Author: Ali McDonald
New Information Source for Asthma and Allergy Sufferers
MediLexicon reports that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and The HealthCentral Network have teamed together to create a new online research center for people struggling with asthma and other allergic disorders. ‘This partnership with The HealthCentral Network…
Are Our Schools Prepared for Asthma?
The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently discovered that many Georgia Schools may not be armed with the knowledge or the medications that are needed to fight asthma attacks for young asthma sufferers. Although there are many ways to fight the disease,…
The ClassicBed by Tempur-Pedic
The ClassicBed by Tempur-Pedic
Extreme Summer Heat Sends Allergy Sufferers Indoors
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that this summer's heat is causing many allergy sufferers to stay indoors
Natural Allergy Treatments
Natural Allergy Treatments from
Clinical Trials Underway for Seasonal Ragweed Allergy Drug
According to The Pharm Voice, Cobalis Corp. has begun clinical trials for PreHistin, a seasonal treatment for ragweed allergies. Approximately 2,000 patients in total will be randomized into the twin studies to receive either placebo or 3.3 mg sublingual PreHistin…
Allergy Drops Allow Man, 61, To Finally Get a Puppy
Sublingual immunotherapy (‘allergy drops’) may soon totally replace allergy shots. The liquid drops are placed under the tongue, and the best part is: no needles are involved. This
Honeycomb for Hay Fever
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…
Animal Allergy Tips
Central Jersey's Home News Tribune offers the following tips for managing animal allergies: Keep your pet confined to one room of the house
Acupressure Treatment for Allergies
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,…
Milk Allergy & ADHD
I recently read this compelling tale of how a mother discovered a link between milk allergy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in her daughter. Milk is often touted as the perfect food. It does a body good, right? Apparently,…
Milk. It does a body bad?
My last blog entry about the connection between milk allergy and ADHD was so interesting that I had to continue reading about the health risks associated with drinking milk — and a lot of evidence seems to be saying that…
Oregon Drug Law Affects Allergy Sufferers
The Associated Press reports: Allergy sufferers in Oregon are now required to have a prescription to buy allergy medicines that contain the decongestant pseudoephedrine. These medicines, which include Sudafed, Claritin-D, and NyQuil, were previously sold over-the-counter. The new law represents…
Mold Spores Increase Risk for Multiple Allergies
MedicineWorld reports that exposure to certain airborne mold spores can make children more susceptible to developing multiple allergies later in life. A research team at the University of Cincinatti (UC) found that infants exposed to certain fungal spores were more…
Can Nasal Sprays Kill Your Sense of Smell?
Dr. Andrew Weil reports that a number of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of Zicam and Cold-Eeze nasal sprays. The lawsuits allege that the zinc gluconate in the nasal sprays causes people to lose their sense of smell. The…
Does Your Doggie Have Allergies?
The Daily Advertiser reminds readers that pets can have allergies, too. Dog owners often think their pet’s itchiness is due to a standard flea problem when it’s really an allergy. All breeds of dogs are prone to common respiratory and skin…
Summer Allergy Coping Strategies
A recent
Severe Food Allergies in Children
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…
Mothers and Others for Clean Air
According to Mothers and Others for Clean Air, 11% of Georgia's children are asthmatic, and they are impacted by air pollution every day. Asthma is the top reason for admission to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. In 2000, Georgia children missed…
Scientists Breed Allergy-Friendly Cats
According to Yahoo News, a biotechnology firm in Sand Diego claims to have bred the world's first hypoallergenic kitten. After identifying the genes that produce allergenic feline proteins, scientists created the allergy-friendly kitty using a selective breeding process that spanned…
Kids’ Insect Stings Go Untreated Too Often
MedlinePlus points out a new study which found that only 14% of children who have moderate to severe allergic reactions are taken to the hospital for proper treatment. Moderate to severe allergic reactions to insect stings may include hives, breathing…
New Documentary: Prescription for Disaster
Born from a report titled ‘Death by Medicine,’ the documentary Prescription for Disaster by Dr. Gary Null presents shocking evidence that the practices of the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA are endangering your health. You can watch the trailer for…
Big Business Corrupts the Science Behind Medical Research
According to Yahoo News, a new study has found that clinical trials funded by drug companies are more likely to report positive results. The study, led by researchers at Harvard Medical School, appears in the May 17 issue of the…
Kids with Asthma Usually Have Significant Allergies Too
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…
Kids Who Live Near Major Roads at Higher Risk for Developing Asthma
Children who live within 250 feet of a busy road are 50% more likely to develop asthma, reports the May issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Girls who have lived near busy roads since before age 2 had the…
At Least You’re Not Clay Aiken!
Men's Health reports that former American Idol contender Clay Aiken is allergic to coffee, chocolate, shellfish, tree nuts, mushrooms, and mints. The article goes on to offer advice to allergy sufferers: Researchers have found that Benadryl is 20% more effective…
Atlanta Theater Earns LEED Certification
Atlanta's Balzer Theater at Herren's became the first theater in the United States to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Commissioning and Green Building Solutions (CxGBS), who designed the…
Canada Proposes Radon Reduction
Medical News Today reports that Health Canada is proposing a revised guideline for indoor radon gas levels that is four times more stringent than the one now in place. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in…
Benjamin Moore Lowers VOC Levels in Paints
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are behind many environmental illnesses, and now paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore has ‘made great strides in technology through the use of new raw materials to lower VOC content in products across the board.’ To learn more…
Gene Discovery Gives Hope to Allergy Sufferers
Scientists at Dundee University have discovered a gene that causes an over-excited immune response and appears to link asthma, hay fever, eczema, and peanut allergy. The researches think that mutated filaggrin genes lead to damaged outer skin layers, which allow…
Tobacco Smoke Linked to Allergic Rhinitis in Infants
University of Cincinnati epidemiologists say that environmental tobacco smoke drastically increases an infant's risk for developing allergic rhinitis (hay fever) by the tender age of 1. Epidemiologist Jocelyn Biagini says, ‘We found that infants who were exposed to 20 or…
Painless Alternative to Allergy Shots
Though they are not yet approved by the FDA, many doctors are beginning to prescribe oral allergy drops instead of allergy shots for immunotherapy. Immunotherapy exposes patients to increasingly higher levels of specific allergens in order to decrease the patient's…
GlaxoSmithKline: The Asthma King
CNNMoney.com reports that GlaxoSmithKline is likely to hold its throne as the king of the $25 billion market for respiratory drugs for this season and years to come, despite growing competition and controversy. GlaxoSmithKline's top earner, its Advair asthma inhaler…
Alleviate Hay Fever with . . . A Long Kiss?
According to The Modesto Bee, researchers at Satou Hospital in Japan say that a passionate 30-minute kiss reduces the body's allergic reaction to pollen by relaxing the body and reducing production of histamine, the chemical released by the body in…
Cure Asthma and Hay Fever with . . . Hookworms?
This bizarre personal account tells the tale of a man who claims to have cured his asthma by intentionally infecting himself with hookworms. Not for the faint-hearted.
Pharmacist Outraged at the High Price of Drugs
Even the pharmacists who make their living off prescription drugs are beginning to complain about the outrageous prices. In this dailypress.com article, a pharmacist complains, ‘We always hear that research is the reason medicines cost so much. But how do…
Ion Generators: Air Purifiers that Pollute the Air
‘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…
Allergies: A Modern Epidemic
The May 2006 issue of National Geographic magazine includes an extensive, in-depth article titled Allergies: A Modern Epidemic. The article follows the struggles of young asthma and allergy sufferers, as well as the work of scientists who are trying to…
Asthma Attacks Double in NYC
Harvard Medical School reports that the number of New Yorkers seeking hospital treatment for asthma symptoms doubled in the last week compared with the first three weeks of April. According to the Associated Press, sales of over-the-counter allergy medications also…
Ford of Europe Makes Allergy Friendly Cars
The Auto Channel reports that the all-new Ford S-Max and Galaxy automobiles have passed stringent tests to receive seals of approval from the British Allergy Foundation and the German TUV ‘Allergy Tested Interior.’ Ford Focus and Focus C-Max have previously…
Mold Allergies at Local Atlanta High School
CBS46 News reports dangerous levels of mold at Chamblee High School. Teachers and students complained to CBS46 news about allergies, runny noses, itchy eyes, and other problems associated with the mold. ‘People are getting a lot sicker easier,’ said student…
Read This & Live Longer
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…
achoo! ALLERGY in Atlanta’s Asthma Walk
achoo! ALLERGY Customer Service Representative Kevin Foote (pictured on right) participated in Atlanta
How Polluted is the Air in Your City?
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…
Wild Pollen Counts Across the Nation
Forbes reports that experts across the country are recording the highest pollen counts they've seen in a decade. And this year, it's not just the Southeast that's getting slammed with airborne allergens. NY-based allergist Dr. David Shulan says, ‘I looked…
Simple Ways to Make Your Home Healthier
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,…