Tag Archives: allergies

Early Exposure to Allergens May Reduce Risk of Allergies, Asthma

It may sound a little gross, but a new study suggests that infants exposed to rodent and pet dander, roach allergens, and a variety of household bacteria in their first year of life appear less likely to develop allergies and asthma.

baby and puppy

The study was conducted by scientists from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and other institutions, and was published June 6 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It showed that early exposure to bacteria and some specific allergens could have an effect on shaping immune responses in young children.

This may help prevent allergies and asthma later in life.

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Posted on June 9, 2024 by Elizabeth

10 Places for Allergy Sufferers to Avoid this Spring, and How to Cope if You Can’t

Spring is here, bringing with it green grass, warmer temperatures, baseball season, and allergies. Depending on where you live, you may be feeling the effects of allergies more strongly than others. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released their list of “the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies.”

seasonal allergies

The 10 Worst Places for spring allergies:

  1. Louisville, Kentucky
  2. Memphis, Tennessee
  3. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  5. Jackson, Mississippi
  6. Chattanooga, Tennessee
  7. Dallas, Texas
  8. Richmond, Virginia
  9. Birmingham, Alabama
  10. McAllen, Texas

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Posted on March 31, 2024 by Elizabeth

Sucking on Your Baby’s Pacifier May Prevent Allergies

Pacifier
  • Sucking on your child’s pacifier to clean it may reduce their risk of developing allergies like asthma and eczema, according to a study at Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Sweden.
  • 18-month-old children whose parents cleaned their pacifiers with their own mouths had less likelihood of developing allergies than children whose parents cleaned their pacifiers with tap or boiling water.
  • “Exposure of the infant to parental saliva might accelerate development of complex oral/pharyngeal microbiota that…might beneficially affect tolerogenic handling of antigens by the oral/pharyngeal lymphoid tissues,” study conductor Bill Hesselmar, MD, PhD, wrote. (more…)
Posted on May 6, 2024 by Patrick

5 Allergy Fighting Foods to Help You Breathe Easier this Spring

Most spring allergy sufferers rely on medication to take care of their annoying symptoms, but there are a few natural ways to prevent allergies from ruining your day. Incorporate these foods into your diet on a regular basis to build a foundation that will protect your immune system and prepare it for battle against spring pollen.

Nuts:

Nuts are high in magnesium and vitamin E, which will protect you against the wheezing and coughing that comes from allergies. Magnesium and vitamin E also boosts immunity while fighting free radicals. Try Multigrain Soy Trail Mix.

Salmon:

Salmon and other seafoods have natural anti-inflammatory properties to boost immunity. Aim for 6 ounces of fish, two times a week to get the full effect. Try these Salmon Patties.

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Posted on April 3, 2024 by Kelly

Yoga Provides Relief of Symptoms During Allergy Season

Unusually warm winter days are a treat, unless you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from spring allergies. This year, allergists are predicting a longer and more severe allergy season, and say sufferers will have little chance of relief even if the high spring temperatures cool down.

Many allergy victims head straight for the drug store to stock up on nasal sprays, eye drops and antihistamines, and some go to extremes for more hard-hitting treatments such as steroidal allergy shots. If you have either given up on unnatural remedies found in a box, carton or plastic tube, or don’t like needles, try yoga for the relief of your stubborn allergy symptoms.

It is not uncommon to feel that some yoga poses just contribute to the pain and agony of having allergies. Downward dog is not the most comfortable yoga pose to be in if you have clogged sinuses and a pounding head. For some, the just thought of putting their head below their waist with a stuffy nose is enough to increase sinus pressure. Plus, taking those long, slow, deep breaths in and out through your nose when you have allergies is like trying to vacuum the floor with no power to the vacuum. I understand completely.

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Posted on March 15, 2024 by Jill

4 Reasons to Lose Weight

Whether you have just a few pounds to lose or you are fighting a the battle against obesity, we all know the basic reasons being a healthy weight. We’re not going to talk about how if you lose weight, you will be thin and probably live longer. Those are both great reasons, but let’s take a look at some of the lesser known benefits of losing weight.

1. A Better State of Mind

While improving your self-esteem is certainly an amazing aspect of losing weight, it goes beyond that. If you find yourself in a bit of a slump or may even depressed, you could go to your family doctor and they may prescribe you an antidepressant. Or, if you exercise on a regular basis, the endorphins released may just do the trick naturally. If you are feeling depressed, this is not an endorsement of avoiding your doctor, so always contact a health professional if you feel it’s serious enough… you just may find the solution without a prescription. (more…)

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Jason

Exercise Outside With Seasonal Allergies This Spring

Usually everyone is excited for the rain to dry up and the sun to start poking through so they can take their workout outside and soak up some vitamin D, but if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may be dreading the changing of the seasons. Itchy, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat can make it hard to get out of bed, let alone pound the pavement for an exhilarating run.

Even if pollen does knock you on your butt, you don’t have to banish yourself to the gym year round. There are a few things you can do to lessen your allergy symptoms, or at the very least, prevent them from getting worse if you do decide to take your workout outdoors.

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Posted on April 15, 2024 by Kelly

The Top 10 Worst Allergy Cities

by Kelsey Murray

Finally! Spring time is here! Grass is growing, trees are budding, and flowers are popping up everywhere you look. But, if you suffer from allergies, then you might not be able to see all of the new life that is springing up due to your itchy eyes and runny nose. Yep, it’s official: allergies are in full swing.

For eight years, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released a list of the top Allergy Capitals in the USA. The list is based on each city’s pollen scores. The city with the highest pollen amounts was awarded a score of 100 and all other cities were rescaled according to their relative amounts of pollen.

So what if you live in one of the worst allergen cities?

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Posted on April 4, 2024 by Health Buzz

Raw Honey: a Superior Sweetener

HoneyHoney has been used to treat different ailments for thousands of years, but recently raw honey has been getting a lot of attention. It’s being touted for its nutritional benefits, its antibacterial properties and its ability to treat allergies. But are these claims too good to be true?

Raw honey, which is unprocessed and is as close to its natural state in the hive as possible, is a source of polyphenol, a rich antioxidant that may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. According to WebMD, a small study showed that people who ate four tablespoons had higher levels of antioxidants in their blood.

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Posted on March 17, 2024 by Margaret

Coughing: What Does it Mean?

This story on MSN.com was of particular importance to me, because I have coughing issues. I’ve been diagnosed with mild asthma and possibly an allergy of some sort. It’s a life-altering condition, because when a cough attack comes on, it can be uncontrollable and breathtaking, in the most literal sense.

Not to get too much into my psyche and the opinion I have of HMOs, doctors, etc., but I definitely want to be treated and diagnosed by specialists. I just feel like the diagnosis is based on very minimal inquiry. I got a breathing test to see what my lung capacity is, a steth0scope to the chest and back, and that’s it.

Maybe that’s all that can be done. But, I feel like the docs are just sort of guessing based on minimal testing and then treating symptoms with a pill. Again, maybe that’s all that can be done. But if there’s a natural way of treating it (like avoiding something I may be allergic to) or even an alternative like acupuncture, I’m game.

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Jason