Christmas and Allergy
November 30th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
‘Tis the season to be wheezing.
A new study warns that bringing a real Christmas tree into a home can multiply the mould-spore count by five times the normal level - increasing allergy symptoms.
“It’s one of the many triggers that people with allergies and asthma have to put up with at Christmas time,” said Lilly Byrtus, Edmonton-area co-ordinator for the Allergy Asthma Information Association. “When the tree warms up, the mould is released and may cause symptoms like sneezing or a throat tickle that lead to a cough.
“The worst-case scenario is that it might cause an asthma flare-up and leave you sick for the holidays, which is the last thing people want.”
But the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which presented the study at its annual meeting in Dallas this month, also warns much research remains to be done. And Ambris Ford, a respiratory therapist with the Asthma Society of Canada, adds that a tree is only one of thousands of possible sources of misery for allergy sufferers.
Risk of Asthma is increased by Household Allergies
November 17th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Allergic reactions usually develop in early childhood. Typically, children first become allergic to foods such as milk and egg. In the second and third years of life, they begin to develop allergic reactions to indoor allergens and also to outdoor allergens, such as grass, tree and ragweed pollens. The reason why some individuals develop nasal symptoms whereas others develop asthma or skin diseases are not very well understood. Some people can develop an allergic reaction to indoor allergens and yet not have any clinical symptoms (they are asymptomatic). But many children and adults who develop asthma are more likely to have asthma if they make allergic reactions to indoor allergens.Having the allergic reaction is a risk factor for asthma in the same way that high levels of cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and smoking increases the risk of getting lung cancer. The risks of developing asthma if you are exposed to indoor allergens are comparable to these well known risk factors for other diseases. Therefore, it is important to try to reduce allergen levels in the home. First, to prevent people becoming allergic and, second, to reduce the symptoms of people who are already sensitive to the allergen.
Can Organic Food Help Prevent Allergies in Young Children?
November 11th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Researchers have found that babies raised on organic dairy products are a third less likely to suffer allergies in their first two years than those fed conventional food. The Dutch study followed 2,500 pregnant women and their infants for two years after birth. Some of the children were on strict diets with more than 90 percent of their dairy intake was organic. Their mothers also ate organic food whilst pregnant and whilst breastfeeding. The researchers found that this group of children wer significantly less likely to suffer from allergies.
They are unsure why organic food prevents allergic reactions, but it may be because of is higher concentrations of fatty acids.
The researchers took into account that these children were more likely to come from richer families.
The study author, Dr Machteld Huber of the Louis Bolk Institute, wrote, “There was a clear relationship between organic dairy use and less eczema. The difference was significant, but only for children exclusively eating organic dairy products. We did not find a relationship if they had both organic and conventional dairy products.”
Allergy and Asthma Blog
November 7th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Welcome to the blog for Allergy and Asthma.
