Author: Shifrah
Vitamin D Linked, Again, to Respiratory Health
The link between a lack of vitamin D and allergic conditions is well documented. A recent study, reported in a CNN article titled, ‘Lack of vitamin D at birth may increase respiratory infection risk’, adds to the growing body of…
Rice Krispie Treat Kit Recall
Food allergic individuals rely on product labeling to let them know when food items contain allergenic foods. However, as anyone with food allergies knows, these labels are sometimes frustrating. For instance, some feel that ‘over’ labeling may restrict food allergic…
Eczema Treatment Possibilities Spring from New Discovery
Eczema treatment has long been among the most elusive solutions when it comes to allergic conditions. However, ScienceDaily reports a Major Shift in Understanding How Eczema Develops that offers new hope for those who suffer from this uncomfortable and persistent…
Attention Vapamore Owners and Future Vapamore Owners!
As you may know, we've recently updated our steam cleaners selection. Well, we have really good news for those of you who have purchased or are considering purchasing a Vapamore steam cleaner: They now come with a lifetime warranty
Winter Necessities: New Furnace Filters and Humidifiers
If you're anything like us here in Atlanta, you've had the heater cranked up for a few weeks now
Alternative Cough and Cold Treatments for Kids
Hopefully the word is out by now that cold and cough medications should never be given to children under the age of 2. What may not be as well known, however, is that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics…
BPA, Triclosan Linked to Allergies
April 2010's issue of the Allergy Consumer Report discussed the relationship between BPA and allergies in BPA, Allergies, and Asthma. As promised, we are on the lookout for new information on this topic. Science Daily recently reported on BPA's role…
Tis the Season for Sneezing?
Hauling out Christmas paraphernalia can trigger full-blown allergy attacks and may even lead to asthma trouble, as the St. Petersburg Times discusses in Dusty decorations, Christmas trees and cold weather can touch off allergies, asthma. As Dr. Richard Lockey, director…
Low-Allergenic Wines for those with Wine Allergies
Allergy sufferers may have a somewhat complicated relationship with wine. For one thing, allergies often compromise a person’s sense of smell and therefore taste because of nasal congestion. As AchooAllergy.com founder P. Cade McDonald once pointed out, ‘I can’t tell…
Neti Pot Saves the (Turkey) Day
A Neti pot might be the allergy relief product I recommend most, both to allergy sufferers and non-allergy sufferers alike. Our neti pot is what we reach for at the first sign of a cold. And over this Thanksgiving holiday
Allergy Relief Products in Real Life: Humidifiers
Despite vigilant hand washing, trying to eat well, drinking lots of water and other cold-prevention strategies, we at the Combiths household have gotten our first round of winter colds, starting with our two-year-old little girl. Thankfully, she only suffered from…
Protecting Children’s Skin from Dry Air
When the first cold weather hits, my lips get extremely chapped
Monday Morning Musing: Jalapenos and Allergies
Yesterday I made a Dutch-oven-full of white chicken chili. Stocked with three kinds of chilies
Salt Therapy Rooms May Relieve Asthma, Allergy Symptoms
In Halotherapy: Is Salt Treatment for Real?, Time Healthland discusses a new (in the Western world) therapy for asthma, allergies, allergic skin conditions, and other respiratory ailments. Halotherapy, or salt therapy, provides a salt filled room, often pumped with salty…
Choosing Slippers May Lessen Winter Allergies
At my house, we routinely take off our shoes at the front door, and politely request that guests do the same. We even have a basket of colorful slippers from Ikea that we bring out when we’re expecting a large…
Allergy Trigger: Peanuts During Pregnancy
New research, reported in the November 1 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, indicates that allergic infants may be at increased risk of having a peanut allergy if their mothers ate peanuts during pregnancy. The study, led…
Preventing Colds and the Flu
No one wants to get socked with colds or the flu, but for allergy and asthma sufferers, winter time illnesses can lead to complications like prolonged respiratory problems or sinus infections. In addition to getting flu shots, and the fundamental…
Food Allergies and Halloween: Staying Safe
As with many social activities, Halloween brings extra considerations for parents with allergic children. School parties, play-group costume get-togethers, and of course trick-or-treating are all potential dangers for food allergic children. Following is a combined list of tips for staying…
Hidden Allergens: Autumn Leaves
Here in Atlanta we are enjoying the first cool rain day of the season. (Well, I'm enjoying it; I get to wear my rainboots and the scarf my sister brought back from Chile. And my soup-making is actually justified, as…
Food Allergies Then and Now
Parenting.com recently highlighted the changes over the recent years in allergic children's experience with food allergies. Following is a summary of the ‘then and nows’ when it comes to coping with food allergies: Public Awareness of Food Allergies
Wool Allergy: What Allergic Individuals Need to Know
In most parts of the country, fall weather is settling in and many people are beginning to shake out their down comforters, make hot chocolate, and re-stock dresser drawers with favorite wool sweaters. While these three rituals can mean several…
Family Dog Decreases Eczema Risk in Allergy-Prone Children
As mentioned in this month’s Allergy Consumer Report, I recently had my second child, a sweet little boy. Of course, I’m always interested in topics about allergies and children, and an article entitled Family Dog Tied to Lower Eczema Rates…
Asthma Attacks Not Prevented by Double Doses of Inhaled Steroids
Those with asthma have been routinely told to double their dose of inhaled steroids when they felt the signs of an impending asthma flare-up. But recently, Canadian researchers have found that this practice doesn
Gargling with Salt Water to Ease Cold and Allergy Symptoms
Though many swear by alternative methods to shorten the duration of colds, doctor after doctor says that ‘nothing but time can cure the common cold,’ as this NY Times article reiterates. And while it appears to be true that there's…
Flu Vaccines for those with Egg Allergies
In a FoxNews segment entitled Myth or Fact: Flu Shot Allergies, Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld answers the question Is it true that you should not get the flu shot if you are allergic to eggs? demonstrating that the answer is not…
Allergic Children Bullied
A recent survey published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology about the frequency with which children with allergies are bullied has sparked outrage and debate. According to the survey, a quarter of children, teens, and young adults report…
Record High Chicago Mold Counts
Chicago residents have been experiencing very high mold counts this September. Saturday mold counts hit 81,000, the highest count in five years, reports Medical News Today. Any mold count above 50,000 signals dangerous air quality
Flu Vaccine 2010
Unlike last year's vaccine shortage and the prohibitive lines to receive vaccinations, this year flu vaccines were ready in abundance and in record time. In fact, as Fox News reports, many drugstores offered vaccines in conjunction with their back-to-school sales.…
Fabric Softeners Trigger Allergies
When it comes to laundry and allergies, we may think of how it's important to wash bedding frequently in the hottest water possible, or with the addition of an allergy detergent, in order to kill dust mites. However, it's equally…
Allergies and Why Kids Get Sicker at Night
A recent Parenting.com article featured on CNN Health discusses why kids get sicker at night and points out that one reason is asthma and allergies. Dr. Santiago Martinez, a pediatric allergist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at Florida State…
Artificial Turf Poses Possible Lead Danger
The NFL season kicked off last night and everything related to football is in the news. One topic that I find interesting is that you always hear announcers talking about the recycled rubber pellets in the fake grass. Sometimes, you…
Asthma Linked to Increased Suicide Risk
Lung trouble and suicide may be linked, CNN Health reports in its Toxic America series article titled Air Pollution, Asthma Linked to Suicide. _The finding that asthma, and even bad air, may lead to an increased incidence of suicide is…
A Closer Look at Dust Mites
Since dust mites play such a large role in allergies, we thought we'd take a closer look. Here are some possibly little known facts provided by the Medical Entomology Center about these tiny creatures that give us such trouble: _…
Total Allergen Load and Ragweed Season
At AchooAllergy.com, we frequently discuss the concept of total allergen load. Basically, the theory suggests that once a certain threshold of allergen exposure and other factors is reached (and this is different for various individuals), symptoms appear. A recent article…
Katrina Mold Increases Asthma
On the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, many are looking back at the effects of the disaster. One devastation of the hurricane was the mold that spread across New Orleans. Not only did it destroy residences, but it also made…
Vitamin D Prevents Mold Allergy
We've talked before, in Vitamin D Deficiencies Linked to Allergies, Asthma, about the important role of vitamin D consumption especially for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Now, new research suggests that vitamin D may treat or prevent allergy…
Hazards of Dorm Living Include Bed Bugs and Mold
High school graduates across the country are gearing up for the rite of passage of moving out of their parents' homes for the first time. And as if the anxieties of living on their own and starting college aren't enough,…
Quick Pet Hair Removal Tips
We have two cats and a short-haired dog. While no one in our family is allergic to animal dander, we regularly have guests who are allergic to cats. Needless to say, it’s important to me to keep our home as…
Acetaminophen Use Tied to Increased Risk of Asthma and Eczema
Use of acetaminophen can lead to the development of asthma and eczema, Science Daily reports in their article Acetaminophen Use in Adolescents Linked to Doubled Risk of Asthma. Monthly use of the drug was linked to more than a double…
Five Worst Plants for Allergy Sufferers
For anyone suffering from hay fever, otherwise known as allergic rhinitis, a stroll in the park or admiring the flowers may cause much more suffering than joy. Instead, itchy watery eyes and a runny nose may send you right back…
Allergies Underlie Mouth Breathing
Health.com recently reported on the detrimental effects of mouth breathing which often occurs in those who suffer from allergies. In fact, the article states that “chronic mouth breathers” are “most often children with allergies.” are “most often children with allergies.…
Tips for Back to School with Allergies and Asthma
With school's start just around the corner, many parents of allergic children face the challenge of making sure their children are healthy and safe even while not under their direct supervision. The back-to-school season is a time of high pollen…
CNN Highlights Bedbugs, Dust Mites in Mattresses
Today in Meet the Critters Inside Your Mattress, CNN Health highlights the allergens that lurk in mattresses: ‘The mattress can be a jungle of dust mites and bedbugs, milling around among dried remnants of blood, saliva, sweat and basically all…
Zinc Nasal Sprays Damage Smell
In a recent Sunday Housecall called Growing Evidence that Zinc Nasal Spray Can Damage Smell on FoxNews, Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld says, ‘Zinc nasal spray is ineffective … In addition, if you use it frequently, it can interfere, sometimes permanently, with…
Hidden Allergens: Car Air Conditioning Filters
Recently, my husband did some maintenance work on our car before a family road trip. One of the things on his list was changing the air conditioning filter in our van. After he removed the filter, he showed it to…
Hidden Allergens: Books
When thinking about allergens in our homes, we may think to dust our bookshelves including the tops of our books. But, did you know that potent allergens can actually lurk in and even be fed by books? Cockroach allergy affects…
Forest Bathing Boosts Immunity, Lowers Stress
In a time of year when many are used to sun bathing, another kind of bathing proves not only safe, but beneficial. A recent New York Times Health featurette explores the claim that exposure to plants and parks can boost…
Don’t Ignore These Symptoms if You Have Allergies
In light of our recently launched Allergy Consumer Report series on allergist interviews, we thought it would be a good time to point out 8 Allergy Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore. As Health.com reports, if you've been diagnosed with allergies and…
Food Allergy Safety During Summer Picnics
In Summer Means Barbecues, Picnics and Food Allergies, Medical News Today highlights ways to protect against food allergies while enjoying summer get-togethers. More than 12 million americans suffer from food allergies, the severity of which ranges from irritating, itchy skin…
Is Your Sunscreen Safe?
Staying protected from the sun is not as simple as slathering on any old sunscreen. While it's good that Americans seem to have become more and more conscious of the dangers of unprotected, prolonged sun exposure, we still have a…