Eczema Caused by Dust Mites Is Not Just an Allergy

by Gloria MacTaggart

Dust mites have long been known to cause and exacerbate eczema. Until recently, this was assumed to be the result of an allergy. However, a new study suggests that the skin conditions associated with dust mites are more than allergic reactions – exposure to these microscopic insects actually causes a breakdown of the protective function of the outer layer of the skin. Solving this problem can be difficult – you can reduce dust mites, but you can’t eliminate them. Your best solution is two-pronged approach – reduce the mites as best you can, and use a shielding lotion that has been proven as an effective eczema treatment.

Dust mites are microscopic or sometimes barely visible creatures that live in house dust. They are in the obvious places where dust builds up, like behind the couch or refrigerator, but also hide in just about anything that is stuffed or made of thick fabric – carpets, furniture, pillows, mattresses, stuffed animals and blankets.

Lancet published a study years ago that made doctors aware that dust mites were associated with eczema. However, the new study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, narrowed things down further.

According to the new study, mice exposed to the mite enzyme experienced transepidermal water loss, indicating that the protective layer of the skin had been disrupted. According to Toshiro Takai, one of the authors of the study, this finding explains why dust mites cause dry skin and eczema. The study also noted an increased level of riboflavin, which indicates that the skin is more accessible to allergens and irritants in general. So, skin that has been damaged by exposure to dust mites is also more susceptible to other irritants and allergens such as mold, pet dander and chemicals.

How do you solve the problem? Keeping your home as dust-free as possible and encasing mattresses, box springs and pillows in hypo-allergenic covers will help, but a shielding lotion is also vital.

A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that locks in the skin’s natural moisture and keeps out irritants and allergens. Thousands of doctors now recommend a shielding lotion for dry skin and eczema treatment and, as it’s impossible to live in a completely irritant-free environment, it must be included in any eczema treatment program.

Surviving Outdoor Allergies Naturally

By Jayson Kroner

Spring means many different things, to many different people. For individuals who live with seasonal outdoor allergies, it means finding a way to cope with months of discomfort every time they step outside. Each year, millions of allergy sufferers instinctively reach for over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs as their first line of defense. Unfortunately, not all users take the time to read and fully understand the potential side effects of these chemicals.

Allergy medications work by suppressing the immune system to prevent the release of a substance called histamine. Under certain circumstances, haphazardly taking these medications could pose a significant health threat to individuals with a compromised immune system. Surprisingly, very few people are even aware that there are natural compounds available to help support healthy histamine and immune system response. Let’s review four of the most promising.

Quercetin
During an allergy attack, white blood cells produce billions of molecules that scour the body in search of mast cells. Once they have been located, the two types combine to form one cell. Once this merger has occurred, they newly formed cells gradually begin to secrete histamine. Quercetin is a bioflavonoid that works by stabilizing mast cells, thus preventing them from releasing excess histamine into the bloodstream. It is histamine that promotes the sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and other symptoms associated with allergies. Stabilizing the cells that produce histamine has a powerful effect on how much histamine circulates throughout the body. Nutritionists recommend taking Quercetin with Bromelain, to help increase efficacy.

Probiotics
Many people fail to realize that the human digestive tract plays an important role in allergies. In 2003, the Kirin Research Group in Japan discovered a particular strain of Lactobacillus, named Lactobacillus KW. According to Kirin researchers, this unique bacterium could be helpful in preventing the onset of some common allergies, including hay fever. This was evidenced in studies using animal models, where a marked reduction in allergy symptoms was reported. More impressive, studies conducted on humans with hay fever showed that adding Lactobacillus KW significantly reduced the frequency and severity of allergy symptoms. This is an indication that probiotics may be helpful in modulating immune response to allergic triggers.

Omega- 3
Researchers are constantly finding potential new health benefits associated with the consumption of omega-3 essential fatty acids, found in fish and flax oils. One study that may be of great interest to allergy sufferers took place in 2003. This study examined the effect of fatty acids in 334 individuals who suffered from hay fever. At the conclusion of this study, researchers determined that there appears to be link between high oleic acid (omega-9) levels and hay fever. Interestingly, they were also able to determine that people who consumed little to no omega-3 fatty acids reported the worst symptoms. This is just another reason that we, as health-seeking consumers, need to remain keenly aware of maintaining adequate omega-3 intake.

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
NAC is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to increase the body’s production of the important antioxidant, glutathione. To date, there’s no evidence that it can completely eliminate allergy attacks, however it does appear to create an environment that is unfavorable to their proliferation. Within the body, glutathione is heavily involved in the protection of cells, oxidative cellular defenses, and a number of immune-related activities. Research has shown that glutathione also helps stabilize the lung’s response to inflammation in asthma models, while increasing the body’s production of T-cells involved in immune response. Ultimately, researchers believe that NAC might help the body naturally reduce the inflammatory response that leads to heightened allergy symptoms.

If you are one of the millions of individuals who enjoy spring and summer with some trepidation, relief might be closer than you think. The nutritional sciences are constantly discovering new ways to improve the quality of life without drugs and synthetic chemicals. A skilled, certified nutritionist can be very helping you in understanding what may be best for you.

Allergy: An Immune Malfunctioning Process

By Farzina Naznin

Allergy is a popular form of immune reaction which creates the process of irritating the body through means of itching. Allergy is basically a Greek term which means “other work.” Allergy is a common disorder which is virtually affecting more than 50% of the total world population in one way or the other. Allergy often leads to the formation of certain chronic diseases. Allergy may be caused due to weather, dust, food, pollution, animals, flowers, plants etc and the list is quite unending.

Certain signs and symptoms of allergies may be enumerated as follows:

• Swelling of the nose in the nasal cavity area with continuous itching.

• When allergy affects the eyes, the eyes experiences redness and also itching in the conjunctiva areas around the eyes.

• Blocking of the airways which leads to continuous wheezing and sneezing.

• Pain in the inner portion of the ears.

• Rashes in the skin which is generally caused due to continuous rubbing and itching of the affected area.

Allergy needs proper treatment and medical diagnosis. But most importantly, allergy which is caused due to dust and pollution can be treatment by way of avoiding and thus taking precautions toward it. It is basically recommended to stay far away from those things which produce allergies. I myself would like to sate here that I m prone to catch allergy due to dust, so I better prevent myself to the explosion of dust than to suffer from the consequence of it. Thus prevention works better than cure in respect of allergy. But sometimes when allergy becomes very acute, proper treatment should be meted out to overcome it. Before providing the basic treatment to the allergy patient, the root causes of it should be firstly diagnosed. So for this purpose, a proper skin test should be conducted over the patient suffering from allergy. Through this process the basic cause behind the occurrence of allergy can be sorted out and on the basis of it the right treatment could be meted out to them.

Moreover, there are a lot of therapies which has been meted out for overcoming of allergy. These therapies are readily made available in the market. Certain alternative medicines like ayurvedic medication, homeopathy, herbal medication, and certain Chinese medicines are helpful in overcoming various types of allergies. Besides these, there are also to certain aromatic processes which also work wonders in the process of overcoming allergies.