Saturday 31 March 2012

How to Find Hives Remedies That Work


You may never have heard of urticaria, but you have certainly heard of "hives". Urticaria is the real name for that uncomfortable, itchy, red, bumpy, sore, and painful feeling that you get when you have hives. Finding hives remedies is a difficult thing to do because each case is so completely different. The remedy that works for someone else may not work for you at all.
The first and most obvious place to look for hives remedies is at your doctor's office. The only problem with this is that many doctors do not see hives as a very serious problem. There are generally two types of hives - the type caused by allergies and the type caused by stress. If your allergy has not been identified, your doctor will think it is a stress case of the hives, and as such, it will just "go away on its own".
Well, while you are sitting there in agony waiting for it to go away, you can better spend your time online looking for hives remedies that really do work - and there are a few. First of all, before you try any remedy, remember that there is a reason why you have hives and the best remedy is prevention. So, if you can find the root of your problem, that is the best way to go.
That being said, many people who suffer from hives find a lot of relief in frequent cool showers and baths. You may also want to take a milk or an oatmeal bath, which will help relieve some of the itching and burning.
As far as topical hives remedies go, it is usually not a good idea to put lotions or creams on your hives because it could make things worse. Antihistamine creams can relieve the itching, and aloe vera is also a natural way to soothe the pain and burning.

Thursday 29 March 2012

How to Identify Gluten Allergy Symptoms

A gluten allergy can be hard to live with. Many of our society's everyday foods contain gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Symptoms of a gluten allergy are similar to any other food allergy, but should not be confused with the symptoms of coeliac disease, a gluten intolerance that is much more dangerous.
The normal symptoms of gluten allergy are triggered by a histamine reaction, which is caused by white blood cells in the body called basophils and mast cells overreacting to the influx of the Immoglobin E. This results in the characteristic symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as watery eyes, sneezing, hives or a skin rash, and stomach discomfort or pain. If suffering from these symptoms, the use of an antihistamine may be beneficial. The severity of symptoms, and well and the number and type of symptoms can very person to person. This type of a reaction usually causes no permanent damage to the person affected. However, there are other symptoms that are sometimes mistaken as a gluten allergy, but are more likely to be caused by a gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a autoimmune disease, and the ingestion of gluten by a person suffering from it can actually cause damage to the small intestine. The symptoms of celiac disease can be much more severe, such as constipation, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, mouth ulcers, irritability, and attention problems (sometimes confused with ADHD in children).
It's fairly easy to diagnose a gluten allergy. Most physicians will suggest removing gluten containing products from their patients diet, to see if the symptoms resolve themselves. This is an effective way of detecting and treating a gluten allergy, but not celiac disease. If celiac disease is suspected, blood tests are usually performed. If celiac disease is detected by the blood tests, then a biopsy of the small intestine is performed to confirm the diagnosis.
So in general, the symptoms of an allergic reaction to gluten can range from minimal to extensive, depending on the severity of the allergy in the subject. The important thing is to be able to discern these symptoms from those of the more dangerous celiac disease, and seek treatment from you doctor if you notice the development or worsening of these symptoms.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

How to Manage Dust Mite Allergies

The Franklin Tn Dust Allergy is caused by the dust mite which is inhaled with airborne debris particles.
What is an allergy?
Allergy symptoms are the immune system's over response to exterior substances (called allergens). For many people, this over reaction produces chemical substances in the body known as histamines. Histamines might be mildly toxic and give unwanted effects resembling skin rashes and respiratory problems.
The over production of histamines by the body is known as an "Allergic Reaction".
Signs and Symptoms
Allergic reactions are triggered by numerous exterior materials (allergens). Indicators and symptoms of Franklin Tn Dust Allergy include:
    Skin rashes and / or itching.
    Sneezing.
    Coughing.
    Difficulty breathing and / or wheezing.
A weak immune system can cause elevated receptiveness to allergies. Any weak immune system may be caused by illness, stress or fatigue. The young and elderly are additionally extra weak to allergy symptoms because of weaker immune systems.
How to avoid Franklin Tn Dust Allergy
Basically, allergy symptoms cannot be cured however may be managed. One way of avoiding hypersensitive reactions to dust borne mites is to control the environment under which the mites can breed and multiply.
Listed here are some constructive steps you can make to reduce dust mites:
    Change bedding frequently. The human body sheds a lot of dead epidermis cells each night. Dust mites reside in skin cells. By frequently swaping bed linen (e.g. each forty eight hours), you may considerably lower the amount of dust mites dwelling in your bed.
    Vacuum bedcovers. Strip the bed and vacuum the mattress. This reduces the variety of bed and dust mites by reducing the quantity of dust (dead skin cells).
    Regularly vacuum carpets. Most dust, and due to this fact dust mites, end up within the carpet. Methodical vacuuming reduces dust.
    Often clean carpets. Vacuuming alone will not remove all dust mites from carpet. Contemplate skilled carpet Cleaning on a regular basis (e.g. once each 3 months) to further manage dust.
    Good ventilation helps reduce dust settling. Periodically open windows and doors.
As with different allergy symptoms, Franklin Tn Dust allergy problems cannot be fully prevented however, with attention, some simple actions will help scale back and mange the effects of the allergy.
Phil Jample is a journalist writer for bright-reviews.com and is an expert in allergies.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Tuesday 27 March 2012

How to Prevent A Milk Allergy in Children

Milk allergy is the most common type of allergy that develops during childhood and it is caused when the immune system has an adverse reaction to different proteins in milk. If they suffer from milk allergy, children can experience a variety of symptoms like:
• coughing,
• wheezing,
• vomiting
• abdominal cramps
• and even severe diarrhea.
I am the father of an eight year old girl which has been diagnosed with milk allergy when she was only 3 months old. The pediatrician said that there are many chances that she will outgrow this condition, as 80% of the children that suffer from this type of allergy heal until they reach age of 6. Unfortunately, my daughter was not among these children. I have been dealing with her milk allergy symptoms for a long time, and I know how hard it is to avoid severe allergy attacks.
If you have an allergic child, you know that the best way to prevent an attack is by avoiding any kind of dairy products. But, even if they know they suffer from dairy allergy, children still have a "sweet tooth" and can easily be tempted to eat cookies, ice-cream or other delicious products that might contain milk. It is very important that you make the children and the people around them understand that some foods can be dangerous to them.
I know it can be difficult to warn everybody that comes in contact with your child not to feed her or him dairy products, but it is imperative to do it in order to avoid any dangerous situations. I know from experience that you cannot personally warn everybody, but you can use other tricks to let people know that your kid is on a dairy allergy diet.
Even if they suffer from dairy allergy, children will still have to go to school, go out to play or go to birthday parties where other people might offer them "treats". When you are not around, you can make your child wear a special T-shirt or a bracelet with a "Cow Milk Allergy" inscription.
I have bought my child a blue Dairy Milk Allergy Health Wrist Band Bracelet and it is been very helpful to me. She loves wearing it, she thinks it is "cool", and this way I know people will find out she is allergic even if I am not around to tell them.
Remember: even if they have milk allergy, children (especially the younger ones) might still be tempted to eat dairy products. It is your responsibility to prevent that and let people around them know they are on a special milk allergy diet and that they should forbid your child to eat foods that contain milk.

Monday 26 March 2012

How to Overcome Your Dairy Sensitivity Symptoms

While a person who experiences dairy sensitivity will have it for life, if they eliminate dairy from their diet they will not have any issues with it. It can be a tricky process removing dairy from your diet though as all dairy products have to be removed. Also the foods that contain dairy products such as cake that has milk in it.
After eliminating all dairy-containing foods, you will realize this takes a lot of food out of your diet. There are foods nowadays that contain dairy, but are sometimes not obvious. These foods are: lactoglobulin, ghee, whey, curds, lactulose, casein, and hydrolysates.
Other food groups you should be cautious of are: processed meats, dressings, breakfast meals, candy, cereal, and processed snacks.
Once you have been diagnosed with dairy sensitivity, your doctor may need to change the medicines you are taking. As some medicines do contain dairy. Sometimes symptoms take a while to go away. This is because even after you eat something, it will stay in your body for an extended period of time, which can make you sick even months later.
The key is to stop consuming dairy as quickly as possible once you realize you have a sensitivity to it. If there are dairy products that you enjoy like cheese, there are dairy-less alternatives. If it is not possible to avoid these dairy foods for whatever circumstance, then just consume them in very small amounts always with a meal. It is very important to remove dairy as much as possible though because it can damage your intestines if you continue eating it.
An alternative to regular lactose-containing milk, is soy milk. It is a little more expensive, but definitely worth a try. Since most calcium comes from dairy products, a person will most likely have to take a calcium supplement to get their needed calcium intake. Calcium is also present, in low amounts, in some vegetables, fish, and fruits. Vitamin D is also another nutrient that may be left out of a persons diet after removing dairy, again just take a supplement to stabilize this. If you find that you are lactose intolerant, you may also want to check for other types of intolerances within the body. An example of another would be gluten intolerance.
http://www.allergy-zero.com/effective-ways-to-cure-allergies/

Sunday 25 March 2012

How to Prevent Dust Mite Allergy

Dust mites cannot be seen by the naked eye. They have translucent bodies and are only 250-300 microns long. Their coverings have simple striations that you can see on both the top and bottom parts of their bodies.
There are high concentrations of these microorganisms in the kitchen and bedroom because these are the places in your house that have high temperatures and high levels of humidity. In particular, temperatures of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels of 75% to 80% are conducive for them.
To prevent dust mite allergies, try to use breathable organic bedding. Barrier mattress covers and pillow zipped covers are also helpful. Refrain from using feather pillows, and be sure to wash all of your bedding in very hot water at least once a week.
Although you cannot completely eradicate mites, you can employ the services of some companies that are capable of killing and removing them by using ultraviolet light or steam.
Another way you can destroy them is through extended exposure to low levels of humidity or sunlight. However, note that their residues remain even when they are killed.
To minimize the presence of dust mites in your home, vacuum your upholstered furniture and carpets at least once a week. You should also clean your curtains and small rugs in hot water. Do the same for your stuffed animals and other soft toys. In addition, make sure that you frequently clean your floor with a wet cloth or wet mop.
You can lower the level of humidity in your room by using air conditioners. Try to lower the humidity level to 55%. However, be sure that you remember to replace your air conditioner or furnace air filters at least once a month. You might also consider using filters that are rated to trap allergens instated of plain spun glass. Lastly, you might want to consider using vinyl or wooden flooring instead of wall-to-wall carpeting.

Friday 23 March 2012

How to Relieve Dog Allergies

If you are one of those unlucky people that are allergic to what is considered to be man's best friend then don't be sad just yet because there are ways to overcome this type of allergy. Before you rule out the possibility of buying a dog for your home or send the dog outside forever there are a few tips you should know to help ease your allergies.
The first step in curing this type of allergy is simply to find out who in your family is allergic to pet dander. Once you have spotted the first signs of sneezing and itching around the family dog then you should probably look into the possibilities of an allergic reaction to the dog. After you have established that you or someone has this sort of allergies then the next thing to do is use these simple solutions to help ease up your dog allergies; so that you can enjoy your pet.
One of the most important steps to prevent dog allergies is to get an air filter in your home. Since dogs are always shedding their fur you need to get a nice air filter to ensure that their fur doesn't get into your vents. If the dog fur gets into your vents then it will spread throughout your home and it will cause you irritation everywhere you go. The best place to put the air filter will be in your bedroom since allergies tend to be more aggressive at night.
Other easy tips for keeping those dog allergies away are as simple as giving your dog a bath regularly. You should give your dog a bath at least one or two times a week to get the dead skin off of dogs that usually contain the allergens. Also make sure that you vacuum your carpets with a HEPA filter so that it can pick up all the dog fur you might have in your home. After you have vacuumed your carpets you should also dust up and down and curtains or drapes to ensure that you have got all the dog dander out of your home. One last option is to get an allergy shot at your doctor's office that will also help relieve your allergy symptoms.
If you find out that you are allergic to your dog then don't panic just use these simple steps and you will see an improvement in your life. Although there is no definite cure for allergies you can still live your life pleasantly if you follow simple instructions.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Indoor Air Purifier - Enhancing Your Indoor Air Quality

You must have heard of sick buildings, sick offices and homes. And when you personally start experiencing perpetual sinusitis, tearing eyes, and endless allergies, you begin to wonder if you need to improve your indoor air quality, IAQ that is. And getting an air cleaner purifier is an essential part of the solution.
3 main factors contribute most in enhancing the IAQ of the home or office, namely by source control, boosting your interior ventilation as well as using an indoor air purifier.
Source control literally means trying to identify the where the bad air comes from within your home or office. For example, office equipment like the photocopier, fax machine, personal computers and home appliances like gas stoves are all culprits of emitting pollutants. These are easy adjustments like changing to an alternative appliance or enclosing your office copiers in an enclosed room which will greatly help improve the air quality eventually.
Circulating indoor air with outdoor air is also important as research has shown that often enough, outdoor air is cleaner than indoor air by 2 to 5 times. While is might be a more difficult task to open all your doors and windows at the office, you can do so very easily at home. And do it twice a day an hour at a time. This will help you ventilate the used air with outdoor air which often contains more nutrients. And if your home also includes an art or pottery studio where you paint your art pieces, it is advisable to air your work room more often. You should do the same if you have a crowded garage.
Finally, getting an indoor air purifier is the critical maintenance part of this chain process. Effective air purification systems are capable of removing particles from 10 to 0.001 microns depending in the type of air filtration systems adopted. Particles like dust, virus, bacteria, gas, smoke and odor are amongst the main pollutants removed but you will need to do some research to find out which is most suitable one for you. One thing for sure, steer clear away from ozone ionic cleaners as they tend to emit ozone, a toxic gas to the human body.
http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Monday 19 March 2012

Indoor Air Purifier Key Buying Factors

Before you even begin to do research on indoor air purifiers, you need to ask certain basic important questions which can be very helpful. On top of getting the right indoor air purifier, you should also know how to clean the air within your home to enhance the air quality.
The key buying factors you should be asking in order to make an educated choice for the right type of air cleaner purifier are multifaceted, with some being more technical in nature.
Firstly, you need to know what type of pollutant particles you are trying to get rid of, eg bacteria, virus or smoke odor as you might require very different types of machines with different types of technologies for the respective pollutants. Also what is the size of the room intended for cleaning? The dimensions of the room is important as the air cleaning is measured in cubic feet per minute and you will be able to do simple calculations as to how long or powerful the machine is in meeting your purpose.
The next important set of questions is more technical in nature. The type of ailments like allergies, respiratory problems would affect the type of machines chosen. And if you are one who cannot tolerate constant machine noise, you might want to consider one without a fan. But note that there will be trade offs in terms of machine performance so be discreet when you make your selection. Alternatively if you are trying to get rid of cigarette smoke odor and other gas pollutants, you might not opt for an ionizer air cleaner, but rather for a one which uses HEPA filters.
And if you have certain built in specifications by your existing air purification systems, you might also wish to factor them in. The most common are furnace filters and central air systems.
No research for any indoor air purifier is complete without checking out the manufacturer as well as product warranties provided. You are well advised to purchase from proven and reputed brands. Never trade off price for quality or you might be adding more pollutants into your indoor air quality than you wish to remove.

Sunday 18 March 2012

4 Formulated Medications For Chronic Sinusitis Treatment

Do you experience headache accompanied by nasal discharge and at times, sight difficulty? These are among the signs that the paranasal sinuses are affected. If left untreated, symptoms such as constant headache and complications leading to meningitis and abscesses could arise. Another complication called Pott's puffy tumor, affecting the frontal bone resulting to inflamed forehead, could occur.
Sinusitis may be seen as a respiratory condition characterized by bacterial and/or infections affecting the sinuses and the bones in the forehead. In other cases, autoimmune issues or allergy may have caused this facial malady. We know how painful it can be. We often sometimes experience extreme headache that, to some extent, we see it as migraine accompanied by difficulty in breathing and even in making eye contact without frowning our faces.
However, this is not some kind of ailment that will last forever. Taking medication could even be obtained over-the-counter.
Perhaps, the common medication is by taking antibiotic.
Amoxicillin can be regarded as an initial treatment for this kind of facial and bone soreness. It is an antibiotic that may be in the form of capsule or syrup. Nevertheless, you can prefer using nasal spray of this kind for convenient medication.
To some extent, if taking antibiotic seems not effective enough, you may induce other scientifically-formulated treatments such as decongestants, mucolytics, and analgesics. They may be taken along with the antibiotic medication. Analgesics, in the form of aspirin or ibuprofen, are known as painkillers. Together with antibiotics to relieve sinus infection, the painkillers can help in alleviating headaches. With the painkillers, the discomfort can be diminished and even be eliminated albeit temporarily or until we can conclude that sinusitis is relieved.
Along with headaches, sinusitis victims can also experience discomfort in the nose area characterized by mucus discharge with pus. Forcing to sneeze to excrete the mucus may complicate the insides of your air pathway. If you don't like blood to appear from the inside of your nose, then it would be helpful to refrain from making forced exhalation. Getting rid of thickening mucus can be remedied by taking mucolytics.
Expectorant is another term for mucolytics. Guaifenesin is an example of this medication. Now, this form of medicine can be ingested to thin the mucus, promoting easy discharge of the viscous substance that irritates the respiratory pathway and blocks the inside of the nose. If there is swelling inside of the nose, a decongestant, another medication could be taken. This type of medicinal drug could help in treating inflammation when mucus builds up, infecting the lining and tissue inside the nose. Remedying sinusitis requires professional consultation. If you prefer taking the scientifically-formulated substances to relieve the sinus condition, it is imperative to take prescription from the doctor. The substances mentioned here may be part of the prescribed medication.
Dosage may vary depending on the doctor's prescription. Sinusitis may last days or even weeks. It is important then to religiously ingest the prescribed medication to get the full benefits. And another caution, taking medicines may have side effects, so watch out for any of the dreaded effects. A note from the doctor should ill effects arise must be known prior to taking the medicines.

Friday 16 March 2012

5 Proven Methods For Alleviating Aggravating Allergy Symptoms

Are allergies causing you misery day in and day out? Frustrated with the thought that you may have to go through life like this the rest of your life? Fortunately, there are several steps you can take in your daily life that can go a long way in improving your symptoms to the point where you can actually enjoy living again!
The following 5 proven methods have done wonders for many folks when it comes to lessening their allergy symptoms, and I'm sure they will do the same for you.
1. Wash Bed Linens In Hot Water
Bed Linens should always be washed in water that is at least 130 degrees so that you'll be able to get rid of any dust mites and their waste that may be lurking in them. To verify the temperature is above 130, simply fill the wash tub with hot water and check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Hey! Don't try this with a front loader! If you are concerned with washing your laundry in such a high water temperature out of fear of scaling someone that may be near the washer, take your bed linens to a professional laundry service.
2. Replace Wall To Wall Carpeting With Throw Rugs
Doing this will eliminate your home's biggest collector of dust, pollen, pet dander and mold. You'll also make keeping your home allergen free much, much easier. Throw rugs can be washed in a washing machine at temperatures high enough to kill dust mites and mold. In addition, the floors under the throw rugs will stay cooler and drier due to the looser weave, meaning there will be fewer places that have an environment mold and dust mites thrive in.
3. Use Synthetic Pillows
Dust mites really love all pillows - including synthetic pillows. But with synthetic pillows, you are able to wash them in water over 130 degrees and kill the dust mites.
4. Get Rid Of Clutter
Clutter is a great place for dust to collect. Dried flowers, books, stuffed animals, etc., etc., hold all sorts of dust and allergens. Keep them at a minimum, or better yet, get rid of them.
5. Make One Room In Your Home A Sanctuary
If you can't afford to install central air conditioning, and aren't interested in ripping out all of your wall to wall carpeting, don't fret. Simply make one room in your home - the best is your bedroom due to the time spent there - an allergen free area. Air condition the room in the summer and seal it off from the rest of the house by keep the door closed. Replace wall to wall carpeting and replace it with a throw rug, encase linens in allergen free cases and keep it dust free.
I hope you've found these 5 tips helpful.

5 Triggers That Could Be Making Your Allergies Worse

To keep your immune system from over reacting, you will first need to figure out just what is causing it to go into overdrive. Here are five immune system stressors that may be contributing to the release of histamines in your body.
Your diet: Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet is one of the first steps to take during allergy season. If you eat foods that are high inflammatory foods, your seasonal allergies can be worse especially if you're already sensitive to a particular food. For me that would be sugar, and that can be a big problem, because I love my sweets. There are two types of foods that can cause an inflammatory reaction that will exhaust your immune system. The first type are the foods you can't digest well; ones you may not even know you have a problem with. The most common food allergies are wheat, milk, eggs, and peanuts. When your body is sensitive to a certain food it puts your immune system into a fight mode so that when seasonal allergies come along it over reacts because it's still in that heightened state from trying to fight off the food allergies. This will cause your allergies to spiral out of control. If you follow a diet that minimizes inflammation in your body and creates little or no stress on your immune system, then your body won't react so violently to external allergies. The second type of inflammation causing foods affect everyone and you don't have to have food sensitivities, and these include saturated fats, processed foods, and heavily refined carbohydrates.
Daniel Monti, MD, director of the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and author of "The Great Life Makeover", says to cut out all of these products, especially during allergy season, and instead eat lots of fruits, veggies, and whole (gluten-free) grains. So how can you tell if there are underlying food allergies that are making your seasonal allergies worse? Eliminate one food at a time that you think is causing the problem, let's say for a week or so. Then, on the eighth day, bring that food back into your diet and watch for things like increased mucus, asthma-like symptoms, skin rashes, gas, bloating, heartburn, headaches, fatigue, or mood changes. If you see any of these symptoms, or you just don't feel as well as you did when you were off of that food, eliminate that food from your diet. Keep repeating this process with any other foods you think is causing your problem. You won't see immediate results once you've eliminated a food from your diet, and two to four weeks may pass before you do notice any relief. Also, if you are allergic to the food, you may be able to add it back into your diet once allergy season is over.
Stress: Research has linked overwhelming stress from work, family, money problems, and just the stress of life in general, to numerous chronic health problems and diseases. But, they have also discovered that stress can make your allergies worse, because the hormones and other chemicals released during long periods of stress, causes damage that triggers the immune response. Your body uses nutrients, including antioxidants and vitamins, to keep your bodys' defenses up against stress. But, when stress becomes a constant thing, the body will need more nutrients to keep it going. The more stress we have, the more likely we are to make very poor food choices and not get the sleep we need. When you look at all these factors, it's no wonder our immune systems are off balance! Getting regular exercise, enough sleep, and practicing mind-body techniques like yoga and meditation, will help you to manage the stress you face every day. Taking a daily multivitamin and eating five to nine servings or more of fruits and veggies a day will also help your immune system to build up the supply of nutrients it needs to fight stress.
Your home: Just like you, there are many of the things that trigger your allergies that consider your home a sanctuary. There are an unbelievable 52% of US households that have at least six detectable allergens, all of which can find their way into your body, this is stated in a report from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Some of those allergens that can be detected include animal dander, dust mites, mold, scented candles, cleaning products, and cigarette smoke. I rather imagine these allergens don't spark much of a histamine reaction in a healthy immune system, but if your immune system is hypersensitive, like it is when you have an autoimmune disease, they'll set off a number of alarming symptoms. Luckily, you can eliminate those possible reactions by doing a few simple things. The first thing you can do is to use a saline nasal rinse once a day, maybe twice if you're have a rough day. A saline nasal rinse will flush out any allergens in your nasal passages. You can purchase a nasal rinse in any drugstore or you can make your own by adding a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of baking soda to a quart of boiling water. Let the solution cool to body temperature before you put it in a neti pot to flush your nose. If the rinse burns, then you should add more baking soda. There are four other common household irritants that can compromise your immune system.
    Dust Mites: The key to controlling this little microscopic creatures is to give them fewer places to live. If it is possible, you might want to consider replacing your carpet with hardwood and you also might want to think about limiting upholstered items and fabric hangings like wall tapestries or drapes. To kill dust mites you will want to enclose your pillows, mattresses, and box springs in allergen proof covers, wash bed sheets, mattress pads, and blankets in 130 degree water every week. I also put all my pillows, bed and throw, in the dryer for about 45 minutes, once a week, the heat is what kills them. Now here's a trick I didn't know about, if you have stuffed animals, and who doesn't, every six weeks you will need to wash them in hot water or you can stick them in plastic bags and freeze them overnight to kill off the mites.
    Animals: Pets are one of the largest contributors to household allergens, including proteins found in their dander, dead skin flakes, urine, and saliva. Cats are actually worse than dogs because their dander is lighter and it clings to everything, which makes it more likely to breath in and cause your immune system to "attack" it. The thing about your pets dander is that it can linger a lot longer, so by swapping your carpet for hardwood, keeping your pets off upholstered furniture, and investing in a HEPA air filter, which reduces dander in the air and can make a difference
    Mold: One of the best ways to reduce mold in your house is to keep the temperature around 68 degrees and the relative humidity about 35 percent; you can pick up a humidity gauge to monitor this. Mold tends to grow in potting soil, especially if it's too moist, keep all indoor plants on the dry side and ban plants from the bedroom, where you spend up to a third of your time. You might want to place a dehumidifier in damp basements or crawl spaces during the summer, which can improve overall air quality throughout the entire house. Now for the last of the household allergens that can send your immune system into overdrive.
    Airborne chemicals. Try using natural cleaning products or better yet make your own. Here are some of the homemade products I use: for my furniture I mix 1/4 c. of vinegar to 3/4 c. oil (olive, vegetable, or lemon), for a general cleaner I will sprinkle plain baking soda on the surface and use a wet sponge or cloth to clean, after cleaning, rinse out your sponge or cloth and wipe the surface until all baking soda residue is gone. I use this on my tubs and sinks as well instead of soft scrub. For my windows I mix 1/2 c. rubbing alcohol with 1 c. of vinegar in a spray bottle and then I fill the bottle with water until it's full. You will also want to avoid synthetic fragrances in scented candles, detergents, and deodorant; and if you smoke or live with smokers, this would be a good time for everyone to stop.
Antibiotics: You use antibiotics to treat bacterial infections like strep throat, urinary tract infections, and some sinus infections, antibiotics succeed when it comes to fighting bacteria, but they can wreck havoc on the good bacteria that live in your intestines. Did you know that 70% of your immune system is stimulated by the good bacteria in your intestine? If you have taken antibiotics any time for anything there is probably a good chance that your immune system is imbalances. Taking a probiotic daily will help in countering any loss of healthy flora, but be sure that you find a brand with self-stable lactobacillus, while you're on antibiotics and for at least three months after you finish your prescription. There is research that supports this regiment: A study published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy found that people with grass pollen allergies who took probiotics experienced fewer allergy symptoms than those who didn't. You might even want to consider taking a probiotic year round for your overall gut health, especially if you're middle-aged or older.
The outdoors: I don't know anyone who has seasonal allergies, who spends much time outside during the allergy season. There are many different types of pollen that are the obvious offenders but there are also other irritants like pollution and diesel fumes, that can act like a chronic irritant on the mucous membranes of the nasal passages and the body has to work harder to eliminate them. To deal with these outdoor irritants, reach for your saline nasal rinse. Here's something to think about if you are wanting to get out of the house during the seasonal allergy time. Most plants pollinate in the morning, which is why the pollen count is higher during the first part of the day. So the best time to do that gardening, running errands or exercising would be in the afternoon. But better yet, a good time to go out is right after a storm. After all, I'm sure that many of you have been told that rain cleans the air and not only that but the pollen count is almost zero. While you can't expect it to rain every day to wash away the pollen, the next sure way to get your seasonal allergies under control is to tend to your immune system. Strengthen it with good healthy food and plenty of sleep, but the most important thing is to give it a rest. If your immune system isn't always rushing around trying to keep you healthy, there is a good chance it won't care about a little nose full of pollen and mold spores.
I know from experience just what it's like to have allergies and a compromised immune system. I had never had allergy problems until I was in Austin, Texas and got what they call cedar fever, another words I was allergic to the cedar pollen. I became so sick that I was taken to the hospital because I had stopped breathing because I was so congested. Anyway, after I got over that I ended up having allergic reactions to everything that pollinates, trees, flowers, bushes. I also found out that my fibromyalgia will trigger sinus infections and what feels like an allergic reaction to something. Because I have four autoimmune diseases my immune system is in a constant state of alert and rarely gets a break. It takes me several months to get over an allergy attack where it would take someone with a normal immune system a couple of weeks.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

5 Tips For Alleviating Annoying Allergy Symptoms

Are you tired of fighting your allergy symptoms day after day? Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to help lessen the symptoms of your allergies. The following five doctor tested and approved strategies will likely go a long way in providing you relief:
1. Isolate You Pets
Without a doubt, family pets can wreak havoc on those with allergies. Short of getting rid of the family pet, there are a couple of things you can do to help lessen the impact of them being around.
First, consider sealing off specific rooms - a bedroom at the very least - and never allowing your pet to enter this room. Add an air filter in this room and you've got yourself a safe haven.
Another tip is to give your cat or dog a bath on a regular basis. Doing so will typically reduce its levels of allergens.
2. Consider Using A Face Mask
If you know you are going to be exposed to a known allergen, wear a face mask. Let's take vacuuming, for example. A massive quantity of dust and other contaminants can fill the air while completing this chore. Gardening can do the same thing with pollen. By wearing mask that covers your nose and mouth, you can prevent dust, pollen or other airborne irritant from getting into your lungs and causing your allergies to kick into high gear.
3. No Smoking Policy
Tobacco smoke is a significant irritant for not only the smoker but for anyone else in close proximity of the smoker. It can worsen allergies, so if you want to be able to breath easier, keep your home, office and car smoke free.
4. Eliminate Dust Mites From Your Bed
To do this, wrap your pillows, your mattress and your box spring with covers that are allergen proof. They'll provide a barrier between you and any allergens inside them. When choosing these covers, be sure that they have a fabric weave of at least 10 microns which is tight enough to keep out dust mites.
5. Get Rid Of Carpeting
Sure, carpets look nice in your home, but they make a perfect home for dust mites and mold. In addition, tightly woven carpets also do a great job in attracting and holding pollen and pet dander. Steam cleaning your carpets may sound like a great idea, but all that really does is provide a warmer and wetter area underneath, which is the best type of environment for mold as well as mites.http://www.allergy-zero.com/hypnosis-to-overcome-allergies/

Tuesday 13 March 2012

A Three-Step Approach to Enhanced Indoor Air Quality

While there is a lot of literature causing fear in most home makers as to the increasingly polluted indoor air quality, they are probably produced with the best of intentions for the benefit of our general health. Indeed, we cannot be more surprised to find the EPA statistics of our indoor air quality IAQ being two to five times more polluted than that of the outdoor. There is however, a simple three step approach to enhance the IAQ, namely to identify and clean the source of bad air, and ensure a constantly cleaned environment with an indoor air purifier.
Pollutants that can exist in an enclosed space include allergen, bacteria, virus, mold spores, pollens, toxic smoke and oils, fumes and more. If taken lightly, we could be living in very sick buildings and homes which can literally cause major health hazards like severe allergies or chronic asthma over time. Hence it is critical that as home makers, we start paying attention to the air that we breath and learn how to keep them clean for peace of mind.
First step is to find out the source of pollutants and stamping out the emissions. Areas to look at, for instance, are your gas stoves, heat resistant insulation as well as human induced smoke, virus, fumes and pollen. In fact certain types of indoor air purifiers do emit toxic gases like ozone which are proven to be more harmful than helpful to your health.
Step two in this process is to let the air in and let them out. Yes, ventilate your space thoroughly. Open all windows and doors two times daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. Keep this simple process to a ritual and you will have fresher air in your home everyday. And always ventilate the house immediately after a paint job, in case the toxic fumes gets to your system.
And the final and the key step to complete this process is none other than to get your home an indoor air purifier in order to continuously clean the enclosed air. Switch them on when you are not airing the house as this helps to enhance the effectiveness a great deal more. You have the option for a whole house air cleaner or a simple desktop air purifier but bear in mind that performance does vary with price differences. What you need to understand though is that peace mind and home health is priceless to say the least.

Monday 12 March 2012

Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine = Allergy Relief

E.C., a 50-year old female, had suffered from allergies for about five weeks, when she consulted with me on her condition. E.C. had been examined and diagnosed by her primary care provider who prescribed a common allergy medication. She was experiencing ever increasing symptoms of itchy eyes, post nasal drip, and painful sinus headaches. She was concerned about taking her medication because her past medical history included intermittent menopausal symptoms, restless leg syndrome and chronic immune fatigue deficiency syndrome (CIFDS), which many may recognize as chronic fatigue syndrome. She was concerned the medications had made her feel even more dry and thirsty as well as fatigued. She could not afford to have these two conditions become aggravated while trying to treat her newly diagnosed allergies. What to do? She wanted to know if we had any solutions.
Allergy Sufferers Frustrated with Medications
This patient is not alone in her search for solutions to allergy symptoms, which have become less seasonal and more year round. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease reports more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies have become the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in our country. People are looking everywhere for relief. When your friends notice your runny nose, sneezing fits and your attempts to scratch your own eyes out, they usually want to help by referring you to a product or service that has helped them. Drug store sales of allergy/sinus tablets increased 17.8% for the year ended by January 22nd as stated by the Chain Drug Review (May 2006). They go on to note an annual volume of $1.1 billion in drug store sales alone in the country. While this amount of money reflects a strong trend in choices for treatment, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reported in their March survey that nearly a third (31%) of allergy patients are not satisfied with their current prescription allergy medication. The reason pointed out in the survey for these respondents being dissatisfied is that their current medication does not relieve their allergy symptoms for a long enough period of time. The survey also found that 47% of patients are taking multiple allergy prescription drugs, while 36% reported taking their prescription allergy drugs with non-prescription allergy medications. This is not only expensive, but raises some concern with health care providers about the safety of such practices. People are still looking for solutions. Let's read on to see how our patient from Andover made out with her worrisome symptoms.
Acupuncture to the Rescue!
The main symptom that drove E.C. into our clinic was to get relief from continual pain of sinus headaches. The pressure, facial discomfort along with her drippy runny nose and itchy eyes was getting to be too much to handle. We began her treatments with a course of acupuncture, which is widely used to successfully treat such symptoms. Acupuncture's effects as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic (pain relief) and circulatory agent can be used on the tight hard-to-reach sinus membranes just as we use these qualities to help painful tight muscles. Acupuncture does not react with any medication whether it's prescription or over-the-counter and does not have the side effects that raised concerns with our patient. The patient reported relief from sinus pressure and pain even after the first treatment with an alleviation of some of the "foggy headed" feeling she described in her initial visit. Over the next couple weeks E.C. reported no sinus headaches, less or no itchy eyes and more physical and mental energy. She began a walking regime and felt good about her progress. She described herself as 80% improved in her allergy symptoms.
Options Are a Good Thing
Working with her physician, E. C. then stopped all her allergy medications that had been prescribed and her use of over-the-counter drugs. They had experienced sufficient allergy relief and the medications may have contributed to difficult falling and staying asleep. Menopausal symptoms were becoming more noticeable and her doctor agreed to see how she felt without them. This is a good example of how we work with your existing health care providers. The patient was taking prescription medications at the time of her first visit. This is typical in our society, and we use acupuncture as an adjunct therapy. It's safe and effective for many conditions. The first goal is to help a patient feel better, while on their medication. We help to reduce the gap in care that often exists. Patients feel better on their medications, but not good enough. As we are able to assist them with relief, there may be a choice to reduce or eliminate some or all of their medications. That is up to the patient and their doctors. In E.C.'s case she was able to work with her physician to see how she felt without her allergy medications. Let's get back to our patient and see how this ends up.
More Customized Herbal Medicines Provide Allergy Relief and More
Perimenopausal symptoms were becoming more of an issue. She reported an increasing number of hot flashes, irregular menstruation, mood swings along with the CIFDS symptoms of unrefreshing sleep, which led to greater fatigue. Allergy symptoms were still improved and restless leg syndrome flared up with poor sleep. We decided to add Chinese herbal medicine as an adjunct therapy to her acupuncture. The combination worked well. As she began to feel consistently better, we cut back on her acupuncture visits. We found that the herbal medicine could successfully treat her allergy, menopausal, restless leg and CIFDS symptoms. She used acupuncture therapy on an as needed basis for any acute symptoms and managed the other conditions with our customized Chinese herbal medicine. Her office visits were infrequent, and we could modify her custom herbal prescription if a new symptom appeared, as was done successfully to treat her night sweats and poor sleep. With her energy level consistent and symptoms managed, our patient is free to enjoy her life and family. That's the goal... Freedom.
- David Sollars, M.Ac., Lic.Ac., H.M.C

FirstHealth of Andover PC was created to bring together accomplished practitioners of integrative medicine to guide, teach and assist the members of our community with their health concerns. Motivating patients' interest and revitalizing their ability to heal are at the center of our shared philosophy. Finding solutions, while partnering with your existing healthcare professionals, has been a hallmark of our medical principles.
The FirstHealth Staff has an opportunity to make a lasting difference with our patients. We must immediately address the concerns that brought you into our clinic. We then have an opportunity to work with you on any lifestyle changes that are designed to help you maintain health. We have found that patients enjoy learning how to stay healthy. It's a great feeling that we wish on all of our patients. We help you maximize the body's potential to heal, discover hidden possibilities for wellness, and enjoy the benefits that hope and balance can bring to life.
FirstHealth believes that by inspiring others to lead their own health team, the best combination of health care and self care will be achieved.
David Sollars, M.Ac., Lic.Ac., H.M.C., has combined his experiences from over two decades of practicing patient care during the continuing evolution of integrative medicine to offer a unique range of consulting. He is Past-President of Catapult Coffee, an herbal-enhanced coffee product with national distribution. Companies wishing to create or expand their footprint in the natural healthcare/selfcare arena will value his knowledge of the health-oriented marketplace, business development, and extensive background in natural product formulation. He is a national speaker and private consultant for developing business models for integrative medical practices.http://www.allergy-zero.com/hypnosis-to-overcome-allergies/

ADHD and Hyperactivity - Foods to Avoid

In the '70's when my oldest daughter was four years old, she was diagnosed with what was called "hyperactivity" back then. Today, the diagnosis might have been "ADHD" (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or "ADD" (attention deficit disorder).
I'm not an advocate of putting children on medications to control behaviors now, and I wasn't back then, either. In an effort to help my daughter by natural and alternative methods, I started researching. Keep in mind, we didn't have the internet back in the '70's. We had libraries. And bookstores. (What I wouldn't have given for the internet back then!) After thousands of pages of reading, and almost as many pages of notes, I chose to eliminate refined sugars, bleached flours, artificial flavors and artificial colors from her diet. The results were amazing - and successful!
Before her diet change, she would have periods where she just couldn't sit still. She would talk a mile a minute and would rush from one toy to another. It was as if she had a motor inside that was stuck on high speed! She also had behavior issues. You could see an immediate change in her after a piece of candy. She would be calmly sitting in her chair, reading a book (yes, she read at 4 years old). I would give her a small piece of candy. Within minutes, her foot would start tapping, then her legs couldn't be still. She would wiggle and squirm in her seat. She would then get up and walk around, then run and literally bounce off the walls. This would go on for an hour or more before she would start to wind down - and crash. Once I adjusted her diet, we no longer had the extreme behavioral highs and lows. She was just a "normal" kid.
Back in the '70's we didn't have "natural" or "organic" stores where I lived. Nor was this type of food available at the chain grocery stores, as it is today. Everything had to be made from scratch. I learned to make my own fruit roll-ups, crackers, breads, cakes, cookies and (yes) candy. It took a little more time than opening a box to cook dinner, but it was so much healthier for both of my children. They still had treats like the other kids. But I knew exactly what ingredients went into those treats. I used to take my kids trick-or-treating on Halloween. They would collect the candy, give it all away to their friends and we would go home and eat "good" treats. They had the fun of going from door to door, and they knew they couldn't eat the candy that was put in their bags. And they were ok with this.
I have a grandson who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He is currently on medications for his condition, but my daughter limits his intake of refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors as she limits the sugar intake of these items for all of her children. As always, it is up to the person - or parent - to decide if an alternative method is right for their family.

Saturday 10 March 2012

Ahhhh-choo! Indoor Air Quality Affects Seasonal Allergies

May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and this May is making it all too clear why the month was singled out for dubious recognition. The extreme snowfall of the past winter combined with several weeks of very warm weather has created the perfect storm of pollen for seasonal allergy sufferers. Experts say that this year will be exceptionally difficult for the 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.
We all know that exercising outdoors can make our allergies worse, but many people do not realize that indoor air quality can be even more problematic. According to Mike Tringale, the Vice President of External Affairs at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, "A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the air inside our homes can contain more allergens and pollutants than the air outside."
So how do we ensure that our homes are safe havens where we can breathe easy? The EPA recommends three strategies for reducing indoor air pollution:
1. Controlling sources of pollution
2. Ventilating adequately
3. Cleaning indoor air
Let's look at the different options and products available for each of the recommendations:
Mold - In warmer months, eliminate sources of moisture or humidity to prevent mold growth. Mold spores are one of the most common, and most dangerous, indoor allergens. The Allergy Relief Center recommends that homes should have less than 40% humidity to deter the growth of mold. Making sure your Central Air Conditioning system or HVAC is properly running is the first step. If you still encounter problems, a central dehumidifier might be an option. The professionals at BAIR Necessities can help you decide on the right solution for your home.
Pollen - Make sure pollen does not enter inside your house. Never wear your outdoor shoes inside, and change your clothes and wash your hair if you have been outside for a longer period of time. Put dirty laundry into a sealed container or hamper and wipe off your pets with a damp rag before they come into your house.
Other allergens - Develop a weekly cleaning regime to attack pollen, dust mites, and other allergens. Damp-mop wood or hard flooring and vacuum carpets. Use a vacuum cleaner with a small-particle or a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and change the filter frequently. Use a damp cloth to clean tops of doors, windowsills and window frames. If you have severe allergies, wear a dust mask while cleaning.
During non-pollen season, it is a good idea to open your windows periodically to completely ventilate your home. Our modern homes are well insulated, trapping the toxic gases that seep from the chemicals used in paint, carpets, furniture, mattresses, sheetrock or drywall, treated wood used in construction, etc. In pollen season, however, it is unwise for allergy sufferers to open their windows. How then, to keep our homes properly ventilated?
There are many different products available to help your home circulate and ventilate its air. Again, a good Central Air Conditioning or HVAC system is your first line of defense. A second option, especially for allergy sufferers or those who live in new homes where there is a higher danger of toxins being leaked from new building materials, is to install a mechanized ventilation system. BAIR Necessities only uses the finest quality ventilation systems from AprilAire.
A third option for home with allergy sufferers is to actually clean the air that passes through your home. You can do this by installing an Electric Air Cleaner. An Aprilaire Whole-Home Air Cleaner will make your air as clean as possible by actually removing harmful particulates from the air, allowing you to breathe healthier air. These air cleaners are effective at removing dust, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, pollen, bacteria and viruses, smoke and more.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Friday 9 March 2012

All About Allergy Relief

Allergy relief is something that more and more people are looking desperately for. Allergies can be very miserable and during allergy season, many sufferers simply do not feel like themselves. There may be some options to help you decrease some of the suffering you have been experiencing due to allergies, but you may have to look a little deeper to find some of the best treatments.
Some people find allergy relief by simply staying indoors and not opening the windows. Allergy season is usually one when the weather is the best and you do not want to be isolated during this time. You will want to find a way that allows you to be outdoors and not suffer from allergies.
You may get some allergy relief by visiting your doctor and obtaining a prescription. You may have to go through some uncomfortable testing before a medication is prescribed. You will also have to likely pay something out of pocket for both the prescription and also the doctor's visit. You may not want to wait this amount of time and there may be a better alternative for your needs.
There are many new natural products available for treating allergies and this can help you from experiencing the negative side effects of a prescription drug. Many of the prescriptions that are out there have nasty side effects and you may have relief from some of your allergies, but you may experience a negative side effect that is worse then you original symptoms.
Allergy relief is something that you may want to talk to other sufferers about and see what they are doing to combat their allergies. This may help you to find a solution for your allergy problem. If you feel like no one else is suffering from allergies like you are, it can be very helpful to reach out and find others that exhibit the same symptoms you do. Not only will this provide advice about what you can do to combat allergies, it also provides support. Support can be very helpful, especially if you are having a bad day and you will have a great system to turn to when you need it.
Allergy relief does not have to be a dream, and if you get out there and find out what your options are, you can easily find a great source of relief from the allergies you have been suffering with. You do not have to choose to live with allergies and there may be several great things you can try that you were unaware of.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Allergic Contact Dermatitis - An Introduction to Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Allergic Contact dermatitis is a branch of dermatology and is defined as the inflammation of the skin that is caused by chemicals that directly damage the skin, especially by contact. It is the delayed type induced sensitivity that results from contact with specific allergen that the patient is not allowed to touch or rather he/she is sensitive to. The causes of this disorder, according to those who specialize in Dermatology, changes as time goes by and according to those who first described the disease, mercury was found to be the most important cause of allergic contact dermatitis.
Time has passed by and as technology advances, dermatology has been a subject of interest as it was discovered that mercury was no longer the important cause of the disease. There was another chemical, Ethylenediamine, which was found in the original Mycolog that was also believed to cause the disease. In fact, it was listed as the primary cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis according to some Dermatology professionals, but after more research was done on the chemical, it was discovered that once mycolog was reformulated, it no longer contained the allergen although no one could understand how it was possible.
Chemicals that are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis have very small molecules that must bind to carrier proteins on langerhan cells, which are situated within the first layer of the epidermis. Dermatology has it that skin irritation by either allergenic or nonallergenic compounds triggers the cells to migration and maturation. Another chemical that equally plays a vital role in allergic contact dermatitis is the Cytokines, which is known to regulate accessory-adhesion molecules such as the intercellular molecules and this cytokine may be a sign of allergic contact dermatitis but not irritant contact dermatitis.
These langerhan cells are prone to migrate from the epidermis, which is the top layer of the skin, to the regional draining lymph nodes and there will be need for sensitization to the chemical and the best treatment for this chemical is the intact lymphatic pathways. The length of the initial sensitization is usually two weeks from the initial exposure to a strong allergen. The sensitivity to allergens ranges from one person to another. For instance, some individuals may develop specific sensitivity to allergens after years of chronic low-grade exposure that could be associated with chronic irritant contact dermatitis that could have come from alkaline nature of cement. According to specialists in Dermatology, this disease travels very fast: if a person is exposed to a chemical that the skin is sensitive to, AllergicContact Dermatitis will start developing within hours from the time of contact.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Monday 5 March 2012

Allergic Eczema - Uncover Effective Herbal Remedies to Say Goodbye to It

Allergy can lead to eczema, in other words, eczema is one of the allergic conditions. In addition, it can be accompanied with asthma. The article deals with herbal remedies to help you with allergic eczema treatment.
    Mix a teaspoon of granulated fresh hop bolls with a teaspoon of three-lobe beggar ticks. Infuse the mix of herbs with 150 grams of boiling water and leave the tincture to brew in a warm place. Afterwards, decant the decoction and drink all of it at once right before going to bed. Saturate a gaze with the decoction and put it on the bad skin areas.
    In order to fight lingering allergic eczema, you should perform the following procedure. Squeeze wild strawberries and wrap them in a gaze. Bind compresses to the affected skin areas and change them occasionally. Repeat the procedure for several days. Afterwards, prepare herbal salve or use fresh herbs if possible. Mix 10 grams of granulated thistle root, 5 grams of calendula blossoms, 5 grams of rose petals, 5 grams of melissa or peppermint tops, 5 grams of yellow everlasting, 5 grams of walnut-tree leaves and 5 grams of horsetail. Pestle oak bark and add 5 grams of it to the mix. Pour 250 grams of almond oil over the mix of herbs and boil it on small fire for 15 minutes. Afterwards, fill a thermos bottle with the tincture and leave to brew for a night. In the morning decant the decoction through doubled gaze and apply the salve to the bad skin areas. Keep it in refrigerator. The previously described method can be supplemented with enema of the decoction of three-lobe beggar ticks and chamomile.
    Pestle greater burdock leaves and put on the affected skin areas.

Sunday 4 March 2012

Allergies and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

When complaining about my allergies to my ex mother-in-law some years ago she retorted that they didn't have allergies in "her day".
Whilst finding this mildly irritating I think she was probably right and it also made me think about why this should be, and more recently I have discovered lots of possible reasons and explanations, and indeed my recent research has left me astounded to find out exactly what goes into a lot of the products we use in our personal care routines.
I have always been interested in health issues and my own problem with allergies has been a long standing battle, but only recently in pursuit of a home-based business - strangely enough - has the allergy issue been highlighted to a much greater degree for me personally.
I have spent a lot of time, money and effort trying to get to the root of my own problems with very little success, and the conventional route i.e going to the doctor has produced zero results. Another frustration for me has been that people often don't believe me and make up their own assumptions about what is really my problem, ranging from anorexia to wanting to be the center of attention (it's good to get that one off my chest!)
Anyway last year I joined Amazon Herb Company, a US company owned by a man named John Easterling who is now married to Olivia Newton John, and this was the start of my ongoing journey into some close scrutinisation of what we put into and onto our bodies. I have long since suspected that there are a lot of ingredients in our personal care products that really shouldn't be there, but like most other people I tended to think that there must be some form of legislation preventing harmful products i.e. chemicals from being present. Now, however, I am beginning to doubt this, seriously!
Two chemicals coming seriously into question are Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sulphate, which are both present in a great many day to day skin and hair care products. Upon initial research this is one of the quotes that I found - "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate started its career as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer and then irritating and eroding the skin, leaving it rough and pitted" Yet if you look in your bathroom cabinet you will find SLS present in the majority of shampoos, toothpastes, bubble bath and many other skin (improving) type products. Astounding!
My quest is now to find alternative products from companies that actually care about our health and not just their profits. If these issues also concern you I have included the link to my website via which you can contact me for more information on alternative products, and see some of the alternatives available from Amazon Herb Company.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

Friday 2 March 2012

Allergies and Their Effect on a Human Body

Allergy is an over-reaction of the body when it comes in contact with certain foreign substances. It is also referred to as atopy and immediate hypersensitivity. It is acquired, which means that this medical condition has developed post-fetally and predictable, which means that its symptoms are known commonly. Its symptoms come about rapidly, which explains why it is called immediate hypersensitivity. The foreign substances which cause allergies are known as allergens. The foreign substances are seen as harmless by the immune systems of normal people but harmful by the immune systems of allergic people. Allergens come in all shapes and sizes including dust particles, pollens, different types of foods etc. Different allergens are attributed to cause specific allergies in allergic people.
The root cause of an allergy is the disproportionally high activation of specific white blood cells called mast cells and basophils. They are activated by a type of antibody known as IgE. The activation results in an inflammatory response in different parts of the body such as a running nose in the case of a Hay fever. There are many allergies known today but some of the common are hay fever, asthma attack, food allergies, hives etc. Allergies range from mild to severe types. Hay fever for example is a common allergy which is widespread in the human population. Asthma attacks on the other hand are severe allergies and are known to cause serious consequences and even death.
Thanks to medical science, today we have many tests which can diagnose conditions that represent an allergy. These test can be skin based, which means that the skin of a person is tested to see if it responds to different known allergens. These tests can also be blood based. In this the blood of a person is analyzed to see the presence and level of the antigen called IgE. The treatments for allergies are diverse like the conditions themselves. For prevention purposes patients are advised to avoid the allergen altogether. They are also advised to take oral medication such as anti-histamines and different steroids. There are also many therapies available for combating these conditions.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Allergies and What to Look Out For

Allergies are very common, and most people will know what an allergy is. If you are unaware of what an allergy is, it is a type of bad reaction inside the immune system to a ordinary mild substance. Someone who does not suffer from any type of allergies will most likely have no reaction to the substance. However when there is someone who has allergies, their body will be set off by an encounter with the substance, the body will then respond by realizing chemicals, this will be the reason for the allergy.
When children experience a reaction it can be seen as eczema and most likely be a food allergy. Children that do experience eczema will be at a high risk of getting a type of asthma or allergic rhinitis; which is more than likely to happen when children are in school.
By adulthood eczema will probably go away likewise with many other food allergies. Asthma or allergic rhinitis can sometimes form during their teenage years and when they are young adults, and are likely to hang around throughout their lives. An allergic symptom may, however not be permanent and will disappear eventually.
An atopic dermatitis (eczema), is usually the first sign of an allergy and can be seen in up to 20% of children, normally around the infant age. This form of allergy is consisted with itching, and a rash. The rash will appear to be dry and red, could have small blisters and may ooze or flake overtime. For infants this rash may be on the face most typically around the cheeks, the chest, the back of the scalp, and could form on the arms and legs. Where the distribution is, is where the children are most likely to scratch. The rash will be different for older children to younger children. For adults the rash will most likely be behind the knees or on the elbows.
A food allergy will happen at any stage of someones life. If there is a food allergy that has evolved it will result in a skin symptom, like swelling, hives or a redness on the skin, because of eating the food that started it. The symptom can arise quickly or it may take a while to show up. There are other symptoms involved with a food allergies, they can be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches not being able to breath sneezing, lightheadedness or a runny nose.
Symptoms can occur at any time but if they are food allergies a rash will appear. Children will most likely develop a form of eczema when they are allergic to something. Some allergies may also disappear over time. However, any type of allergy should be treated and seen by a doctor.http://www.allergy-zero.com/