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Most Efficient Air Purifier
When it comes to buying an air purifier, a consumer has many choices. For that smart consumer who likes to be
Hypoallergenic Dogs?
For as long as I can remember our family has always had at least one dog as a pet, though only once did we have one that actually spent the majority of its time inside the house. Happy, as my…
Toyota Sealing Up the Competition
In an effort to create
A Connection Between Global Warming and Allergies?
Rarely a week passes where a new event or study is touted as a result or indication of global warming. While politicians endlessly debate the causes of global warming most scientists agree in principle that the earth is gradually warming,…
Central Vacuums, a modern convenience?
When I was a child, every day after school I
Air Filters Yesterday Air Purifiers Today
In researching the history of achoo! Allergy
Moving Forward: The Growth of Chamblee
In the move to our current location on Pierce Drive in Chamblee, GA, we have put a great deal of time and effort into restoring and transforming an old brick office and warehouse into a modern, lofty headquarters. Throughout the…
Anaphylaxis Hits Close To Home
It's not uncommon for any us to go out for dinner at a local restaurant, and on occasion receiving a mixed up or incorrect order is rarely more than a minor inconvenience. Though for individuals with severe food allergies, this…
When to Replace Pillows and Mattresses
I watched a piece on The Today show this morning titled, ‘From pills to pillows, when to replace your stuff.’ View it here… From pills to pillows, when to replace your stuff The expert from prevention.com suggested replacing pillows every…
Masks for California Wildfire Pollution
As I write this, more than 12,500 firefighters are battling 1,088 fires across Northern California – and windy weather over the weekend could make the situation even worse. ‘It is increasing almost hourly,’ said Carol Jolley of the California Department…
Yes, Even Upscale Hotels Are Dirty
I’d like to follow-up on my post about the Top 10 Dirtiest Hotels in the U.S. At the end of the post, I asked you to share your experiences about dirty hotel rooms. Little did I know that I would…
Michelle Obama on Having a child with Asthma
In a new book titled ‘Healthy Child, Healthy World,’ Michelle Obama calls for increased efforts at asthma education and prevention. The book contains contributions by Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, and Tom Hanks, as well as Obama's essay ‘On Having a…
Dr. Mercola Explains the Importance of Healthy Sun Exposure
In the video above, Dr. Joseph Mercola explains that UVB rays from sunlight produce vitamin D in the skin. Sunlight is the ideal source for vitamin D. See Sunlight Exposure, Allergies & Asthma to learn about the role of vitamin…
Benadryl Allergy and Allergy to Benadryl
Benadryl Allergy is among the most popular OTC allergy medications. It is used to relieve runny noses; sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; and itchy throats. Side effects of the drug include drowsiness and possible excitability. Care should be taken when taking…
Trees Lower Asthma Rates
An article published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health shows that children who lived on streets lined with trees have lower rates of asthma, reports Medical News Today. The study looked at asthma rates in children ages…
Are You Allergic to Your Cell Phone? Electromagnetic Sensitivity & Allergies
‘In addition to the typical pollen-producing allergies that are rampant during the months of spring, technophiles should take caution that some of their favorite gadgets may be the culprit of certain allergy symptoms,’ says Dr. Todd Rosengart, Chief of Cardiothoracic…
Asthma Symptoms & Salt Intake
WebMD reports that you might breathe easier if you watch your salt intake and avoid processed foods (which is where most Americans get three-quarters of their salt). In a recent study at Indiana University, researchers found that test subjects with…
Smog, Ozone Linked to Premature Deaths
According to CNN, a National Academy of Sciences report contradicts White House officials who say that the connection between smog and premature death has not been shown sufficiently. ‘The report is a rebuke of the Bush administration which has consistently…
Bed Bug Problem Spinning Out of Control
Veteran entomologist Rick Cooper had never actually seen a live bed bug until 1999. Since then, bedbugs have turned into a full-time job for his pest management company. ‘I would say it's spinning out of control,’ says Cooper. Indeed, Orkin…
Children’s Breathing Problems Possibly Linked to Baby Swimming
Mothers who have allergies or asthma may want to think twice before enrolling their babies in swimming classes. ScienceDaily reports on a recent study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child…
Blood Test May be Used to Diagnose Chronic Sinusitis
The presence of a particular protein profile in the blood of those suffering from chronic sinusitis may lead physicians to be able to objectively diagnose and treat the disease, ScienceDaily reports. Using surface enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy…
A Brief Discussion of Sulfa Allergies
As the Mayo Clinic describes, a sulfa allergy most often refers to an adverse reaction to an antibiotic called sulfamethoxazole, which is present in antibiotics that contain sulfonamides. Some of these antibiotics are Septra and Bactrim. Sulfisoxazole, present in Pediazole,…
Sky-High Pollen Count in Atlanta
The pollen count in Atlanta was 1705 today. It was over 1000 last Thursday as well… and anything over 120 is considered extremely high. Yessir, this is allergy season. I went to visit an old friend last Thursday night, and…
Chocolate Allergies, Part I
Although many people believe they are allergic to chocolate, true allergies to chocolate – specifically, the cocoa it's made from – are actually rare. In addition, many reactions to chocolate are not true allergies to the chocolate itself, but are…
HEPA Filters Improve Cardiovascular Health
MedicineNet.com reports that researchers in Denmark found that using HEPA filters for just two days significantly improved cardiovascular health in healthy, nonsmoking elderly people. ‘Our main finding was a significant improvement in the function of small finger blood vessels after…
Eye Allergies and the Naso-Ocular Reflex
Allergy sufferers’ red, itchy, watery eyes may in part be a response triggered by an allergic response of the nose. As Reuters Health reports, the nasonasal reflex, in which an allergen introduced into one nostril causes the other nostril to…
AAAAI & ACAAI Comment on FDA Investigation of Singulair
Last week, leaders from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) released the following statement in response to the announcement of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation…
Top Ten Cleaning Chemicals to Avoid
National Geographic’s Green Guide reports on The Top Cleaning-Product Ingredients to Avoid. Achoo! ALLERGY’s recently launched offering of natural cleaning products do just that. Learn about our top ten toxic cleaning chemicals to avoid. If you’re outsourcing commercial cleaning services, you…
Mucus vs. Mucous vs. Mucosa
I often see ‘mucus’ and ‘mucous’ used incorrectly and people ask, “What is mucosa?” So I thought I’d try to explain the difference here. (Yes, I’m a geek…) Mucus – Noun – A viscous, slimy mixture of mucins, water, electrolytes,…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
At this year's meeting, several allergy researchers spoke about SLIT – sublingual immunotherapy. This ‘new’ allergy treatment is similar to SCIT- subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots) – but SLIT delivers the solution in the form of drops under the tongue, as…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: Psychosocial Issues Facing Children with Asthma
Licensed social workers Melissa T. Korenblat-Hanin and Jennifer Moyer Darr spoke to healthcare professionals about the psychosocial impact of asthma. An asthma diagnosis can be devastating to children on psychological and social levels. Suddenly they hear that they're not supposed…
AAAAI 2008 Notes: The Role of Vitamin D in Atopic Disease
Before I begin this post, allow me to restate that I am not a doctor, and therefore my understanding of information presented at the AAAAI 2008 meeting is not 100% clear. That said, I will do my best to accurately…
Hissing Cockroaches Cause Mold Allergies
It may not be news that cockroaches cause allergies because of their feces, saliva, and bodies, but the Madagascar hissing cockroach poses additional allergy threats, as Medical News Today reports. Unlike the household pests we detest, hissing cockroaches have enjoyed…
Can Greasy Hair Clean Your Air?
According to NewScientist, greasy hair may reduce the amount of ozone that you inhale. Researchers at the university of Missouri in Rolla found that, on average, unwashed hair absorbs around seven times more ozone than washed hair. ‘Ozone is probably…
2008 AAAAI Annual Meeting in Philadelphia
I just got back in town from Philadelphia, where I attended the 2008 annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The trip was exhausting, but it was also a wonderful, non-stop learning experience. _achoo! ALLERGY…
Cleaning Product Chemicals Pose Asthma Risk for Children
The Daily Mail reports that Chemicals found in household cleaning products cause asthma in children. Researchers discovered a link between high exposure of expectant women to bleach and air freshener, among other common products, and asthma and wheezing in their…
Molly Shannon: Allergies Are No Laughing Matter
Actress and allergy sufferer Molly Shannon has teamed up with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and the makers of Zyrtec to launch the Allergies Are No Laughing Matter campaign. Molly and the AAFA will teach allergy sufferers…
Fermented Soy Less Allergenic
In addition to the hypoallergenic egg that may be in development, scientists are at work on soy products that would be safe for soy-allergic individuals. Medical News Today reports on two studies by the University of Illinois that show how…
Price Foundation Asks FDA to Block ‘Heart Healthy’ Claim on Soy
Speaking of soy… The Westin A. Price Foundation, a non-profit charity focused on nutrition, has asked the FDA to block the ‘heart healthy’ label from use on soy food products, according to physorg.com. ‘We have filed this petition because there…
Can You Avoid Allergy Medications?
A reader recently sent in an interesting question: I have a question. Generally speaking. If you take preventive action against allergic triggers, could you avoid all the pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medications like singulair and nasonex? In some cases, yes, allergy…
Housework Triggers Asthma
A study published by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests that exposure to cleaning products, even just once a week, raises the risk of asthma in adults. Although cleaning products have been linked with increased asthma…
Hypoallergenic Egg Defies Food Allergies
ScienceDaily reports in an article entitled Incredible, Hypoallergenic Egg: New Process to Help Egg-Allergy Sufferers that German and Swiss chemists have developed a new process that greatly reduces allergens in eggs.Food allergies have been increasingly on the rise in recent…
Cold and Cough Remedies for Children
Fox News Health reports on the question, ‘What Can You Give Your Children When They Are Sick?’ Since the January FDA warning against giving children under the age of 2 cough and cold medicines, many parents have begun wondering what…
Allergy Medication Linked to Suicide
WNYT News reports that today, February 28, 2008, the FDA will open two days of hearings regarding communicating the possible risks of the allergy drug Singulair, which has been used by millions of allergy and asthma sufferers. The August 2007…
Allergy & Asthma Facts from WebMD
WebMD reports on allergy facts and statistics, based on the best available data: Percentage of the U.S. population that tests positive to one or more allergens: 55%. Number of people in the U.S. who have either allergy or asthma symptoms:…
Sharper Image Settles Air Purifier Lawsuit, Files Bankruptcy
Last year, Sharper Image settled a class-action lawsuit which alleged that the company misled customers about the effectiveness of their Ionic Breeze air purifiers. Sharper Image agreed to offer $19 merchandise credits to each of their 3.2 million customers who’ve…
The Benefits of White Noise at Night
Did you know that unfamiliar noise at night can disturb your sleep pattern and suppress your immune system, even if you don't wake up? ‘White noise’ helps block out disturbing noises and allows for a more restful sleep. Air purifiers…
Headache Triggers at the Office
CNN Health reports on some ‘surprising things that give you headaches.’ Listed first is perfume. Some people are so sensitive to fragrances that even a whiff of a candle can set off a headache. These individuals have senses of smell…
CA Now Requires Staph Infection Reports
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that California now requires hospitals to report specific kinds of staph infections to local health authorities. Cases that require reporting are those that infect otherwise healthy people, who are outside of hospitals or nursing homes,…
Hurricane Victims Face Formaldehyde Fumes
Newsweek reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has deemed Gulf Coast trailers unsafe after finding toxic levels of formaldehyde fumes in them. The trailers were supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Gulf Coast…