Allergy Season Is Here

Examples of some allergens' are: pollens, molds, dust mites, bee stings, stings by other insects, and foods, of which there are many. Some very distinct foods are allergy triggers, such as, peanuts, milk, eggs, gluten products, but it can be any food that will prove to be an allergen to a particular individual. When an individual reacts to any type of allergen, they are called allergic or "atopic". Allergic reactions occur in different forms such as:

·Allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies), which affects approximately 35 million or more Americans. Of these, 5 or 6 million are children.

· Asthma affects about 15 million in America-about 5 million are children.

·Allergic "Conjunctivitis", causes redness and swelling of the membranes of the eyes. It also causes them to be watery and very itchy.

·Allergic Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis), causes skin rashes and dryness, especially around the eyes and body creases, such as in the elbows, behind the knees, and the trunk of the body. It can also cause hives (Urticaria), from very tiny to giant hives that can affect any part of the body, and are extremely itchy.

·Allergic or anaphylactic shock is the most serious type of reaction you can have. This can be life threatening if not immediately treated. The individual can go into shock. This can cause swelling of the throat, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, wheezing, shortness of breath and can cause a serious drop in blood pressure. The drop in blood pressure occurs when the individual is in shock.

Allergens' can be found everywhere. They are in the environment, the air we breathe, the grounds we walk on, and everywhere within our homes. Read in the health hints below as to how any individual with any type of allergy should try to improve their life.

Health Hints***

Anyone with an allergy should try to identify what he or she is allergic too. This can prove to be a very daunting task. If you feel that it is food that is causing the allergy, the best way to proceed is to go on a very strict diet for one week or even longer if you can stick with it. You diet should consist of lamb, white rice, canned peaches, plain rice cakes, and apricot nectar, and nothing else. You need to strictly adhere to this diet until you feel that your allergy has subsided and is no longer causing the symptoms that have been a problem. When this occurs, you can add one food at a time to your diet. For example, you can add a favorite breakfast cereal, but do not use milk, use a little apricot nectar instead. If the cereal does not trigger symptoms, next time you can add milk as another food. If you tolerate this new food without any symptoms occurring, add another food to your diet. Proceed with this regime until you are back on a full diet. I would recommend that you keep a daily log of all the foods you have eaten and reserve one column next to that food for any symptoms that may arise. If at anytime during this process you find that a particular food triggers your allergy, that food is omitted from your diet forever. This may seem like a long drawn out way of rooting out your allergen, and it is, but it will prove to be t your advantage. If you do not go this route, you will need to go to a Dermatologist. He or She will then start a series of skin scratch tests, starting with the most obvious of all the allergens. There can be dozens and dozens of these tests until the allergens are identified.

Those suffering from a nasal rhinitis are usually reactive to pollens and grasses of all varieties. On days that have high pollen counts, they should attempt to remain indoors if at all possible. They should also start a daily routine of nasal lavage. Rinsing the nasal passages will help clear much of the pollens, dust mites, animal dander, and etc. from nasal membranes. Nasal rinses can be purchased over-the-counter, or can be home made. You will need a type of nehti pot or a special nasal syringe. To make your own rinse, add about 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt to about 1 pint of distilled or purified water. You can also add 2 drops of hydrogen peroxide if you wish. (at times I have used 2 drops of apple cider vinegar instead of the hydrogen peroxide). Tilt your head to the side while flushing one nostril until the water runs out of the other nostril. Repeat on the other nostril.

Those individuals who are seriously prone to allergic or anaphylactic shock type of allergies, should discuss with their healthcare provider, whether it would be advisable for them to carry an adrenaline pen to use in an emergency situation. They should also have a card or bracelet with enough information, so that they can be helped if unable to respond themselves. Any bystander should immediately call 911.

For more information on allergies visit his website and click on Journal Index and read the 2 articles: "Living In A Toxic World", and "Allergies Cause Misery".