One of the questions that our customer service representatives field at least once per day from our readers is, “How can I get rid of mold?” The presence of mold in a home is a serious concern, because mold can cause health problems and can damage home building materials.
One member of our team is studiously researching information to do some restoration work to his older home. He subscribes to a magazine called the Old House Journal. In this magazine, he came across a great article by writer Noelle Lord about mold and some of the steps that must be taken to get rid of a mold problem.
One of the areas that our company has improved this year in the fight against mold is in our offering of dehumidifiers. We now have a dehumidifier for almost any application or need that a person could have. We even have added a whole house dehumidifier that is made by Aprilaire to our web site.
To get rid of mold, Ms. Lord’s magazine article talks about using HEPA vacuum cleaners and air conditioners. Additionally, it talks about ventilation in some of the most humid places of your home. Basements, crawlspaces, and attics are areas that are susceptible to mold spores. We recommend using a dehumidifier in these areas. If you are concerned about mold, there are other quality recommendations in the article for anyone to try in their home.
In an effort to bring our readers the most up-to-date and important information about the world of allergy and asthma, we have asked Gina Clowes, founder of the online support group Allergy Moms, for an article about what children suffering with food allergies might be thinking, but are afraid to tell the grown-ups.
In this two part posting, Gina has done a tremendous service to parents and others by shining some light on how children with food allergies want to be treated. Here are the final five things that children with food allergies want you to know:
6. I’m embarrassed when people fuss over what I’m eating. I know I have to eat my own safe food, but it’s easier for me when I’m not singled out. Sometimes, it’s embarrassing when grown-ups ask lots of questions. I love to fit in more than anything.
7. I hear all adult conversations about my food allergies. My ears perk up when I hear grown-ups mention my name or food allergies, so don’t pity me or act terrified because then I get scared. Food allergies are just one part of me. Let me overhear you talk about all the other wonderful things about me!
8. Sometimes I’m sad about having food allergies. It’s hard to be the only kid in class not having a cupcake and eating something different from my box of “safe treats” especially when there are about 20 other birthdays in my class. I know it’s not the end of the world, but from my perspective, it’s tough at times.
9. I’m watching you—Mom and Dad! You may think that I’m too little to notice, but I see that you went back home to get my Epi-Pen® when you forgot it. I see that you read the ingredients on the Smarties every time. You are my role models and I am learning how to manage my food allergies from you!
10. I will do about as well as you do. My parents “can-do” attitude will help me cope with the challenges of living with allergies and ensure that food allergies don’t stop me from being everything I was meant to be!
Gina Clowes is the author of the book One of the Gang: Nurturing the Souls of Children with Food Allergies.
In an effort to bring our readers the most up-to-date and important information about the world of allergy and asthma, we have asked Gina Clowes, an author and founder of the online support group Allergy Moms for an article about what children suffering with food allergies might be thinking, but are afraid to tell the grown-ups.
In this two part posting, Gina has done a tremendous service to parents and others by shining some light on how children with food allergies want to be treated. Here are the first five things that children with food allergies want you to know:
1. I long to be included. I would like to look, act and eat like everyone else. I’d like to buy my lunch and sit wherever I want. I know I can’t, but I am so happy inside when someone cares enough to provide a safe potato chip, cookie or Popsicle for me. It’s nice when I can have something similar to what others are eating but I love it when I can eat the same thing as everyone else. Whenever it’s possible, please think to include me.
2. I’m scared I could die from my food allergies. I’ve heard my parents and teachers mention “life-threatening” food allergies and I remember having some reactions where I felt very sick and really scared. I could see how frightened my parents were too. Sometimes, I could use a little reassurance that I will be okay.
3. I feel like I’m the only one sometimes. If you have a support group or another way to arrange for me to meet other children who have food allergies, I would really like to know that I am not the only kid who has food allergies. Having another friend with food allergies in my classroom or at lunch time helps too.
4. I get confused when grown-ups offer me food. I know I’m supposed to be polite and listen to grown-ups, but my parents have told me I am only supposed to take food from them. When you offer me food or especially candy, I’d like to take it but I’m not sure about what I am supposed to do.
5. I get itchy spots sometimes when grown-ups kiss me after they’ve eaten something I’m allergic to. I get itchy spots when your dog licks me too. I’m not quite brave enough to tell you this so I’m hoping you will remember that if you have just eaten something that I’m allergic to, I may get hives if you kiss me soon afterward.
Check back on Monday to read the second five things in Gina's great article. It will change the way you see, treat, and feel about a child suffering with food allergies.
In the past few weeks, a light dusting of yellow pollen has started to blanket areas all over the South. Pollen grains are flying all over and causing people to experience allergy symptoms. One focus of our company is to try and educate people on how they can avoid allergens.
In an article released yesterday on the Medical News Today web site, Dr. Ewen Tseng, an otolaryngologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Frisco, offers some very relevant tips to avoid pollen exposure:
Wear protective clothing, including gloves, to reduce exposure to allergens and avoid transferring pollen from your hands to your eyes and nose.
Wear a protective mask. You should think of your nose as a filter. Against pollen, the nose is your first line of defense.
Wash your hands, change clothes, and shower after working outside.
One alternative to wearing a mask is nasal irrigation with a saline solution to rinse allergens from your nose.
These strategies to avoid allergens take very little time, effort, or money; but they can be a very important part of your daily routine. Try them and you might find that you can feel and breathe better.
During the 1800s in America, March was the best time for dusting because it was getting warmer outside, and you could open the windows and doors to help clear out the dust from your home. This was an ideal time for some spring cleaning. Also, spring was the perfect time for cleaning before the insects became unbearable during the warmer summer months.
Today, the benefits for allergy sufferers from a thorough spring cleaning are very clear. The air inside your home is about ten times dirtier that the air outside. Allergens have been building up in your home all winter. This time of year is perfect to open up the windows some and do your cleaning. Make the process fun and enjoyable by focusing on how much better you will breathe and feel when it’s over! On our web site, we have a detailed cleaning plan, but here is a quick checklist to follow:
Organize closets, shelves, and storage spaces
Throw away old clothes, sheets, and curtains
Reduce clutter in your living areas—some knickknacks and decorations are outdated!
Make sure that when you are cleaning you are using cleaning products that will not aggravate your allergies. To learn more about healthy and natural cleaning products check out the cleaning products section of our web site. Good luck with your spring cleaning and enjoy the lovely, warmer weather!
Does this scenario sound familiar--you carry a bucket of water from your dehumidifier across the basement and pour the water into a corner drain or the laundry sink? Or even worse, you lug the water upstairs and over to the kitchen sink. The heavy bucket must be emptied by hand and it is often a messy and time consuming process. When you put the bucket back in place, you have to repeat this operation two or more times that same day!
The best solution that we recommend is to “port” the water from your dehumidifier. Porting is the process of using an exterior drain line to continuously drain your dehumidifier. Hook a hose up to your dehumidifier and then run the hose down to a drain. The drain hose can not be above the drain connection or you will cause flooding.
Many dehumidifiers provide a threaded spigot to connect a water hose for drainage. If you have a floor drain or basement sink, you can port the water to the drain. Water is continuously draining from the air into the unit and down into the drain. If this is not possible due to a grade or the lack of a nearby drain, you can still port your dehumidifier, but you will require a condensate pump to push the water over a longer distance. With this water removal system, you have very little day-to-day upkeep or maintenance.
On a daily basis, we are asked questions by allergy sufferers, consumers, and fans of our web site about allergen avoidance and environmental control. We also hear interesting anecdotes about the remedies that work for some people. Some of these allergy sufferers are in such distress, because of their allergy symptoms, that they go to extreme measures to feel good and to breathe better.
The following is an excerpt from an e-mail received by one of our staff that gives some advice on using the cold winter temperatures to control dust mites. Positive results can be obtained from freezing items that cannot be washed. The text is a little long, but it could be very beneficial for someone suffering every night with allergy symptoms:
“I enjoyed reading your web site describing products to try and control Dust Mites. The site suggests you can kill Dust Mites by placing stuffed toys and other items in the freezer over night. In the next sentence, it says that beds are too large. Obviously that is very true, but here in Canada, I've had amazing success by placing the queen size mattress out on the deck or apartment balcony when temperatures are far below freezing. Much of Northeast United States is cold enough and in the Mountain, Prairie States conditions are perfect to do this during the cold winter months.
I slide and carry the mattress to the balcony (deck) and leave it laying on its edge outside. After 3-4 hours, using a plastic baseball bat to loosen the Dust Mite colonies, I swat it quite a few times on both sides. The first time I did that to a very good mattress the white powder flying in the cold wind was astonishing. Then if there is room, I lay it flat or even vacuum it while outside with the beater bar attachment on 1 side then flip it over to do the other side. I leave the mattress out for another hour and bring it inside.
While the mattress was outside, I washed the bedding and the pillows—two at a time to balance the washer during the spin cycle. Using cold water and a little bleach, I'm quite sure the Dust Mites couldn't survive the bleach and laundry soap together. I have a clothes line and hang the sheets, mattress cover, pillow covers, and bed spread out on a sunny, windy cold day to dry them almost completely. Then, I put them into the drier for a few minutes to dry and warm them, too.
The difference is astonishing. I used to get rushed to the emergency room either by my wife or by ambulance (twice!) as I woke up gasping from an asthma attack. I went to bed feeling fine. Sometimes, I was using my rescue inhaler too often after going to bed. Yes, the room was spotless and so was the house actually. After freezing the Dust Mites my breathing was so much better. No comparison.
Please, tell young parents this trick. Their mattresses spread the Dust Mite protein throughout the house as soon as the furnace comes on in the winter. Place mattress outside and the difference is astonishing. Also, this method gets rid of cold germs, skin conditions like eczema, and improves air quality in the home as well.”
Please check out the links in this article for more information on our web site about dust mites and dust mite control. To some readers, this story might seem ridiculous, but it illustrates how crippling allergy sympstoms can be and the measures that people have to take to breathe better and have a better quality of life.
Our marketing manager recently took the new Miele S7 Tango home to check out the many new features and to do another review of the product. She has a smaller car with a car seat in the back seat and some other odds and ends in her car. We wanted to remove the Tango's ergonomic handle assembly to put the vacuum in her hatchback. Our problem was that we did not know how to remove the handle!
The whole AchooAllergy.com team seemed to be stumped, but after input from customer service, sales, and shipping, we finally figured out a simple way to remove the handle:
First, remove the upholstery cleaning attachment from the back of the vacuum. Next, move the cord to the side. In the recessed slot where the upholstery brush fits, you will see a small hole. Push a small, regular screwdriver in to the hole. At the same time, pull up on the Miele handle to disengage and to remove the handle from the body of the vacuum cleaner.
Now, you easily can take apart your Miele and transport it to show off to your friends and family!
Everyday we receive e-mails with questions related to allergies, asthma, and our allergy relief products. Here is a question that we repeatedly are asked during the holiday season:
“I am considering getting a live Christmas tree, but I'm worried about my allergies. Is a Christmas tree safe for an allergy-friendly living room?”
During this time of year, many people begin to sniffle and to sneeze around Christmas trees. It can be so bad for allergy sufferers that they do not want to even decorate their living rooms. However, the tree generally is not the cause of these allergies. Instead, Christmas trees are prime areas for the accumulation of allergens like dust and mold spores.
Mold is a frequent culprit. Many Christmas trees are cut several months before December 25th. These trees usually are left outside in the winter rain. A wet tree left outside is an ideal breeding ground for mold spores.
Artificial trees have their own set of issues. Depending on how they are stored during the rest of the year, artificial trees will collect dust and mold. Dark garages, dusty attics, and damp basements are not good places for allergy sufferers or their Christmas trees. The porous surface of an artificial tree will bring all of these allergens into the home.
Here are two tips to dramatically reduce the allergens on either type of Christmas tree. If you use a live tree, shake it out thoroughly. Let the tree dry out for a few days before you bring it indoors. Secondly, if you are installing an artificial tree in the house, make sure to dust and clean it thoroughly with M-1 Sure Cote Mold and Mildew Resistant Sealant. When you store the artificial tree for the year, make sure that it is kept clean and dry.
Holiday decorating can cause all kinds of allergy flare-ups. Decorations stored in attics and basements can be covered in dust, mold spores, or dust mite allergens. Wash your hands thoroughly after unpacking them; and clean the decorations thoroughly before putting them up in your living space. Following these tips will help you breathe better and allow you to enjoy the holiday festivities.
The Christmas holiday season has many traditions that people follow like hanging stockings on the mantle, decorating a Christmas tree, leaving cookies out for Santa Claus, singing carols, etc. One of the best traditions is the Holiday Party. It is barely two weeks into December and I already have been to four of these social gatherings with friends, co-workers, and family. For most people, these are fun occasions to eat and drink to excess. However, for allergy sufferers and the parents of children with food allergies, the Holiday party scene can be a scary proposition. You must keep a careful eye for foods prepared with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish , and shellfish.
I ran across this article from the web site for The Dallas Morning News. The short article, written by special contributor Kim Pierce, has some great tips on what party hosts can do to make their parties enjoyable for everyone in attendance.
For the past eight years, we have been recommending simple and healthy solutions for allergy sufferers. Our focus is on allergy avoidance and environmental control. We select and review all of our products based on that focus and philosophy. Even when you do your best to control your surroundings, there are specific times of the year when it seems like your nose is running and your eyes are watering on a daily basis. In our minds, the old adage is true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
During the fall and winter months, a common cold can sometimes lead to inflammation or a condition called sinusitis. Sinusitis can last for an extended period and if not addressed can lead to a bacterial infection. Preventing sinusitis is important for breathing better. We have recommended for a long time alleviating sinus blockages with some simple easy treatments like a nasal wash or a netipot. Recently, experts at the Mayo Clinic have joined the fray, and they are recommending the exact same simple remedies! Check out this article from Reuters.
During the winter months, everyone keeps their home or apartment closed for warmth and protection against the elements. The windows are never opened to allow in the breeze, especially with rising heating costs. The indoor air quality drops during these months. You and members of your family tend to become sick or tired more often during the winter. Usually, we attribute this to flu season or something else, but it is possible that there are other factors hurting the air quality in your home. Toxins could be lurking that are making you sick.
One of our staff members saw this story on the Today Show this morning before coming into the office. The television segment and the accompanying article concentrate on 6 possible sources of toxins that might be affecting your family. These sources are mattresses, cleaning products, kitchenware, shower curtains, paints, and your carpet. By taking a few steps, you can control these environmental factors and limit your exposure to allergens.
Most mattresses are made using chemicals that can emit toxic vapors that cause respiratory problems. Another allergen that is trapped in your mattress is dust mites. Dust mites cause allergic reactions and breathing problems. To protect against dust mite allergen, we recommend encasing your mattress and pillow in Allergy Armor encasings. These encasings help your breathing by controlling dust mite allergen and your exposure to that allergy trigger.
When you are cleaning your home, you are exposing yourself to many different chemicals. Avoid chlorine bleach, ammonia, and other acid-based cleaning products which can irritate eyes and lungs. You can improve your quality of life by cleaning with natural cleansers like EcoDiscoveries. These cleaning products use an enzyme mixture to safely clean your home. To control dust in the house, you can invest in a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove dust mites, dust, and dirt from your floors. Vacuums with HEPA filters clean the air and clean the floor at the same time.
House paint can release low level gases into the air. In some cases, these gases are present for years destroying the indoor air quality of your home. These toxic chemicals are called VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. VOCs also are given off by many types of glue used in installing wall-to-wall carpeting. To improve the air quality in your home, you need to check out an air purifier.
At the end of the article, the author offers some great advice. You need to make changes and adapt to improve the air quality in your home. Covering your mattress with allergy relief bedding, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and checking out an air purifier will help you and your family feel and breathe better.
In a recent interview with the Natural Health Network, Glen Rocklin from Health Solutions discusses how his company is making its mark in the growing field of nasal irrigation. The use of alternative health care therapies and solutions is an emerging factor in the health care industry.
Rocklin is asked about the use of the SinuPulse by some professional sports franchises. It turns out that athletic trainers from the New York Yankees, the New York Rangers, and the Los Angeles Lakers have all used nasal solution products from Health Solutions. These experts in their field have gone a step further and provided recommendations for the products.
“I recommend the sinus irrigation products from Health Solutions. Our team has been using their products as part of our regular healthcare regimen. We have found the products help our players that suffer from allergies and sinus problems,” according to Gary Vitti, the head athletic trainer for the Lakers.
With lots of television and internet exposure, some low tech devices for nasal washing have appeared in department and drug stores around the United States. Some of these products work, but they can be messy and uncomfortable. The SinuPulse Elite delivers a high tech solution. The pulsating nasal irrigation cleanses and removes bacteria. It is the best solution for those suffering from nasal congestion, sinus headaches, post nasal drip, and sinus infection.
You probably will not make it to the NBA, but if you want to breathe better, check out this product. Click here to read a transcript of the entire interview. At the end of the interview, there is a link to see the SinuPulse Elite in action.
Everyone can benefit from a daily exercise regimen. Allergy and asthma sufferers need to exercise just like everybody else, but exercise-induced asthma and outdoor training often limit how much that person can do. If you suffer from breathing problems, Pilates is a program that benefits your health without subjecting you to some allergy or asthma triggers associated with high impact workouts or exercising outdoors.
I recently read an article in Coping with Allergies & Asthma by Dr. William Briner, a specialist in Sports Medicine, about the benefits of Pilates. He describes the history of Pilates and as well as its benefits. This style of exercise routine is great for improving coordination, flexibility, and strength. Traditional Pilates programs use very little equipment, and most are a series of exercises performed on a mat on the floor. Unlike many traditional exercise regimens, Pilates involves a series of exercises with minimal movement and few repetitions. It concentrates on your core muscle strength, “or powerhouse”, to use Pilates terminology. Regulated breathing patterns during the series of exercises helps to improve endurance as well as concentration.
Allergy and asthma sufferers have to be creative and willing to try new approaches to improve their health. Being sedentary is harmful and can exacerbate certain symptoms while having a negative impact on your overall health. As always, before starting a new exercise regimen, you need to do some research. Check out the Pilates class and determine the level of intensity. Contact your physician to help determine what you are capable of participating in without risk. Though Pilates is not a total substitute for aerobic exercise, it is an excellent addition to your workout regimen.
Be prepared. Almost everyone knows that is the boy scouts’ motto. But what does that mean? What are they prepared for? The motto means that scouts are trained to be prepared for anything. If someone is hurt in an accident, scouts have first aid training. If someone is lost on a hike, a scout can help them find their way. In a similar way, if you are the cook for a food-allergic child, you have to be prepared to make three safe meals each day of the week. That can be a daunting task. In a recent article on the website Kids With Food Allergies, allergy cooks are given some food prep advice. Here are several thoughtful steps to reduce the stress of cooking and to help you be better organized to cook for your child:
Plan your menus. Advance planning can make the difference between getting dinner on the table in a calm and timely manner and making a last minute dash to the grocery store with two whining toddlers in tow.
Buy in bulk and shop online. Specialty items with specific ingredients can be expensive. Expand your grocery shopping from the local store to online shopping and bulk stores. A simple online search can yield great results for special foods that you might not even have considered. You can save yourself a lot of shopping trips and hard earned dollars by purchasing non-perishable items in bulk.
Always have a supply of safe food available. According to the article, you must keep at least a few days’ supply of “safe” foods in your house. Remember, even if illness or inclement weather stops you from leaving your house, your food allergic child still needs to eat.
Cook double batches of food, freeze extras, and serve leftovers. Having ready-to-eat hypoallergenic meals in your freezer is like having money in the bank. Any time your menu includes foods that freeze well, you should consider doubling your recipe and freezing the extras. When my uncle barbecues, he cooks a prodigious amount of food and freezes all of the leftovers. Also, on Sunday nights, our family often cooks breakfast foods for the whole school week.
Always be prepared for a party. When you have a young child, you are going to have a full party schedule. Whether it is a birthday or a stop at grandma’s house, be sure that your food supply includes some safe cupcakes or other appropriate treats that can be taken to a variety of social functions. Regardless of your child’s age, you should plan to have at least one frozen serving of his or her favorite entrée that can be taken to holiday dinners and other social gatherings.
Being prepared and organized can help reduce stress and make meal times great occasions for family bonding.
In our world today, we are bombarded with all kinds of advertisements and marketing ploys. Very few are helpful and some even try to mislead the consumer. Recently, I was leafing through our office copy of the magazine Coping with Allergies & Asthma. This magazine (in its eleventh year already!) provides a great service to allergy sufferers and their families. The articles normally are informative and focused on the unique problems that allergy and asthma sufferers encounter in everyday life. I usually skip right over the ads to read these articles, but this month an advertisement caught my eye that warrants some praise.
The ad is for an EpiPen® Auto-Injector. A huge picture of an auto-injector is at the top of the page with the expiration date highlighted. The expiration date is the important part that stood out to me. Often, we forget that these health aides expire and can become ineffective in an emergency. In order for the EpiPen® to work properly in an emergency, it has to be up to date. According to the advertisement, the EpiPen remains effective for about one year after you receive it from the pharmacy. If you forget and let your prescription run out, you may not be able to respond to an emergency allergy attack. The article gives you information on how to register your EpiPen® Auto-Injector, so that you can receive reminders from the Center for Anaphylactic Support.
Advertisements sometimes are worth reading! I encourage everyone to check the expiration date on their auto-injectors and to check out the web site. The information is free. In an emergency, keeping your EpiPen® current could be the difference between life and death.
I blogged yesterday about a recent press release from the AAAI. The release talked about the dangers of Halloween for food allergy sufferers, and it had a link to a safety checklist for parents of children who are going trick or treating at the end of the month. The checklist had some great ideas for parents who want to be prepared; however, I also e-mailed our achoo! Allergy parents to see if we could come up with an expanded list. The results of the poll yielded some great tips and some even better ideas on the ways celebrating Halloween affects young allergy and asthma sufferers.
6 more Halloween Safety Tips from the staff at achoo! Allergy:
• Carry an Epi-Pen during trick or treat in case of a food allergy emergency. Everyone is in agreement that carrying allergy medicine or an Epi-Pen is essential. Make sure to go over emergency procedures with your child if you are not accompanying them. I suggest having your child carry emergency phone numbers as well.
• Dressing up in a crazy costume is half the fun of Halloween (eating an unreal amount of candy is the other half!). But, be careful of chemical reactions. Face paint, feathers, and masks may trigger eczema, irritate sensitive skin, or cause asthma attacks.
• Make sure children dress appropriately for the weather. Trick or treating in colder areas of the country may trigger asthma attacks.
• Remember to review your child’s candy bounty before you let them dig into it—check for mishandled packaging and check wrappers for your child’s safety. This also presents you with the perfect opportunity to remove some of the candy that you like to eat! (Thanks, Ashley)
• This idea may or may not work depending on the age of your child and their specific food allergies. Use two identical candy bags. Give one to your child and fill the other with candy and goodies that are safe for you child. After returning home, do a quick switch of the collected candy for your already pre-approved, bag full of safe candy.
• The barter system. Make sure that you communicate with your child the danger of snacking while they are trick or treating. When they bring back a sack full of candy, you can separate out the unsafe candy. Your child can then trade with you for other allergen free treats or non-food items like coloring books, books to read, toys, stuffed animals, cash, sports equipment, etc.
In a few short weeks, children all over the country will dress up and go door to door collecting Halloween candy. Parents will be taking pictures and videos; kids will be making fun memories with friends and family. However, Halloween is challenging for parents that want to balance the fun against the dangers of the holiday. Because of the nature of neighborhood trick or treating, contact with strangers, and dressing up in a variety of costumes, children accidentally are exposed to allergens. Halloween is a very dangerous time of year for food allergy sufferers, but the activities can also affect other allergy and asthma sufferers.
According to recent press release from the AAAI, parents need to stress safety and preparedness. At Halloween, children and their parents must be vigilant, according to Jacqueline A. Pongracic, MD, FAAAAI, vice chair of the AAAAI Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee.
"Candy products frequently include ingredients like peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg - some of the most common food allergens in children," Pongracic said.
"Peanuts and tree nuts are common causes of severe, life-threatening reactions, and children and their parents need to be aware of this and check ingredients for all treats. This can be especially tricky with Halloween candies, which often do not have ingredients listed on their labels."
Here is a checklist of safety tips from the AAAI. I have picked out a few tips that may be beneficial for you as you prepare for Halloween:
Do not allow your child to trick or treat alone. Accompany younger children as they trick or treat and send older children out with a group of friends.
Verify that adults or friends with your child understand his or her food allergies and what to do in an emergency.
Make sure your child carries emergency medication along on Halloween night.
Carefully, check all treats’ ingredients on packages or company web sites to ensure that there is no risk for a reaction.
If in doubt about the ingredients, discard the candy or move to a charity pile.
Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the 'fun size' version might not be.
Check back tomorrow for some additional Halloween safety tips and fun ideas from our parents and staff here at achoo! Allergy.
As fall begins and the new school year starts, many children may complain that they are allergic to school. While I certainly had my share of allergic attacks because of homework, there is a chance that your child is not far off the mark. If going to school makes your child feel ill, do not simply discount the symptoms as the back-to-school blues. Each new classroom (or new school if you moved over the summer) is a new environment with distinct allergens and irritants. These unfamiliar allergens can cause new symptoms – or familiar ones – such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, eye irritation, and headaches. These symptoms lead to irritability and exhaustion. Your child will not be able to concentrate because of their allergy symptoms.
A newly constructed school is a point of pride in any community, but new construction is a source for multiple allergy triggers. These irritants include dirt, dust, and chemicals. Chemicals and odors from the installation of new carpeting and flooring are harmful. Other seemingly innocuous odors from air fresheners, colognes, perfumes, and other artificial scents can also cause allergy symptoms. Other allergens commonly found at schools include: chalk powder, dust mites, and animal dander from classroom pets.
You do your best to make your home clean and allergen-free, but you have very little control over the school environment. What can you do? First, you have to think and act like a detective. Ask your child questions and pay attention to the details of the answers. Ask your child about classroom pets. Even cute hamsters and gerbils can cause allergy symptoms. Carefully, evaluate what is causing your child's symptoms. Secondly, make a plan. You must anticipate the presence of new allergens, and you have to talk with your child about ways to avoid those allergens.
What steps can parents and children take to avoid school allergy symptoms? If you suspect your child is allergic to something at school, take a tour of the school and class room. The offending allergen might be easier to spot in person. If you have not done so already, schedule a visit with an allergist or immunologist. These doctors will advise you on appropriate medications, immunotherapy, and prevention techniques. If your child comes home from school with nasal congestion, make sure their symptoms are alleviated before bedtime. A stuffy nose keeps your child from sleeping properly. Lack of sleep can severely hinder their performance in school. When playing outside at school, children must avoid fields which can harbor large amounts of weeds and pollen. During the fall ragweed season, this is critical. Talk to teachers about what the teachers can do to help. Communicating your concerns and ideas while being supportive of a more allergy-free classroom will help your child and their classmates.
To avoid school allergens, teachers can do a variety of things. Make sure that dust does not accumulate in the classroom. Keep classroom windows closed to keep pollen from coming inside. If you use a chalkboard, allergic children should not sit in the front row, because chalk dust may trigger allergies. If you have a chemically sensitive child in the class, choose craft projects that do not use known irritants. If your class has a nap time, any pillows provided should have allergy-proof dust mite encasings. Cleaning with harsh chemical solutions should be done after hours or at night when no children are present. Depending on your school’s financial situation, speak to your school administrator about purchasing a classroom air purifier. Air purifiers clean the air and help everyone breathe better.
Together, school administrators and parents can do a great deal to reduce the effect of allergens at school. Hopefully, the only thing that will cause an allergic reaction is that backpack full of homework.
Are you waking up every morning with dark circles under your eyes? On Monday mornings, do your co-workers wonder if you have taken up boxing or mixed martial arts? Or maybe, you think your child is not getting enough sleep, because they often have dark circles under their eyes? You or your child could be experiencing a fairly common condition called “allergy shiners.”
Our eyes swell when rubbed with fingers that have been in contact with specific allergens, but these dark rings will appear even when you think you are allergy free. Although a specific allergen is often the culprit, anything that affects your breathing and sinuses or that causes severe congestion may be the source of the shiners.
Allergy shiners are the result of an increase in blood flow near the sinuses. The swelling and skin discoloration are caused by blocked sinus cavities. When the nasal passages are congested, there is an increased amount of pressure in the nose. This pressure prevents the blood that supplies the superficial part of the face from circulating back into your bloodstream. The tiny veins around the eyes are close to the skin and when they swell a blue, bruise-like color shows through the skin. Your blood pools in the veins and capillaries underneath the eyes and causes a dark appearance, similar to that of a black eye. Some of the fluid from inside the veins slowly seeps into the tissue under the eyes causing a puffy appearance.
Many people think that the problem can be solved with medication to treat nasal congestion. I even saw one web site that advocated using makeup and concealing techniques as a solution! These will not solve your problem. Our recommendation is to reduce exposure to allergens. By controlling your environment and exposure to allergens you eliminate the cause of the nasal congestion. The best place to start controlling your environment is the bedroom. Reduce dust mite, pet dander, and dust exposure by covering your pillows and mattresses with Allergy Armor encasings. An air purifier will reduce allergens throughout your house. To specifically address nasal congestion without medication, try a netipot. By controlling your environment and allergen avoidance, you can eliminate those dark circles, feel better, and look great!
For teens with chronic medical conditions, learning to deal with their symptoms and to manage their own health is an important part of growing up. Teens and asthma or allergy symptoms can be a volatile mix. Many parents have monitored their children’s symptoms for years, but during their teenage years, the child has to learn to take care of him/herself. During this time, teens are more independent, spend less time with their parents, and are confronted with a myriad of tough choices. Some teens hate monitoring these symptoms. They just want to fit in, to forget about their allergies or asthma, and to hang out with their friends.
The problem is that teens with new found freedoms like to push the boundaries. Teen asthma and allergy sufferers want to take the focus off their health issues--to conform and be like everyone else. The children either do not understand the health risks or often they do not care about the risks. A recent Newsweek article examines this phenomenon in more detail. “Testing the limits is a normal part of adolescence,” says Dr. Paul Strumph, chief medical officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “But they don’t understand the long-term consequences.”
According to the article, a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital study found that 74 % of teens dramatically overestimate their ability to manage their asthma. “Some kids who were coughing every night thought their asthma was in good control," says study co-author Dr. Maria Britto. Some data show that fewer than half of teens with asthma take their medicine regularly. Many teens working after school jobs, practicing sports, or spending time with friends need often do not prioritize monitoring their symptoms.
Severe food allergy sufferers should carry life-saving EpiPens® with them at all times. Some teens will claim they are carrying epinephrine, when in reality they have left the drug at home or in their school locker. Teens with food allergy also need to be sensitive to what they are eating. Many do not worry about taking unnecessary risks on murky food labels. A desire to fit in coupled with the typical teen's sense of immortality can be a particularly dangerous combination.
What can parents do to reinforce proper health techniques? Starting while a child is young and slowly familiarizing them with every aspect of their condition can be an excellent foundation for their teen years. The best way to encourage teens to take charge of their own health is to communicate with them. Talk about the risks and the long term benefits of taking the proper medication. Empower the teens with a sense of responsibility. One cool and tech savvy example from the Newsweek article is to have teens create and send text message reminders to themselves to take medication or carry their inhalers with them. Download a popular ring tone to go with the text message. Hopefully, staying on top their chronic conditions can lead to a safer and happier teenage rebel....
We’ve roughed the spring months, trudged through another smoggy summer, and before we know it, fall will be here. With fall comes our yearly visitor, ragweed. As the most common allergen of the late summer/early fall months, ragweed is not affected by high gas prices. Each plant produces up to a billion grains of pollen, and these particles can travel hundreds of miles by simply hitching a ride with a passing breeze. In addition to ragweed, mold can also be an issue for some of us. Mold often flourishes as dead leaves accumulate in damp piles at the edge of our yards or by the street. Lastly, firing up the furnace for the first time can also unsettle dust mites and blow them and their allergenic byproducts throughout our homes.
While packing up all of our belongings and children (don’t forget the children!) and moving to the beach or the mountains might seem like a good idea, packing is not as much fun as it sounds and unpacking is something that usually takes us months, if not years, to complete. Besides it is a buyers market when it comes to houses, and relatives generally aren’t too keen on boarding extended family for months at a time. So what other alternatives do we have?
Ideally, keeping track of the pollen count is a great idea. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology tracks pollen counts on their site, and many times the local weather now includes this information in their broadcasts. While indoors, a HEPA certified air purifier can eliminate dust, spores and pollen from the home, and when the leaves need to be raked a Respro Aero mask can keep pollen and mold spores out. After finishing be sure to shower before bed to keep from transplanting these allergens onto your bedding. Cleaning the ducts, before using the furnace for the first time each fall, can eliminate or drastically reduce the amount of contaminants that would be blown throughout the home. Once the ducts are clean you can continue to keep pollen, dust, and smoke from circulating throughout the house by using vent filters.
With temperatures cooling off, the kids going back to school and the holiday season just around the corner, fall can be a great time of the year. Allergies should never be a reason for us not to enjoy what each season has to offer, and by keeping a few things in mind we can more fully enjoy all times of the year.
If you are like most people in the United States, you enjoy dining out on the weekends. Recently, I moved to Atlanta and have been trying out new restaurants around the city. Usually, I check out the local newspaper, surf the internet, or ask co-workers and friends to find new and different dining experiences. On the surface, dining out a new place seems harmless, but if you are an allergy sufferer, you know that you have to be very careful about trying a new eatery. Straying away from national franchises like Applebee’s, Chili’s, Longhorn Steakhouse, etc. and going to a trendy, hip new restaurant can be fun, but you have to question the serving staff and tell them exactly what foods you cannot consume.
Last month, Atlantans were talking about the tragic death of Rodney Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins passed way after mistakenly eating a dish that contained seafood, causing a severe allergic reaction which resulted in his death. In the United States, 100 to 200 people die each year from anaphylactic shock, which is the acute reaction to an allergen. The scary part is that for food allergy sufferers accidentally eating a wrongly prepared or cooked meal can cause your whole body to shut down in a matter of minutes. Without a shot of adrenaline or immediate medical attention the individual, tragically, can die.
What can a food allergy sufferer do to enjoy a new restaurant with family or to hang out with friends at a hip, new chef-driven bistro? There are a couple of very important actions that food allergy sufferers must take when dining out or trying a new dish. First, you have to communicate in advance with the restaurant management and the serving staff. Make a phone call to the restaurant in advance and ask them questions about the menu. Be specific about what foods you are allergic to and how intense your reaction might be to the allergen. Most restaurants do some sort of training of the wait staff, and possibly by calling ahead they can make a notation by your reservation or alert your specific server. Here at achoo! Allergy, we have food allergy cards (and for youngsters we have food allergy t-shirts) that can be passed out to your server as a reminder. They can take the card with your order, keep them together, and pass the card along to the chef.
Secondly, when you actually decide on a food choice, be specific with your server about what you can and cannot eat. Do not be bashful! The chef could very well be like me in the kitchen and just throw different ingredients into a dish. Cooking is an art form! Hopefully, the server knows this and either can recommend a different dish, or inform the cook that the dish has to be cooked according to the menu and with freshly cleaned utensils. With a little vigilance and communication, food allergy sufferers can enjoy new restuarants, great meals, and hospitality without worrying about the consequences, except for maybe a few added pounds from eating too much!
Technology is at its forefront and everyone enjoys the benefits and conveniences of it. Who doesn’t love remote controls and other gadgets that make our lives simpler? That’s what Blueair had in mind when they decided to launch their “E Series.” The Blueair Electronic Series lets you manage your indoor air quality with a trendy remote control from a distance of up to 20 feet. Moreover, you can set the unit on Auto Mode and let it regulate the speed according to the number of particles and contaminants present in the air. The faces on the digital display indicate the condition of the indoor air quality. The four units--250E, 450E, 550E and 650E provide different square footages depending on the size of your room.
There are many other unique features that set these units apart from others on the market. Blueair uses HEPASilent Technology that captures 99.97% of 0.1 micron particles with an extremely quiet operation. In fact, these air purifiers are quieter than any others available on the market today. Moreover, the high-efficiency filters trap up to six times more dirt while allowing air to flow freely through the bacteria-resistant filters. Therefore, you will actually notice less dust in your surroundings when these units are running. Another plus is a filter timer on the digital display, which counts down the days until it’s time for filter replacement at which point the “Replace Filter” light turns red. Thus, you can prepare in advance and have a filter on-hand to change when the time comes. What’s more is that it takes less than a minute change the filter so there are no excuses. Who wouldn’t like that? There is also an on/off timer if you don’t want your unit running constantly.
The Blueair E Series is perfect for people with allergy, asthma or other respiratory conditions or anyone who wants clean indoor air with convenience at their fingertips. All these units are Energy Star rated, thus using very less electricity. The units come with a one-year limited warranty that can be extended to another five years by returning the completed product registration card. We currently carry the Blueair 250E and will soon carry the 550E and the 650E. The 450E will be available in September. Last but not least, the units are also very stylish in design. You get style, convenience and performance all in one unit.
Like most people in our country, I am saving everywhere I can these days. We continue to work hard and our business thrives, but every night on the news it seems I hear more bad news about the economy. Anyway back to my blog topic, Allegra D. My insurance does not cover the full amount of my monthly prescription for Allegra D 12 hour allergy medicine. I have to pay $60 per month for it out of pocket. Actually, I used to have to pay $60 per month for it, starting now I am going to be paying $36 per month for it with the coupon below.
I have always been a fan of the three pronged approach towards managing allergies. A combination of environmental control measures (air purifiers and allergy bedding for me), plus allergy medications (Allegra D and generic Flonase for me), plus immunotherapy (tried it and it worked, but too inconvenient for my current lifestyle) if necessary is a great recipe for success.
Allegra D is my miracle drug, it keeps me from getting congested, and from getting sinus infections. However, it is not a wonder drug for my wife. I suggested she take one of my Allegra Ds last week, probably not a good idea, and she was up literally all night. It had a side effect on her that I don't experience. She was mad at me and has vowed never to take it again.
Anyway, here is the coupon for Allegra D below. I filled my Rx today and am going to pick it up after work, and then I'll take 5 minutes and fill out the rebate certificate and mail it in tomorrow morning.
I have tried buying Allegra D through Kroger, via the Canadian pharmacies, legally of course, and haven't found a loophole for savings like this until now. I will be sure to report back when I get reimbursed.
Click on this link allegra-d 12 hour then click on the red rebate certificate on the page.
This guest blog post comes from Danielle Grilli of rVita.com:
Throughout my childhood I watched my brother suffer miserably from allergies. Every year, as summer rolled around, he literally couldn’t be around "anything that grows outside" without his eyes swelling completely shut. It was so sad, and still, I felt pretty charmed. Lucky for me, I was untouched by this particular genetic predisposition; that is, I was untouched until I moved into the city three years ago, at which point I began to experience stretches of days when my eyes became watery and blurry, my brain fuzzy, and my breathing restricted to an alarming degree. I didn’t realize what it was until a naturopathic doctor very plainly told me that I was allergic to smog. Nice.
Of course there are many pharmaceutical options available for individuals suffering from allergies, but I have never been a pharmaceutical kind of person. For some reason, the idea of taking a pill which has innumerable side effects is just not appealing to me. I’m sensitive to pharmaceuticals, and it seems every time I take one, I fall victim to one sort of rare and unpleasant side effect or another. The Naturopath I was seeing at the time suggested I try using a neti pot and taking butterbur. I did and it worked.
These, however, are not the only natural, clinically proven options available to the unfortunates suffer from allergies. Along with Butterbur and nasal irrigation, Bromelain, has also proven to be an effective treatment for allergies. In fact, multiple human trials have shown that Bromelain, which is a group of enzymes extracted from pineapple, effectively breaks down fibrin in the body, helping to reduce the body’s allergic response. In addition, Bromelain thins mucus, allowing it to drain more easily. Lastly, this supplement has been shown to reduce the duration of the inflammatory response following nasal procedures by over 70%.
For me, this is all good news. I’d hate to think that I only have 2 choices: suffer from allergies or take a pharmaceutical and wait to see what sort of side effects I get to deal with. So you see, my friends, there are other options, they are natural, and you know what? They work!!
References
1. rVita: Alternative Medicine 2. Seltzer AP. Adjunctive use of bromelains in sinusitis: a controlled study. EENT Monthly 1967;46:1281-8. 3. Taub SJ. The use of Ananase in sinusitis—a study of 60 patients. EENT Monthly 1966;45:96-8. 4. Ryan RE. A double-blind clinical evaluation of bromelains in the treatment of acute sinusitis. Headache 1967;7:13-7. 5. Taub SJ. The use of bromelains in sinusitis: a double-blind clinical evaluation. EENT Monthly 1967;46:361-5. 6. Seltzer AP. Minimizing post-operative edema and ecchymoses by the use of an oral enzyme preparation (bromelain). EENT Monthly 1962;41:813-7.
Only in recent years have I befriended the feline species. I was always a "dog person." But in the past five years or so, I've had just as many feline roommates as human roommates, and I've grown to love the little furballs.
Ironically, since I have developed an affection for cats, I've also become allergic to them. Thanks to environmental control measures, my cat allergies are not very bothersome. I've spent a lot of time learning how to avoid cat allergens in the home; the key is to always keep the cats out of the bedroom. I keep the bedroom sealed off and keep my AllerAir air purifier running at all times. (When I do have reactions, it's usually because a fur-covered blanket is brought in from another room; to avoid this, use Allersearch Allergen Wash laundry detergent to denature allergens, and make sure that you have a durable, washable hypoallergenic blanket.) To learn more about environmental controls for cat allergies, see An Allergy Sufferer's Guide to Living with Cats.
Today I'd also like to discuss a different topic related to cats and environmental control: the litter box. Cute as they are, cats frequently spread disease to humans. In fact, about half of the world's population is infected by the common cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This ABC News article suggests that T. gondii subtly affects the human personality and may be linked to schizophrenia. Other studies suggest that the parasite may play a role in bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Oxford University researchers say that high levels of the parasite lead to hyperactivity and lower IQs in children.
So how do people get this parasite? Well, it comes from cat poop, particularly the poop of cats who venture outdoors and eat infected animals. About 80% of domestic cats are infected. Clean out the litter box every day to avoid infection. This is crucial. After the cat poop sits out for longer than a day, the microscopic oocysts (spores) become infectious and can easily be inhaled or ingested without your knowledge. Use gloves and wear a mask when emptying the litter box. Wash your hands thoroughly after emptying the litter box, and try to keep the box in a low-traffic area of your home.
Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid litter boxes. A woman who gets the infection, known as toxoplasmosis, during pregnancy can transmit the parasite to her child, and studies suggest that this increases the risk of mental disorders in the child. Toxoplasmosis can also cause stillbirth. Pregnant women should also avoid eating raw meat and gardening with bare hands, as these activities could also lead to infection.
T. gondii oocysts can remain infectious for up to 18 months, so it's important to thoroughly clean the area around the litter box. I recommend a HEPA vacuum cleaner, vapor steam mop, and safe, eco-friendly disinfectant. I also have an air purifier near the litter box at home (which is hidden inside a hallway closet).
The litter itself can cause health problems, too. Have you ever coughed after inhaling a cloud of kitty litter dust? That's probably because the litter contains irritating crystalline silica, a known carcinogen. (Again, you should always wear gloves and a mask when changing the litter!) If the litter bag warns that you should go to the emergency room if you accidentally swallow it, then you can assume that it's toxic. Most stores now sell the non-carcinogenic natural kitty litter. I've been using all-natural, dust-free pine pellets along with the Naturally Fresh Pet Crystal to help with odor control.
I received immunotherapy for pollen allergy several years ago, and while I rarely get sick these days, I'm definitely feeling the effects of pollen today. (The pollen count is well over 2000 here in Atlanta!) The short walk to my car this morning was all it took to bring on the sniffles.
It's almost as if I can feel the microscopic pollen grains tickling my nasal mucosa. I really just want to take a nap, but the work day has just begun. What can I do?
Luckily, I work at achooallergy.com, so I have plenty of options.
For immediate allergy relief, I need to get those pollen grains out of my nose! A saline rinse will do the job. Some people use pump bottles. Others prefer the high-tech SinuPulse Elite Nasal Irrigation System. I'm going to use the simple, ancient neti pot, recently popularized by Dr. Mehmet Oz on The Oprah Winfrey Show. I will fill the neti pot with saline (salt water), lean over a sink, and pour the saline in one nostril, allowing it to drain out the other and wash away the pollen.
How to Use a Neti Pot
Here's a neti pot demonstration video that I found on youtube.com:
Yes, it looks a little odd, like it might even be uncomfortable, but I can assure you that it's easy, painless, and extremely refreshing. Your nose will love it. Now it's my turn...
Ahh...I feel better already! Eliminate the allergens in your environment (and in your nostrils), and your allergy symptoms will improve drastically.
How to Avoid Pollen
Of course, you can't eliminate outdoor pollen, but here are some tips for dealing with it:
Don't hang your laundry outside to dry.
Shower after spending time outdoors, or at least wash your face and hands with cold water to rinse away pollen grains.
Limit outdoor activity in the early morning hours when pollen is released.
Limit outdoor activity when pollen counts are high. Visit the National Allergy Bureau to check your local pollen count.
Avoid mowing the lawn. If you cannot avoid yard work, wear a mask.
Take your allergy medication at least an hour before going outdoors.
However, you may be surprised to learn that peaks in tree pollen counts are associated with spikes in suicide.
It appears that the connection between allergies and depression runs deeper than the obvious fact that allergies make people feel bad.
When allergies activate the immune system, the brain begins to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are signal proteins that allow cells to communicate with each other. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression can lead to reduced activity and social interaction, inhibition of sexual behavior, reduced food intake, increased sleepiness, and altered REM sleep.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines also activate the HPA axis in the brain. The HPA axis consists of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal gland. By sending and receiving hormones and other signals, the HPA axis controls reactions to stress and regulates digestion, immune responses, sexuality, mood, and energy.
One hypothesis states that activation of the HPA axis results in aberrant responses to stress. In other words, allergies not only make you feel bad, but they could also make you overreact to stressful situations. One UCLA study found that subjects with a history of allergy were three times more likely to have both major depression and lower back pain. Researchers hypothesized that allergies may prime the HPA axis to respond more strongly to stressors like back pain.
Non-physical stressors, for example, may include the death of a loved one or loss of a job. If allergies cause the brain to overreact to stress, then it's easy to imagine how suicide rates increase during peak tree pollen season.
Note that clinical depression involves much more than feeling bad; it's deeper than reduced activity, increased sleepiness, and all the other feelings that go along with being sick. Depression involves dysphoria (extremely low mood) or anhedonia (an inability to experience pleasure), and it can significantly affect work, family, school, sleep, health, and life. Clinical depression can also lead to suicide.
According to Dr. Teodor Postolache, MD, one allergy patient out of 500 will attempt suicide. Allergists, allergy nurses, and other healthcare practitioners should look for signs of clinical depression among patients and try to differentiate them from the mood changes that typically occur with sickness. Signs of clinical depression include hopelessness, helplessnes, excessive guilt, and worthlesness.
Do allergies cause depression and suicide? No - but allergy sufferers are at increased risk, and allergic disease is one more straw on the camel's back. If you can eliminate that one straw - by relieving allergies with environmental control, immunotherapy, or medication - then the chance of suicide is greatly reduced.
However... Also be aware that some allergy medications, like antihistamines, decongestants and corticosteroids, can make depression worse for certain patients. Use of the allergy medication Singulair has recently been linked to suicide.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, recently spoke with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist who says that most sleep problems could - and should - be treated without medications.
Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to relax in bed before you fall asleep.
If you rely on your alarm clock to wake you up every morning, you're not getting enough sleep, and you should go to bed earlier.
If you need stimulation during the day for energy - such caffeine high-glycemic foods - then you're probably not getting enough sleep.
Be sure to sleep in complete darkness. Even a small amount of light disturbs your body's natural cycle.
Dreams are important for your mental health; give yourself time to dream. Dr. Naiman says, "The chronic loss of dreaming may be the most critically overlooked factor in clinical depression."
Mentally prepare yourself for sleep; let go of the day's stresses.
Rest like meditation, yoga, and prayer is just as important as sleep. "Rest informs most approaches to healing and I think we underestimate how powerful it is," he says.
For more about the value of sleep - and more tips to help you sleep without medication - see The Importance of Healthy Sleep.
Science Daily reports that childhood eczema, although decreasing in the 13 to 14-year-old age group, is still on the rise in six to seven-year-olds. The continuing rise in eczema prevalence in younger children as well as the number of reported cases in developing countries is of growing concern.
A paper published by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology indicates that environmental factors are key to the manifestation of eczema. This is because genetic factors are not likely to change in the span of time covered by the study (ten years).
The leader of the eczema research, Hywel Williams, Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology in the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology at The University of Nottingham, says that even moderate cases of eczema have a significant impact on family life. The cost of treating eczema also poses a financial burden that is similar to that of asthma.
Professor Williams summarizes the study: “This is the first time we have been able to have a glimpse at what has been happening to eczema symptoms across the world using standardised methods. The results suggest that environmental factors are key to the expression of eczema — if only we could identify those factors so that we could prevent eczema in those countries experiencing significant increases.”
Professor Williams goes on to say that there is evidence that eczema is preventable to some degree as well as evidence on effective approaches to the managing of eczema symptoms.
For more information, and to read about the relationship between eczema and allergies and asthma, see our Eczema FAQ.
In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advised mothers of children with a family history of allergies to avoid cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, and tree nuts while breast-feeding.
Now, according to msnbc, the AAP has changed their advice to breast-feeding mothers.
While breast-feeding appears to decrease the risk of allergies, avoiding certain foods during breast-feeding does not.
The new report states:
There is no convincing evidence that women who avoid peanuts or other foods during pregnancy or breast-feeding lower their child’s risk of allergies.
For infants with a family history of allergies, exclusive breast-feeding for at least four months can lessen the risk of rashes and allergy to cow’s milk.
Exclusive breast-feeding for at least three months protects against wheezing in babies, but whether it prevents asthma in older children is unclear.
There is modest evidence for feeding hypoallergenic formulas to susceptible babies if they are not solely breast-fed.
There is no good evidence that soy-based formulas prevent allergies.
There is no convincing evidence that delaying the introduction of foods such as eggs, fish or peanut butter to children prevents allergies, but babies should not get solid food before four to six months of age.
scnow.com reports that as the weather gets colder, many people will experience allergy symptoms that seem out of place during the winter.
Dr. Shawn McKay, an ENT specialist in Florence, SC, says, "The allergies we worry about during the winter months are primarily dust mite. In fact, if I could only test and treat for one allergen, it would be dust mites."
He says the most common treatment for dust mite allergy is using impervious covers on pillows and mattresses.
Dry air can be a problem in the winter, too.
"When the humidity levels go down and the heat turns on, the nose can dry out and that can cause congestion and possibly bleeding," says Dr. McKay.
"Also, it may help to have a humidifier in the bedroom where they sleep," he said. "Most people are breathing through their nose for several hours at a time when they are sleeping."
Cold weather also means much more time spent indoors - with windows and doors sealed tightly. Use an air purifier to filter airborne allergens and pollutants.
HealthDay suggests that you should see a doctor if you have a cough that won't go away.
"Cough is the most common respiratory symptom for which patients seek medical attention," says Dr. Alan B. Goldsobel, chairman of the cough committe at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
"Cough protects the body by removing mucus and irritating particles from the respiratory tract. Coughing is a useful function and does not always mean there is a problem ... However, coughing at night, after going to sleep indicates the need for medical attention."
While wheezing and shortness of breath are more commonly known as signs of asthma, a nighttime cough could be a sign of undiagnosed asthma. Some experts think that cough is the most common symptom of childhood asthma.
A chronic cough could also be a symptom of a viral upper respiratory tract infection, stomach or esophagus problems, an inhaled foreign body, or environmental irritation.
I just moved into a new home here in Atlanta and had to do quite a bit of remodeling. The floors were in really bad shape, and I decided to rip up the remaining carpet, pull up all the nails and tacks, sand the original wood floors, and refinish them. I am very happy with the results! Now the dust mites won't be able to hide in carpet!
If you decide to remodel your home, be sure to wear a mask (especially if you're sanding floors). Construction dust is particularly harmful to the lungs. You can also seal off rooms with plastic and work on them individually to prevent contaminating the air in the whole house.
I've been running an AllerAir VOCARB air purifier at my house since I started the remodeling, and it's done a great job of getting rid of that initial mildew odor plus the subsequent paint smells.
Ventilation is important, too. Be sure to open windows and doors when you're working with paint or other chemicals.
Fox News reports that a new study links spray cleaners and air fresheners to one in seven cases of asthma in adults.
Researchers say that just spraying a cleaner once a week can trigger an asthma attack, but more frequent use increases the risk of asthma.
"Frequent use of household cleaning sprays may be an important risk factor for adult asthma," says Jan-Paul Zock, of the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain. "The relative risk rates of developing adult asthma in relation to exposure to cleaning products could account for as much as 15 percent, or one in seven, of adult asthma cases."
Furniture sprays, glass cleaners, and air freshener sprays are associated with the highest risk of asthma. It comes as no surprise that people who clean for a living have an increased incidence of asthma.
Instead of harsh chemicals, clean your home with a safe alternative: M-1 House Wash All Purpose Cleaner. or, if you must use spray cleaners, always wear a mask.
If you want to freshen your air, don't poison it with chemicals! Air out your house by opening doors and windows, or clean your air with a HEPA air purifier.
Dr. Daniel More of about.com explains, "Dark circles under the eyes, when related to nasal allergies, are called 'allergic shiners.' Allergic shiners are related to nasal congestion, which can occur for other reasons besides allergies, such as with the common cold or with sinus infections.
"When the nasal passages are congested, there is an increased amount of pressure in the nose. This pressure prevents the blood that supplies the superficial part of the face from draining back to the heart. This blood pools in the veins and capillaries underneath the eyes, causing a dark appearance, like a black eye. Some of the fluid from inside the veins can slowly seep into the tissue under the eyes, leading to puffiness of the tissue as well.
"Any number of allergy medications that treat nasal congestion would be expected to help these symptoms."
Recently, thanks to increased awareness about the dangers of construction dust, many builders have started hosing down sites with water to prevent heavy build-up of dust. The La Porte County Herald-Argus points out five facts about construction dust:
Construction dust poses health risks because it often contains harmful substances like asbestos, man-made mineral fibers, cement residue, and wood dust.
"Dust from all over the building may well cause more varied and severe allergies than dust generated from natural sources, such as animal hair and plant pollen," says Dr. Manjula Jegasothy, a dermatologist at the Miami Skin Institute. "This is because construction dust is often composed of particles from many different sources present at the building site. Coupled together, they irritate the skin and nasal membranes."
Allergy sufferers may develop itchy hives after coming in contact with construction dust. Dr. Jegasothy says that the rash itself is not medically serious, but it can last for weeks or even months.
Sometimes hives can develop into anaphylaxis, a serious, multi-system allergic reaction that requires prompt treatment in an emergency room.
As with any substance that causes allergies, avoidance is the best prevention method. Stay away from construction dust, or invest in a mask.
Recently featured in The Wall Street Journal, AllergyGrocer.com has a large selection of foods for people who have food allergies. Founded as Miss Roben's in 1992, the company initially sold only a few different wheat and gluten free mixes, along with some other gluten free products.
Now Allergy Grocer has a large selection of fresh and dried goods - everything from breads to condiments. The Wall Street Journal reports that Allergy Grocer's comprehensive selection makes it a good first stop for food allergy sufferers; WSJ also reports that the site has an impressive search function, allowing customers to search by a food category, by an allergen, or if the product is new, kid-friendly, or a top seller.
"We want people to know you don’t have to sacrifice great taste, quality, or selection just because you need to avoid certain foods," says Miss Roben of Allergy Grocer.
The Consumer Law Page lists the Top 12 Hazardous Household Chemicals:
Air Fresheners - Don't let the commercials fool you. Most air fresheners interfere with your ability to smell by disabling your nasal passages with an oil film or a nerve-deadening agent. Common chemicals in air fresheners include formaldehyde (a highly toxic known carcinogen) and phenol (which can cause hives, convulsions, circulatory collapse, coma, and even death).
Ammonia is a volatile chemical that can damage your eyes, respiratory tract, and skin.
Bleach is a strong corrosive that can damage the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia, as the fumes can be deadly.
Carpet and Upholstery Shampoos generally contain highly toxic substances like perchlorethylene (a known carcinogen that damages the liver, kidneys, and nervous system) and ammonium hydroxide (a corrosive that irritates eyes, skin, and respiratory passages).
Dishwasher Detergents - Most of them contain highly concentrated chlorine, which is the #1 cause of child poisonings.
Drain Cleaners commonly include lye (which can burn skin and eyes, and the esophagus and stomach if ingested), hydrochloric acid (a corrosive eye and skin irritant that damages kidneys, liver, and digestive tract), or tricholoroethane (eye and skin irritant and nervous system depressant).
Furniture Polish is highly flammable and can cause skin and lung cancer. It often contains phenol as well as nitrobenzene, which is an extremely toxic chemical that's easily absorbed through the skin.
Mold and Mildew Cleaners often contain sodium hypochlorite (a corrosive which can lead to fluid in the lungs) and formaldehyde (a highly toxic, known carcinogen). To clean mold and mildew safely - and to prevent it from coming back - use M-1 House Wash and M-1 Sure Cote Sealant.
Oven Cleaner contains lye (sodium hydroxide). Lye is often used to dissolve roadkill dumped in landfills; that can't be healthy.
Antibacterial Cleaners often contain triclosan, which is absorbed through the skin and linked to liver damage. Antibacterial soaps may also contribute to the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
Laundry Room Products may contain sodium or calcium hypocrite (a highly corrosive agent that can irritate the skin and eyes), hypochlorite bleach (a corrosive that can burn the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract). If exposed to other chemicals, hypochlorite bleach may form chlorine fumes that could be fatal.
Toilet Bowl Cleaners may contain hydrochloric acid or hypochlorite bleach.
Other Dangerous Chemicals around the House
Pesticides - Dimpylate, or Diazinon, is extremely toxic and impairs the central nervous system. Chlorinate hydrocarbons are suspected carcinogens and mutagens; they accumulate in fatty tissue and attack the nervous system. Organophosphates are toxic and poisonous; if you can smell it, that means your lungs are absorbing it.
Lice Shampoo - Inhalation, ingestion, or absorption of lindane causes vomiting, convulsions, and circulatory collapse and may cause liver damage, stillbirths, birth defects, and cancer.
Car Wash, Car Polish - Petroleum distillates are associated with skin and lung cancer, and they irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and lungs. Inhalation could cause fatal pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs).
Chemical Warning Labels
The information below is actually new to me, and it's very interesting and helpful!
DANGER means that the chemical is harmful or fatal if swallowed. Ingestion of a small taste to a teaspoon could kill an average sized adult.
WARNING means that the chemical is harmful if swallowed. Ingestion of a teaspoon to an ounce could kill an average sized adult.
CAUTION means that the chemical is harmful if swallowed. Ingestion of an ounce to a pint could kill an average adult.
Since I blogged about the possibility of Genetically Modified Foods being behind the increase in food allergies, I've received several questions (mainly from concerned parents) about how to avoid GM foods. My standard answer has always been that you can avoid GM ingredients by buying whole, organic foods.
However, earlier today I discovered another resource that helps people avoid GM foods: the True Food Shopping Guide. The handy, printable guide, compiled by the True Food Network, lists several GM and non-GM foods in different categories.
The Open Press reports that common moths can be just as damaging as dust mites when it comes to allergic skin conditions.
One study found that 60 percent of people who react to dust mites are also sensitive to moth allergen.
Moth allergen doesn't come from flying moths; rather, it comes from moth larvae, hatched from eggs that are often buried in upholstery, bedding, and clothing.
To prevent moth eggs and larvae in your favorite sweater, wash clothes frequently in hot water, and keep stored clothing in plastic bags.
In addition, you should regularly vacuum not only your carpet, but also your upholstery and under your furniture.
A good lotion also helps protect your skin from allergens and toxins.
Don't let your allergies ruin your big day! To make sure you say, "I do" instead of "achoo," follow these wedding planning tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI):
If you are still in the planning stages, don't pick a wedding date in the peak of the allergy season. Ragweed, which some say is the most offending plant for people with allergies, begins to pollinate in the middle of August in the Eastern and Midwestern USA. Springtime allergies are also troublesome for many people.
For floral decorations, use large, bright colored flowers such as roses, daffodils or daisies, as these usually do not trigger allergies. Their large, waxy pollens are too heavy to be carried about in the air. You can also use dried flowers or silk flowers as an alternative.
If you know you have allergies, visit an allergist ahead of time to find out what you are allergic to so that you can receive proper treatment. Take your medication the morning of your wedding, not later in the day when symptoms may already have started.
If you or any of your guests have food allergies, make sure the caterers know the offending foods and all ingredients. If you have a food allergy to eggs, you may want to consider a non-traditional dessert instead of traditional wedding cake. Some food allergy reactions can be very severe and even life threatening if they cause a condition known as anaphylaxis. See the Anaphlyaxis Solution Guide for more information.
The free screenings include allergy testing for grass (Bermuda, Bahia, Fescue, Johnson), weeds (Short Ragweed, English Plantain, Red-Root Pigweed, Sorrel, Lamb’s Quarter), trees (Oak, Elm, Pecan, Maple, Birch), molds (Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria), cat, dog, dust and cockroach..
If you're in the Atlanta area and have never been tested for allergies, this is your chance to get tested for free!
Even though the August issue of Allergy Consumer Report does not go out until tomorrow (and we're actually still working on it), I'd like to offer you a special sneak peak at one of the articles:
Dr. Chin is one of the friendly allergy specialists at Piedmont Ear, Nose, Throat & Related Allergy, and he provided us with an excellent overview of allergies and different treatment options.
According to US News & World Report, treatment with antibiotics may be useless when it comes to some children's conditions - and antibiotics may even make matters worse.
A recent study indicates that the use of antibiotics for any purpose may increase the chances of a child developing asthma, and another study suggests that antiobiotics do not work as a preventive treatment for urinary tract infections. In the study, children with recurrent UTI infections who received daily antibiotics were more than seven times as likely to develop a drug-resistant infection.
"The more antibiotics a child is exposed to, the more likely [he or she is] to develop a resistant infection," explains Dr. Patrick Conway, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Conway also points out that a large proportion of childhood illnesses are caused by viruses. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Experts do not suggest abandoning antibiotic treatments altogether, but they recommend a "watchful waiting" period of time before using antibiotics.
Visit the child's doctor for a check-up before leaving.
If flying, pack an asthma plan and all medicines and devices in a carry-on bag. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows passengers to carry on medications and respiratory equipment like nebulizers.
Bring back-up prescriptions in case the medicine gets lost.
If you're allergic to nail polish, you can still have great-looking, healthy nails without using it.
Linda McCloud of beyondallergy.com writes that nail polish smells so strongly because of the phthalates, solvents, formaldehydes, fragrances, preservatives, and dyes. That's a lot of chemicals! The odor of nail polish is intolerable for many people with nasal allergies.
Nail polish can affect the skin, too. Allergic reactions to nail polish normally cause redness and itchiness around the nails, but reactions may include asthma-like symptoms.
McCloud says that no nail polish is really safe to use; since nail polish is a cosmetic, it is not screened by the FDA.
To get great-looking nails naturally, follow these simple steps:
Keep your nails clean.
Soak them in warm water and soap.
File them once a week.
Use a nail buffer to add shine and get rid of ridges.
Use half of a lemon as a buffer to add extra shine.
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) - Dr. Hardy says that butterbur "has had some very impressive clinical trial results." In one study, this European herb was just as effective as a popular antihistamine drug in controlling hay fever symptoms - without any symptoms of drowsiness.
Saline (salt water) - "The saline works to wash out pollen and reduce or thin mucus," says Dr. Hardy. Popular saline treatment methods include:
Goldenseal - Dr. Hardy recommends adding a goldenseal tonic to the saline because goldenseal has astringent and local antibacterial properties which can aid in the process of washing out nasal passages.
Hot, Spicy Foods - Experts say hot, spicy foods help to thin mucus secretions. And now your nose can experience the direct benefit of capsaicin derived from hot peppers! Sinol products may sting a bit at first, but they definitely clear your sinuses:
"Using nature-based products can be a very useful way to handle mild allergies and a useful adjunct for more significant allergies, and there are many types of treatments you can safely try," says Dr. Mary Hardy, MD, of Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
New York University Allergist Dr. Clifford Bassett says that if you suffer from pollen allergies, "you should avoid eating melon, banana, cucumber, sunflower seeds, chamomile, and any herbal supplements containing echinacea, all of which can make symptoms much worse."
You should always consult your physician before mixing natural treatments with medication. Allergist Dr. Marianne Frieri of Nassau University Medical Center in NY points out, "If, for example, you are taking the allergy drug Allegra -- an antihistamine -- at the same time you decide to try a natural substance with antihistaminic properties, you can end up with far too much antihistaminic activity -- which can result in some significant problems."
The Abkhazia Institue offers advice to parents of children who are allergic to eggs:
There's no easy way around it - the only way to treat an egg allergy is to eliminate eggs and foods made with eggs from the child's diet. This can be challenging because so many foods are made with eggs and egg derivatives.
In case of an emergency, doctors recommend that children 12 or 13 and older (depending on the maturity of the child) with a severe egg allergy or their parents keep a shot of epinephrine with them in an easy-to-carry container that looks like a pen (this device is also called an EpiPen).
It should come as no surprise that baked goods, baking mixes, cereals, cookies, custards, and ice cream are made with eggs, but candies, hot dogs, meatballs, fast foods, and salad dressings can include egg derivatives as well.
Look for - and avoid - these egg products on labels: dried egg, egg white, egg white solids, egg yolk, egg solids, powdered egg, egg substitutes, and whole egg.
There are many products and food ingredients that contain egg products, but whose names don't always include the word egg, such as albumin and ingredients that begin with the prefix "ovo." To ensure that your child isn't eating any food with egg products in it, read and acquaint yourself with all of the ingredients and egg products that should be avoided.
Because otherwise nutritious foods may have to be eliminated, it's important to ensure that an egg-allergic child's diet is well balanced. A pediatric registered dietitian can make sure all required nutrients are provided in the food the child is able to eat.
The Open Press reports that dry skin may cause allergic conditions like asthma, hay fever, and allergic rhinitis. Scientists have discovered that some people absorb allergens through damaged skin.
The treatment of dry skin is not just a cosmetic issue; your overall health depends on it.
Prevent dry skin and give your skin a chance to heal with personal care products like dermatologist-recommended Vanicream Skin Cream and Vanicream Lite Lotion. Vanicream products are ideal for people with sensitive skin because they do not contain all the common chemical irritants found in most skin care products.
The Toledo Journal reports that an estimated 60 percent of asthma patients have allergic asthma (triggered by dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, or cockroaches), yet in the U.S., only a small percentage of asthma patients are tested for allergies.
People with allergic asthma may produce too much immunoglobulin E (IgE), which could set off asthma attacks.
"People are often surprised to find out that approximately 60 percent of asthma patients have allergic asthma," says Dr. Bill Storms, allergist with The William Storms Allergy Clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "Because IgE is involved early in your body’s response to an allergen, reducing IgE may help prevent asthma symptoms and attacks before they start."
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has started a "What's My IgE?" campaign to educate patients about allergic asthma.
"Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity know that the key to long-term management is to know their numbers, whether it be blood sugar, blood pressure or body mass index. This campaign aims to create the same awareness of IgE among allergic asthma patients," says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs at AAFA. Visit www.WhatsMyIgE.com for more information.
See our Asthma Solution Guide to learn how to control allergic asthma by controlling the allergens in your environment.
This morning Diane Sawyer of ABC News interviewed Andrew Speaker, who stirred up panic, outrage, and controversy after he flew across the Atlantic on a commerical flight, knowing that he was infected with a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis (TB).
Speaker, an attorney from Atlanta, GA, says that CDC doctors told him that he could not infect others before he flew to Europe, but while he was in Europe, the CDC called him and told him to cancel his commercial flight plans and "turn himself in" at a European clinic.
"We said, 'Let's get home and get to Denver,'" Speaker says about his and his wife's decision to leave Europe. "Both of us worried if I turned myself [in] the next day, that's it. It's very real that I could have died there... People told me if I was anywhere but Denver, I'll die.
"I feel awful. I've lived in state of constant fear and anxiety. I'm exhausted, for a week now. And to think that someone else is now feeling that, I wouldn't want anyone to feel that way - it's awful. I just hope they can forgive me and understand that I really believed [I] wasn't putting people at risk because that's what the people told me."
Sawyer and Speaker both wore masks during the interview on Good Morning America, and the interview took place in a room with air filtration and UV lights.
Health officials are scrambling to find passengers who were on the commercial airliners with Speaker so that they can get tested for TB.
The recirculated air in airplane cabins is notorious for carrying germs as well as chemical contaminants. The Plane Clean Air Filter (pictured above) attaches to your personal above-head air nozzle and removes 99.5% of all bacteria, viruses, and allergens from your air stream.
Many people wear masks when traveling on airplanes
TB bacteria is normally carried in "droplets" ranging from 1 - 5 microns, and M. tuberculosis itself ranges from 0.4 – 1.4 microns in size, so I would recommend a mask with a HEPA filter, which filters particles down to 0.3 microns.
Over the past few years, different health agencies have given conflicting reports about the type of mask necessary for preventing the transmission of TB. To be safe, I'd go with true HEPA mask with 99.97% efficiency, although an N95 mask with 95% efficiency gels with CDC recommendations and would certainly be better than nothing.
The way the mask fits is even more important than its filter efficiency, as an ill-fitting mask may lose up to 20% of its efficiency. To be effective, the mask needs to be the correct size and fit snuggly with no gaps between the mask and face.
Dr. Byron Carlson, a family physician in Mason City, IA, says in globegazette.com that the key word in allergy relief is "avoid."
"I can’t emphasize that enough,” says Dr. Carlson, of the Forest City Mercy Family Clinic. "If you’re allergic to dust mites, avoid them. If you’re allergic to grasses, find someone else to mow the lawn. If you’re allergic to the dog, then get rid of Fido."
"I’ve seen people who have developed allergies in almost every stage of life," Dr. Carlson says. "For those people, it’s a real eye-opener because maybe they weren’t as empathetic to those who had allergies and all of a sudden they find out what it’s like."
Several friends have recently asked me to help them choose a humidifier in their home. I was able to offer the following experience:
1. Before using a humidifier, always use a hygrometer (also known as a humidity gauge) to learn exactly what the relative humidity is in the area you want to humidify. Our company sells the Acu-Rite Digital Humidity Gauge. It is worth every penny; hang it on the wall so you are constantly reminded. We have one in our home in our nursery and we use it daily. You only need to humidify the air if the relative humidity in the room is less than 40 percent. If it is over 50 percent, do not run a humidifier.
2. If the hygrometer indicates the humidity is under 40 percent, it is ok to use a humidifier; otherwise you will be adding too much moisture to the air.
3. Placement of the humidifier in the room is very important. Humidifiers need to be elevated off the ground. Otherwise, the area directly around the humidifier will become to moist. This can create several problems, slippery wood floors that can cause falls or mold / mildew if carpeting is directly below. Our solution to this problem is to place the humidifer on a small table about two feet off the ground. We put a towel directly under the humidifier to protect the table.
4. It goes without saying that the humidifier should be cleaned regularly. The one we use, the Air-O-Swiss AOS7135 Ultrasonic Humidifier, lets us know when it needs to be cleaned.
5. In my experience, all humidifiers are a little cumbersome to fill. The one we use is no exception. The resovoir has to be removed and turned upside down. The tank is too big to fit under our sink so we fill it in the bathtub. Be patient; the gain of having a little one sleep all the way through the night is well worth the trouble.
WCVB-TV in Boston reports that ancient neti pot is a simple solution for allergy relief.
Dr. Matthew Kashima, head of the Department of Otolaryngology and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview, says the neti pot is hundreds of years old, and it can be incredibly useful to allergy sufferers.
"They're very holistic, very natural and can supplement a lot of medications people need to use," Kashima says. "For people with allergies, those allergens get filtered out in the nose, and the longer the allergens stay in contact with the nose, the more chance the nose has to create symptoms, in reaction to that."
The neti pot allows you to gently wash out the nasal passages with saline.
Allergy sufferer and singer Kyle Malone, 24, says that antihistamines and decongestants interfere with his singing by drying out his sinuses. His roommate suggested trying a neti pot.
"One day I came home, and he was standing over the sink neti potting, and I was like, 'What in the world are you doing?'" Malone says.
Now Malone loves his neti pot: "The after-effect is like after you've done wasabi, just opened up, really clean. It's a great feeling. You don't realize how clogged up you are until after you've done it. You say, 'OK, I can breathe free.'"
NPR reports that foods with "gluten-free" labels may contain trace amounts of gluten (wheat protein) - enough to trigger a reaction in some people.
As of now, "free" labels like "dairy-free," "peanut-free," and "gluten-free" are not regulated by the FDA. For instance, a product labeled "dairy-free" may still list milk or casein (milk protein) under the ingredients.
The FDA is considering an industry-wide standard definition for "gluten-free."
Food manufacturers are required to list common allergens on the label. Beginning in January 2006, all foods with the following common food allergens had to be labeled: milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat, egg, crustacean shellfish, or fish.
"Before this labeling act went into effect, there were 20 different ways that milk could appear on a label," says Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. "That made it impossible to teach a 7-year-old to look at a label and to know what to avoid. Now, words are in simple language, and you don't need a science dictionary when you go to the grocery store."
But the labeling act doesn't prevent misleading marketing practices.
Even if a product claims to be "dairy-free," you should still check the ingredients, and you should read the label every time - because food manufacturers often change ingredients.
People with food allergies should also beware of the "May Contain" label, which was developed for possible cross-contamination of foods. For instance, chocolate may contain trace amounts of peanut if it's produced in the same factory that makes chocolates that contain peanuts.
"The truth of the matter is that nobody really knows what that label means," says Elizabeth Matsui, a pediatric allergist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. "The 'may contain' labeling could mean anything from there's no allergen in that food to there is actually a great deal of allergen from cross-contamination."
Munoz-Furlong says, ""Teens who have survived reactions, they're telling us they ignored the 'may contain' label because it's on so many things, and they don't believe the label. We need to make these labels believable."
Chealth.com offers the following tips to allergy sufferers on the road:
Make sure your destination is not populated with the specific type of plants to which you are allergic. If you are going to a place where there are a lot of allergy-inducing plants, talk to your pharmacist or doctor to see if you should take some preventative medication.
Keep in mind that dust mites and airborne pollens are more common in tropical climates.
If possible, try to avoid travelling during peak pollen season for the region that you will be visiting.
The air quality in airplanes can be a nuisance for allergy sufferers; put your allergy medication on your carry-on bags in case you need it during the flight. (You can also improve the air quality on airplanes by using a Plane Clean Air filter.)
If you are travelling by car and your car is slightly dusty, open the windows and put on the air conditioning for about 10 minutes before departing on a lengthy journey. (You can also filter the air in your car with an Amaircare Roomaid air purifier with an auto adapter kit.
Once you get to your destination, be aware that dust mites and irritants of all kinds can be hidden in bed sheets and in dusty upholstery. If you're worried about the dust mites in your room, bring your own sheets. (The portable Blueair AirPod air purifier also makes a great travel companion; it's perfect for dusty hotel rooms.
If you don't read you pharmacy package inserts, then you should start, says Amy Ritchart, writer of a weekly health and wellness column in The Leaf Chronicle.
"Once, when reviewing a package insert that accompanied a new prescription for my son, I read that the incidence of serious allergic reaction was much higher for children than adults," says Ritchart.
She also recommends talking with your doctor and pharmacist about any medicine you take, as well as researching the medicine on sites such as drugdigest.org.
HealthNewsDigest.com offers the following tips for allergy sufferers who want to exercise outdoors during pollen season:
Inhale through your nose when you exercise. When you inhale through your nose, you warm the air (especially important for asthmatics). Cold air constricts smaller air passages, and this can mean less air, less oxygen delivered to our cells. Your nose is also lined with hair that can help to filter some of the smaller microscopic particles.
Avoid environmental pollutants. Pollutants like second-hand smoke, disinfectants, dust, and even aerosol sprays can make the mucus lining of your airways more permeable and inflamed. This can then worsen your allergy symptoms and/or make you more susceptible to respiratory difficulties over time and repeated exposure.
Eat some good fat! Cold water fish like salmon contains important omega-3 fatty acids that help inhibit the inflammatory response which is known to cause runny noses and teary eyes in response to harmless allergens.
Eat your fruits and veggies. Many studies suggest that antioxidants like Vitamin C and bioflavonoids help suppress the inflammatory response. Raw pineapple contains the anti-inflammatory enzyme Bromelain.
detnews.com also reports on outdoor exercise for allergy and asthma sufferers.
"It's good for the brain, good for the heart, it's good for the bones and good for the soul," says Immunologist Henry Fishman.
Fishman suggests listening to your body; if you feel faint, cease and desist. You can wear a mask or bandanna to block allergens. Try to exercise outdoors in the early morning hours, when pollen counts are lower. Wash your hands the minute you walk in the door and deposit clothes directly into the wash. Shower as soon as possible. Hypoallergenic makeup remover pads work well for removing allergens from eyelashes, where they tend to get stuck. Use a saline nasal rinse or saline spray to clear the allergens from your nostrils.
Daily Southtown reports that asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood yet one of the most under-recognized, under-diagnosed, and under-treated childhood diseases.
Signs of an asthma attack include wheezing, coughing, gasping for air, and struggling to breathe.
A persistent cough, especially late at night, is the most common symptom of childhood asthma.
Allergist Dr. Amee Majmundar says, "Any child who coughs after running, crying or exposure to cold air, or has a recurrent cough or respiratory infections, should be evaluated for asthma. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, especially during exercise; chest congestion; chest tightness and a high-pitched wheezing sound when breathing. In infants, look for a rattling cough, rapid breathing and an excessive number of chest colds, or recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis."
CBS News reports that allergy and asthma drugs should be taken at specific times for the best effects.
Dr. Richard Martin, MD, suggests that you take your allergy pills before bedtime and your asthma medication in the late afternoon.
"Taking your allergy medication at night assures that it will be circulating in your blood stream when you most need it, early the next morning," Dr. Martin says.
Asthma symptoms, however, peak around 4 AM, and patients who take oral steroid drugs should take them around 3 PM. Steroid inhalers, for less severe asthma, should be used between 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM.
An apple a day may help expectant mothers prevent their children from developing asthma later in life, according to a compelling new study published on Thorax Online.
The study tracked dietary intake of nearly 2000 pregnant women to examine the effet of the maternal diet on airway development in their children five years after birth. Mothers who ate apples had a significantly reduced risk for the development of asthma or wheezing in their children.
Researchers also discovered that children of mothers who ate fish during pregnancy had a lower incidence of eczema.
The paper notes that "intake of apples as a significant source of flavonoids and other polyphenols has been beneficially associated with asthma, bronchial hypersensitivity, and lung function in adults."
Medical News Today reports that, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), children who get frequent infections like ear infections, sinusitits, or pneumonia may have a condition known as immunodeficiency.
"People with immunodeficiency get the same kinds of infections that other people get - ear infections, sinusitis and pneumonia," says Jordan Orange, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, Chair of the AAAAI's Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Committee. "The difference is that their infections occur more frequently, and are often more severe, and have a greater risk of complications."
The AAAAI recommends that patients should see an allergist / immunologist if they have chronic or recurrent infectious rhinosinusitis, or if they have any of the following warning signs:
Eight or more new infections within one year.
Two or more serious sinus infections within one year.
Two or more months on antibiotic with little or no effect.
Two or more pneumonias within one year.
Failure of an infant to gain weight or grow normally.
Recurrent deep skin or organ abscesses.
Persistent thrush in mouth or elsewhere on skin after age one.
Need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections.
Holistic health practitioner Linda Binns suggests the following natural remedies for seasonal allergies on SelfGrowth.com:
Goldenseal helps eliminate mucus.
Echinacea and goldenseal root strengthen the immune system.
Cayenne pepper can help counteract allergy symptoms and is particularly helpful in treating asthma.
Acidophilus helps balance the intestinal flora,.
Natural remedies should not replace prescribed medications. Please talk to your healthcare provider before using natural remedies, as some of them could interfere with allergy and asthma medications.
It's officially spring now, and tree pollen is raining down upon us - but only the pollen from certain trees is a problem for allergy sufferers.
According to WFIE News, Dr. Jason White has a simple rule of thumb: Pretty, flowering plants are generally not threatening for allergy sufferers.
"The maple tree doesn't have any flowers on it, and the maple tree requires the wind to blow the pollen far away, and that's what makes allergy sufferers so miserable. The dogwood, it attracts bees; it attracts beetles, and it carries the pollen on the bee. So, it's not as allergenic because you don't get exposed to it," says Dr. White.
Trees that are "allergy-friendly" include apple, cherry, dogwood, magnolia, pear, and plum.
The trees that are releasing all the problematic pollen at this time of year include alder, ash, aspen, beech, birch, box elder, cedar, cottonwood, cypress, hickory, juniper, maple, mulberry, oak, olive, palm, pecan, pine, poplar, sycamore, walnut, and willow.
Dr. White offers the following advice to pollen allergy sufferers: "Make your motto, 'Leave the outdoors, outdoors.' Take off your shoes, so you don't track those things in the house. Change your clothes in the laundry room and leave those clothes in the laundry basket. Don't carry them throughout the rest of the house. Wash your hair before you go to bed at night so the pollen doesn't get on your pillow at night."
See our Seasonal Allergy Solution Guide to learn more about pollen allergy.
Dr. Manuel Alvarez of Fox News says that alternative medicine systems like Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine believe that the true key to allergy prevention is treating the underlying causes while building up the body's immune system.
"The long-term solution to getting rid of allergies is to not just quell the symptoms but to delve into the root cause of them", says alternative health counselor and nutritionist Danny Arguetty of the Kripalu Health Center in Lenox, Mass. "To do this, you must strengthen your immune system, which is often sluggish and taxed from over-indulging during the winter months. However, it is important to do this before allergy season kicks in, and then maintain a healthy life-style in order to effectively withstand allergens."
Arguetty says, "You don't have to do an extreme fast or detox to rekindle your immune system. There are many easy life-style and diet alternatives that you can implement that will help your body better adapt to the change of seasons and ultimately keep you allergy free."
According to Arguetty, these are the top five things for allergy sufferers to avoid before and during allergy season:
1. Heavy, cold, hard to digest foods such as ice cream, ice-cold food and drinks, heavy desserts, oily or fried foods, red meat and hard cheeses.
2. Pre-packaged, canned, frozen or processed foods of any kind.
3. Consuming caffeine and alcohol.
4. Extreme temperature contrasts - for example, going from a very warm or hot environment to a very cold environment.
5. Going to bed late and sleeping in late.
Arguetty also suggests the following therapies for the treatment of allergies:
Eat a light nourishing diet of cooked, lightly spiced organic fresh vegetables, sweet ripe fruits, whole grains and legumes/beans for protein.
Season your food with immunity enhancing and anti-allergic spices such as, turmeric, fennel, coriander, black pepper, and fresh ginger root. Cook these spices in a little bit of olive oil or ghee (clarified butter) to help release the spice's flavors and medicinal properties.
Sip plain hot water and detoxifying teas such as, echinacea, ginseng, dandelion and ginger, throughout the day.
Keep your house and office on the cooler side, so your body will transition easier to the outside temperature without sending your body into shock.
Install an air purifier and a water purifier in your house or office. Alternatively, keep air-purifying plants, such as spider plants or holy basil.
Get plenty of rest at the right times of day - it is best to go to bed before 10pm and get up before 7am.
"Going into allergy season with a strong immunity will decrease your likelihood of being vulnerable to all the beauty that nature has to offer us this time of year, which no one should have to avoid," concludes Arguetty.
If you don't know Arthur, he's an eight-year-old aardvark and the star of an animated series on PBS. The series has a substantial educational outreach program for librarians, teachers, community centers, and families. Two of the lesson plans are "All About Asthma" and "Binky Goes Nuts: Understanding Peanut Allergies."
Buster, Arthur's cartoon rabbit friend, offers the following asthma tips:
1. Ask people not to smoke around you or in your house so you don't have to breathe in their secondhand smoke.
2. Wash your sheets, blankets, and stuffed toys often to help keep dust mites away.
3. Keep your pets off furniture and out of rooms where you sleep. Down, Pal, down!
4. Help keep things clean and dry around the house to stop mold from growing. Yuck!
5. If you spill food, be sure to clean it up, because pests like cockroaches love food! (Cool! I've got something in common with a cockroach.)
6. Since plain ol' dust gets me every time, my mom makes sure to dust and vacuum the house pretty often.
Approved by the Food Allergy & Anaphlyaxis Network, the peanut allergy lesson plan revolves around Arthur's friend Binky, who discovers he has a peanut allergy.
Binky says:
1. I'm allergic to peanuts. If I eat anything with peanuts in it, I get very sick. So I always read food labels really carefully!
2. To be safe, I bring my own food to school. When my friends pack peanut-free lunches, they can eat at the peanut-free table with me.
3. I'm a tough kid, but even tough kids need help from their pals. My friends wash their hands after they eat, help me watch out for peanuts, and know how to get help if I need it.
4. I'm still the same old Binky. I just know a whole lot about peanut allergies now. That's good, because the more you know, the easier it is to stay safe and get back to having fun.
See Arthur's Health Lesson Plans for more tips, activities, and information about asthma, peanut allergies, and other topics.
According to PRnewswire, Procter & Gamble has partnered with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to educate people about hidden allergen hot spots.
Most allergy sufferers know about the dust mites in their bed, but they may not know about these hidden hot spots. According to the AAFA, these are five of the most commonly overlooked allergen hot spots in your home:
1. Door Jambs - Constant airflow means that dust will collect here.
2. Window Sills - As with door jambs, airflow can lead to a build-up of dust.
3. Plush Toys - Dust mites are common in plush toys. Wash them in hot water to get rid of the dust mites. Use de-mite Laundry Additive or Allergen Wash to get rid of dust mites in any temperature water. Baby Gund stuffed toys are hypoallergenic and machine washable.
4. Walls - Walls have twice the surface area of floors and ceilings, but they're often overlooked when people are cleaning.
5. Closets & Drawers - Allergens like dander and pollen can stick to your clothes and end up in closest and drawers. The AAFA suggests washing clothing more frequently during the spring and paying more attention to cleaning closets and drawers.
The AAFA is stressing the importance of allergen reduction throughout the entire home this spring.
"Allergen avoidance and reduction at home is critical to allergy control," says Mike Tringale, Director of External Affairs at AAFA. "The first step is to identify the problem areas, and then take the necessary steps to reduce hidden indoor allergens."
Experts say we're in for a pollen "superburst" in the next couple of weeks.
Roger Emert, an allergy specialist at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, recently shared his tips for combating watery eyes and the sniffles on ABC's Good Morning America:
Start taking prescription medicines earlier. If you've been tested for allergies and know you're allergic to pollen, consider taking your medication earlier than usual. They're more effective if you start taking them before symptoms appear.
Try non-sedating antihistamines. Claritin is the most popular non-sedating antihistamine.
Keep windows closed. It's especially important to keep windows closed on windy days and in the morning, when pollen counts are highest. If you'd still like to get fresh air into your home, consider a Safeguard Window Filter.
Turn on the air conditioner. This will help filter the air. Air purifiers are made to remove allergens and toxins from the air in your home, and dehumidifiers are important allergy relief appliances for hot, humid environments.
Dr. Mallika Marshall offers the following advice for springtime allergy sufferers on WBZTV in Boston:
To limit your exposure to pollen, try to stay indoors in the morning when the pollen count is the highest. Avoid mowing the lawn and doing yard work.
Stay away from other irritants, such as tobacco smoke, insect spray, and heavy air pollution which can exacerbate your allergies; and when you get home at night, take a shower to rinse the pollen off your body.
Meanwhile, allergy sufferers in California are experiencing severe allergy symptoms as pollen swirls along in warm, dry weather, reports the Marin Independent Journal.
"We're getting significantly more complaints than we normally would at this time of year due to the lack of rain," says Dr. Robert Freinkel, an allergist practicing in Greenbrae and Novato, California.
The Star Press reports that every year, hundreds of thousands of children visit the emergency room because of asthma attacks. Parents of asthmatic children should consider creating some sort of action plan.
The columnist, whose child suffers from asthma, suggests the "traffic light" plan:
Green means go. Your child is breathing well and has no asthma symptoms. The peak flow reading is greater than 80 percent of your child's personal best.
Yellow means caution. Your child has some asthma symptoms. The peak flow monitor reading is 50 to 80 percent of your child's personal best.
Red means stop/danger. Your child's asthma symptoms are bad. Your child has difficulty breathing. The peak flow reading is less than 50 percent of your child's personal best. You must get help now!
The writer learned about this action plan from Sutter Health Network's Parent's Guide to Asthma.
ABC Health News reports that children with asthma should get flu shots, but only 3 in 10 actually receive the shots.
"We were surprised at how low the number was," says Susan Brim of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children with asthma can die from respiratory complications from the flu. A flu vaccine shot is recommended for all asthmatic children older than six months.
"Influenza in a child or adult with asthma can be fatal," says Dr. Gerald Teague, a pediatric pulmonary specialist at Emory University.
Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld, host of Sunday Housecall on Fox News, says that you should never take the antihistamine medication Allegra with any kind of juice:
"If you take the pill with fruit juice - any kind of fruit juice, apple juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice - you lose about 36 to 40 percent of its efficacy. Please, if you're using Allergra, and especially now with the hayfever season about to be here, you should take Allegra with water."
Grapefruit juice in particular has a history of interfering with medications, cautions Dr. Isadore:
"Grapefruit juice has an effect on a wide variety of medications. If you are taking any pill - whether it's a birth control pill or antibiotic or a statin to lower cholesterol - do not take grapefruit juice. Discuss it with your doctor. Some things you can take with grapefruit juice, but many you cannot."
Spring is a beautiful time of year, but all those blooming trees and flowers aren't so pleasant for those of us who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Some allergy sufferers are already feeling the impact of tree pollen from cedar, alder, and hazelnut trees. Tree pollen will be in the air until May, and then grass pollen will take over.
Kristine Sorensen of KDKA News from Pittsburgh reports:
Think you can't have pets in your life because you suffer from allergies? Think again. Animal experts say there are ways to make it work.
In fact, studies show that one-third of people with cat allergies actually have cats for pets.
The Toro family of Cranberry is one such family. Even though Kathleen Toro, her husband Renaldo, and their son Matthew all suffer from cat allergies, they have three cats, a dog, a rat and a horse.
So how do they make it work? Medication is key. Renaldo Toro uses Nasonex nasal spray daily and Kathleen takes Claritin.
"The medications are better than they used to be when I was younger," Kathleen Toro explains, "the allergy medication that I used to take would make me very, very tired."
Veterinarian Dr. Mike Hutchinson of Animal General in Cranberry says allergy sufferers can take some steps to rid their homes of pet dander - the small particles that cause the allergic reaction.
Dr. Hutchinson since dander attaches to cloth surfaces, these are harder to keep clean – so tile or wood floors are better than carpet and blinds are better than curtains.
Dr. Hutchinson also recommends that people with cat allergies "keep the cats out of their bedroom!" If the cats do get on the bed, Hutchinson says washing the bedspread in water hotter than 140-degrees will help kill the dander.
* If hot water washing is not an option - Allergen Wash will denature allergens in any temperature.
If washing isn't an option – putting the object in the freezer will [denature] the dander.
As for the cats themselves, Dr. Hutchinson recommends washing them every 4 to 6 weeks with this special formula: one gallon of water mixed with 10-percent white vinegar and one capful of Downy fabric softener.
Hutchinson says sponging that solution over the cat and letting it dry "holds dander to the cat." As a result, that dander will be "less likely to get up in the air and cause allergies."
Dr. Hutchinson says certain cats are less likely to cause allergies: females with lighter hair and healthy cats.
If you have severe allergies that cause breathing problems, you may not be able to have a cat; but a company called Allerca has bred a hypo-allergenic cat that can be ordered and sent right to you for about $3500.
Most of us think of our beds as havens, cosy retreats into which we sink nightly as we try to keep up with - or catch up with - our need for sleep. But if that bed is home to the wrong kind of pillow, we may actually be sabotaging our own bids for restful slumber, waking with a stiff or aching neck or stuffy nose.
We often put substantial thought into selecting a colour scheme for our bedrooms, going all Martha Stewart as we match sheets, comforter covers and shams with the shade of the walls.
Few people put as much thought into the pillows they sleep on nightly. More often it's a checklist of a few simple questions: Is it (pick favourite) feather/foam? Is it firm/squishy enough? Is it in my price range? Sold.
But pillows aren't a one-size-fits-all item, say health professionals who deal with the repercussions of bad pillow purchases. They suggest we should put a little effort into selecting what supports our heads night after night.
"A lot of people come in and say they have neck pain because they slept funny," says Stephanie Gage, a registered massage therapist who practises in Toronto. "And a lot of times it is their pillow. Either people sleep with no pillow, too many pillows, old pillows."
Physiotherapist Shaun Lapenskie agrees.
"Personally I do treat a lot of chronic neck pain. And that's certainly an issue when we're talking about that, especially when people are having pain at night time," says Lapenskie, whose practice is in Barrie.
"If you're having headaches and neck pains and stiffness when you wake up, you might think about the pillow you're using and look and see if it fits you or not."
STOMACH SLEEPERS
If your preferred sleeping position is belly to the mattress, the pillows on your bed should probably be for show only. "It's a double no-no to sleep on your stomach with a pillow," says Gage, who confesses she's a stomach sleeper.
Sleeping on your stomach puts the neck in a strained position; it's really not advised.
"You've got a series of joints in your neck, and turning your head to one side or the other when you're sleeping, if you're on your stomach, is the equivalent of taking your index finger and bending it backwards for five hours," Lapenskie explains. "Of course it's going to be uncomfortable. It's not supposed to be in that position."
Now add a pillow to the picture.
"If you can think about lying on your stomach, if you've got a pillow there, that's going to take your head and not only rotate it, but bend it backwards as well. And you don't want that," Lapenskie says.
If you are a stomach sleeper and you can't do without a pillow, the thinner the better.
SIDE SLEEPERS
The aim here is to have your head in a straight line with your spine. Actually, that's the aim with all sleeping positions. It's just not achievable with stomach sleeping, which is why that position is frowned on. Because of the breadth of the shoulders, if you are on your side you need a pillow to keep your head from falling down into the mattress -- and out of alignment with the spine. (Picture what happens when you fall asleep on a plane and your unsupported head slumps to the side. Ouch.)
The real job of a pillow for a side sleeper is to fill in the indentation between the top of the shoulder and the ear and to support the head so it's in that straight line. It requires a pillow with some form, but it's got to be the right form. Down is luxurious and expensive, but it doesn't hold its shape through a night and Lapenskie says he doesn't recommend it. Nor is he a fan of cheaper pillows crammed with chunks of foam.
"So I would say look for a high quality synthetic fill."
There are specially formed pillows with contours designed to fill the curve of the neck; they are called cervical pillows. But the contour has to fit your head and neck or the extra cost will be for naught. Another option is a pillow that contains a water bladder either between or below some synthetic fill.
The beauty of these babies, says Lapenskie - who sleeps with one - is that you can adjust the firmness and height to your particular need by adding or draining out some of the water.
People with back problems - women especially - who are side sleepers might want to think about placing another pillow between their knees, Lapenskie said, to keep the upper leg from falling forward and down. That puts a painful twist on the spine that can be prevented by a well-placed pillow.
Full Body Pillows eliminate the need for two pillows and promote proper spinal alignment and healthier circulation.
BACK SLEEPERS
People who sleep on their backs need more of a pillow than stomach sleepers, but less of a pillow than side sleepers. The job here is to again cup the nape of the neck. And to keep the head aligned with the spine, a little bit of cushioning is needed. But avoid puffy pillows that lever the head at an angle to the spine.
ALLERGIC SLEEPERS
The content of your pillow is important if you have an allergy, but not perhaps for the reason you think. While some people believe they have allergies to feathers, the reality is that most diagnosed feather allergies are actually allergies to dust mites, says Dr. Milton Gold, an allergist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.
"There are people who have allergies to feathers, but they're very few," Gold says. "It's more the dust (mites)."
Dust mites are microscopic critters that feed on our sloughed off skin. Their feces can trigger allergic reactions. Foam used to be preferred over feathers for people with allergies. But studies show that synthetic pillows actually contain significantly more dust mites than feather pillows.
People with dust mite allergies should use special covers to encase their beds and pillows; their tight weave will cut down on the outward flow of dust mite feces. Gold also recommends replacing such pillows every two or three years.
Sally Robinson, a professor of pediatrics at UTMB Children's Hospital in Galveston, TX, offers advice on diagnosing asthma in children in The Galveston County Daily News:
Asthma is the No. 1 reason that children miss school in the United States and the most common chronic illness that sends kids to the emergency room.
Some children have only mild, occasional asthma flare-ups, or only show signs after exercising, while others have such severe asthma that it affects their activity level and causes changes in the way their lungs function.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes airways to tighten. Asthma flare-ups often appear to happen without warning, even after weeks or months without symptoms. All children who suffer from asthma have airways that are overly sensitive to triggers, such as exercise, allergies, viral infections and smoke. When children with asthma are exposed to triggers such as these, their airway linings become inflamed, swollen and filled with mucus, and the muscles that line the airways tighten and shrink, which makes it difficult for air to move through them. A child experiencing an asthma flare-up may cough, wheeze and sweat, and may feel tightness in the chest, increased heart rate and shortness of breath.
It’s not easy to diagnose asthma, because children with asthma have different patterns of symptoms. Some children may cough all night but seem fine during the day, while others seem to get chest colds that don’t go away easily. Doctors normally rule out all other possible causes of a child’s symptoms before diagnosing asthma. The doctor may ask the family for asthma and allergy history, perform a physical exam and order tests, such as chest X-rays, blood tests and allergy skin tests.
Each category of asthma is treated differently, because no single remedy works for every child. There are two categories of asthma medications: quick-relief, or “rescue,” medication, and long-term preventative, or “controller,” medications. Prescription asthma medications treat symptoms and causes, so they control asthma effectively. Over-the-counter medicines, home remedies and herbal medicines should not be substituted for prescription asthma medicines, because they cannot quickly and effectively treat the causes or reverse the flare-ups.
Your doctor will provide a written, step-by-step plan, detailing what to do between flare-ups and how to recognize and manage them when they do occur. Families that take the time to learn more about asthma are often the most successful in controlling it.
keyetv.com in Austin, TX reports that decongestants may aggravate symptoms in men with enlarged prostates.
“If a man has an enlarged prostate that is already causing him problems, the further constriction that the medicine causes on those alpha nerve terminals in the bladder and the prostate area, will cause it to further clamp down,” said Urologist Dr. Koushik Shaw with the Austin Diagnostic Clinic.
Men with enlarged prostates should avoid taking allergy medicines with decongestants. Sometimes it will list "decongestant" on the box, but you should check the ingredients.
If the label says psudefed, pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, Dr. Shaw says avoid it. Claritin D, for instance, is not okay, but Claritin is.
A contributor on NBC's Today recently pointed out the fact that a humidifier will not only soothe irritated sinuses, but it will also lower your utility bill during the winter. The additional moisture in the air holds onto the heat; a humidifier increases the heat index, making 68 degrees feel more like 76 degrees.
If you celebrate Christmas and suffer from allergies, you may want to reconsider your holiday decorating traditions. That tree in your living room could be behind your itchy eyes, runny nose, and... achoo!... sneezing fits.
Pollen from Christmas trees is normally not a big problem for allergy sufferers (since the pines and firs found at most Christmas tree lots pollinate in the spring), but mountain cedar trees pollinate in late November and early December, so if you chop down your own mountain cedar tree, then the pollen could be troublesome - especially since one person out of every 10 is to allergic mountain cedar pollen.
The main problem, however, is mold that enters the home with the tree. A tree grows outside and accumulates mold for years before it's large enough for someone to take home as a Chistmas decoration. You can get rid of some of the mold by spraying your tree with water and letting it dry before bringing it inside the house.
You may also want to consider using a fungicide to kill mold on the tree - but keep in mind that chemical treatments (often used by commercial tree lots) can also aggravate allergies and cause other respiratory problems.
We recommend artificial trees for people with mold allergies, but even artificial trees can aggravate allergies. Artificial trees tend to collect dust and mold since they're in storage for most of the year. If you have an artificial tree, store it in a cool, dry place, and wipe it down or wash it before putting it up. To avoid exposure to allergens, wear gloves and an allergy relief mask and wash your hands afterwards.
Perhaps the best way to avoid allergens from a Christmas tree is employ a quality air purifier, which will rid the air of pollen, mold, dust, and chemicals.
Kids loves stuffed animals, but these plush toys provide the perfect habitats for dust mites. You can kill the dust mites by placing the toys in direct sunlight for three hours or placing them in the freezer for 24 hours. Wash plush toys frequenlty, and use anti-allergenic laundry detergents or additives to kill all dust mites.
If you're shopping for a little allergy and allergy sufferer, make sure that any toy you choose is safe and healthy. Made from soft polyester fibers, Baby Gund Stuffed Animals are hypoallergenic and machine washable.
Wheat, Gluten: Watch out for some brands of hot dogs and ice cream; imitation crab meat; Asian dishes that contain wheat flour shaped to look like beef, pork and shrimp. Note: Many country-style wreaths are decorated with wheat products.
Soy: Watch out for baked goods, canned tuna, cereals, crackers, infant formulas, sauces and soups. Note: Ask your doctor whether to avoid soy oil.
Fish, Shellfish: Watch out for Caesar salad dressings, steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce, which often contain anchovies; surimi, an imitation crab meat; caponata, a traditional sweet-and-sour Sicilian relish that contains anchovies. Note: A fish allergy does not mean you're allergic to iodine.
Tree Nuts: Barbecue sauce; cereals; crackers; ice cream; manufactured nuts such as mandelonas; mortadellas, a kind of sausage that may contain pistachios. Note: Items such as Hacky Sacks and beanbags are sometimes filled with crushed nutshells.
Peanuts: Watch out for Mandelonas (peanuts soaked in almond flavoring); arachis oil (same as peanut oil); African, Chinese, Indonesian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine; and sunflower seeds (some are produced on equipment shared with peanuts). Note: Nut butters are not always a good substitute for peanut butter.
Eggs: Watch out for whipped toppings on coffee and specialty drinks; egg substitutes (some contain egg whites); and commercially processed pastas. Note: Flu vaccines may contain a small amount of egg protein. Check with your doctor first.
Milk: Watch out for casein, a milk protein derivative found in many "nondairy" products, and butter used to flavor foods. Note: Goat's milk is not a substitute for cow's milk.
Remember: The only way to avoid an allergic reaction is to avoid the allergenic food. If you have a food allergy, be extra careful when eating out in restaurants, and use Food Allergy Restaurant Cards for better communication with your server and the kitchen.
In a rawstory.com article, a German journalist reports that about 10 percent of the German population is allergic to house pets.
"From a medical standpoint the best thing to do is give the pet away," says Anja Schwalfenberg of Germany's Allergy and Asthma Association in Moenchengladbach.
And that's just what many allergy sufferers are doing.
Each year, German animal shelters receive about 12,000 pets, many of them from allergy sufferers.
"We are seeing more animals here because the number of allergy sufferers is growing in Germany," says Evamarie Koenig of Berlin's animal shelter. "The problem is definitely growing."
But you don't have to get rid of your pet to avoid allergy symptoms!
Many people believe they're allergic to their pets' hair or fur, but they're actually allergic to animal dander, which consists of proteins found in saliva, urines, feces, and skin particles that get stuck to the fur. When you pet an animal, you transfer the allergenic proteins to your skin. You also inhale airborne dander when a pet lives indoors. Cat dander is one of the smallest and lightest allergens, and it can float in the air for hours at a time!
Kirstin Jung, an allergist from Erfurt, Germany, gives advice on avoiding allergenic pet dander: "The animal should be kept outdoors, if possible, such as a rabbit in a stall." If that's not possible, at least keep your pets out of your bedroom.
"Regular vacuuming and airing rooms can reduce the allergen content in a home," continues Jung. An air purifier will eliminate allergens from the air.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) offers tips on avoiding seasonal allergy triggers this fall:
Don't mow your lawn or rake leaves, which can stir up pollens and molds. If possible, hire someone to do your fall yard work to avoid being exposed to these allergy triggers. If you do mow or rake, wear a mask to prevent breathing in mold and pollen.
Keep leaves, grass and yard clippings, and compost away from your house to reduce the number of mold spores that can enter your house. Cut back any trees and/or brush that are close to the house.
Stay inside when your neighbors are burning leaves or mowing the lawn, especially if it's windy.
Don't hang bedding or clothing out to dry because they may collect pollens and molds. Use a clothes dryer instead.
Keep your outdoor activity to a minimum when plants are pumping out pollen. Ragweed pollen tends to peak in the morning hours, but other pollens and mold spores may be present at other times of the day.
Keep windows closed at night to prevent pollens or molds from entering your home. Use air conditioning, which cleans, cools and dries the air.
Follow instructions for taking allergy medications. Don't take more than the recommended dose in an attempt to reduce your allergy symptoms.
Yahoo! News reports that a new study supports the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immune system to be less reactive to potential allergy triggers. The study found that pet owners have a one-third lower risk of allergies than their petless peers. Of course, people who are prone to allergies are less likely to own pets in the first place; however, this new study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests that this "selective avoidance" does not fully account for the reason why pet owners have less allergic disease.
We all know that many allergic children cannot have dogs, cats, or other furry animals as pets...but did you know that dust mites thrive in the moist environment surrounding a fish tank? Dust mites also love fish food; as a matter of fact, researchers often feed fish food to dust mites in the laboratory setting.
If you have a fish tank, keep the area clean and dry to prevent a dust mite population explosion in the area. A dehumidifier will help keep the area dry. Try not to spill fish food, but since spills seem to be unavoidable, vacuum with a HEPA vacuum cleaner and dust frequently.
We have a ten month old daughter who has slept very well from an early age. One of the factors I attribute to this is the air purifier we placed in her room.
One of the positive side effects of an air purifier is the white noise that it generates. It drowns out other disturbing background noises and creates a calming environment.
Not to mention, the changing table across the room brings up bad memories for me. I recall the unpleasant smells from friends and other family members’ nurseries. Yuck! Not in our nursery. We have white noise which helps the little one sleep, and we have chemical free odor control, which is pleasant for everyone.
More on white noise: many companies sell sleep machines that generate a similar type noise as that in the air purifier to help people to fall and to stay asleep. When I was a little boy, over thirty years ago, I don't think they made sleep machines. My sleep machine was the bathroom fan across the hall from my room. I still remember when I was 5 or 6 years old I'd remind my parents to turn the bathroom fan back on when they walked by and accidentally turned it off. To this day, I sleep much better and wake up better rested when I have white noise in the background (we have an air purifier in our room too.)
My bathroom fan, my daughter’s odor free nursery, with white noise, who would have ever thought about the connection? Having a baby that sleeps through the night is an incredible positive for us. We're lucky, but we are also prepared and we know the benefits of white noise.
Dr. Joseph Mercola reports that high consumption of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, may increase the risk of developing asthma. Dr. Seif Shaheen from King’s College in London has published research which links high rates of allergic disease with high levels of acetaminophen sales in different countries. English-speaking countries lead in both acetaminophen sales and allergic disease. Dr. Shaheen’s research team also found a correlation between the prevalence of wheeze in adolescents and the level of acetaminophen sales. An earlier study found that daily acetaminophen users had a 138% increased incidence of asthma; weekly users had a 79% increase.
Researchers hypothesize that acetaminophen may deplete glutathione, an important antioxidant in the immune system. Dr. Mercola cautions that it is unwise to use Tylenol to control fever in children — because a fever is a natural response to infection, and controlling a fever with Tylenol may prevent proper development of the immune system and increase the chance of allergic disease.
Slashfood warns that latex is used in several types of food packaging, including rubber bands, stickers, and adhesives. In some cases, the latex can be transferred to the food and cause allergic reactions.
Steam Inhalation: The steam reaches every crevice of the respiratory tract to wash away allergens.
Herbs and nutritional supplements for natural allergy relief:
Picrorhiza kurroa: In some cases it is effective in lowering restriction in the bronchus.
Magnesium: This element is beneficial in preventing the calcium ion from working improperly. The calcium ion is claimed to be responsible for resulting in the flow of mucous.
Tylophora indica: The qualities of this whole herb bring relief to the bronchial tract. It is claimed that this herb causes reduction of constriction and obstruction of the bronchus in allergic congestion and asthma.
Pyridoxine: This is basically known as Vitamin B6 and acts by lowering the need of bonchodilators in therapy of asthma.
Cayenne: This herb is also known as a successful remedy. Cayenne contains the phytochemical Capsaicin, which makes the respiratory system less sensitive, so cigarette smoke and similar irritants do not affect people using cayenne so much.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that this summer's heat is causing many allergy sufferers to stay indoors — but allergy sufferers must remember that indoor air can be anywhere from 2 to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air.
"Indoor air quality is becoming increasingly important to the average homeowner," said Eileen Youds, vice president of Honeywell's N.A. Homes business. "Fortunately, there are many tips and products to help reduce air pollutants significantly. Managing your air quality starts in the home."
To improve your indoor air quality:
Do not smoke in your home or allow others to do so.
Use an air purifier to remove impurities from the air.
Use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity levels at 50 percent or below; this will inhibit growth of dust mites and mold.
Test your home for radon, a colorless, odorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Keep dust to a minimum by mopping, dusting, and vacuuming regularly.
Keep pets away from allergy sufferers.
When redecorating, select paints and furnishings that do not emit high levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
News Target reports that according to a Harvard Medical School study, stress and negative emotions are associated with allergies. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of do-it-yourself acupressure that delivers a distinctive, drug-free approach to treating allergies.
Gary Craig, the Stanford-trained engineer who developed EFT, said, "Research, like the Harvard Medical School study, is showing a distinct association between unresolved negative emotions and illness. EFT is one of the only techniques available that addresses illness at this fundamental emotional level. It is easy to learn and anybody can apply EFT to themselves, either to prevent allergies, or to treat an allergy attack."
Keep your pet confined to one room of the house – not the bedroom! – and use a HEPA air purifier to limit the number of allergens.
Allergic individuals should not pet, hug, or kiss their pets because the animal's fur and saliva contains allergens.
The pet should be kept out of the bedroom of the allergic individual.
Litter boxes should be placed in an area unconnected to the air supply for the rest of the home and should be avoided by the allergic individual.
Some allergic people may have severe reactions such as wheezing and shortness of breath after exposure to certain pets. Also, long-term exposure to birds and their droppings can result in a chronic, slowly progressive feeling of shortness of breath, loss of energy, and feeling fatigue; this type of disease is known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and can result in severe disability. In these extreme situations, the only choice is to get rid of the animal.
Joan and Lydia Wilen, authors of Folk Remedies That Work, claim that honeycomb works as a desensitizer and anti-allergen. They advise that hay fever sufferers should chew local honeycomb for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day about, starting about two months before allergy season begins. Buy the honey from a local beekeeper or health food store.
Milk is often touted as the perfect food. It does a body good, right? Apparently, it does a lot of bodies bad. Milk allergy is implicated in all sorts of odd disorders, and it often goes unnoticed for years or even lifetimes since milk is so common in our society. Other food allergies are also implicated in everything from behavioral disorders to arthritis. If you think about it, we humans are the only mammals that continue to drink milk well after childhood.
Here's another little-known fact about milk: It's often marketed as a good way to prevent osteoporosis because of its relatively high calcium content; however, the animal protein in milk also intensifies the urinary excretion of calcium--and several scientific studies have concluded that the consumption of this animal protein increases the risk of bone fractures.
Seven-year-old Nathanael Lockwood of Cloquet, MN, is allergic to foods containing soy, tree nuts, legumes, eggs, and dairy products. He has never been to a fast-food restaurant. His parents have to wipe down theater seats before he sits down. They try to protect their son from allergic reactions, but they're not always successful.
"Once we went to a pet store and walked by a parrot display," says father Lee Lockwood. "The dust from the peanuts in the air caused him to break out in hives."
The Lockwoods have had a hard time getting school officials and other parents to understand their son's allergies. His father says, "We learned that if you're going to send your child to school, you need to talk with them several months in advance."
"We've had to educate, educate, educate," says mother Dawn Lockwood. "The school kept telling us: 'We'll get cans of Lysol and spray and disinfect everything.' But there is no peanut butter germ!"
A recent Newswise article offers advice for coping with summertime allergies.
“For summer, it will be grass pollen along with high ozone levels combining for a one-two punch,” says Dr. David Khan of UT Southwestern Medical Center. “In July, cedar elm will appear.”
High levels of ground-level ozone can exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms.
Dr. Khan's coping strategies:
Limit outdoor exposure during mid-morning to midday.
Keep windows closed to decrease the number of allergens traveling inside your home.
Air-conditioning filters out some allergens.
Take a shower to wash away allergens after being outside. Dr. Khan warns, "You hair can be like a pollen magnet."
Wear a mask while mowing the lawn or doing yard work.
Health News Digest reports that asthma affects more than 6.2 million children, and many of those kids experience significant allergies as well. Allergen avoidance through environmental control is the best defense against allergies.
Mike Tringale, director of marketing and communications for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, says, "Allergy sufferers need to pay more attention to managing the indoor air quality in their homes to lessen the nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, and flu-like symptoms they often experience."
"Here's how to create your own personal Stage 2 Smog Alert: Buy an [ionic] indoor air purifier."
Thus begins the MSNBC.com article which reports that air ionizers can generate ozone levels in a room that exceed the worst smog days in Los Angeles, according to a new study.
Ionic air purifiers are extremely popular, but they emit ozone as a by-product and create potentially unhealthy conditions. Ozone is a powerful lung irritant, and it's especially dangerous to children, the elderly, and asthma sufferers.
High in the atmosphere, ozone protects us from harmful radiation, but down here on the earth's surface, ozone can exacerbate asthma, damage the lungs, and cause shortness of breath and throat irritation.
A University of California research team found that some ionic air purifiers produce ozone levels that would trigger a Stage 2 Smog Alert outdoors. The last Stage 2 Smog Alert was in Southern California in 1988, and citizens were advised to stay indoors.
"These machines are insidious, "said Barbara Riordan, chairperson of the California Air Resources Board (ARB). "Marketed as a strong defense against indoor air pollution, they emit ozone, the same chemical that the ARB and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been trying to eliminate from our air for decades. More chilling is that some people susceptible to the ill effects of ozone will eagerly bring these Trojan horses home."
Don't buy an air purifier just because it's cheap and looks cool, or else there's a good chance you'll wind up polluting your air and jeopardizing the health of your lungs.
The May 2006 issue of Esquire magazine contains a special insert: The Body Manual: Read This & Live Longer.
The Body Manual draws attention to pervasive modern pollution, especially particulate matter less than ten microns in diameter (PM-10) that gets lodged deep in your lungs. Your immune system, thinking the pollution is bacteria, sends out cells to attack and kill the invader.
Esquire warns: "Over time, the lining of your lungs builds up scar tissue and can eventually induce nearby lung cells to become cancerous. There's PM-10 in every breath you take, but it concentrates in certain environments: in homes, especially in winter when the windows are closed; in the workplace, where it's often impossible to open the windows at all; and in cars, taxis, and buses, which don't have particularly good filters in their ventilation systems."
Esquire suggests airing out your home and car and investing in a HEPA air purifier.
The Body Manual also suggests using natural cleaners rather than specialized artificial products to avoid chemical fumes.
According to a recent American Lung Association report, Atlanta and Birmingham are tied for the 9th Worst in the nation when in comes to particle pollution.
On the positive side, for the second year in a row, Atanta avoided the list of the Top 25 cities with the highest amount of ground-level ozone, which is an ingredient in smog that can trigger asthma attacks.
Read the full ALA report and find out the level of airbrone pollutants in your own city here: State of the Air: 2006.
This morning on The Today Show Rosemary Ellis of Prevention magazine talked about simple ways to make your home healthier. Since carpeting is a haven for allergens, then the ideal floor for the allergy sufferer would be made of wood, tile, or linoleum, but a low-pile area rug also works well because it can be easily cleaned. Vacuum with a HEPA vacuum cleaner once a week and steam carpets and rugs every 12 to 18 months to kill dust mites. Also, look for all-natural rugs labeled "allergy-proof" or "chemical-free" to ensure they won't give off synthetic chemicals, and consider "no dust-collecting" blinds. Read more simple tips for making your home healthier at The Today Show Health website.
USA Today reports that as the allergy epidemic grows, more allergy sufferers are seeking out alternative medicine treatments. Despite the growing popularity of alternative treatments, most members of the medical community are still skeptical.
"When a patient asks me whether they should try alternative or herbal medicine, I counsel that it generally won't be harmful, but it's not likely to be beneficial either," says Dr. Brian Smart, an allergist from Illinois, "And they should carefully watch for side effects."
A widely publicized study that appeared in The New England Journal of Medicine in July concluded that echinacea—the biggest-selling herbal supplement in the USA—is no better than a placebo at preventing or treating colds.
Dr. Smart suggests nasal irrigation for patients. "It moisturizes nasal surfaces and it will wash out bacteria and pollen," he says.
"Close the house up and put the air-conditioning on," says Thomas Platts-Mills, president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. "You can reduce the amount of pollen."
Platts-Mills adds: "There're lots of very sensible things people can do. It doesn't require taking medicine all the time."
This morning The Today Show offered viewers advice about dealing with allergies. As many as 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and this year allergy season is hitting some places especially hard because of the relatively mild winter.
Host Matt Lauer says the worst places for allergy sufferers are Hartford, CT, Greenville, SC, and Boston, MA. If you've got a cold that's lasted for weeks with symptoms of coughing, sneezing, and congestion, then you're probably experiencing seasonal allergies.
The Today Show segment points out that allergy sufferers cough up about 6 billion dollars a year for allergy expenses. Also, 52% of allergy sufferers say that their allergies adversely affect their work, and allergy sufferers take about 4 million sick days a year.
"One of the things we're seeing," says Lauer as he interviews Dr. Michael Stewart, "is more and more people who have no symptoms of allergies into their 30s and maybe even their 40s, all the sudden developing allergies. Do we have any ideas to why that might be happening?"
Dr. Stewart, an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, explains the prevailing theory known as Hygiene Hypothesis. According to this theory, our immune system was designed to fight off bacteria and viruses, but the immune system does not have as much work to do in today's developed world because of better public health, vaccinations, cleaner food and water, etc. Therefore, the immune system re-directs its energy and becomes more sensitive to other invaders like allergens.
Dr. Stewart also warns against taking too much over-the-counter medication: ""If you have allergies that last long periods of time that are not controlled by the over-the-counter medications, don't just take more of them. That's when it's time to go see the doctor."
"Allergen avoidance," says Dr. Stewart, "obviously would prevent the allergies from happening . . . Using air filters, cleaning on the inside, and trying to avoid being outside during the time of year that you have particular sensitivity is a good idea."
Dr. Keith Phillips, an associate professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a specialist in allergy and immunology, recently spoke to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about allergy symptoms in children, the impact of pet dander in the home, and the safety of allergy medications. Link to the interview here .
Random Allergy Tip #19 Up to 50% of all household dust can be found on shelves, so try to keep indoor shelves to a minimum. Eliminating shelves can help reduce the over-all surface area and make your cleaning job easier.
Random Allergy Tip #24 Many people experience an allergic reaction to down, in items like down pillows or comforters. In fact, it is not the down itself which causes the allergic reaction, but dust, dirt, and allergy-causing particles which remain in the down. Thoroughly cleaning the down can reduce this allergic reaction, which is why some down is hypoallergenic.
Random allergy tip #16 Dust regularly to cut down on allergy symptoms. If you have severe dust allergies, wear a mask. Use electrostatically charged dusting cloths which trap dust instead of simply spreading it around.
Random allergy tip #24 Alcohol can stimulate mucus production and dilate blood vessels, worsening runny nose and nasal congestion. If you're suffering from nasal allergies, think twice before ordering a drink, as it may make your symptoms worse.
Random allergy tip #22 If your child has allergies, don't let them take a non-washable stuffed animal to bed. These are breeding grounds for dust mites. Substitute a washable stuffed animal or cotton blanket. But if there's a favorite stuffed animal you just can't give up, try putting it in a Ziploc bag and placing it in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the dust mites.
Random allergy tip #10 Asthma and allergies are partly hereditary. If one parent has a history of allergies, then there's a 25% chance that their child will have allergies too. If both parents have allergies, then the chance increases to 50%.
Posted by Desirina on Wednesday, December 07, 2005
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Only in recent years have I befriended the feline species. I was always a "dog person." But in the past five years or so, I've had just as many feline roommates as human roommates, and I've grown to love the little furballs.
The most interesting session I attended at AAAAI 2008 was entitled "Neuroimmunologic Consequences of Allergic Inflammation."
Dr. Mehmet Oz, frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, recently spoke with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist who says that most sleep problems could - and should - be treated without medications.
In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advised mothers of children with a family history of allergies to avoid cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, and tree nuts while breast-feeding.
I just moved into a new home here in Atlanta and had to do quite a bit of remodeling. The floors were in really bad shape, and I decided to rip up the remaining carpet, pull up all the nails and tacks, sand the original wood floors, and refinish them. I am very happy with the results! Now the 
Dr. Daniel More of 
Since I blogged about the possibility of 
Don't let your allergies ruin your big day! To make sure you say, "I do" instead of "achoo," follow these wedding planning tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI):
According to 
If you're allergic to nail polish, you can still have great-looking, healthy nails without using it.
