsible for a marked increase in community-acquired staph infections, which have infected a large range of people, including athletes, mothers, and schoolchildren. Cleanliness is the most imporantant factor in preventing staph infections like MRSA. Vital Oxide is an EPA-approved broad spectrum cleaner that safely kills staph bacteria.
The butter flavor in microwave popcorn contains the chemical diacetyl, which has been linked to lung damage, according to CBS News.
In the past, factory workers have successfully sued popcorn manufacturers after getting "popcorn lung" from inhaling diacetyl fumes all day. The official name for the life-threatening disease is bronchiolitis obliterans.
Now, it appears that diacetyl has caused lung damage for a consumer of popcorn who ate about two bags a day. Wayne Watson saw Dr. Cecile Rose after his lung capacity started to diminish. He was shocked when Dr. Rose asked him about his exposure to microwave popcorn.
"It was about two bags a day every day for about ten years," said Watson.
After he stopped snacking on microwave popcorn, Watson, 53, lost 50 pounds and regained his lung capacity. He is now suing the Kroger grocery store chain that sold him the popcorn.
In the past year, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association recommended a reduction of diacetyl in microwave popcorn. Since then, ConAgra (manufacturer of Act II and Orville Redenbacher brands) has announced that it will stop using diacetyl within a year. Other manufacturers are following suit, but to be safe, I won't be smelling the buttery aroma of microwave popcorn any time soon.
Newsweek reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has deemed Gulf Coast trailers unsafe after finding toxic levels of formaldehyde fumes in them.
The trailers were supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Gulf Coast hurricane victims. The fumes found in 519 trailers and mobile homes was at levels about five times higher, on average, than what people are exposed to in most modern homes.
Mike McGeehin, director of a CDC division focusing on environmental hazards, says that FEMA should move people out quickly, espcially families with children, the elderly, or anyone suffering from asthma or other chronic conditions. He adds, "We do not want people exposed to this for very much longer."
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. It is used in the construction of plywood, and also in many adhesives, varnishes, and other building materials. The trailer and motor homes' small sizes and poor ventilation made the effects of the fumes even worse. Heat also contributes to the release of the chemicals into the air, prompting the urge to get people moved to other quarters before spring raises temperatures. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified formaldehyde as a carcinogen, and the Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a probable carcinogen. Short-term exposure to formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems, itchy eyes, nosebleeds, headaches, and asthma attacks.
HEPA air purifiers are excellent at removing particulate matter from the air, but only air purifiers equipped with activated carbon, such as Aller Air air purifiers, are able to remove formaldehyde from the air.
Tags: formaldehyde, formalehyde fumes, trailers, air purifiers
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, entitled Air Purifiers Draw Scrutiny, discusses the mounting concern over ozone-releasing air purifiers that actually pollute the air while claiming to clean it.
Although as a component of the upper atmosphere, ozone filters UV rays,it is considered a toxic gas by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When breathed, it can cause lung damage, trigger asthma attacks, and even lead to an increased risk of death.
Ozone air purifiers and ionic air purifiers both release ozone. Ozone air purifiers purposely release high amounts of ozone into the air in order to break down contaminants. Ionic air purifiers, also known as "ionizers" or "electrostatic precipitators," charge airborne contaminants in order to gather them more easily. Ozone is released as a byproduct.
Manufacturers contend that such machines are safe when used as directed (including running the machines when the area is unoccupied) and that further research is needed before ozone and ionic air purifiers are condemned. Meanwhile, acceptable levels of ozone go unregulated because the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), has yet to set ozone limits for air purifiers.
Currently, the CPSC is evaluating whether a limit of 50 parts per billion (ppb) of ozone, the limit set by the Food and Drug Administration for Medical Devices, is safe for human health.
For now, even this limit is voluntary. Many ionic air purifier manufacturers voluntarily comply with the 50 ppb limit; ozone machine companies, though, are unable to comply, and generally produce levels of ozone in the neighborhood of 250 to 500 ppb.
Richard Shaughnessy, director of the University of Tulsa's Indoor Air Program, says that the machines "are still being sold on a regular basis and the public is still buying them." A study performed by the University of California, Berkeley found that an estimated 500,000 California residents were "routinely exposed" to unhealthy ozone levels due to their air purifiers.
The ozone gas itself is not the only cause for concern. Ozone also reacts with other household chemicals and surfaces to produce additional harmful chemicals. For instance, a 2006 study in Environmental Science and Technology discovered that after just three hours of exposure to ozone, carpets and cooking oil residue reacted with ozone gas to produce formaldehyde.
Ozone gas also produces ultrafine particles, which can penetrate deeply into the lungs. Ion-generating air purifiers, even though they may conform to the 50 ppb standard, are still of concern in this area. Air fresheners and pine-oil cleaners were tested in a study at the University of Texas, and both turned into ultrafine particles in the presence of ionic air purifiers.
Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, a reasearcher in the study, stated, "Every single one of the ion generators we tested was a net producer of particles, so they ended up generating more particles than they could remove."
Concern for ozone-generating air purifiers has led to a class-action suit against Sharper Image Corp., a leading marketer of electrostatic air purifiers.
Daily Mail reports that Francesca Sanna, 19, died after having what appears to have been an extreme allergic reaction to her toothpaste.
The toothpaste was Aquafresh Mild & Minty, according to her family.
The coroner concluded that Francesca died of an acute anaphlyactic reaction. She brushed her teeth minutes before her death and had been complaining of sore gums in the days before her death.
Pathologist Dr. Richard Prescott says, "People have suffered severe reactions in the past from toothpaste, mouthwash or even tampons."
A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Aquafresh, says, "Although we have not yet had an opportunity to see the coroner's report, we understand that no conclusion was made as to the cause of the anaphylactic shock. We receive less than a handful of complaints of allergic reaction to Aquafresh Mild and Minty each year, all of which have been of a mild and localised nature."
According to allergymoms.com, many kids who have multiple food allergies have problems finding a safe toothpaste.
Francesca suffered from asthma and severe allergies her whole life.
Mary Pickett, associate professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, gives advice on dealing with exercised induced-hives at timesdaily.com:
Exercised-Induced Anaphylaxis
"If exercise causes large hives (usually a centimeter or more in diameter) along with throat swelling or lightheadedness, nausea or headaches, you may have a condition named 'exercise-induced anaphylaxis.'
"Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is frequently triggered by a food allergy. The way that food allergy can relate to exercise is still debated. Some experts believe that exercise changes your digestion and food absorption, so exercise after eating leads you to have a greater exposure to food proteins that cause allergy.
"Many people with exercise-induced anaphylaxis notice that they will not have hives after exercising if they have had an empty stomach for six to eight hours before exercising, or if they avoid specific foods for 24 hours before exercising.
"The most common food allergy that triggers exercise-induced anaphylaxis is wheat allergy. Allergy to nuts, shellfish, eggs and other foods can also cause this problem. A person with hives after exercise should consider getting tested for food allergies. Once your triggers are known, you should avoid exercising after eating food allergy triggers.
"Full-blown symptoms of anaphylaxis can be dangerous. If you have other allergy symptoms with your hives, you should exercise with a partner and carry epinephrine that can be injected (such as the Epi-pen). Antihistamines (particularly hydroxyzine) may help symptoms, but they may not prevent a severe attack."
"If exercise causes smaller hives (usually less than a half- centimeter), you're more likely to have a condition called 'cholinergic urticaria.' Either of these problems can be accompanied by wheezing with breathing (asthma).
"Cholinergic urticaria is also known as heat-induced urticaria. This kind of hives from exercise is a reaction that can occur from a warm body temperature or from sweating. If you have this kind of hives, you may also notice hives after taking hot showers, after getting emotional or after eating hot foods. If this is your hive problem, an antihistamine such as hydroxyzine (Atarax) is helpful before exercise, and it can also be helpful for you to avoid exercising in hot weather.
"For most people who get hives after exercise, this is a long-term problem.
"If a food allergy is identified as a trigger, symptoms can likely be avoided if you don't exercise after eating, or if you change your diet to eliminate the allergen."
Today the FDA will issue a public health advisory to warn parents not to give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children "because serious and potentiall life-threatening side effects can occur."
Last October, a similar warning was issued, which said that perhaps the drugs weren't even effective and shouldn't be used in anyone under the age of six.
The doctor who petitioned the FDA last year to end the use of these nonprescription medicines for young children states, "If there's really no evidence of benefit, you don't want to risk the rare problem." Overdosing is another potential problem with these OTC cold medicines.
A reported 1,500 babies and toddlers ended up in the emergeny room over a two-year period due to over-the-counter oral cold medications.
The FDA reviewed reports of side effects from the last forty years and found 54 child fatalities from OTC decongestants and 69 reported deaths related to antihistamine use.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta says that parents of sick infants "can use vaporizers or hydrators, saline nose drops, rubber nose bulbs, and chicken soup and other fluids to keep an infant hydrated.
We all know that flu season hits hardest in the winter, but have you ever wondered why? The New York Times reports that the flu virus "is more stable and stays in the air longer when air is cold and dry, the exact conditions for much of the flu season."
A flu researcher from the microbiology department at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York adds, "Influenza virus is more likely to be transmitted during winter on the way to the subway than in a warm room."
Interestingly, some historians have suggested that the name influenza comes from the Italian influenza di freddo, which means "influence of the cold."
To test why the flu virus is so prevalent in the winter months, the researchers used guinea pigs and altered both the temperature and humidity in their living quarters. Transmission excelled at 41 degrees, and declined steadily as the temperature got warmer. By 86 degrees, the virus wasn't passed around at all.
The findings confirmed that "the virus was transmitted best at a low humidity, 20 percent, and not transmitted at all when the humidity reached 80 percent." Flu viruses are airborne (unlike colds, which spread more through direct contact with infected surfaces). The virus is more stable in cold air, and low humidity helps the virus particles stay in the air. Humid air, on the other hand, causes the virus particles to pick up more water and then fall to the ground -- where we can't breathe them.
Based on this reasearch, experts recommend setting room temperatures near 69 degrees Farenheit and keeping rooms at around 50% humidity.
Monitoring your home's temperature and humidity is an important part of keeping your family healthy in the winter months. A humidity gauge can help you keep humidity at the recommended levels. And using a humidifier not only eases the adverse effects of dry witner air, but can even help protect you and your family against winter's dreaded flu.
According to The Detroit News, many low-income asthma patients across the country will be at-risk of missing doses of their asthma medication beginning in 2009, when CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) inhalers will become prohibited.
The FDA is probiting the use of CFC inhalers because of concerns that the chemical harms the Earth's atmosphere. New HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) inhalers, which are already on the market, cost about twice as much as CFC inhalers.
"There are two possible solutions to this dilemma," Dr. Amanda Oates and Dr. Matthew Davis of the University of Michigan explain. "The FDA can amend its 2005 regulation to specify that CFC inhalers will be allowed until 2010, when HFA inhalers come off patent and less expensive generic alternatives will likely become available.
"Even better, the FDA can delay the CFC phase-out until the most important of its original criteria for removing CFCs from inhalers has indeed been met: The patients who require non-CFC inhalers to control their asthma must be adequately served."
For more information on HFA inhalers and to see comments from asthma sufferers who will be affected by the FDA regulation, see New HFA Inhalers Are Effective But Costly.
Natural Foods Merchandiser reports that the FDA may soon declare that meat and milk from cloned animals is safe to eat.
Some experts are concerned about "the unpredictability of cloning, the higher risk of animal birth defects, and unresolved issues about human allergens."
Robyn O'Brien of allergykids.com recently explained how genetically modified foods, which have been on the market for over 10 years, may play a role in the extreme increase in food allergies over the past decade:
"The problem is that proteins and allergens are introduced when you genetically modify a plant, and no human trials were ever done. As these novel allergens and novel proteins were introduced with no human trials done, government agencies around the world in other developed countries simply labeled these ingredients so that a mom could decide if she wanted to expose her child to these new proteins and allergens, which is especially helpful if you have a family with a predisposition to allergies. In the U.S., there was no labeling.
"So what we're finding is that there's a dramatic correlation between the introduction of genetically engineered soy, which was introduced in 1996, and within that first year, there was a 50% increase seen in soy allergies. And within the first five years of the introduction of genetically engineered soy, there was a doubling of peanut allergy. Studies are showing now that there are allergens in this genetically engineered soy, and they are 41% similar to peanut allergen."
Some are worried that cloned food, if approved by the FDA, may lead to similar, unpredictable food allergies.
According to ScienceDaily, your home's humidity can indeed affect your mood.
A groundbreaking study found a connection between damp, moldy homes and depression.
The 2007 study, led by Brown University epidemiologist Edmond Shenassa and published in the American Journal of Public Health, surprised researchers. Shenassa actually set out to prove that there was no connection between depression and humidity in the home, but he proved otherwise.
"We thought that once we statistically accounted for factors that could clearly contribute to depression – things like employment status and crowding – we would see any link vanish," said Shenassa, the lead author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Community Health at Brown. "But the opposite was true. We found a solid association between depression and living in a damp, moldy home."
Shenassa points out that mold doesn't necessarily cause depression; however, the association between depression and moldy homes is likely driven by two factors: 1) A perceived lack of control over the home environment. 2) Mold-related health problems such as asthma and allergies.
"Physical health, and perceptions of control, are linked with an elevated risk for depression," Shenassa said, "and that makes sense. If you are sick from mold, and feel you can’t get rid of it, it may affect your mental health."
"What the study makes clear," continues Shenassa, "is the importance of housing as indicator of health, including mental health. Healthy homes can promote healthy lives."
If you live in a damp, moldy home, you can eliminate the excess moisture in the air with a dehumidifier. We recommend that you keep your home's relative humidity below 50% to control mold and dust mite populations.
This time of year, during the cold, dry, winter months, many people actually need to increase the relative humidity in their home with a humidifier. Humidifiers add moisture to the air. Dry air can be troublesome to people with sinus problems and dry skin conditions.
If you use a humidifier, just be sure to monitor your humidity so that it doesn't get too high. You don't want to give life to a mold colony in your home! Also, clean your humidifier at least once a week to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria.
Tags: depression, mold, home, damp, moldy, humidity gauge, dehumidifier, humidifier, study, researchers, sick from mold, mental health
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."
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.
The wildfires in Southen California may be retreating, but they've left behind high levels of airborne particulate matter and a strong odor of smoke.
"It's vital that people who live in the affected areas equip themselves with tools that offer serious protection against airborne particulate matter and offer some relief from smoke odor," says Sam Teitelbaum, President of AllerAir Industries, manufacturers of advanced HEPA-carbon air purifiers. "High levels of smoke carry large particles that settle in the upper respiratory track and very fine particles which penetrate deep into the lungs."
Anyone, including healthy people, may be affected by smoke particulate; however, older adults, people with pre-existing respiratory conditions and children are more likely to suffer from serious health complications. Smoke travels easily and can affect communities hundreds of miles away from the primary burn zone.
"We'd also like to remind those investigating personal protective equipment and odor controllers, that standard paper dust masks you can buy at the hardware store cannot protect you from fine airborne particle matter," cautions Teitelbaum. "And if you're considering the purchase of an air cleaner or air purifier, keep in mind that a HEPA-only unit cannot remove smoke odor. Look for a product that contains pounds of activated carbon."
The AllerAir 5000 DS Exec air purifier is specifically engineered for smoke odor and chemical by-products. It features a tar-trapping pre-filter, a 24 lb. deep-bed carbon filter, and a micro-particles filter rated 95% efficient at 0.5 microns. It’s suggested for users most concerned about smoke odor and airborne chemicals.
According to accessatlanta.com, Marie Osmond blames her allergies and the poor air quality in Los Angeles for her fainting spell during a performance on the ABC TV show Dancing with the Stars.
"Right at the beginning . . . I started getting lightheaded. The only thing I can think of, I have allergies . . . The air quality (in Los Angeles) is terrible. And I think I just couldn't get my breath," Osmond told Entertainment Tonight.
Get yourself a quality air purifier to make sure you stay on your feet when it's your turn to dance.
(AP Photo/ABC, Carol Kaelson)
Tags: marie osmond, allergies, fainting, dancing with the stars, los angeles, air quality, air purifier
Earlier this month, in the article Allergy & Cancer: Is There A Connection?, I wrote: Maybe one day scientists will crack the code of the intricate immune system, and diseases like cancer and allergies will be things of the past.
A few days after I wrote the above sentence, AndhraNews.net reported that a team of mathematicians in the United Kingdom is trying to do just that.
The goal of the Immunology Imaging and Modeling Project, funded by the UK's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), is to create a theoretical and computational model of the body's immune system.
"A multi and cross-disciplinary, cohesive, and active approach is urgently required. The ability to track parasites and cells in real time using novel imaging techniques is allowing exciting new insights and will help us measure the interactions between the different parts of the immune system. This will provide a theoretical and computational model of the immune system, giving a complete picture that researchers from across all disciplines can refer to and draw upon," says Dr. Carmen Molina-Paris, researcher at the University of Leeds. "Mathematical immunology is maturing into a discipline where modeling helps everyone to interpret data and resolve controversies. Most importantly, it suggests novel experiments allowing for better and more quantitative interpretations."
LATimes.com reports that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has banned popular in-home ozone air purifiers because studies show that these air purifiers can worsen respiratory conditions like asthma, which marketers claim they help to prevent.
The ban takes effect in 2009, and it's the first of its kind in the nation. Anyone caught selling the devices after a two-year phase-in period could be subject to fines starting at $1,000 a day.
CARB estimates that more than 500,000 California residents have been exposed to levels of ozone above federally recognized health standards because of air purifiers that emit ozone.
While marketers like Allen Johnston of EcoQuest air purifiers claim, "Ozone is both safe and effective," University of California inhalation toxicologist Michael Kleinman sets the record straight: "Ozone is a toxic contaminant, and does cause significant adverse health impacts."
We've been telling our customers the same thing for years. If you want to clean the air in your home, select a safe, effective HEPA air purifier, especially if you have a respiratory condition like asthma or allergies.
Reuters UK reports that exposure to common pesticides appears to increase the risk of asthma.
According to a study at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina, a history of high pesticide exposure among farmers doubles the risk of asthma.
Lead researcher Dr. Jane A. Hoppin says, "Better education and training of farmers and pesticide handlers may help to reduce asthma risk."
Protective gear such as masks may also help reduce the risk.
The CDC points out that pesticides can enter the body through the skin, eyes, mouth, and lungs. The CDC recommends that mixers, loaders, and applicators of pesticides wear protecting clothing including coveralls, apron, broad-rimmed waterproof hat, boots, rubber gloves, googles or faces shields, and respirator masks.
According to washingtonpost.com, one of out three college athletes has exercise-induced asthma.
The Ohio State University study found that exercise-induced asthma typically occurs between five minutes and 20 minutes after intense physical exertion. Symptoms may include wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Seven percent of Americans are known to suffer from asthma, but many others - about one in 10 people - experience exercise-induced asthma, even if they have no history of asthma.
In an ironic twist, Atlanta-based company Bella Cucina has recalled its "Death by Chocolate" cookies because of undelcared walnuts. People who have an allergy to walnuts are at-risk for life-threatening allergic reactions if they eat these products.
According to the FDA, the Death by Chocolate cookies come in a 6 ounce bag with a sleeve label. The UPC code for this product is 19193 00020. These cookies have a three-month shelf life.
The cookies being recalled were made on June 14, 2007 and also July 5, 2007. No illnesses have been reported thus far. The cookies were distributed to several cities, including Atlanta. For a refund or replacement, you may contact Bella Cucina directly at 678-539-8400.
Tags: death by chocolate, food allergy, undeclared walnuts, atlanta, bella cucina, cookies
According to Daily Express and ScienceDaily, researchers have discovered a ground-breaking drug - a protein that blocks the inflammatory action of mast cells and has the potential to cure all allergic diseases.
Mast cells are found in the eye, nose, airways, skin, and gut. As part of the immune system, they protect us from invasion against bacteria and parasites; however, for allergy sufferers, mast cells react to substances like dust mites, pollen, and food, releasing histamine and other inflammatory chemicals that initiate and sustain allergic reactions.
Hebrew University Researcher Ido Bachelet found a specific receptor protein on mast cells that prevents them from unleashing allergic responses. However, the protein, known as CD300a, is found throughout the immune system on other types of cells, too - which means that simply targeting CD300a would produce undesirable immune system suppression.
To overcome this problem, Bachelet designed a synthetic antibody fragment that can recognize two targets at the same time: the CD300a receptor as well as a certain mast-cell-specific marker. Therefore, the antibody only affects CD300a receptors on mast cells.
The research project is known as Receptra, and Bachelet predicts that his discovery will be the first line of allergy treatment in the future. In lab tests with mice, the antibody eliminated four types of allergic diseases, including asthma, with virtually no side effects. Mice with severe chronic asthma reverted to normal, health mice within two months of treatment. Tests with humans are planned within the next year.
I've blogged about temporary tattoos that could bring on allergies, and now, according to the CourierPost Online, the popularity of body piercing has led to a rise in nickel allergies.
Nickel is often one of the metals present in piercing jewelry, and it can cause severe allergic contact dermatitis, or eczema.
If you have nickel allergy, use the Nickel Solution kit to test for nickel content; the kit also allows you to wear jewelry that would otherwise cause a reaction.
According to medpage today, nasal cannula may replace bulky continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks in the treatment of sleep apnea.
The nasal cannula delivers warm, humidified air, which can significantly reduce the symptoms of mild obstructive sleep apnea.
"We developed a simplified method for increasing pharyngeal pressure by delivering warm and humidified air at a continuous high flow rate through the open nasal cannula," explain researchers in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Experts need to do more research, but they estimate that between a third and a half of sleep apnea patients could benefit from this new treatment method, which is much more comfortable for patients.
A study published in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests strong variation in the occurence of anaphlyaxis between northern and southern U.S. states, reports the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Southern states have the fewest number of Epipen prescriptions per 100 people, while New England states have the most. The highest number of EpiPen prescriptions per 1000 people is in Massachusetts, and the lowest number is in Hawaii.
Some investigators hypothesize that since southern states have more year-round sunlight (which produces Vitamin D in the skin), the southern states may have a lower incidence of allergic disease because people there have higher Vitamin D levels.
In a shocking article, PetClub UK reports that a recent study at Imperial College in London suggests that household cats trigger allergic reactions in 25% of people! Cat dander is one of the smallest, lightest, and stickiest allergens. Researchers admit that their finding was unexpected, and they say they will do more studies.
If you are allergic to cats or other animals, learn how to avoid the allergens with the Pet Allergy Solution Guide.
According to The Independent, breathing exercises can cut asthma symptoms by a third.
The Papworth Method is a sequence of breathing and relaxation exercises that was developed in England in the 1960s. The technique was recently test in a randomized, controlled trial, and patients who learned the method experienced a third less symptoms.
Elizabeth Holloway, a research physiotherapist and leader of the study, says, "Some of us who use it know it works but there was no scientific evidence. That is why I did the study. Younger doctors don't know about it - over the last several decades the emphasis has been on medication."
"It is about breathing like Richard Burton [the Welsh actor] who delivered his lines from deep down in his abdomen," continues Holloway. "It is not just psychological, it is physical - patients need to learn to drop their shoulders, relax their tummies and breathe calmly and appropriately. They gain greater control and confidence."
Live Science reports that cat dander may be harmful to adults with any type of allergy - even if they're not specifically allergic to cat dander.
"Exposure to cats is more of a problem than was thought," says study author, Susan Chinn of Imperial College, London.
Exposure to cat allergen increases bronchial responsiveness (the propensity of the airways to constrict), and Chinn says that the clinical implication is that all allergic people "might benefit from reduced cat exposure."
The American Medical Associated (AMA) has voted to lobby for laws that would allow severely allergic children to take life-saving medicine to school, The Daily Journal reports.
Many school districts and 18 states have bans that do not allow children to take medicine to school.
The AMA's stance refers to medicine like prescription epinephrine and other injectable drugs that treat anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions), which can cause swelling, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, and death.
"Life-threatening allergic reactions to foods can easily happen at school or away from home, and an epinephrine injection at the first sign of a reaction is critical," says AMA board member Dr. Rebecca Patchin.
Health and Age reports that an artificial nose (known as the Cyranose) has successfully been used to diagnose tuberculosis and lung cancer, based on the volatile gas patterns in expired breath from patients. A recent pilot study suggests that the Cyranose may one day be used to help diagnose asthma as well. The Cyranose could become an important component of asthma treatment because asthma can be difficult to diagnose. Some people have asthma for years before they are diagnosed.
TimesOnline reports that hay fever drugs often cost students an exam grade.
In a study funded by the drug firm Shering-Plough, researchers found that students who have hay fever symptoms are 40% more likely to drop an exam grade - and 70% more likely if they're taking an allergy medication that makes them drowsy.
"Hay fever peaks between the ages of 14 and 24. This is precisely the time when many people are doing life-changing exams and we need to take it seriously," says lead researcher Samantha Walker.
Thankfully, non-drowsy allergy medications (like Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra) are now available.
Additionally, you can avoid taking so much medication by controlling the allergens in your environment. Avoid the allergens that make you sick, and you won't need medicine! See How to Allergy-Proof Your Bedroom for simple allergy relief tips.
Tags: hay fever, drugs, exam, grade, students, ages, time, claritin, zyrtec, allegra, medication, allergens, environment, sick
Reuters reports that an Austalian study found that, among five-year-olds, risk factors for snoring were very similar to those for allergic disorders. Such risk factors include cigarette smoke in the first year of life, asthma, and eczema.
In adults, snoring is associated with obesity, but in children, snoring is tied to allergies. Nearly 60 percent of children who had experienced allergic rhinitis snored at least once a week.
If your young child is already snoring, it could be a sign of allergies.
The previous post discusses how the use of antibiotics increases the risk of asthma among children. Why is that? Well, based on everything I've been reading, it seems as if the "good" bacteria in the human body support the immune system. Antibiotics kill off bad bacteria (the kind that cause infection), but they also kill of the good bacteria that has co-evolved with the human body.
Ivanhoe.com reports that exposure to germs may be just what the doctor ordered to keep your child from developing asthma. Citing a study from the University of Manitoba and McGill University in Montreal, the Ivanhoe news alert also points out that living with a dog (and its germs) can help an infant's immune system develop normally.
"We hypothesize that lesser contact with dogs during infancy results in a lower microbial load and makes infants more vulnerable to the effects of antibiotics," say the authors of the study.
Children who develop asthma are also more likely to have used a particular kind of antibiotic: BS cephalosporin. Researchers need to do more studies to better understand this phenomenon, but they say, "In the interim, it would be prudent to avoid the unnecessary use BS antibiotics in the first year of life when other antibiotics are available."
I loved going to Atlanta Braves games when I was a kid, and I remember singing "buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks" at every game. I've never thought of a baseball park as a dangerous place, but it can be for children with a peanut allergy.
For one game on June 10, the San Diego Padres agreed to have an experimental Peanut Free Zone in the stands as a safe place for children with peanut allergy, reports SignOnSanDiego. The Minnesota Twins tried the same thing last year, and now they have a peanut free zone for one game each month.
The Alliance for Nut-Allergic Children, a San Diego parents group, requested the Peanut Free Zone at the Padres game. Not only were nuts off limits in that section, but they also had an EMT there.
Eight-year-old Chirstopher Cheung was in attendance at the game. Last summer, Chirstopher had a severe asthma attack because of peanut shells at a baseball game, and the reaction lasted for more than a week.
"To be able to go to this game, to feel normal, is incredible for them," Christopher's mother Dr. Sherry Huang said about the children in the peanut free zone
Tags: peanut allergy, peanut free zone, baseball, san diego, padres, alliance for nut-allergic children, kids, asthma
MSN Health & Fitness reports that a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) research group may be making headway in the fight against asthma and allergies.
Dr. Richard Locksley leads the team, which is looking at the possibility that chitin (a compound common to various highly allergenic molds, dust mites, cockroaches, shrimp, and other shellfish) may be the cause of the inflammatory response behind allergies and asthma.
They found that chitin triggered an allergic response in the lungs of laboratory mice. Bacteria helps break down chitin, which is found in the shells, cell walls, and exoskeletons of certain organisms.
A new approach to allergy relief may be to figure out how to break down chitin in the environment.
Dr. Locksley points out, "The snow-crab industry is a big part of a seasonal industry up in Alaska and Canada [and snow crab shells are rich sources of chitin]. College kids come in and they work in these crab processing plants. It’s the food industry, so the first thing they do is get all the bacteria out of the environment by using microbicides. Then you’ve got these kids in there pulverizing chitin shells for hours on end. The attack rate for new onset asthma in that industry is something like 25 to 28 percent per year. It’s now a major cause of disability in Canada."
The UCSF research found that the lab mice increased production of chitinase (an enzyme that breaks down chitin) with exposure. Humans also produce chitinase in response to allergies.
"It turns out that a disproportionate number of people who have asthma have this [variant of chitinase]," says Dr. Locksley. "So another potential issue is whether kids with a variant are at particularly high risk when they go into these environments, such as a home that might be moldy or have a lot of dust mites.
"It’s early days, and first we’d want to confirm that there’s an association between chitin and risk in a household or an industrial setting. Second is whether there’s any relation to genes that people carry around and their ability to manage these responses.
"People have asked me if you could just spray a chitinase down people’s lungs during an attack to prevent a reaction. I think that’s unlikely. And gene therapy is not going to happen any time soon. It’s possible that if we could find the major receptor for chitin in the body, we could make a drug to block that receptor. But until we identify that receptor and understand how it works, we’re a long way from a drug therapy."
Note that several diet pills and weight loss products contain chitin (as chitosan) to block fat from being absorbed. Based on the UCSF research, you may want to avoid ingesting chitin if you're allergic to mold, dust mites, cockroaches, or shellfish.
According to News-Medical.Net, many children who have been diagnosed with peanut allergy are actually able to safely eat peanuts.
"Diagnostic tests for peanut allergy have poor sensitivity and specificity," concludes the new research paper. "Previously described diagnostic cut-off levels do not have general applicability."
In a study at Sydney Children's Hospital in Australia, a third of children diagnosed with peanut allergy were able to eat peanuts during a peanut challenge in a hospital setting.
"If there is a positive result, people need to ask whether it might be worth a peanut challenge in a hospital environment, especially if their child has never had an allergic reaction to peanut before," says Immunologist Dr. Brynn Wainstein.
If the peanut challenge refutes the allery diagnosis, then families could avoid much unnecessary worrying and anxiety.
In the new Allergist Report by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), the professional organization points out that the demand for allergists will increase 35% by 2020, yet the supply of allergists is expected to decline.
"Without intervention, the number of allergy-immunology specialists is projected to decline by seven percent while demand will increase by 35 percent over the next dozen years," says ACAAI President Daniel Ein, M.D. "The decline in the number of qualified allergists-immunologists is primarily due to the decrease in Graduate Medical Education (GME) training programs because of limited federal funding. To cover attrition and keep up with the growing demand, training programs must increase their graduation rate by 120 allergy-immunology physicians each year."
“The shortage of allergist-immunologists is part of a developing general shortage of physicians which is more pronounced in some specialties like allergy-immunology and others," says co-author of the report, John E. Moffitt, M.D. "Though the shortage of allergists does not presently affect all locations, it is widespread and growing worse.
"The report and companion patient brochure are a call to action by health care professionals and patients impacted by allergic diseases. We urge them to call and work with their congressional delegations to develop and support legislation which will increase funding for Graduate Medical Education programs in allergy-immunology so care will be available to those who need it in the future."
Allergic diseases affect as many as 50 million people in the United States, and the incidence of asthma has tripled over the past 25 years.
In a study involving 15,000 children in five countries, researchers from USA and Europe found that drinking farm milk can protect children from asthma and allergies, reports EurekAlert.
Lower levels of diagnosed asthma were also observed for all farm-produced dairy products, and eating farm eggs also provided protection against hayfever. However, these foods did not provided increased protection in isolation - only when the children also drank unpasteurised farm milk.
"All the children drinking unpasteurised farm milk and eating other farm-related dairy products showed the same level of protection against asthma and allergies, regardless of whether they were living on a farm or not" says lead author Marco Waser, a doctor in natural sciences from the Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine at the University of Basel, Switzerland.
"This is an important finding as it rules out other protective factors that farm life may provide, such as exposure to microbial compounds in animal sheds and farm homes. For example, earlier studies have shown that farm children are less likely to be affected by pollen.
"Our research showed that the children who enjoyed the best protection from asthma and allergies had been drinking farm milk since their first year of life."
About half of the parents who told researchers that their child regularly drank farm milk said that they did not boil the milk before giving it to them; the protective results were the same, regardless of whether milk was boiled or not.
"The results of this study indicate that all children drinking farm milk have a lower chance of developing asthma and hayfever" says Dr Waser. "However raw milk may contain pathogens such as salmonella or enterohaemorrhagic E coli and its consumption may have serious health risks.
"We need to develop a deeper understanding of why farm milk offers children this higher level or protection and investigate ways of making the product safer, while retaining these protective qualities.
"At the moment we can only speculate about why farm milk protects children against asthma and allergies. Perhaps it is because farm milk has different levels or compositions of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes to milk sold in shops.
"It is interesting that there was no difference in the farm milk results regardless of whether it was boiled before consumption. As boiling is likely to have been over-reported, this could indicate that pasteurisation is not as important as previously thought, as compounds other than microbes may offer a protective role.
"But despite our findings, we cannot recommend consumption of raw farm milk as a preventative measure against asthma and allergies."
According to the National Review of Medicine, researchers at New York University have discovered more evidence in support of the hygiene hypothesis. The hygiene hypothesis posits that modern societies have experienced an increase in asthma and allergies because of decreased exposure to microbes due to sanitation.
Researchers found that the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori, or H pylori (often blamed for peptic ulcers, gastritis, and duodenitis) is actually protective against asthma and allergy.
"We went into this study with two assumptions," says Dr Martin Blaser, chairman of the NYU Department of Medicine, who has studied H pylori for two decades. "First, that H pylori would be protective against asthma, especially the cagA variant — that proved correct. Second, that the protective mechanism was linked to H pylori's known protective effect against gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). That proved false."
While it seems reasonable to assume that airway damage from GERD could cause asthma, the researchers also found that H pylori offers protection against skin sensitivity to allergens as well - and as Dr. Blaser says, "There seems no way that GERD could influence skin sensitization."
It appears that H pylori colonization is the default human state, but it's a state from which we're swiftly drifting.
"It's notable that people with H pylori have a large mass of gastric lymphoid tissue which plays an important role in the development of the immune system," says Dr. Blaser. "About 10% of the US population now has detectable H pylori colonization. I was just in Sweden and Germany, where I'm told the figure is less than 5%. The proportion in the developing world is over 50%, and just a few generations ago the levels in our own societies were 70, 80, even 90%. So H pylori is disappearing really fast, and this disappearance is almost certainly mirrored in other microorganisms we can't detect as easily."
"I wrote a paper on this a few years ago called Global Warming and the Human Stomach," continues Dr. Blaser, "because I wanted to point out that there is a mass extinction process taking place in our micro-environment that mirrors what we're seeing in our macro-environment. We're just beginning to look at these issues seriously. We need to know what we're doing when we upset relationships that have existed for tens of thousands of years."
Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor at Fox News, says that 40 percent of U.S. children have seasonal allergies, and when a parent has allergies, his or her child will probably have them too.
"As children, boys get ore allergies than girls, but as they get older, women usually catch up to men," says Dr. Alvarez.
"It is during the first decade of life that [the immune system] learns which biological intrustions it needs to protect you against. What this means is, if you don't get exposed to many of the harmless biological threats in your environment during your first decade of life, if you do not challenge the immune system early, you may pay the price with seasonal allergies and asthma throughout the rest of your life.
"I'm talking about the dangers of over protecting our children. Some of this overprotection has been institutionalized in the form of widespread use of antibiotics, vaccinations against various diseases, cleaner food and water, and better living conditions. But some parents may make this 'problem' worse by keeping their kids at home in a 'sterilized' environment: never taking them to the park, never letting them play in a sandbox, never letting them roll around in the grass, never letting them have a pet at home, and keeping them away from other kids who may be sick.
"By underexposing our children to bacteria, certain viruses, and other minor threats in the environment, their immune systems will not develop the appropriate responses, and they may end up with seasonal allergies and other problems of an inexperienced immune system. Studies show that if you have a pet when you're a kid, you are less likely to get asthma. The same applies to running and rolling around in the grass at the park when you are three years old; those who do tend to have fewer seasonal allergies later on. A little exposure is a good thing."
Atlanta, GA, home of achoo! ALLERGY, ranks at number 13 on the American Lung Association's bad air list of the most polluted cities in America. As no surprise, Los Angeles, CA tops the list. Pittsburgh comes in at number two, followed by Bakersfield, CA, Birmingham, AL, Detroit, MI and Cleveland, OH.
The rankings are based on ozone pollution levels as well as particle pollution levels. Such pollution can contribute to heart disease, lung cancer, and asthma attacks.
Tags: ALA, lung, achoo, Atlanta, Los Angeles, pollution, ozone, particle
According to fitsugar.com, decongestants in allergy medications often cause vaginal dryness. Switching to a medicine without a decongestant should eliminate this side effect.
Tags: allergy medicine, sexual side effects, vaginal dryness, decongestant
According to SpiritIndia.com, a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, pulmonary inflammation increases the risk of lung metastasis among breast cancer patients.
Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells from the original tumor site to other parts of the body. This study suggests that breast cancer patients with asthma have a higher chance of the cancer spreading to their lungs. The study also suggests that corticosteroids may decrease this risk.
"A link between pulmonary inflammation and lung metastasis would not only have significant effects on patient diagnosis and care, but will also immediately affect the way breast cancer patients are treated," says Anna Taranova, M.D., senior researcher at Mayo. "Those with asthma might be able to reduce their risk of lung metastasis, and increase their survival, with aggressive corticosteroid treatment."
In a study using mice, allergen-induced pulmonary inflammation (allergic asthma) was associated with a 400% increase in lung metastasis, but coricosteroid treatment wiped out the increased risk.
"We suspect that the relationship between lung inflammation and metastasis will not be limited to breast cancer patients," Dr. Taranova says.
Researchers posit this possible biological link: Activation of cells that line blood vessels is required for both the movement of pro-inflammatory white blood cells into lung tissue (as in asthma) and for the movement of circulating cancer cells from the blood into lung tissue.
Science Daily reports that conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression often accompany asthma in children. These associated conditions are known as co-morbidities.
"We can definitively state that families with asthmatic children not only report higher incidences of ADHD, but also of depression, anxiety and learning disabilities," says Dr. James Blackman, developmental pediatrician at UVa Children's Hospital. "If we can manage these co-morbidities, we can better help children with asthma and their families to manage the disease in the healthiest way possible."
The more severe the child's asthma, the higher the incidence of the co-morbidities.
A Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and fish, but low in red meat. This type of diet may also help prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and some cancers.
A study published in the journal Thorax shows that children on the island of Crete rarely have allergies or asthma. The study followed the diet of 690 children.
Children who ate high levels of Mediterranean diet foods were 66 percent less likely to have runny noses and itchy eyes.
"The startling thing about Crete is that these kids ought to have as much asthma and allergy symptoms," says Dr. Paul Cullinan, one of the study's authors. "There's something different about their lifestyle, and one obvious thing is what they eat."
Eight out of ten of these children ate fresh fruit at least twice a day, and over two-thirds of them ate fresh vegetables at least twice a day. A daily diet of apples, oranges, and tomatoes appears to protect against allergies and asthma.
Children who ate nuts at least three times a week were less likely to wheeze. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E, the body's primary defense against cellular damage from free radicals; nuts also have high levels of magnesium, which may boost lung power.
Grapes in particular seem to protect against asthma and allergies. Red grape skin contains high levels of antioxidants as well as resveratol, a powerful polyphenol that is known to reduce inflammation.
Interestingly, high consumption of margarine doubled the chances of asthma and allergic rhinitis.
In Crete, the same percent of children have allergies, yet almost none of them exhibit symptoms of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Daily India reports that scientists at the University of Washington in London have established a link between allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases. They say that allergic diseases may trigger autoimmune diseases by misdirecting the body's immune system.
Nearly 75 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most frequently during the childbearing years, and they also comprise a significant portion of chronic childhood disorders.
Autoimmune disease refers to a group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that include diseases of the nervous, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems as well as skin and other connective tissues, eyes, blood, and blood vessel. Examples of autoimmune disease include rheumatoid arthrhitis, multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, Graves' disease (overactive thyroid), and Hashimoto's disease (underactive thyroid).
The underlying problem in all these diseases is similar because in each of them the body's immune system, including B and/or T immune cells, becomes misdirected and attacks the very organs it was supposed to protect.
"Our study implies that allergic and inflammatory diseases may actually trigger autoimmune diseases by relaxing the controls that normally eliminate newly produced, self-reactive B cells. This is important because many autoimmune diseases are caused by self-reactive antibodies produced by such B cells," says UW researcher Dr. David Rawlings. "In association with other UW laboratories, we also have begun to study drugs that can counter some of these effects. One such drug helps to prevent autoimmune kidney disease in a related animal model."
The Doctor's Guide reports that FDA has requested that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products (a class of drugs used to induce and/or maintain sleep) strengthen their product labeling to include stronger language concerning potential risks like dangerous behaviors, allergic reactions, and even anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction).
One potential risk is sleep-driving. Yes, sleep-driving, defined as driving while not fully awake after ingestion of a sedative-hypnotic product, with no memory of the event.
Drugs affected by the label change include: Ambien, Busitol Sodium, Carbrital, Dalmane, Doral, Halcion, Lunesta, Placidyl, Prosom, Restoril, Rozerem, Seconal, and Sonata.
According to CBS News, experts say that the South is having one of the worst pollen seasons in years.
Dr. Gillian Shepherd, spokesperson for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), attributes the high pollen counts to an unusually warm weather with a lot of rain.
"For example, the poor folks in Atlanta over this last week have had pollen counts of 6,000," says Dr. Shepherd. "That means in every cubic meter of air there are 6,000 grains of tree pollen. As you're walking through just this space of air, that's what's hitting your eyes. That's what's hitting your nose."
Dr. Shepherd explains that "hay fever" is a misnomer: "It's not caused by hay. This time of year, it's caused by tree pollen. And also you never get fever with this."
"If there's 6,000 grains of pollen per cubic meter outside, you want to avoid contact," suggests Dr. Shepherd. "Tree pollen season is notorious for causing itchy eyes. Keep the filters on in your air conditioning units. If you go outside and there's that much pollen around, it's going to get stuck in your hair. Think about washing your hair before you go to bet at night. If you've got a pet, wash the pet, otherwise, you may as well be outside rolling in the pollen yourself."
Dr. Manny Alvarez on Fox News reports that acupuncture shows promise as a treatment for seasonal allergies.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese treatment in which the practitioner uses needles to stimulate different acupuncture points. There are more than 400 acupuncture points on the body.
Acupuncture for seasonal allergies focuses on strengthening the immune system, and some acupuncturists incorporate herbs into their treatment programs.
But is acupuncture really effective?
In the Septemeber 2004 issue of Allergy magazine,researchers concluded that a combination of Chinese herbs and weekly acupuncture sessions showed promise as a treatment for relieving the symptoms of seasonal allergies. At the end of the study with 52 participants, the group treated with traditional Chinese medicine demonstrated improvements in allergy symptoms in the eyes and nose, higher levels of physical activity, and an improved psychological condition compared to patients in the control group.
Dr. Alvarez says, "Seasonal allergy sufferers still suffering with traditional Western medical treatments, or weighed down by unwanted side effects like drowsiness, may find relief in acupuncture. In fact, these patients may discover what Hippocrates learned centuries ago, the body has its own incredible power to heal."
Tags: acupuncture, seasonal allergies, Chinese, herbs, side effects
According to Newsweek, the cosmetic industry estimates that between one half and two thirds of adult American women and many men regularly use some kind of hair-coloring product - and sales are steadily climbing as the baby boomers age. More young people, with no gray to hide, are also coloring their hair, and the increase in use of hair dye increases the chance of allergic reaction known as contact dermatitis.
Hair dressers are at risk as well. A recent study in the British Medical Journal found that the number of patients with reactions do hair dyes in one clicnic has doubled in just six years.
The typical reaction is a rash around the scalp that appears within several hours of the initial exposure. In severe cases, facial swelling may occur, and a doctor may prescribe a oral corticosteroids.
The ingredient causing most of these reactions is paraphenylenediamine (PPD). The American Contact Dermatitis Society named PPD "Allergen of the Year" in 2006. PPD also apepars in black henna ink at high concentrations and has caused reactions in people who get temporary tattoos. People who have an allergic reaction to black henna ink are likely to have a reaction to hair dyes containing PPD.
In 100 days, a smoke-free England will be a reality.
England's Public Health Minister Caroline Flint says:
"On 1 July, all enclosed public places and workplaces will become smokefree, a measure supported by the majority of people in this country. The new law will protect everyone from the harm of secondhand smoke at work and in public places, and will save lives.
"We are now entering an important period, when all businesses should start preparing for compliance. They should be removing all smoking rooms and start putting up no smoking signs. We are confident that with the support being provided by the Department of Health and by local councils, everyone should be ready in time.
"A snapshot survey carried out by the Department shows that more than three-quarters of businesses are aware of the legislation. This is an encouraging picture, but obviously we need to ensure every business understands what actions they will need to take ahead of 1 July and has the support they need.
"To help businesses prepare, we will be sending out guidance and no smoking signs to every business with employees in England, some 1.7 million, during April; while local councils will also be providing support and advice about smokefree law."
A Department of Public Health Survey shows:
74% of the overall population support the legislation
77% of all businesses are aware of the legislation
65% of the population say that the legislation will not affect how often they go to the pub, and 15% of the overall population say they will go more often
75% of the overall population believe that going smokefree will have a positive effect on health
ABC News Online reports that women who were overweight as young children are more likely to develop asthma as adults. The Melbourne University study found that overweight girls more than triple their risk of developing asthma as adults. The same risk does not apply to overweight boys.
The Washington Post reports that antibiotics are still being prescribed for seven out of ten patients with chronic sinusitis and eight out of ten with acute sinus infections, even though research has proved that more than 90 percent of sinus infections are caused by viruses - not bacteria.
"Prescription antibiotic drugs are being used far more than bacterial causes would indicate," wrote authors of a new study published last week in the Archives of Otolaryngology.
The overuse of antibiotics is a major problem - perhaps even a public health crisis - because it's creating strains of drug-resistant bacteria. In the United States, sinus infections account for an astounding 21 percent of all antibiotic prescriptions.
There is no quick swab test that determines whether an infection is bacterial or viral: To figure that out, doctors must consider the severity of symptoms and the duration of the infection.
Some doctors think that antibiotics are being overprescribed because patients demand them when they are sick.
"Probably to save time, I will often knuckle under and give them the antibiotics, just because it's what they want," says Dr. Donald Leopold of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Dr. Matthew Mintz of the George Washington University School of Medicine agrees that patient demand plays a role: "We have advertisements on television from drug companies that basically tell you to ask your doctor for a pill. We are a pill society. We want a pill to fix our problems."
David Fairbanks, a spokesman for the American Academy of Otolaryngology, says physicians don't have time to spend 15 minutes with each patient explaining the public health implications of drug-resistant bacteria, so they write the prescription instead.
If you get a sinus infection, Fairbanks suggests trying to hold off on antibiotics for five to seven days after symptoms begin, and give your body a chance to fight off the infection. The overuse of antiobiotics only gives bacteria more of an opportunity to develop resistance to the drug, and according to the FDA, researchers fear that we may be nearing an end to the seemingly endless flow of antimicrobial drugs.
During those five to seven days without antibiotics, try sinus relief products like sinus washes to reduce swelling and restore moisture to inflamed sinuses.
Tags: antibiotics, sinusitis, bacteria, resistance, virus, infection, sinus relief, health
The Australian reports that children exposed to cigarette smoke in cars are more than twice as likely as other kids to develop asthma.
Some Australian officials would like to ban smoking in vehicles with children for this reason. "Teenagers can escape their parents' smoke in the home by leaving the room, but in mum's taxi they are essentially trapped, regardless of whether the windows are down," says Peter Sly, from the Centre for Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia. "They're forced to inhale the smoke while they're being ferried about to and from school and, as we've found, the risk is great."
Child magazine recently published an in-depth article titled Allergy Nation all about the increasing prevalence of food allergies among children.
Interestingly, the article states: "It's not unusual to hear about parents who have tried to sabotage food-allergy policies and children who have been teased or bullied by their nonallergic classmates." It seems like many children and parents alike simply don't understand the severity of food allergies.
Apparently some teachers don't understand food allergies, either. The article also tells the tale of a middle school teacher who "invited the allergic boy to eat [a homemade casserole containing nuts that she brought in]; when he said he couldn't because of his allergies, she had him stand outside the classroom (in the cold) while other students ate."
"This is a disease that hasn't been studied well. The science has to catch up," says Anne Munoz-Furlong, a leading authority and founder of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a Fairfax, VA-based research and advocacy group.
A much-cited 2003 study by Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and FAAN found that the number of children reporting peanut allergies had doubled between 1997 and 2002, from 1 in 250 to 1 in 125.
According to Scott Sicherer, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai, only about 20% of children are believed to outgrow peanut allergies, while about 85% have historically outgrown egg and milk allergies by age 5.
"With a food allergy, the onus is on the family to be on guard. If you make a mistake, someone in your family could die," says Munoz-Furlong. "That's a tall order for anyone."
In fact, a University of Derby study found that 36% of parents of food allergic children had high levels of depression and anxiety.
"It's hard to relax," says Gina Clowes, who runs a support group at allergymoms.com. "Food is everywhere. You always have to be careful."
Luckily, experts say that experimental treatment techniques could amount to a breakthrough in the next five years.
In the 1950s, 20 percent of consumer food in the UK came from supermarkets. Now it's closer to 80 percent, according to Epoch Times International. Since the 1950s, there has also been an increase in cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, and asthma, and many health professionals think that artifical additives in food may be part of the reason for the increase in disease.
Food additives are identified by name and number, and the numbers are the same worldwide.
One class of food additives is preservatives, which are supposed to prevent decay and contamination. Calcium proprionate (preservative 282) is commonly added to bread as a mold inhibitor, and reactions to this additive have been well publicized. Reactions include migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and fatigue.
Other additives include color and flavor enhancers. At least 60 of these additives are known to aggravate asthmatics and are not recommended for children. Many people are also sensitive to the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG), commonly found in Chinese food, frozen foods, canned tuna, and dressings.
FedUpWithFoodAdditives.com states that the following additives are particularly nasty and should be avoided:
For more information about food sensitivities and their symptoms, and to find out how you can find out your sensitivities in your own home, see Dr. Fred Pescatore on Hidden Food Allergies.
The Doctor's Guide reports that a child's race may be a factor in determing his or her susceptibility to toxins associated with environmental tobacco smoke. A new study published in the journal CHEST reveals that African American children with asthma who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke have significantly higher toxin levels when compared to their Caucasian counterparts.
"African American children suffer from higher rates of tobacco-related disorders, such as asthma, sudden-infant death syndrome, and low birth weight, and we need to know why," says lead author Stephen Wilson MD, University of Cincinnati. "So our goal is to understand how certain populations - particularly those groups who are most susceptible - respond to [environmental tobacco smoke] exposure."
"Exposure to tobacco smoke is dangerous for everyone, regardless of age or race," says Mark J. Rosen, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "These findings underline the importance of eliminating environmental tobacco smoke in every setting, especially those where children are present."
Tags: tobacco smoke, environmental, race, toxin, asthma, African American, children
According to a new study cited by Reuters news bureau, hayfever sufferers who are sensitive to pollen are more likely to be sensitive to non-allergen triggers like cold air, perfume, smoke, and cleaning products.
Specifically, 42 percent of seasonal allergy sufferers are sensitive to more than three non-allergen triggers, compared to only three percent of subjects with no history of allergies.
If you're sensitive to cleaning products, you can avoid them with an all-purpose vapor steam cleaner. Harness the power of steam to kill dust mites, mold, bacteria, and germs.
New Scientist reports that a recently discovered class of immune cell may hold the key to new treatments for asthma - and explain why existing therapies sometimes fail.
Asthma occurs when immune cells go into overdrive and release inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Cytokines cause excess production of mucus, which plugs up the lungs. The disease is generally associated with immune cells called T-helper 2 (TH2) cells and the cytokines they release, but their response alone is not enough to trigger asthma.
Natural killer T (NKT) cells produce some of the same cytokines as TH2s, but NKTs release them faster and in greater quantities. NKT cells are hybrids: they kill invading microbes like natural killer immune cells, but they also bind to antigens - foreign substances that trigger an immune response - like T-cells do.
Last year, Omid Akbari and his colleagues at Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, discovered high numbers of NKT cells in the lungs of people with severe asthma, but virtually none in the lungs of healthy people. Meanwhile, separate studies in mice have shown NKT cell activation alone is enough to trigger asthma, prompting researchers to speculate that NKT cells might be equally, or more, important than TH2 cells in the development of the disease.
Akbari's team has now used a drug called DPPE-PEG to inhibit the action of NKT cells in mice and found that it prevented the type of asthma linked to allergies. DPPE-PEG already has approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, so clinical trials could begin as early as this year, says Akbari, who presented his findings at a meeting of the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology in San Diego, California, last week.
The findings may help explain why some people with asthma are resistant to conventional drugs such as corticosteroids. These inhibit many immune cells, but do not work on NKT cells, Akbari says.
However, while DPPE-PEG shows promise, more work is needed to understand the role of NKT cells in asthma. For a start, they seem to bind to glycolipids - molecules made from fats and sugars - rather than the protein antigens recognised by most immune cells. Few glycolipid antigens have been discovered so far, although some have now been identified in bacteria and pollen.
In the case of DPPE-PEG, Akbari believes it works by blocking the antigen receptors on NKT cells and so preventing their immune response. But since the allergen his team used to trigger asthma in the mice was an egg protein, it is unlikely to have been this that stimulated the NKT cells in the first place. It could be that protein allergens trigger the release of naturally occurring glycolipids by some as yet unidentified mechanism, which then stimulate NKT cells, suggests Akbari.
"It is also possible that there's a bacterial component to asthma," says Mitchell Kronenberg, president of the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology in California. He suggests that bacteria present in the body may produce glycolipids that prime NKT cells to respond when an allergen is introduced.
If you're heading to Florida anytime soon, you may want to take a box of tissue - and maybe even a portable air purifier for your car.
While most of the country is still thawing out and hearing the first chirp-chirps of the rapidly approaching spring, allergic Floridians are already reeling from the pollen.
According to the Bradenton Herald, tree pollen counts are already high in the sunshine state.
"There are a lot of allergens down here, and they are present most of the year in one form or another," says Dr. John P. Cella, a board-certified allergist at Allergy Affiliates in Bradenton.
In Florida, early tree pollen season starts in February, and some of the trees re-pollinate in the fall and winter. When the grass starts growing, grass pollen is added to the mix.
"Typically, up north, there is tree pollen for a few weeks, then grass pollen, and then in August is ragweed," explains Dr. Cella. "But early tree season here started a couple of weeks ago."
Tags: allergy season, pollen, Florida, tree, ragweed, air purifier
Some people taking an injcted asthma medication marketed as Xolair have experienced a delayed and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis typcially causes hives, swelling of the mouth and throat, dizziness, and other symptoms. If not treated quickly, anaphylaxis can be fatal.
The FDA recently ordered the drug manufacturer Genentech to strengthen label warnings after reports that some patients experienced delayed anaphylaxis or reacted to a subsequent dose even if they had no problems with the first dose.
The new warning for Xolair states:
Doctors should observe patients for at least two hours after the drug is injected and be ready to manage a potentially life-threatening reaction.
Anaphylaxis can occur even if a patient did not react to a previous Xolair injection.
Anaphylaxis can occur up to 24 hours after the injection is given.
Patients using Xolair should be prepared to treat themselves for anaphylaxis in emergency situations.
Top Cancer News reports that asthma sufferers are at an increased risk for lung cancer, regardless of other risk factors such as smoking or even secondhand smoke. In their 10-year Center for Disease Control study of 9,000 people, it was discovered that having asthma doubled the risk of developing lung cancer. It appears as though asthma may cause inflammation that damages lung DNA, and this places an asthmatic at a higher risk for lung cancer. See our article Chronic Inflammation & Chronic Disease for more information on inflammation, the link between asthma and cancer.
If you have asthma (or even if you don't), you may want to consider drinking white grapefruit juice. Other studies have shown that the high concentration of naringin in this citrus beverage can lower the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent.
Tags: asthma, lung cancer, inflammation, white grapefruit juice
According to The Boston Globe, the Massachusetts State Legislature is considering whether to step in to make restaurants safer for people with food allergies.
Legislation pending at the State House calls for allergy training for restaurant workers, the addition of a tag line on menus asking customers with allergies to alert their servers prior to ordering, and the prominent display in restaurant kitchens of a poster showing the most common food allergens, as well as information on how to avoid cross-contamination.
"You shouldn't feel fearful when you go to a restaurant," says Ming Tsai, chef and owner of the Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley who has been working closely with Senator Cynthia Creem of Newton to push for the legislation.
"The issue in this that is so amazing to me is that this is life and death. This isn't a preference. It's not like wool over cotton. This is: If someone eats something, they could die, and I can't think of anything more serious than death," says Tsai.
Until every state requires allergy training for restaurant workers, you can take matters into your own hands by always carrying Food Allergy Restaurant Cards.
WLS-TV in Chicago reports that Anna Marsland, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh, is using computer biofeedback to help kids learn how to relax during an asthma attack. Biofeedback assisted relaxation teaches children how to calm down. A computer display shows children what their readings look like when they are stressed and when they are relaxed. By learning and practicing what to do to make the readings show a calm response, Dr. Marsland says the children will be better at controlling their bodies during an asthma attack.
"When a child relaxes, his breathing gets slow and regular, which is the opposite of the early symptoms of an asthma attack," says Dr. Marsland.
Four to five million children in the United States have asthma.
According to bio.com, a study published in the January 26 issue of the journal Cell has found what could be a long-elusive mechanism through which inflammation can promote cancer. The findings may provide a new approach for developing cancer therapies.
"Although there is plenty of evidence that chronic inflammation can promote cancer, the cause of this relationship is not understood," says Alexander Hoffmann, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at U.C. San Diego, who led the study. "We have identified a basic cellular mechanism that we think may be linking chronic inflammation and cancer."
A protein called p100 allows communication between the inflammation and development processes. Some amount of dialogue is beneficial, but too much dialogue (which results from chornic inflammation) can lead to unrestrained development (cancer).
"Studies with animals have shown that a little inflammation is necessary for the normal development of the immune system and other organ systems," explains Hoffmann. "We discovered that the protein p100 provides the cell with a way in which inflammation can influence development. But there can be too much of a good thing. In the case of chronic inflammation, the presence of too much p100 may overactivate the developmental pathway, resulting in cancer."
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America and the American Heart Association.
Nearly half of Britons suffer from a food intolerance, reports Daily Mail. An estimated 45 percent of people develop digestive problems, migraines and skin complaints because of certain foods they eat.
Only around two percent of the population has a true food allergy, which can be life-threatening; however, up to half of the population may have food intolerances (also known as food sensitivities or hidden food allergies) linked to migraines, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome, and other problems.
The most common food intolerances include dairy and lactose (a sugar in milk), along with wheat and gluten (a protein in wheat).
Rates of asthma and obesity are both at all-time highs in America, and according to The Spectrum, researchers at the University at Buffalo in NY have found a link between the two conditions.
Frank Cerny, professor and lead researcher, found that the increase in pressure of the chest walls caused by obesity may contribute to increased asthma symptoms.
"This pressure increase leads to the reducing of lung volume strictly altering the airways," Cerny says.
"The study originated out of the reviewing of statistics showing us the rapid increase in obesity over the past fifteen years," he continues. "Combine this with the yearly increase of asthma diagnoses, and you have two things that seem to be undoubtedly intertwined."
During the study, lung pressure was increased in subjects to simulate obesity.
"As the severity of the simulated obesity increased in the volunteers, lung volume was greatly decreased and airways became extremely agitated," Cerny says. "Physicians are mistaking this for asthma, when it really is normal breathing patterns of people with obesity."
Cerny advises that physicians need to use caution when diagnosing asthma in obese patients, recommending that the patient should lose weight prior to taking any medication, especially since it may not be required.
Tags: asthma, obesity, correlation, research, study
In a recent survey of 10,970 allergy sufferers, dust mites topped the list of their allergy-related health concerns with 68 percent of survey participants indicating a problem with dust mite allergy.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), as many as 90 percent of people with allergic asthma and 10 percent of the general population are sensitive to dust mites, microscopic relatives of spiders and ticks. Dust mite waste particles are second only to pollen in causing allergic reactions.
To relieve house dust allergy symptoms, the ACAAI recommends paying special attention to cleaning the bedroom and environmentally controlling dust with dust mite encasings that zip around mattresses, pillows, and box springs.
"If you decrease your exposure to allergens, then you will breathe better, sleep better, and feel better," says P. Cade McDonald, founder and CEO of achoo! ALLERGY & AIR Products, Inc.
The allergy survey was conducted as an optional part of registration during the first annual Allergy-Proof Bedroom Holiday Giveaway at achooallergy.com.
According to WebMD, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has named Atlanta the worst city to live in for asthma sufferers in 2007.
The top ten worst cities for asthma sufferers are as follows:
Atlanta, GA (last year: 4th)
Philadelphia, PA (last year: 3rd)
Raleigh, NC
Knoxville, TN
Harrisburg, PA
Grand Rapids, MI
Milwaukee, WI (last year: 5th)
Greensboro, NC (last year: 7th)
Scranton, PA (last year: 1st)
Little Rock, AK
Atlanta earns its top "worst" score because of the city's high asthma death rate, high pollen levels, and severe air pollution.
The AAFA also cites Atlanta's "worse-than-average" public smoking laws, although the city does ban smoking in 80% of hotel rooms and in bars and restaurants that allow access to minors (except in private, separately ventilated rooms).
The idea behind the ranking is to warn Americans that across the nation, asthma rates continue to climb.
In the last 20 years, asthma prevalence has doubled, says Derek Johnson, MD, director of pediatric allergy at Temple University.
"People can't just move away from their asthma since every city in America has a variety of risk factors," Johnson says.
According to the January newsletter from the International Indoor Air Quality Commission, indoor air emissions from dry-process photocopy machines include: VOCs, ozone, and particles. These emissions can contribute to adverse health effects such as eye, nose, and respiratory system irritation, and several are listed as hazardous air pollutants. Now researchers have confirmed that typical office copy machines are often a major source of VOCs in the office environment. A test of 4 photocopiers revealed compounds with the highest emission rates overall were ethylbenzene (28,000 µg/hr), mp-xylene (29,000 µg/hr), o-xylene (17,000 µg/hr), 2-ethyl-1hexanol (14,000 µg/hr), and styrene (12,000 µg/hr). Remove VOCs and other harmful chemicals from the air in your home or office with an air purifier that contains activated carbon. Learn more about air purifiers with the Air Purifier Buying Guide.
Tags: copying machines, VOCs, offices, emissions, air purifiers
WEHT NEWs 25 from Evansville, IN reports that rising winter temperatures are causing an increase in allergy problems.
Doctor Jason White from the Allergy and Asthma Care Center in Evansville has had more allergy patients this winter than any other in the past.
Dr. White says,"I think we've seen a milder winter now than the last couple of years. This is one of the busiest winters I've had since in Evansville and I think people are still feeling the effects of the allergy season. The mold is still a problem.
"The mold counts right now are very high. You got warm weather, lots of rain, lots of decaying plants out there, mold counts are high, and people are feeling it out there.
"It's soil mold, its mold that in the grass, and mold that is grown in the ditches."
Dr. White says there are some things you can do to help:
1. Wash your hands, face, and clothes when you come in from outside.
Newsday.com reports on a new food allergy treatment, similar to allergy shots, in which food-allergic children are given very small amounts of an allergenic food everyday in order to build up a tolerance.
Don't try this experiment on your own, warns lead researcher Dr. A. Wesley Burks of Duke University Medical Center. Children in the study are closely monitored for the real risk of life-threatening reactions.
"I really think in five years there's going to be a treatment available for kids with food allergy," Burks says.
Here's how it worked: First, youngsters spent a day at the Duke hospital swallowing minuscule but increasing doses of either an egg powder or a defatted peanut flour, depending on their allergy. They started at 1/3,000 of a peanut or about 1/1,000 of an egg, increasing the amount until the child broke out in hives or had some other reaction.
Then the children were sent home with a daily dose just under that reactive amount. Every two weeks, the kids returned for a small dose increase until they reached the equivalent of a tenth of an egg or one peanut - a maintenance dose that they swallowed daily.
After two years, four of the seven youngsters in the egg pilot study could eat two scrambled eggs with no problem, and two more ate about as much before symptoms began, researchers report in the January edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
"We thought it would make some difference. We're surprised about the amount of difference it made," Burks says. "From one peanut to 15 peanuts is basically a huge difference."
Millions of Americans suffer some degree of food allergy, including 1.5 million with peanut allergy, considered the most dangerous type. Even a whiff of the legume is enough to trigger a reaction in some patients.
Moreover, food allergies appear to be on the rise. Peanut allergy in particular is thought to have doubled among young children over the past decade, prompting schools to set up peanut-free cafeteria zones or ban peanut-containing products. See Managing Food Allergies in Children for more information about keeping food-allergic children safe.
In the December 2006 issue of the medical journal Allergy, Finnish researchers published results of a study which suggest that babies are more likely to develop allergic rhinitis if their mothers had previously taken oral contraceptive pills. The results are "tentative and possibly provocative," according to the research team.
Tags: oral contraceptives, allergies, medical journal, rhinitis, mothers, research
The wildfires that swept through California in 2003 appear to have caused wheezing and other respiratory problems in many children, even those without asthma, according to a new study referenced on Yahoo! News.
Asthmatic children suffered the most symptoms from the smoky air, but non-asthmatic children also experienced wheezing, coughing, sore throats, eye irritation, and colds during the October 2003 wildfires. Authors of the study (which appeared in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine) say that the wildfires gave non-asthmatics an idea of what it was like to live with asthma.
The wildfires raised levels of air-polluting particulate matter 10 to 20 times. The smoke containted carbon monoxide and other toxic substances, and it was especially dangerous for people with asthma.
Children who avoided outdoor activities and wore masks were less likely to suffer health problems.
"It is clear that reduction of exposure to wildfire smoke reduces the health problems," says Dr. Nino Kunzli, the study's lead author.
Tags: california, wildfires, children, sick, asthma, respiratory, air pollution
9/11 volunteer rescue worker Alvin Pieper has asthma because of the dust at Ground Zero.
"The first two days there weren’t any masks,” Pieper said. “They say my lung capacity is 70 to 80 percent of what it should be.”
Now Pieper is part of an international study that uses a bronchoscope and thermal energy to eliminate the main reason asthma patients wheeze and sneeze.
“The smooth muscle in the airway wall is too active - it clamps down and makes breathing passages narrow,” explains Dr. William Lunn.
Using thermal energy, Dr. Lunn will reduce the amount of smooth tissue to help patients breathe easier.
“The patients are then able to take just maintenance medication, and they’re not having to take rescue inhalers,” he said. “They can have a normal life.”
Researchers believe the effects of the treatment will last three to five years. Pieper hopes it will get him off the couch and jogging again.
The Dalton Daily Citizen reports that Emory University, the Center for Disease Control, and the American Lung Association are working together on a $1.2 million study to determine whether the presence of carpets affects lung functions and allergy symptoms.
Generally, allergy experts advise that carpets and rugs can make allergies worse, and some allergy sufferers even rip out all the carpeting in their homes in hopes of reducing allergies.
However, according to Werner Braun, president of a carpet industry group based in Dalton, "For approximately three or four years, we have been collecting data on the level of dust and allergens in rooms that are carpeted vs. rooms that are not carpeted. All of the analytical data that we have been able to generate shows there are much higher levels in a noncarpeted room than a carpeted room."
Braun compares carpet to an air filter: "If it’s in the carpet, it’s not in the air. If you breathe the air in a carpeted room vs. a noncarpeted room, you’re going to inhale a lot less dust and a lot less particles because it is in the carpet."
It will be interesting to see the results of the study, which should be completed next year.
Dr. John Antalis, a Dalton allergist, says carpet shouldn't cause allergies (for most people) if it's properly installed and maintained. “You don’t want to put it where it will get wet, for instance, and cause mold,” he said.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released its list of the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies in the Fall of 2006. The rankings are based on scientific analysis of three factors: pollen scores, number of allergy medications used per patient, and number of allergy specialists per patient.
The Top 10 Allergy capitals for Fall 2006 are:
Greenville, SC
Tampa, FL
Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma City, OK
San Antonio, TX
Louisville, KY
Orlando, FL
Omaha, NE
Grand Rapids, MI
Atlanta, GA, home of achooallergy.com, falls at number 22 on the list.
Tags: allergy capital, city, AAFA, rankings, greenville, atlanta, pollen
ScienceDaily reports that researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of Arkansas have completed a study which suggests that children allergic to eggs can overcome the allergy by eating gradually-increasing amounts of egg. Most study participants, who took a daily dose of egg over a two-year period, could eat two scrambled eggs without a reaction at the end of the study.
"Egg allergies cause a significant decrease in quality of life for many people, so this study is exciting in that it brings us a step closer to being able to offer a meaningful therapy for these people," says Dr. Wesley Burks, chief of Duke's division of allergy and immunology. The study will appear in the January edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Tags: egg allergy treatment, new study, Duke University, immunology
Reuters reports that as an exotic species of ladybug introduced from Asia in the 1970s increases in population, more people are developing allergies to the bugs.
Published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in October 2006, Dr. Kusum Sharma of the University of Louisville found that hypersensitivity to ladybugs may be as high as 50% in infested homes.
"The correlation between worsening of allergy symptoms and time of infestation was significant for spring, fall, and winter infestations," Dr. Sharma notes. "We believe that this study will have significant clinical implications. Many cases of ladybug hypersensitivity go undiagnosed in the absence of proper recognition. We hope that patients with spring, fall and winter allergies will now be asked about ladybug infestation. This study shows that the prevalence of ladybug hypersensitivity is significant enough to warrant more research in this area."
WebMD reports that, according to expets from the CDC and FDA, more than 700,000 people visit U.S. emergency rooms each year due to adverse drug reactions, including allergic reactions to drugs and accidental overdoses. People over 65 are most at risk.
Most patients were released soon after treatment, but roughly 117,000 patients required hospitalization. The cases of hospitalization most often involved drugs that require monitoring to avoid toxic build-up. The five most common classes of drugs that caused adverse drug reactions are:
Antihistamines & Cold Remedies
Painkillers containing Opioids
Anticlotting Drugs
Amoxicillin
Insulin
The key to avoiding adverse drug reactions is to avoid the drugs that may cause them (whenever possible, of course). In the case of allergies, if you avoid the allergens that make you sick, then you won't need to take as many drugs to relieve your symptoms.
According to ScienceDaily, Australian researchers have discovered that exposure to ultraviolet light (such as sunlight) significantly reduces asthma-like symptoms in mice.
"This research clearly shows that controlled exposure to ultraviolet light markedly limits the development, incidence and severity of asthma symptoms in mice," said Associate Professor Prue Hart of Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. "It appears that sunlight can suppress specific immune reactions, so we are now working to better understand that mechanism with the aim of generating new ways to prevent and treat this chronic disease."
The Examiner reports that Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers proved that a DNA-based vaccine protected study participants against fall ragweed allergies (hay fever) for at least two full seasons.
After just six injections over six weeks, participants experienced a 60 percent reduction in ragweed allergy symptoms. In contrast, users of over-the-counter allergy medicines reported a 7 to 11 percent decrease in symptoms.
“We are turning off an inappropriate or abnormal allergic response and returning the body to normalcy,” says head researcher Dr. Peter Creticos. "Our hope is that we can one day provide a long-term cure for hay fever and other chronic inflammatory diseases."
Tags: allergy vaccine, ragweed, hay fever, Johns Hopkins, injections, symptoms
CNN reports that 17,000 residents have returned to Apex, NC, after a fire at a hazardous materials plant forced them to stay away from home for two nights.
Environmental officials advise residents to clean off all surfaces, wash all clothing and bedding, and replace air filters upon returning home.
Officials still do not know what started the fire, but the main safety concern was Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the air. At least 44 people went to emergency rooms with breathing problems, and many pets left in the area experienced nausea and bleeding due to exposure to chlorine gas.
Tags: chemical haze, fire, apex, NC, air filters, chlorine, volatile organic compounds, environmental
According to Yahoo! News, a new study to be published in Investigative Dermatology concludes that an enzyme in dust mite feces destroys the protective barrier of the skin, leaving it vulnerable to other allergens and irritants.
Toshiro Takai of the Atopy (Allergy) Research Center in Tokyo explains, "In a healthy person, the barrier is complete and irritants can't get into the skin. But partial disruption of the barrier facilitates passage of allergens and other irritants."
This study proves that dust mite allergen is a big problem for people who suffer from any type of allergy, including skin allergies and asthma. Learn more about dust mites at Dust Mite Frequently Asked Questions. Drive dust mites out of their ideal environment (your bed) with dust mite encasings. Our exclusive brand of allergy relief bedding, ALLERGY ARMOR, will protect you from dust mite allergen while you sleep.
The referenced article also points out that, according to the World Health Organization, asthma affected 300 million people worldwide in 2005, killing 255,000, and experts expect asthma deaths to increase by 20 percent over the next decade.
Yahoo Finance News reports "ALCAT Worldwide Introduces Fingerstick Screen for Food Allergy Testing." This new food allergy screen, which costs $99, allows you to test for sensitivities to apples, barley, beef, broccoli, cane sugar, carrot, corn, cow's milk, garlic, gluten, lemon, orange, peanut, pork, rice, soy bean, sweet potato, tomato, tuna and turkey in the comfort of your own home.
"Taking an active role in your own healthcare has never been easier," said Lee Rolnick, Director of Sales and Marketing at ALCAT.
We hope to soon offer the at-home food allergy test kits along with our other Food Allergy Products.
Tags: food allergy, home test, ALCAT, healthcare, milk, soy
ScienceDaily reports that, while hay fever and eczema rates seem to have stabilized over the past decade, hospital admissions for anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) have risen by 700% since 1990. Hospitalizations due to food allergy have increased 500%. Urticaria (skin allergy) hospitalizations have increased 100%.
See our Food Allergy FAQ for more information about food allergies and anaphylaxis.
Tags: anaphylaxis, hospitalizations, hay fever, eczema, food allergy, urticaria, faq
A scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claimed in a letter to members of the New York Congressional Delegation that test reports in 2002 and 2003 distorted the alkalinity, or pH level, of the dust released when the twin towers collapsed. The EPA scientist is challenging the test results which indicated that larger particles of dust were highly alkaline, but found smaller dust particles (those most likely to reach into the lower airways of the lungs) were not alkaline and caustic.
These smaller dust particles present a greater risk, and residents of Lower Manhattan have sued the EPA and New York University as the parties responsible for the tests, claiming they bungled the cleanup.
During the cleanup, all workers and residents should have been advised to take precautions, such as wearing HEPA masks, which are necessary in any environment with potentially toxic dust or chemicals. Now, as reported by CBS News, firefighters, policemen, construction and utility workers from the ground zero crew are experiencing complications due to the inhalation of dust created when the towers fell.
Approximately one million tons of pulverized concrete, glass, asbestos, and 400 other chemicals were released into the air, causing high levels of toxic dust to float through the air, being inhaled by the more than 40,000 workers at ground zero. "The air was so thick that everything was stuck in your mouth, in your nose. You were pulling large pieces out, coughing like crazy. You could not but inhale and swallow tons of material," recalls Dr. David Prezant, the Chief Medical Officer for New York City's Fire Department, who was caught in the dust cloud when the first tower fell.
Mary Mears, a spokeswoman for the EPA, says that they stand behind their work at ground zero and states, “This appears to be a disagreement about scientific methods and not the validity of the results.” Representative Jerrold Nadler, whose district includes Lower Manhattan, intends to look into the dispute, as concerns run high over the air pollution from the 9/11 attacks.
Tags: EPA, dust, danger, September 11, toxic dust, ground zero
American experts are launching a public education campaign to raise awareness about the severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Approximately 1,500 deaths a year are attributed to anaphylactic shock, a severe, rapid, and life-threatening multi-system allergic reaction. Upon exposure to an allergen, the body releases chemicals into the tissues of the heart, lungs, digestive system, and skin, and blood vessels widen so much that blood pressure plummets. Anaphylactic reactions can affect virtually any organ in the body. Common causes of anaphylaxis are foods, insect stings, medications, and latex.
“For some, especially those with asthma, it can take just one to two minutes for a mild allergic reaction to escalate to anaphylaxis. That’s why it’s critical for people to know how to take action,” says allergist Dr. Phil Lieberman, co-chair of the Be S.A.F.E. campaign. Lieberman recommends to always carry your EpiPen and be prepared to protect yourself from anaphylaxis.
This time of year is peak allergy season for many allergy sufferers. Allergens such as ragweed and mold are everywhere this time of year. With moisture levels rising during these hot and humid days, conditions are perfect for mold growth. As seen in the video coverage from KEYC TV in MN, officials say that the best way to fight allergies is to take preventative measures.
Although summer is winding down, school is not the only thing starting again. Weed pollen is at its peak this time of the year; ragweed pollen in particular can cause the most trouble. Rob Russ, an environmental specialist in the Forsyth County, NC, warns that weed and grass pollen tend to peak this time of year, leaving many allergy sufferers with watery eyes and sneezing. Dry and windy days tend to stir up ragweed, marsh elder, and mugwort, all of which can trigger allergic reactions. Although frequent rainfall helps wash the pollen away, ragweed has been detected hundreds of miles offshore and up to two miles high in the atmosphere. News-Record.com also warns that most people are allergic to more than just one allergen. Those who are sensitive to ragweed may also be sensitive to cantaloupe and bananas, and may cause a cumulative effect. Read our article "Preparing for Ragweed Season" to gain more information on this plaguing problem for allergy sufferers.
MediLexicon reports that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and The HealthCentral Network have teamed together to create a new online research center for people struggling with asthma and other allergic disorders. "This partnership with The HealthCentral Network offers us a valuable modern vehicle to disseminate our extensive library of multimedia educational materials," says Mike Tringale of AAFA. For many, finding helpful information on asthma and other allergic disorders is not always easy to come by. However, the new interactive library at MyAsthmaCentral.com allows any asthma or allergy sufferer to obtain access to a comprehensive medical database. Not only does the website provide extensive medical information, but it also seeks to connect asthma and allergy sufferers with a community of others who have had similar experiences and issues. With more than 50 million Americans with allergies and 20 million with asthma, the newly formed partnership hopes to provide a site to build awareness and understanding.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently discovered that many Georgia Schools may not be armed with the knowledge or the medications that are needed to fight asthma attacks for young asthma sufferers. Although there are many ways to fight the disease, much of the knowledge is not reaching the teachers or the school administrators. In Georgia, over 212,000 children age 17 and under have asthma. A recent poll uncovered that only 48% of parents have alerted their child’s teacher to their child’s asthma, and of that, only 42% have made sure that their child’s medicine is available at school, leaving only 27% of parents that have spoken with school administrators about their child’s disease. "Not taking basic steps like having a fast-acting medication available at school in case of an asthma attack or communicating with the school about your child’s asthma could be setting the stage for an unmanageable medical crisis at school," Dr. Norman H. Edelman, the American Lung Association’s (ALA) chief medical officer warns. Parents need to be sure that their children are ready for school and asthma.
Tags: Schools, Asthma, ALA, Medical, Disease, Medication
The Daily Advertiser reports that many Louisiana homeowners are battling toxic mold, also known as black mold. Mold spores can be found almost anywhere, and they can grow on virtually any substance, as long as moisture is present.
Following the article, a reader tells the tale of a whole family that got sick after they moved into a house that had previously been flooded — but the real estate agent never mentioned flooding. (Before moving into a new house, you should inspect for mold — and you may want to ask the neighbors about the history of the property.)
The ClassicBed by Tempur-Pedic™ has grown an inch taller! Now at 9" instead of 8", the mattress is more in line with conventional mattresses and better suited for conventional sheets. Best of all, now there's a whole extra inch of pressure-relieving TEMPUR® material!
Sublingual immunotherapy ("allergy drops") may soon totally replace allergy shots. The liquid drops are placed under the tongue, and the best part is: no needles are involved. This mediLexicon article tells the story of Martin Borass, who was finally able to get a puppy at age 61 after sublingual immunotherapy treatments.
"People who suffer from multiple allergies, like Martin, are typically very good candidates for sublingual immunotherapy," said allergist Dr. Robert Owen. "Boys and puppies are a natural combination. I'm so glad that Martin finally got his dog."
According to The Pharm Voice, Cobalis Corp. has begun clinical trials for PreHistin, a seasonal treatment for ragweed allergies. Approximately 2,000 patients in total will be randomized into the twin studies to receive either placebo or 3.3 mg sublingual PreHistin twice daily for three weeks prior to the onset of the ragweed allergy season, and for an additional three weeks into the allergy season.
The Associated Press reports: Allergy sufferers in Oregon are now required to have a prescription to buy allergy medicines that contain the decongestant pseudoephedrine. These medicines, which include Sudafed, Claritin-D, and NyQuil, were previously sold over-the-counter.
The new law represents Oregon's latest effort to control production of the dangerous drug methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine is a main ingredient in methamphetamine.
Pharmacists and consumers have mixed feelings about the law. Most people agree that the law will slow illegal production of methamphetamine, but others are worried that people who don't have enough money for a doctor visit may never receive the medicine they need.
"It's going to be a pain," said consumer Celly Howards. "But in the papers you read all the time about that drug [meth] and what it does."
According to Yahoo News, a biotechnology firm in Sand Diego claims to have bred the world's first hypoallergenic kitten. After identifying the genes that produce allergenic feline proteins, scientists created the allergy-friendly kitty using a selective breeding process that spanned several generations.
"For the first time, people who have been unable to own a cat because of their allergies can now enjoy a pet of their own without the associated risks and costs of allergy treatments," says Megan Young, CEO of the biotechnology firm Allerca.
Allerca expects to start taking orders for hypoallergenic cats next year, and they plan to charge $4,000 for an allergy-friendly kitten.
Children who live within 250 feet of a busy road are 50% more likely to develop asthma, reports the May issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Girls who have lived near busy roads since before age 2 had the highest risk. Read more at Nursing Spectrum.
According to Yahoo News, a new study has found that clinical trials funded by drug companies are more likely to report positive results.
The study, led by researchers at Harvard Medical School, appears in the May 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Another study from earlier this year found that drug companies are paying more and more for medical research.
What does this mean? When drug companies pay for research to promote their new drugs, they often simply suppress or manipulate the results. Science has taken a back seat, and High-Dollar Marketing is at the wheel.
Tags: drug companies, harvard medical school, marketing, clinical trials, research
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are behind many environmental illnesses, and now paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore has "made great strides in technology through the use of new raw materials to lower VOC content in products across the board." To learn more about VOC regulations, visit this Benjamin Moore VOC information page.
Medical News Today reports that Health Canada is proposing a revised guideline for indoor radon gas levels that is four times more stringent than the one now in place. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment. Normally it does not pose a health risk, but in confined, indoor spaces, radon can easily become a health hazard.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. HEPA air purifiers with activated carbon filters reduce radon levels.
Tags: radon, health hazard, indoor, HEPA air purifiers, activated carbon filters
Atlanta's Balzer Theater at Herren's became the first theater in the United States to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Commissioning and Green Building Solutions (CxGBS), who designed the theater, helps their clients lower construction costs and improve the indoor air environment and quality of life for building occupants. Read more about this green construction technique in the Gwinnett Business Journal.
Tags: LLED, green building, indoor air environment, green construction
University of Cincinnati epidemiologists say that environmental tobacco smoke drastically increases an infant's risk for developing allergic rhinitis (hay fever) by the tender age of 1.
Epidemiologist Jocelyn Biagini says, "We found that infants who were exposed to 20 or more cigarettes a day were three times more likely to develop allergic rhinitis by their first birthday than those who were not exposed."
The study also suggests that infants with older siblings are less likely to develop hay fever. Dr. James Lockey explains: "Research has shown that exposure to certain infections early in life may decrease your risk for allergic diseases. We found a 'sibling protective effect' for allergic rhinitis -- this may mean the more siblings infants have, the more infections they are exposed to. As a result, the infant's body may be better equipped to fight off allergic diseases later in life."
Even the pharmacists who make their living off prescription drugs are beginning to complain about the outrageous prices. In this dailypress.com article, a pharmacist complains, "We always hear that research is the reason medicines cost so much. But how do drug companies explain the high cost of really old drugs like Thalomid, which costs thousands of dollars for a month's supply?"
"What a mess this is for all of us. The government is always talking about lower costs for seniors, but it nitpicks the reimbursement to pharmacies. This makes it appear that the pharmacies are gouging our customers instead of the drug companies. What can we do?"
Tags: pharmacist, medicine, drug companies, price, cost
CNNMoney.com reports that GlaxoSmithKline is likely to hold its throne as the king of the $25 billion market for respiratory drugs for this season and years to come, despite growing competition and controversy. GlaxoSmithKline's top earner, its Advair asthma inhaler franchise, is expected to remain the leading drug in the respiratory market.
Though they are not yet approved by the FDA, many doctors are beginning to prescribe oral allergy drops instead of allergy shots for immunotherapy. Immunotherapy exposes patients to increasingly higher levels of specific allergens in order to decrease the patient's sensitivity to those allergens. In the past, patients undergoing immunotherapy had to travel to their doctor's office about once a week to get a shot in the arm.
Allergy drops, on the other hand, are placed under the tongue and can be taken at home. Visit allergychoices.com to learn more about this painless alternative to allergy shots.
Tags: allergy shots, allergy drops, immunotherapy, FDA
Harvard Medical School reports that the number of New Yorkers seeking hospital treatment for asthma symptoms doubled in the last week compared with the first three weeks of April. According to the Associated Press, sales of over-the-counter allergy medications also increased more than twofold in two weeks. Both trends signal the start of the spring allergy season, and the asthma attacks it can trigger, health officials said.
In the United States, more than 50% of people test positive for one or more allergens. Twenty years ago, only 30% tested positive. Some surveys suggest an even more dramatic increase. Trends for allergies and asthma are similar in Western Europe, with a two-fold rise during the last couple of decades.
There are several theories as to why allergy and asthma cases continue to rapidly increase:
Modern Pollution.
Introducing certain highly allergic foods, such as peanuts, too early in a child's life.
Waiting too long to expose young children to peanuts.
Early exposure to pets.
Not having pets in the house. Children born when pets are already in the house or children who live on farms appear less likely to be allergic.
The "Hygiene Hypothesis." We are using so many ant-infective products, including antibiotics, drugs for parasites and fungi, and antibacterial soaps, that our immune systems do not get a chance to regulate properly. Instead, our immune system is primed to react to what in the past would have been just another allergen. Now it overreacts.
The more popular theories today are the ones suggesting that early life exposure to allergens such as pets and maybe even peanuts will protect against having allergic and asthmatic symptoms later.
The rising prevalence of asthma in inner cities is very worrisome to public health officials. Too many children and adults are missing school and work, and the death rate from asthma has remained at an unacceptable level.
Tags: asthma attacks, NYC, allergies, allergy season, theories, health
CBS46 News reports dangerous levels of mold at Chamblee High School. Teachers and students complained to CBS46 news about allergies, runny noses, itchy eyes, and other problems associated with the mold.
"People are getting a lot sicker easier," said student Martin Hwang. "It's ridiculous. They really need to do something about it."
The high school newspaper uncovered the problem two months ago. Dekalb County School System admits that there is a mold problem and says they're in the process of replacing floor and ceiling tiles as well as walls and cabinets.
Teachers, students, and county leaders are meeting at Chamblee High School today at 4:00 PM to discuss the problem and possible cleanup solutions.
Forbes reports that experts across the country are recording the highest pollen counts they've seen in a decade. And this year, it's not just the Southeast that's getting slammed with airborne allergens.
NY-based allergist Dr. David Shulan says, "I looked at the total pollen counts for this season compared to last, and, at this point, we have already reached 80-90 percent of what we saw for the entire season last year."
Dr. Schulan continues, "The buds have been ready to burst, and when we have these warm days, the pollen counts have been just wild."
AllerAir, manufacturer of high-quality air purifiers, has started publishing its own Indoor Air Quality newsletter. To view the first issue from April 2006 and sign up to receive the newsletter each month, click here.
To view past issues of our own achoo! Review newsletter and sign up to receive it each month, click here.
Business Week reports that, among widespread fears of bird flu pandemics and bioterrorism attacks, the demand for disposable respirator masks is increasing around the world. The United States, however, is seeing a decrease in mask production and a shortage of mask supplies because so many mask manufacturers are tied up in lawsuits related to asbestos. One company stopped manufacturing masks altogether because of the liability.
Gwilym McGrew, president and CEO of AllHeart.com, a medical supply distributor based in Camarillo, CA, says, "I'm not sure this pandemic will ever come, but if it does, the world will not have masks."
"When the first sparrow dies in the U.S. from bird flu, consumers are going to hoard these things like crazy" says McGrew, who has already begun hoarding masks.
A new survey released by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) shows that most allergy patients are dissatisfied with their allergy medication. Nearly two-thirds of allergy sufferers said they would try something new. The poll also found that 47 percent of patients are taking multiple prescription allergy medications.
"People are taking two, three, sometimes four different medications at a time to relieve their symptoms quickly and effectively because they are increasingly unsatisfied with their allergy medications. This can be a very costly, dangerous and frequently ineffective solution to treating bothersome symptoms," says Dr. Alpen Patel of the AAFA, "The survey findings suggest the need for patients to have open dialogues with their doctors about the allergy medications they are taking and available treatment options out there."
The news article, which can be read in its entirety at HealthScout News, fails to mention the option of allergy relief through allergen avoidance and environmental control.
Today the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that this spring may be the worst on record for allergy sufferers. The Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic recorded the second-highest pollen count since it began measuring the irritants in 1995--and several grasses have not even started producing pollen yet.
The pollen allergy season is hitting hard and early this year because of the unusually warm winter. Dr. Lisa Kobrynski, a pediatric allergist at Emory University, said pollen counts in Atlanta and South Georgia are "highest of any area in the United States."
Tags: Atlanta pollen count allergy season allergist
Advair, the world's best-selling asthma medication packaged in that little purple puck, apparently does more harm than good for many asthma patients. Shelley Salpeter, a clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University, says, "[Advair and Servent] make asthma worse . . . If we got these drugs off the market, we could prevent 4,000 deaths a year."
Read the Forbes article "Trouble Breathing" for more information about the possible dangers of asthma medication and the pending lawsuits against Advair's maker, GlaxoSmithkline.
Today many drug companies are spending more money on medical marketing and less money on medical research, so it is vital that you educate yourself and learn how to prevent and control diseases without absolute reliance on prescription medication. Learn more about controlling allergies and asthma using environmental control products at achoo! ALLERGY's Knowledge Base.
Tags: asthma medication advair death overmedication
PAUL McGINLEY was last night praying that a medical remedy used by four-time Masters champion Arnie Palmer would help him get through 72 holes at Augusta National this week.
The Dubliner had to leave the course after just nine holes of the 18 he'd intended playing yesterday.
"It was horrible," said McGinley, whose eyes were bloodshot and streaming. "It was just as bad as Sawgrass a couple of weeks ago."
McGinley missed the cut for the first time in eight months at The Players Championship after what he suspected was a reaction to the medication he had taken following an attack of hay fever left him feeling unwell and unsteady on his feet.
"My legs feel like jelly," said McGinley, who immediately headed for a local pharmacy to find a nasal spray American golfing icon Arnie Palmer had used to combat hay fever.
"It's some sort of spray or inhaler. Arnie Palmer used use it and, to be honest, if it was good enough for The King, then I'm sure it'll be good enough for me."
Tags: Hay fever and golf, masters and hay fever and paul mcginley
"Allergies in America: A Landmark Survey of Nasal Allergy Sufferers," the largest survey of its kind, reveals an overwhelming link between nasal allergies (allergic rhinitis) and serious quality of life and occupational consequences. These psychological and behavioral costs of allergies are largely ignored in the management of allergy patients, and healthcare providers and patients alike agree that there is a need for better education about the conditions and treatments for allergic rhinitis.
"Allergic rhinitis is a serious problem in the United States. The results are eye-opening and should encourage doctors and patients to change the way they think about and treat allergic rhinitis," according to Michael Blaiss, M.D., Past-President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
In the United States, the economic burden of allergic rhinitis is estimated at $18 billion.
A USA TODAY article explains that early exposure to pets, peanuts and intestinal worms might actually be good for you because they program the developing immune system to know the difference between real threats, such as germs, and non-threats, like pets.
Evidence has been mounting for more than a decade. But now researchers are beginning to test remedies based on these theories in patients. Other doctors are trying to make use of novel approaches to retrain the immune system once it's too late and allergies set in.
To test whether high-dose exposure breeds tolerance, researchers are preparing to launch a counterintuitive, seven-year, U.S.-financed study that will expose infants to peanuts. It's based on research showing that children who eat peanuts at an early age are less likely to develop peanut allergies.
A second team of researchers, led by Patrick Holt of the University of Western Australia in Perth, will conduct a similar study in which children who are already allergic to other substances will be exposed to airborne allergens such as ragweed to see whether it will block the development of other allergies.
Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Jerome "The Bus" Bettis is an asthma sufferer, and he has recently become the spokesman for the American Lung Association's Asthma Control Test. The idea behind the test is that you a) take it, b) get a point-score based on your answers, and c) take that score into your doctor for an asthma evaluation/check-up. To take the test click here. To see the TV ad with Jerome Bettis click here.
A new study finds that Sudafed 24 Hour is as effective at relieving hay fever symptoms as Singulair, a prescription drug that costs almost four times as much.
Researchers at the University of Chicago conducted their study of 58 adults with hay fever during ragweed season. Thirty of the adults took 10 milligrams a day of the prescription decongestant montelukast sodium (Singulair), while the other 28 took 240 milligrams a day of the decongestant pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (Sudafed 24 Hour).
Pseudoephedrine costs about 80 cents a day, while montelukast costs about $3.20 a day.
As reported in the February issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology (Head & Neck Surgery), Sudafed was as effective as the prescription medication in relieving hay fever symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing and itching. The cheaper drug was also as effective at improving quality of life for hay fever patients, without causing any additional side effects.
Emissions from six Maryland power plants, three of them owned by an Atlanta-based company, are responsible each year for about 700 premature deaths nationwide, according to a report released Wednesday by the Maryland Nurses Association. The association, which is supporting one of two competing clean-air proposals pending before lawmakers, announced the findings along with officials from several other health and environmental groups that are supporting the Healthy Air Act. Jonathan Levy, the Harvard University School of Public Health assistant professor who conducted the study, said he used previous research to estimate the health impact of the six plants based on 2004 emissions estimates and census data. In addition to the premature deaths, emissions from the plants can be linked each year to 30,000 additional asthma attacks, including 4,000 in Maryland, Levy found.
Findings from a French study published this month in the journal Allergy indicate that asthma is more difficult to control in overweight individuals than in their leaner counterparts. The study observed over 400 asthmatics, and concluded that those with a Body Mass Index of 25 or more had a significantly more difficult time gaining control of their asthma. (Calculate your Body Mass Index)
A National Jewish Medical Center News Release reports that allergy and asthma sufferers can maximize the benefit of their medications by taking advantage of their bodies' natural circadian rhythms. Hay fever symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes, generally peak early in the morning, shortly after waking up. Those morning symptoms can be reduced if people take their allergy medications at night before going to bed. Asthma symptoms generally peak at about 4 a.m. For severe asthmatics on oral steroids, taking them at 3 p.m. helps reduce nocturnal symptoms. Inhaled steroids are a more widely used medication for people with mild to moderate asthma. Studies have shown that inhaled steroids have their greatest effect when taken between at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Tags: best time to take allergy medications, allergy meds, asthma medications
A Michigan-based ecology group released a report this month that so-called "new car smell" contains two toxic chemicals for drivers and passengers. The study called for tougher regulations to phase out the use of the chemicals, and also suggested that car owners take steps to reduce the release and breakdown of these chemicals by using solar reflectors, ventilating car interiors, and parking outside of sunlight whenever possible.
Tags: car, new car, new car smell, toxic chemicals
In the wake of much debate about food allergies in the classroom, another rarely-discussed topic arises: pet allergies. In news article Policy Would Restrict Classroom Pets, some Wisconsin schools approach the issue of classroom pets, and their affect on students with allergies and asthma. According to the article, 9% of students in the district suffer from allergies, and 11% from asthma. But for students, parents, and board members who love their classrom pets, getting rid of pets completely seems too restrictive.
It's easy to see both sides of the issue. For a kid with allergies or asthma, a class bunny or even hamster can create a real problem. But, pets remain an important part of many children's lives, and can make the school environment a more comforting place. Rising food allergies are making more and more schools aware of the importance of creating a healthy and safe learning environment for everyone. Classroom allergies, including pet allergies, are an issue we'll hear more about in the future.
What's exercise-induced asthma? In this Q&A article from the Washington Examiner, "Sports Doc" Steve Fahey explains the cause and effect of exercise-induced asthma. Dr. Fahey clearly explains some of the mechanisms which can cause an asthma attack, and how these may be triggered by the strenuous breathing that comes from exercise. EIA can also be controlled, both through medications and carefully planned work outs.
On January 11th, the Today Show did an interesting story on pillows – and how dirty they can get. As the piece explained, pillows can hold a whole lot of dirt, including a veritable laundry list of nasty things: skin cells and bodily secretions, animal hair and dander, bacteria and fungi, dust mites and dust mite fragments and waste, etc. Four volunteers allowed their pillows to be tested for these kinds of contaminants, and then they came on the show to hear the results. Guest Dr. Phillip Tierno, from NYU's Tisch Hospital, reported on the state of their pillows. Some of them weren't so pleasant. As he mentioned, the cleanliness of your pillow is of utter importance, since you generally inhale its contents for around eight hours a day... or one third of your life. Dr. Tierno also suggested a cure: an "impervious outer covering" or pillow encasing, not just for your pillows, but also for your mattress. Click on the link to watch the clip – "How Dirty is Your Pillow?"
Want to start fresh with some nice clean bedding? We recommend visiting our pillow section to pick up a fresh, inviting pillow. We also offer protective encasings for pillows, mattresses, and comforters. You can buy a complete dust mite bedding package to fully encase your pillows, mattress, and box springs, or visit our dust mite covers page to build your own.
A new law, which came in to effect January 1st, mandates labeling changes to food containing major allergens such as egg, milk, wheat, nuts, and soy. This insightful article, New law means food allergies must be noted, explains the benefits the law holds for food allergy sufferers, as well as the continued risks they face. For example, the law does not cover a variety of food products in "their natural state"... and even less processed foods can still be prepared with an ingredient that is an allergen. And, while the law requires clear labeling of "the big 8" -- the 8 most common food allergens -- there are many other foods that cause allergic reactions. But, the law is a good start in the right direction, making life a little easier for food allergy sufferers or their parents.
Recently, there has been a lot of news regarding legislation aimed to protect students with severe food allergies. This article is a particularly interesting one, highlighting the story behind what has been termed "Sabrina's Law" -- Sabrina Shannon, who died at 13 due to an anaphylactic reaction. The article describes the situations of a few other students with food allergies, and what their schools are doing to help them. It also explains highlights of the law, which took effect January 1st.
Nonprescription inhaler effective for asthma New findings reported in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology suggest that nonprescription epinephrine inhalers may provide similar benefits to an inhaler containing a prescription drug like abuterol. Despite encouraging first results, a larger study must be done to achieve more conclusive support.
Mold Spreads as Heavy Rains Pound California Heavy rains over the weekend in many areas have left residents at risk for mold problems. This article from the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America contains advice on preventing and dealing with mold.
State-of-the-art school ready This green building is not only a great learning environment for kids, it's a leader in building design for environmental sustainability. It's also allergy and MCS friendly!
Tags: green, school building, energy efficient, environment, sustainable
Sinusitis: One of the Most Diagnosed Diseases in the United States. According to this press release from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 35 million Amercians are affected by chronic sinusitis each year. Article discusses sinusitis symptoms, warning signs, and treatments.
To break house mold, eliminate at the source. This article from Newsday.com shares information from the Mayo Clinic on how to best get rid of house mold -- plus information on the potential health risks. According to the authors, the incidence of mold-related health problems outside of allergies is fairly rare. But allergy sufferers who are sensitive to mold should take steps to remove it from their environment.
Mom's Dust Mite Exposure Shared With Her Fetus According to asthma and allergy researchers, moms who test positive for dust mite allergens are more likely to have infants whose umbilical cord blood tests positive for the allergen as well. Since childhood exposure to allergens can lead to increased risk of childhood asthma, their findings imply that maternal avoidance of allergens during pregnancy is another important step for reducing the risk of childhood asthma.
'Ambassador,' 9, talks of allergies Interesting article about two children from New York who recently visited Washington DC, for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Kids' Congress. The child profiled in the article has a milk allergy, and his younger brother has a peanut allergy, making allergy education an important issue for their family.
Study: High Allergen Levels in U.S. Homes. A new study associates endotoxins, a bacterial allergen commonly found in household dust, with asthma. The study was conducted by the University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences Center, and included nearly 2500 people in 831 homes. The study's findings also appear in the December issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
A New Sort of CAT Scan Reveals Effects on Lungs News article about the effects of cat dander on lung function in people with asthma. According to UCLA researchers, new tests show patients still have constriction and inflammation in airways even 22 hours after exposure.
Season for Cedar Fever It's allergy season in South Texas, where some residents experience an allergic reaction to the pollen of mountain cedar trees.
Seed Newsvine
There have been countless studies done on how certain issues like lack of sleep, and even problems at home, can affect children and their performance in school. More recently, individual states and cities have been taking this a step further and have examined the link between poor indoor air quality and increased instances of hospitalization due to asthma.
With 7 million children currently diagnosed with asthma1 and approximately 8.5 million who have suffered from respiratory allergies in the last year, the impact of poor IAQ in our schools is no small matter.
This winter has been an odd one for many parts of the U.S. Unlike last year when Atlanta experienced several inches of snow and colder than average temperatures, this past December was punctuated by nearly a weeks worth of temperatures in the 70’s - literally 20 degrees warmer than average! This pattern has not just held true here in the South, but all over the U.S.
One way to prevent your newborn from chemical and toxin exposure is by doing a little research before you start decorating the nursery. As far as safety and health is concerned, .jpg)
New research further supports the link between a mother's diet during pregnancy and her child's risk of developing allergies, reports Medical News Today in 
Good news! Allergy treatment really is improving. As The Washington Post reports in 
We've talked before about vitamin D levels and allergies, and a study recently published in the online version of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirms the association. ScienceDaily reports on this in 
Is it possible that having allergies could be a good thing? We might not go so far as to say yes, but CNN reports today on a correlation between having allergies and a decreased likelihood of developing brain tumors. .jpg)
The link between a lack of vitamin D and allergic conditions is well documented. A recent study, reported in a CNN article titled, "Lack of vitamin D at birth may increase respiratory infection risk", adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the importance of this essential nutrient in relation to respiratory health. .jpg)
Allergy sufferers may have a somewhat complicated relationship with wine. For one thing, allergies often compromise a person's sense of smell and therefore taste because of nasal congestion. As AchooAllergy.com founder P. Cade McDonald once pointed out, "I can't tell the difference between a 20 dollar bottle of wine and a 200 dollar bottle." (Jury's still out as to whether this is a good or bad thing.) For more information on the connection between allergies and how you taste things, see .jpg)
Chicago residents have been experiencing very high mold counts this September. Saturday mold counts hit 81,000, the highest count in five years, reports 
Use of acetaminophen can lead to the development of asthma and eczema, Science Daily reports in their article 
In a time of year when many are used to sun bathing, another kind of bathing proves not only safe, but beneficial. A recent New York Times Health featurette explores the claim that .jpg)
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Since first being discovered in the U.S. in 1999, the West Nile Virus (WNV) has quickly spread across the U.S. Mirroring the national trend the number of cases spiked in 2002-03 but fell in following years. Here in GA we saw an increase in the number of cases last year, and the peak of the season is now upon us as August and September are the two most susceptible months for transmission. 
In a new book titled "Healthy Child, Healthy World," Michelle Obama calls for increased efforts at asthma education and prevention.
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The butter flavor in microwave popcorn contains the chemical diacetyl, which has been linked to lung damage, according to 
Mary Pickett, associate professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, gives advice on dealing with exercised induced-hives at 
Today the FDA will issue a public health advisory to warn parents not to give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children "because serious and potentiall life-threatening side effects can occur."
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The wildfires in Southen California may be retreating, but they've left behind high levels of airborne particulate matter and a strong odor of smoke.
Earlier this month, in the article 
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Mast cells are found in the eye, nose, airways, skin, and gut. As part of the immune system, they protect us from invasion against bacteria and parasites; however, for allergy sufferers, mast cells react to substances like 
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A study published in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests strong variation in the occurence of anaphlyaxis between northern and southern U.S. states, reports the 
In a shocking article, 
In the new Allergist Report by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), the professional organization points out that the demand for allergists will increase 35% by 2020, yet the supply of allergists is expected to decline.
According to the 
