Allergies And Clean Air

By: Ted Zajac, Jr.

Allergies are caused by exposure to pollution of either a particulate form such as pollen or a chemical form such as polyvinylchloride. The results of exposure to a pollutant to which the body is allergic vary dramatically. Hayfever with a few sneezes in the morning is a mild reaction while Multiple Chemical Sensitivity can completely debilitate a sufferer. So, what can be done to reduce the symptoms from these allergies? The answer is a lot.

While this article addresses the use of portable air purifiers, the first layer in a plan to reduce allergic symptoms must be to eliminate the source of the pollution. An air purifier is typically not able to keep up with an active source. So, for instance, while a good home air purifier can reduce the smell and particulates from a cigar, it will not be effective while a cigar is being smoked. Secondly, surfaces and materials that might harbor the pollutant such as rugs, walls, light bulbs, drapery, and upholstery must be cleaned or eliminated from the environment. All of these items will continue to return the pollutant to the environment. Thirdly, if there is a forced air system in the home or office the filter must be changed regularly and duct cleaning should be considered in older homes and offices. Often these first steps remove the pollutant and the allergy sufferer finds relief without the use of an air purifier.

All of the effective air purifier technologies are simple. There is a box with a fan and some system, either electronic or mechanical, that removes pollutants from the airflow that is passing though the box. The real key to understanding how to use an air purifier is to remember that only the air that goes though the box gets cleaned. So, if you have a very long room you may be better with two small air purifiers at either end rather than one large unit in the middle. Think logically and remember how these devices work.

The technology that you should employ is determined by what type of pollutant you are trying to remove. Adsorption media such as activated carbon or zeolite will remove chemical pollutants, HEPA and electronic technologies will remove particulates, and UV technology will disable microorganisms. Typically these technologies are used in combination.

Pollen is a particulate pollutant and is best addressed with either a HEPA system or an electronic system. HEPA is highly effective but the filters must be changes on an interval that varies from 6-months to 5-years depending on the manufacturer. Electronic filter elements do not need to be changed but must be washed regularly to remain effective. Both of these technologies are usually combined with an activated carbon filter. These vary from pounds of media to a then mat. Since pollen is a particulate we do not need to worry about the activated carbon but do not expect much from the activated carbon mats. They do not offer enough exposure time to be effective at removing chemicals or odors.

Microorganisms are often a concern for those that have weak or damaged immune systems including the very young and elderly. The most effective way to address the spread of microorganisms is the use of UV light in the air purifier. This light affects the DNA of the organism and at least keeps it from reproducing but more often kills it. UV light is typically employed in conjunction with HEPA technology so that the air is clean of particulates that would shade the microorganisms from the UV radiation.

Chemicals are removed from the air via a process known as adsorption. A media is used such as activated carbon that has tremendous surface area. As the chemicals encounter the media they adhere to the media and coat it, thus removing the chemicals from the air. While activated carbon is a good general purpose media, there are other mixtures that have been created by the air purifier companies that address specific compounds. Therefore, if you know which compounds you are targeting for removal it is best to communicate this with the firm to get the proper mixture to address your issue. Much like UV, HEPA is usually used in combination with the adsorbing media. This assures that the media does not become clogged with particulate pollution and made less effective.

In summary, the first defense against airborne allergens to remove the source of the allergen and anything that will retain the allergen. Secondly, pick a technology that is effective with the specific allergen that is the issue. Thirdly apply air purifiers in such a way as to maximize the air that is going though the unit.

The Must Know Info On Allergy

By Ashely Farrar

Peanuts could lead you breathless, a bowl of pulses may cause swelling of the tongue and throat, or a fish preparation may lead to redness of skin and an incessant rash. The list is endless, and these are just a handful of the common allergies that people suffer from. While their occurrence may be common, what really makes the task difficult is that there is no cure for an allergy, and the only way out is by preventing the intake of food that causes allergy.

Simply defined, an allergy is intolerance of the immune system to specific foods. You are allergic to food when your body reacts adversely to it, thereby producing excess histamine, which triggers a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system.

Although an individual could be allergic to any food, such as fruits, vegetables and meat, it’s protein-rich food that more than 80 per cent of the people are allergic to.

You could either be allergic to specific food items, or preservatives. In case of food, allergies are generally caused by protein rich food stuffs like peanuts, fish, egg, soy, wheat and pulses.

While an allergy may develop at any age, there is no specific cure, which can be prescribed. Doctors prescribe anti-histamine drugs and may even have to inject steroids in severe cases, but these only subdue the effects after an allergy has occurred. There is no long-term cure or means to get rid of any allergy and the only way out is to prevent the intake of food that causes the allergy.

The symptoms vary from urticaria – red patches, indicating excess of blood supply to that region of the body, to general body rash and itching. In severe cases it may lead to breathlessness and angioneurotic oedema, where the wind pipe is blocked.

Patch test to find out the specific food that causes allergy exist. These are restrictive in nature and can only test allergy to 50 to 100 food stuffs. The method of exclusion serves best. Doctors recommend maintaining a diary. Once you know that you are allergic to something, start recording everything that you eat in a diary. It will be easier to detect the particular food whenever you develop symptoms next.

Once you determine what you are allergic to, it is important to learn to read food labels and thereby avoid eating food that you are allergic to. The dictum, prevention is better than cure, works best in case of allergy.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction

Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he/she is allergic.

1. Tingling sensation in the mouth

2. Swelling of the tongue and throat

3. Difficulty in breathing

4. Vomiting

5. Abdominal cramps

6. Diarrhea

7. Drop in blood pressure

8. Loss of consciousness

Symptoms may be mild or very sever, depending on how much of the food you have consumed and extent that you are allergic to it

Allergies – Start With The Bedroom

By Michael Russell

If you an allergy sufferer that suffers from dust, pollen, or any other nasal allergies, you should consider the most important room in your house: the bedroom. Why the bedroom? The bedroom is where we spend the most time in the house, or even anywhere. In fact, on average, we spend roughly eight to nine hours a day in the bedroom. So why not take the room that’s the most important and make it an allergy-free environment?

The bedroom is where we sleep. So to make sure that the room remains allergy-free, check the most important areas of the room.

Since we spend more time in bed, we need to find ways to make sure that the bed isn’t a source of dust or dust mites. One way to maintain an allergy-free environment is to have a mattress encasing. A mattress encasing shields exposure to molds, bacteria and dust mites. In most cases, the encasings are made of a fabric (cloth) that is tightly constructed so that allergens can’t enter them. There are various encasings that are available in many sizes.

Like mattress encasings, pillow encasing is vital. Pillow encasings have the same properties as mattress encasings but they are more important since we rest our heads on them. If you can get only one item, the pillow encasing would be a necessity.

Dust mites can live almost everywhere, including blankets. The blanket could be a haven for these creatures since it has an environment that’s hospitable for these creatures. There are hypoallergenic comforters and blankets for the bed that can dramatically reduce the dust and dust mites.

Another way to combat dust mites is to make sure that your bedroom is clean. Carpets should be thoroughly vacuumed and blankets washed consistently. By washing and cleaning these items, you can eliminate most of the dust and other allergens. Interestingly, there are carpet treatments to handle dust mites such as X-Mite Carpet Cleaning formula.

Clearing the air is a good practice as well. The air in the bedroom can become stale and full of allergen particles. Air purifiers are ideal for the bedroom. It’s a common mistake to put an air purifier in the family room if there’s only one—simply because we spend more time in the bedroom. Air purifiers are efficient in eliminating not just dust, but other allergens such as mold and pollen.

Sometimes rooms with furry dolls and teddy bears could be a hazard for young sufferers. Dust mites can cling on these toys, just like carpets and blankets. Eliminating some of the furry dolls can help the bedroom environment become dust free. If the child does insist on keeping dolls, there are stuffed dolls that are hypoallergenic.

Humidity is ideal for dust mite survival particularly in environments of 75-80 degrees F and 70-80% humidity. If the humidity is lower than 50 percent, mites have little chances for survival. To lower dust mites in the bedroom, make sure that the room doesn’t have high humidity. There are plenty of dehumidifiers available if your room is naturally humid.

There are plenty of other ways to make the bedroom allergen free but the suggestions here are a start. The bedroom is the most important room in the house where allergies matter. Learn to make the room a more pleasant environment and you’re on your way to making your life better.

Allergies and Asthma – Differences and Similarities

by Mike Herman

Allergies are the most common cause of the inflammation which underlies most asthma particularly in younger sufferers.

Allergy rates are on the increase especially in Western countries (compared to people in less affluent rural parts of the world) and there is a growing body of evidence that strongly suggests that asthma is an environmentally induced disease.

This raises the challenging possibility that we may be able to prevent asthma by altering our environment.

Treating asthma by removing the causes, aka triggers, may prove to be successful when the cause is easy to remove, such as a dust or vapors inhaled at the office.

This is also true when the cause is a pet such as a cat or dog, however the reluctance to not have loved pet commonly prevents this.

An allergy to house dust mites is one of the commonest cause of asthma but getting rid of mites sufficiently to make a significant difference requires such a major and expensive change in lifestyle for the sufferer that it is rarely successful..

Research is currently being carried out to develop future treatments which may be able to modify or diminish the allergic process in the body and help all asthmatics.

Asthma and Allergies

*The cause of the inflammation (of the airway) which underlies most asthma in younger sufferers is one or more allergies.

*More people in western countries suffer from allergies, compared to people in less affluent parts of the world, and allergy rates are on the increase.

Allergies – Additional Nutrients May Help Alleviate The Misery

By Chuck Lunsford

I found it rather appropriate to be sitting on my couch here in Southwest Florida in the early spring writing an article on allergies. As an allergy sufferer and a diabetic I know oh too well just how debilitating the effects are. My nemesis happens to come in two guises … plant pollen and black mold. I have found certain nutrients added to my diet greatly contribute towards managing the allergen’s ill-effects.

An allergy is the body overreacting to a substance that normally is not harmful. Quite literally the body’s immune system is duped into identifying a non-toxic substance as an invader, causing the white blood cells to overreact, and do more damage to the body than the invasive substance. The allergic response itself becomes a disease. Common responses are asthma, eczema, and hay fever.

The substances that create all this trouble are called allergens. For every known substance there is a possibility one person is allergic to it, but the most common allergens are grass pollen, dust, certain molds, some metals, some cosmetics, animal dander, insect bites and stings, some drugs (e.g., penicillin), some foods (e.g., eggs, shellfish), and some chemicals found in every day cleaning products.

Why some people react to certain substance no one knows. It is believed allergies run in families. Emotional factors may cause the problem as well; stress and anger are contributing factors.

Some nutrients that I use daily during the allergy season that may be beneficial in reducing the effects of allergies include:

• Bee pollen

• Calcium to help reduce stress.

• Vitamin B-complex

• Multienzymes

• Multivitamins

• Extra Vitamin C stimulates immune function

• Beta Carotene is a free radical scavenger that stimulates the immune response

• Extra Vitamin E is another free radical destroyer

• Protein supplement

Please keep in mind that these nutrients are in no way to be substituted for proper medical care. They are suggested as additional tools to fight the effects of allergies.

Allergies Or Heart Attack?

By Michael Russel

A few years ago a woman started having a wide variety of medical issues. They ranged from a skin condition all the way to classic heart attack signs and symptoms. Her family doctor ran a complete array of tests over a period of months, but never considered the possibility of a heart attack. The doctor’s lack of concern with ruling out any heart problem worried the husband from the first appointment. The end result was all of her medical issues were allergies, lots of allergies to a host of different things. None of the ailments suggested allergies were the cause; either alone or collectively. Why would they? The lady had been suffering from extremely dry skin with flaking and itching all over, but mostly on her back. She assumed it was from the brand of soap she was using in the shower. Later she began to notice unusual sensations around her mouth and in her throat, but it didn’t seem to last for any length of time. Still later she started to notice she was having stomach problems on a semi-regular basis. She still had no major concerns with her health in general, nor did she have any idea they might be somehow related to a common cause. After several months she started noticing headaches, something she almost never experienced in the past. Even more time passed and other abnormal conditions developed. Last was the chest pain and pressure, pain radiating down her left arm, shortness of breath and pounding heartbeat. Up to this point she had made little or no mention of any of these issues to her husband. When she started seriously loosing sleep because of the chest pain and related discomforts she informed her husband. The very next day she made an appointment with her family doctor. After the very first appointment her husband was really concerned because the doctor hadn’t ruled out any heart disease before considering anything else. The doctor ran tests for gall bladder and several other possibilities. Each test meant another follow up with the family doctor and each time nothing showed up. Still no attempt was made by their family doctor to deal with the possible heart problems. After new problems popped up and the scare with the chest pain continued both the husband and wife decided to change family doctors. The very first appointment with the new doctor quickly showed the couple they had made the right move by getting a second opinion. The new physician made two appointments for his patient. One appointment was with a dermatologist for the skin problems and one appointment with an allergist. The dermatologist explained exactly what the course of treatment was going to be and explained that nothing was going to happen until the woman had seen the allergy specialist. He explained everything he was going to do in satisfying detail. Finally the couple felt some relief, all but knowing positive results were just around the corner. In just a couple of appointments with the allergy doctor, the couple knew exactly what all of the medical problems were a result of and knew what they had to do to avoid repeats of the discomfort. It seems the list of different things the lady was allergic to was two and a quarter pages long. Almost all of the allergic reactions were different from the next. Some of the allergies were causing the skin dryness. Some were much more dangerous, causing her airway to constrict. The allergy doctor told her that some of the things she was allergic to would close off her airway so rapidly that emergency medical treatment would not be quick enough to save her life. The husband was most relieved by learning that the heart attack signs and symptoms were all allergies too. It is important to know this woman was age 49 when she demonstrated allergic reactions. Prior to that time, she had no known allergies throughout her lifetime. In the event that someone you know does have similar medical conditions, insist that the doctor consider allergies as the cause. If the conditions present themselves like a possible heart attack, first insist that all heart issues are ruled out. That should be the doctor’s first focus. Hopefully, simple testing will prove that the heart is healthy. If so, insist the doctor test for allergies. Keep in mind that this lady had lots of medical difficulties and none seemed related. That is because there were lots of different allergies – each producing different symptoms with different levels of severity. It is worth the uncomfortable feeling of pushing the medical professional for the peace of mind you will finally gain.

How To Properly Diagnose And Treat Annoying Allergies Effectively

By Robbie James

Allergies happen as a result of your bodies immune system reacting the wrong way to some sort of foreign ingredient. Your immune system will notice pollen or mold as a toxic element to your body and react accordingly. The end result can be sneezing, watery eyes, itching, hives, and even difficulty breathing in the course of more severe reactions. For many, the reaction will be slight and may require small or no medical intercession. During an severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, you may initially feel itching which will quickly progress to swelling, pain and vomiting. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening ailment that requires prompt medical care.

Most allergies can be governed with the help of your medical practitioner, by using antihistamines, decongestants and nasal mists. There are also daily regime changes that you can make to help minimize your exposure to your allergen, such as keeping dogs and cats out of the home or keeping up a dust-free environment. If your allergies start to get in the way of your everyday life, your physician may also suggest immunotherapy, also known as allergy innoculations, for treatment your allergies and assist you to have allergy free days. The lovely news with allergies is that there are many options for controlling them properly. If you assume that you are suffering from some type of reaction to a certain matter, talk to your physician about your choices in allergy treatment.

Allergies disturb more than twenty percent of the adults and children in the United States, which means that millions of people are afflicted each year by various allergies. Allergies can affect people at different times of life, and during different seasons, subject on the cause of the reaction. There are a number of distinct perpetrators that can cause an allergic reaction in people, including pollen, dust mites, mold and foods. If you come to realize that you are suffering from allergies, you might want to make an appointment with your local allergist or your family physician to find out what you are allergic to and what your best alternative in treatment plans are.

Allergies are largely inherited, which means that if one or both of your parents suffer from allergies, you have a good possibility of aquiring them also. The allergen can vary however, so you cannot think that because your mom is allergic to dust, you will be also. You may instead develop a reaction to pollen or mold. The inherited link is plainly in whether or not you are susceptible to developing an allergy. Another possible reason for developing a reaction to a individual material is introduction to that substance when your immune system has been debilitated. For case in point, many people can develop a allergic reaction after a virus-related infection or even during pregnancy.

Allergies – Quality Of Life

By: Michael Russell
 
Having allergies isn’t simply a matter of sneezing once in a while during the day. If it was then nobody would make too big a deal about them. But the truth is, allergies can greatly affect our quality of life depending on what type of allergy we have and how severe the symptoms.

Let’s start with the most common allergy, hay fever. Millions of people suffer from hay fever but few really understand how terrible this allergy can be. Going outside and breathing in pollen that starts us sneezing and wheezing is only part of the problem. In itself, that’s bad enough. But what about the person who doesn’t have a nice comfortable job inside an air conditioned office? This is the poor guy who’s maybe a landscaper or gardener. These people work outdoors for a living. What are they supposed to do? If their symptoms are severe enough where medication brings little or no relief they have two options. Continue to suffer and possibly miss many days of work or find a new line of work. If this sounds drastic, it isn’t. Sadly, many people lose their jobs because of medical problems, allergies being among the more common.

For the person who works indoors, they are not always so lucky either. Many people have allergies to indoor mold which is very common in old buildings, especially old schools. There was a recent documented case in Irvington, NJ where the mold situation in the high school was so bad that one teacher became ill enough that she had to leave her job until the situation was rectified.

This is even worse for people with allergies to mold who live in old homes. Many times when the problem gets out of control the person has to sell his home or move out of his apartment. Mold is not an easy thing to get rid of if it has spread far enough and if it does get out of control many times people are forced from their homes. This isn’t just a minor quality of life change.

It isn’t just people with indoor and outdoor allergies who have their quality of life affected. People with food allergies or sensitivities have their lives sometimes drastically altered. Many people suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome because of allergies to certain foods and because of this either miss time from work or spend a good part of the day at work in the bathroom. In either case these people are forced to give up their jobs because they can’t do them dependably.

But it isn’t just work that gets the worst of it with allergies. Many fathers with young sons are unable to go outside and play ball with their kid because of hay fever. Others can’t go on that vacation with the rest of the family because they have to be close to a bathroom at all times because of food allergies.

The sad fact is, people with allergies suffer greatly. And it’s not just a little sneezing during the day.

Allergies – What Causes Them?

By: Michael Russell
 
In this article we’re going to discuss what causes allergies and why some people are more prone to suffer from allergies than others.

The first thing we need to understand is what an allergy is. An allergy is a reaction to something outside the body that the body itself feels is a threat to it. More specifically, this is the immune system.

The truth of the matter is, everybody has allergies in as much as the body is always going to view outside agents such as pollen, grass, weeds, and even foods as invaders. The difference between someone who “suffers” from allergies and someone who doesn’t is the degree to which the body reacts or in the case of sufferers, overreacts to the allergen.

For example, let’s take hay fever season where the pollen count is especially high and have two people walk out into the street. The person who has a normal immune system and doesn’t overreact to every outside allergen will probably not even notice that the pollen count is high. There will be no itching, sneezing, watering of the eyes or any symptoms whatsoever. The person who has an overactive immune system, at least to this particular type of allergen, will begin to sneeze. Maybe the eyes will start to water. In severe cases the person may even have trouble breathing, all because their immune system is viewing the pollen as a great threat.

So the question is, why do some people have immune systems that behave normally and others have immune systems that overreact? Studies show that in most cases this is because these people are genetically disposed to reacting in such a manner. Maybe they inherited this particular predisposition from their mother or father. Maybe it even skipped a generation, but in most cases this is simply inherited.

In other cases, allergies are not inherited. In these cases the person’s immune system does not work correctly or is weakened because of some other condition. Maybe they are a poor eater and thus aren’t getting the nutrition they need to stay healthy. This can weaken the immune system and cause it to behave erratically. In other cases the weakened immune system is caused by another underlying problem such as an inability of the body to absorb a certain protein or amino acid.

In either case, the immune system becomes what we call “hyperactive”. This results in the immune system identifying quite harmless substances as enemies and then reacts totally out of proportion to the threat itself. In some cases the reaction can be severe enough to cause some serious health problems. Yes, people can die from allergies so this is not something to be taken lightly.

Many people believe that if there is a genetic disposition to allergies then there is nothing that can do to solve the problem. This is actually not so. There are many things a person can naturally do to build up their immune system so that allergies are no longer a problem. These will be covered in future articles.

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