3. Watch pollen counts; if they’re very high, have your daughter play inside.

4. Get out the umbrellas and rain boots! Rainy and wet days (and cloudy and windless ones) are better for outdoor play. Pollen is less likely to be in the air.

5. Have your child wash and change after coming inside.

6. Don’t hang laundry outside to dry.

7. keep the car windows closed when you drive.

8. Mow the lawn and rake leaves when your child isn’t at home.

It’s hard to prevent all exposure, though. That’s where medication can help. Here are some of the options:

Diphenhydramine. This tried-and-true antihistamine can be very effective for allergy symptoms, and it’s available without a prescription. the downside is that it can make some children sleepy — and some children hyperactive.

Loratadine, cetirizine and fexofenadine. These once-a-day antihistamines are also available without a prescription. They’re less likely to make children sleepy (cetirizine may, but less then diphenhydramine). it can take a week or so before you really see results, so be patient.

Leukotriene modifiers. Leukotriene modifiers (such as montelukast) are prescription medicines that block leukotrienes, another chemical released during allergic reactions.

Cromolyn. An over-the-counter nasal spray (NasalCrom) that can help the nasal symptoms of allergies.

Nasal steroid sprays. These are sprayed into the nose, and can really help nasal congestion and sneezing. They’re available only by prescription.

Topical eye medications. if your child is plagued by itchy, runny eyes, and oral medication isn’t enough, your doctor may advise eye drops.

Some children with very severe allergies may need immunotherapy (allergy shots). but this is only after the above medications didn’t help — and after consultation with an allergy specialist.

(Claire McCarthy, M.D., a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications, is an assistant professor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She is an attending physician and medical communications editor at Children’s Hospital Boston.)

(For additional consumer health information, please visit health.harvard.edu.)

(c) 2012 PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Do you find yourself constantly reaching for a tissue during the holiday season?  your coughing and sneezing may not just be symptoms of a winter cold – they could be a sign of what I like to call ‘Christmas Tree Syndrome.’

Believe it or not, there are documented cases of people who suffer allergic reactions to their Christmas trees.  certain molds that are prevalent in conifer trees can irritate people who suffer from those allergies.

These molds, as well as the spores and other fungi present, can increase the risk of wheezing, persistent cough and allergic sensitization.

And of course, your symptoms will only be exacerbated when the tree is inside a confined space like your home.

RELATED: Boy, 3, Allergic to Things That Are Christmas

Now before you all start yelling at me for ruining Christmas, I want to clarify that I’m not telling people not to buy a Christmas tree this year.

Rest assured, there are ways to reduce the effects of Christmas tree-related allergies.  many places where you can buy trees will offer to spray the tree down with water.  You can also hose down the tree yourself and wait for it dry out before bringing it inside.

Furthermore, don’t let the tree stand for too long in your house.  I recommend that people stick to the 12 days of Christmas, then throw it out.  this will limit your exposure – and your health issues.

Finally: You can always buy an artificial tree.  some are even scented to smell real, and you don’t have to worry about them dying before Christmas.  But if you’re planning to keep it in the attic, keep in mind that next year it’ll probably be coated in dust, which can certainly trigger an allergic reaction as well.

However you plan to decorate your house this year, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 03, 2011

On November 24th, the Emmy Award-winning show “The Doctors” featured Allergy Armor products by AchooAllergy.com as part of their episode “Air: Are you Breathing yourself Sick”.

First airing in 2008,”The Doctors” has been touted as a groundbreaking show that addresses important health issues and provides relevant information about pressing health concerns. As part of their focus on allergens in the household, they identified Allergy Armor bedding as one of the foremost ways to reduce allergic reactions from dust mites and other bedding related allergens.

Dust mites are an inevitable part of every household, but for millions of Americans who are allergic to their allergens, they are a constant source of irritation. Dust mites consume particles of dead skin, the primary component of dust, and they are found in the highest concentrations in pillows and mattresses where there can be anywhere from 100 to 500 mites in each gram of dust.

Dust mite waste particles and tiny pieces of dead dust mites are light enough to become airborne where they are then inhaled, causing allergic reactions like congestion, coughing, wheezing, and sinus swelling.

The problem for allergy sufferers is that most household insecticides have no effect on dust mites. However, there are ways that individuals can reduce their exposure to dust mites in the home and, according to “The Doctors,” this is where Allergy Armor bedding can help. Allergy Armor bedding has the smallest average pore size in the industry – 2.8 microns – which is so small that dust mite feces, pet dander and other allergens cannot fit through it.

Dr. Travis Stork, in describing Allergy Armor Ultra pillows, “These are pillows covered with an allergen barrier fabric, that are hypoallergenic… and that helps control some of the dust mites, pet dander that can cause these symptoms.”

AchooAllergy.com offers five different types of Allergy Armor bedding including: mattress covers, duvet covers, box spring covers, pillows, and blankets. They also have seven different types of bedding fabric that are designed to combine top of the line allergen control with luxurious comfort. According to James Simmons, product manager for AchooAllergy.com, “There is such a variety of Allergy Armor bedding because each allergy sufferer has differing needs.”

There are organic bedding options that provide allergen protection for people with multiple chemical sensitivity; there are unique fabrics that shield again pet dander, moisture, and mold as well as dust mites; and there are also breathable cotton options and some with an antimicrobial finish. that is part of what makes Allergy Armor bedding the most comprehensive choice for allergy protection in the industry.

About AchooAllergy: Founded in 2000, AchooAllergy.com provides an entire range of products to address the control of allergens throughout the household. this includes asthma relief products, air purifiers, HEPA vacuum cleaners, humidifiers, steam cleaners, and dehumidifiers, in addition to allergy bedding. Products like the Dyson vacuum and Whirlpool AP510 featured in the episode are also offered.

Allergy Armor Ultra bedding covers, pillows and blankets are all made locally in Atlanta, Georgia. these, and all of the products mentioned, are available in their Atlanta showroom, via the Internet, a product catalog, or a network of over 4,000 referring allergy physicians. for more information, visit AchooAllergy.com or contact a customer service representative at 1-800-339-7123.

Read the full story at prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9011985.htm

Food Allergies, Symptoms of Food Allergies and Prevention

Quite a number of people suffer from allergic reactions. There are countless of possible allergens and they can bring about the onset of symptoms when one develops a reaction. one of the conditions in which many people suffer from is food allergies. with food allergies, one has a hypersensitivity to food, or one of its components.

An allergy is a severe reaction of the body’s immune system. The immune system goes into overdrive when there is a perceived threat to the body. In this case, the body perceives an ingredient in the food, like protein, as potentially harmful and goes all out to attack this ingredient and you, in the process.

When it comes to symptoms of food allergy, different people may have different set of symptoms. However, most of them will feel a swelling of tongue and throat along with having a tingling sensation in the mouth. Difficult in breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure and abdominal cramps may also be experienced by some people. Here, it is essential to mention that severe allergic reactions can cause death because they can affect cardiovascular system as well.

Food allergies happen when a person’s immune system believes that something he or she ate is harmful to the body. In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system produces antibodies, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), to that food. Those antibodies then cause mast cells (allergy cells in the body) to release chemicals, one of which is histamine, into the bloodstream.

An allergic reaction can be manifested in different ways and in varying intensities in different people. some allergies may show obvious symptoms while others may not. some people may react immediately once exposed to the allergen while in other people, it may take several hours for the symptoms to be manifested.

There seems to be about eight food allergies found. These foods include peanuts, milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and fish and shell fish. Each of these food allergies can be life threatening if not treated immediately. In addition, there are also people with allergies to fruits, vegetables and even seeds. some of these common food allergies are seen most often in children.

So what is a food allergy sufferer to do? The first course of action is to educate themselves on labeling practices. Knowing where to look in a label for allergen information is a good first step. Avoiding foods that are labeled with the allergen is the primary method of treatment, since there is no cure for food allergy. Next, the food allergy sufferer must learn about ingredients that could contain allergens. for example, milk protein can appear under many labels and milk protein allergy can be caused by casein and whey.

Food allergies often result in food cravings. This seems to be a controversial statement but it is a fact accepted by medical establishment. This kind of allergy is called type B allergy and means food intolerance. Such intolerance can lead to weight gain, bloating, fatigue, water retention, etc. some foods we crave will not necessarily make us fat, but others can be major contributors to weight gain.

Time: Thursday, April 21st, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Dairy allergy is a kind of food allergy that suddenly develops whenever the immune system starts to respond adversely to proteins that are always present in milk. a lot of people assume that this dairy allergy symptom is the same as lactose intolerance symptom. but they are definitely two contrasting conditions.

Lactose intolerance is a result from the absence of digestive enzymes required in digesting lactose sugar commonly found in milk and it has very far to do with our immune system. Dairy allergy symptoms are serious when compared to lactose intolerance. This type of allergy is commonly found in infants below 12 months of age. but some adults may also contract dairy allergy symptoms in their later years of life. Some infants outgrow it while others continue to experience it throughout their life.

Reasons behind Dairy Allergies

The protein content that is ever present in dairy products commonly acts as allergens and is bound for this type of food allergy. Whey and Casein are the protein components of dairy products that make allergic reactions. If you will observe a curd, you can definitely identify these two proteins separately. Casein is that solid part of milk while whey is the watery part. whenever dairy allergic people consume these products, their immune system assumes these milk proteins to be harmful substances that entered the body. It releases a big amount of antibody histamines in order to control these substances and gives way to dairy allergy symptoms like inflammation.

Dairy Allergy Symptoms

How intense dairy allergy symptoms can be are often ranging from mild to severe. Some immediately appear as soon a person with dairy allergy consumes any kind of dairy food; while others may even take hours before it manifest. Among the dairy allergy symptoms visible on the skin are the appearances of hives, red and itchy rashes, swelling in some areas of the face, tongue and throat. Some dairy allergy symptoms in the digestive system would results in vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, gas, abdominal cramps, and bloating. The respiratory system also shows dairy allergy symptoms like coughing, wheezing, sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and watery eyes.

The dairy allergy symptoms in both infants and adults are the same. although, there may be some prevalent dairy allergy symptoms in infants that tend to get ear and nose infections, eczema, lack of energy and frequent bed-wetting.

IF you tend to get dairy allergy symptoms then you need to avoid them. you can get other alternatives in some soy products to complete your dietary requirement. and for infants, there are soy-based “milk” formulas available in the market.

I need a list of some fatal allergies and their symptoms for a book I'm writing. Food would probably be the easiest to write, but I'm sure I could at least try to pull something different off. also, the more symptoms the better (in this case).
Thanks so much!

natural rubber latex, drugs such as penicillin based antibiotics, local anaesthetics, some anti inflammatories, foods such as peanuts, walnuts, fish, cows milk, eggs (yolk or white) [often a cause of vaccine reactions], tomato, kiwi, banana, bee and wasp stings… even exercise can cause anaphylaxis in a few unlucky people. There are lots more triggers out there

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include:

Hives
itching skin
nausea/ vomiting/ diarrhoea
palpitations
swelling (odema) most dangerous on tongue or throat
'feeling of impending doom'
collapse

Blood pressure goes down as the fluids leak out of circulation.

There are a lot of good web sites that have a lot of information on this subject. For in depth medical information immunology textbooks often explain how allergic reactions progress in great detail.

Things people can have a fatal reaction to are: milk, eggs, peanuts, strawberries, bee stings, penicillin, tree nuts, and even the smell of skunk. The symptoms are usually similar: hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and a feeling of doom. a reaction to skunk can also cause laryngitis.

It depends on the cause. you need to discuss this with your Dr.

go to about.com
it has a very extensive explaintion about it.
Mine started to fail due to several serve allergic reactions to sulfa medications they were telling me to take..even though they knew I was allergic to sulfa..had to stay on 50 mgs. every 4 hours of benadryl or react badly enough to go to the ER and be on that much Benadryl & 14 day courses of Predisone.found more information on about.com,than I could get from my specialist..his nurse gave me the site

symptoms of kidney disease are broad. But whenever the kidneys are malfunctioned, they lose the filtering function; protein will leak out, electrolytes will be all mess up.

a patient with kidney disease will be easily fatique, edema or swollen of feet, arms and face. other symptoms will be blood in the urine, but most of the time microhematuria is not visible to nake eye, or abdominal pain.

If you suspect of kidneys disease, 2 easy screening tests: urinalysis and a metablic profile including sodium, potasium, chloride, bicarbonate level, phosphate, calcium, BUN, creatinin, glucose, and albumin.

good luck

If you go online to the National Kidney Foundations website, it is very helpful and informative on this subject.

Kidney disease is sometimes difficult to recognize in the early stages. They are located just above your hip region and if you have discomfort in that area you need to be checked out. When you have progress, the symptoms range from dizziness, leg muscle pain and weakness, excessive thirst and urination, etc.

Many people don't realize they have this and it can progress and cause life threatening problems with heart and lungs. People with diabetes must be especially careful with their kidneys.

There are blood tests, urine tests, CT scans, and ultrasound that can be used to diagnose kidney problems.

Don’t assume you have food allergy

by cornell mcclellan Jan 13, 2011 01:53PM

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If you have ever suffered from fatigue, headaches, stomach ailments, and/or skin concerns, you might have wondered if food allergies are to blame.

Food allergies are rapidly becoming a popular culprit for many mysterious health ailments, leading people to cut out everything from wheat to seafood to dairy from their diets.

For those that suffer from food allergies, the risk can be great. Food allergies often are merely considered a nuisance, but for many people, allergic reactions can be severe and quite dangerous.

In fact, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh found that food allergies accounted for more than 1 million emergency room visits. Researchers tracked emergency room data from 2001-2005, and found that food allergy complications led to almost 200,000 ER visits a year.

Symptoms of a food allergy reaction can include: dizziness, tingling in the mouth, swelling in and around the mouth, nausea, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, hives or eczema. a person also can go into anaphylaxis, a dangerous condition in which the airways become blocked. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include difficulty breathing, constricted airways, rapid pulse and shock. (In these situations, immediate medical treatment is required).

Reported cases of food allergies have greatly increased in the last few years, with up to 25 percent of people reporting a food allergy of some sort. however, the truth is that only around 2 percent of adults and 6 percent of children suffer from food allergies. Of those who suffer from food allergies, the most common reactions tend to be the result of one or more of these culprits: dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, seafood and nuts.

If you have experienced unpleasant side effects after ingesting certain foods, be careful before you immediately assume that food allergies are to blame. Numerous conditions (such as irritable bowel syndrome) might mimic the gastrointestinal symptoms of a food allergy.

Additionally, it’s also important to note the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance.

A food allergy often sets in quickly after a person completes her meal, with symptoms taking hold mere minutes after the food has been swallowed. This immediate reaction actually is the work of the immune system, which responds to the allergen by sending out histamines. (The histamine and other chemicals then lead to the food allergy symptoms).

A food intolerance can take hours or days before symptoms arise, and it rarely involves the immune system. Instead, food intolerance occurs when a person’s body simply cannot break down certain foods.

For example, a person who is lactose intolerant lacks the necessary enzyme (lactase) to break down dairy. with a simple pill such as Lactaid, many people who are lactose intolerant still can enjoy small amounts of their favorite dairy products such as ice cream.

However, people with food allergies generally cannot consume even small amounts of food that contain allergen triggers (at least not without risking severe side effects).

If you believe that you or a family member might be suffering from a food allergy, it’s important to see a doctor who specializes in allergy treatment. before your visit, keep a detailed food diary tracking your meals so that he can discover any possible correlation between your diet and your symptoms.

Write down the time you ate, what you ate, how the food was prepared, and how shortly thereafter you experienced any negative side effects. with this information, your doctor will be able to help you create a diet plan that makes you feel and look your best!

Cornell McClellan is the owner of Naturally Fit, 310 S. Racine, a personal training and wellness facility. he is also the fitness trainer for the President of the United States and the first Lady.

(PRWEB) April 8, 2005

Immunotherapy is allergy shots which are usually reserved for people who have more severe symptoms of sinusitis, sinus infection and allergy. This can be time consuming and expensive however, shots will decrease you risk of developing asthma and other related reactions.

Sinus pressure infection is just one of the symptoms. This is due to irritation in the nose by irritants with the big chance that sinuses may become irritated and therefore cause the swelling of the sinus membranes.

Studies shows that immunotherapy injections like desensitization and allergy shots can improve symptom severity and reduce medication use and may even reduce the risk of developing new allergies and sinus infections in the future.

Recent human studies using fragments of DNA attached to allergen offer the prospect of stimulating a potent anti-allergic immune response without the risk of allergic reactions. such methods offer the possibility of developing preventative allergy “vaccines” that might prevent the onset of disease if administered to children at high risk. From time to time, studies describing more convenient and less frequent treatments have been described.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) has this objective of allergen immunotherapy to improve the practice of allergen immunotherapy for patients with allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, sinusitis and sinus infections.

This stricture is intended to increase the appropriate use of allergen immunotherapy, reduce the under use, overuse and misuse of allergen immunotherapy; and simply establish guidelines for the safe and effective use of allergen immunotherapy, while reducing unwanted and unneeded variation in immunotherapy practice.

About Sinusinfectionproblems.com

Sinusinfectionproblems.com is an online help for those persons who are suffering sinus infection problems. This site can give you a better understanding about sinus pressures that a certain person can have when he has serious sinus infection.

Amylase is an enzyme which is essential to break down starch into sugar. Amylase enzyme is found in human saliva and it aids in the chemical process of digestion. Further, amylase is found in the pancreas as it aids in the hydrolyses the starch into disaccharides and trisaccharides. this hydrolysized starch is then converted to glucose which is burned to produce energy for the body.

All in all amylase is essential to break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars which can be used by the body to generate energy. Deficiency of amylase results in fat intolerance especially among individuals who consume high volumes of complex carbohydrates

Amylase deficiency is associated with severe problems. These include,

1. Skin problems including eczema, psoriasis, allergic reactions, dermatitis, etc
2. Amylase deficiency is also known to trigger respiratory distress and contribute to asthma attacks
3. In severe cases of amylase deficiency, individuals may suffer from chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis or pancreatic cancer.

One of the leading cause for amylase deficiency is a high carbohydrate diet. High volume of complex carbohydrate in the diet results in increased demand for amylase to convert them into simple sugars. After prolonged period of time, the levels of amylase fall below normal which result in Amylase deficiency.

Amylase deficiency treatment would comprise of restricting the intake of complex carbohydrates and starch in the diet. Reduced complex carbohydrates, reduces the demand for amylase which in turn aids in management of the symptoms associated with the problem.