Monthly Archives: September 2015

How to Find if You have Food Allergy?

For people who love eating food, it is very hard to believe if about food allergies. Most of the time, we don’t even realize that there could be allergic reactions because of food substances. Even in the movie Hitch, Will Smith didn’t realize that he was allergic to a vegetable. At times you might not even realize it for long period because you might not have consumed that food substance. So how do you find out that you are allergic to certain food substances?

Allergist

The first and foremost thing to do is to contact an allergist. An allergist could help you take proper precautions and do the test. There is no magical way to diagnose allergies. There are certain tests that are done to find out what reacts with your body. It is not necessary that there will be skin allergy. Reaction could be anything, and from any substance. It could be from the food substance itself or from its seeds.

Skin Test

Skin test is the most effective test, though it may sound a little barbaric. But this is the most effective way to test any kind of allergy. The allergist injects the allergen or tests different known allergens to check for reactions. They do it in a controlled environment so the situation doesn’t go from bad to worse.

Blood Test

There are certain tests that can define if the body is allergic. A certain metric value or range of lgE would determine the reaction value. The allergist would measure the amount of lgE antibody in the blood. This test if done by a certified pathologist could give accurate results, but then it is not the accurate measure of the allergy.

Allergies could vary from person to person. And the reaction too can be very different from person to person. It is not necessary that if one person get scales on skin by touching bitter gourd then someone else would also have the same reaction. There could be different reactions and from different parts of the same food substance. So it is very necessary that an allergist is consulted and then remedies followed. For allergies, though, precaution is the best cure, and after consulting with allergy doctor, you can also go for medications that can work as a safeguard.

Some Common Summer Allergens or Triggers – Summer Allergies

Summer is often a time for people to enjoy, to plan vacations and to play on the beach. People wait in anticipation for the vacations to come and plan an adventurous trip. But for summer is not as fun as it should be. People, who get allergies in the summer season, have to be stay mostly indoors. Such allergies are often caused by triggers that are mostly active outdoors. Some common allergies are sneezing, nasal stuffiness, runny nose, itchy eyes and/or mouth, wheezing, coughing, tight feeling in the chest. To prevent getting affected, allergist often advises these people to stay indoors or covered if the allergen is identified. In this article, we will be discussing some common allergens that are mostly active in Summer Season.

Pollens

Summer is the time for most of the grass or flower bearing plants to blossom. During this process they release small granule type articles called pollen. Pollens are the most common form of allergen. They can cause any type of allergy. They could affect eyes, throat, skin, etc. Skin and eye allergy are most common. People often advised to wear sunglasses or complete covering clothes.

Mold

Towards the end of the summer season, you could find a break of certain types of mold. In certain regions of America, summer is the time for heavy rain. This causes several damp places outside and inside, leading to mold. Indoors, mold could start developing on nooks of ceiling, vents or attic. You have to make sure that there is no damp place in the house or and take immediate action against leaks. Apart from other allergies, mold could also trigger asthma, which could lead to a very uncomfortable situation. Allergist often suggest people to take care of their house and leaks in the house, and at the same time stay covered during rainy season.

Seasonal Food

This is often related to pollen allergies, but instead of getting affected by pollens, some people get allergies by eating fruits or vegetables that are available during summers. Fruits like melons and apples are some of the common examples. These fruits often cause oral allergies which lead to itching, swelling, or tingling in the mouth. The best way to fight through these is to identify the allergen and to avoid eating it.

Like any other allergy, it is essential to identify the allergen. It’s not the season in general that is the reason of your allergies. There could be one specific allergen which can cause a lot of uneasiness. So, consult your nearest season allergy clinic and get a treatment prescribed.

Tips to Enjoy Seasons Even if You have Seasonal Allergies

Seasons change, some people enjoy it, while some don’t. Some like summers, some winters and some autumn, everybody has their own reasons and own choices. But for some, these choices are not voluntary. If you are affected with seasonal allergies, then the season where allergy starts, will never be the preferred season. You might like summers because of those lose clothes, bikinis, beaches and cool drinks, but if you are allergic to dust or heat or sun, then no matter what you like, you will never enjoy any of those. It could be the seasonal fruits, pollens or any other factor that may be the reason for allergy. In this article we will give you some tips that can help you stay comfortable no matter what.

Medical Treatments

There are several medical treatments and medicines that you can use to stay comfortable. But just don’t take any over the counter drug, because when you are allergic, you can be allergic to some salts that might cause an adverse effect. Consult an allergy doctor or allergist and let them do their test. A property treatment will always give you relief. An allergist would let you know what allergens affect you, precautions that you should take and remedies that you could follow.

Stay Cautious

If you are allergic to dust or pollens, then during high winds or rainy seasons, you should try to stay inside. If not possible, then try to stay covered when going out. Consult an allergist and get medications which can act as prevention. If you are allergic to pollens, then it would be also better to avoid areas with parks and huge flower beds.

Clothes

Make sure that you wash your clothes separately and regularly properly. If you have come from an outing then change your clothes immediately. Take a shower or wash your skin with the prescribed cleaner. Make sure that even when you are drying your clothes are hanging in an enclosed area. If you have skin allergies, then hanging clothes in the open might also get allergens on them which will make washing all the more useless.

With the advancements in the medical science, there are medicines that you can use to enjoy every season to some extent, no matter whether you have seasonal allergies or not. But to do that, it is necessary that you take the right precautions and medication. So book an appointment at the nearest allergy clinic and let the allergist know all symptoms.

MANAGING FOOD ALLERGIES

The most common way in which you can treat your food allergies is simply by avoiding the foods that cause it. But it may not be possible because for many times we do not even know what food are we allergic to? You will need to check the ingredient list of the material or food product you are purchasing. There may be some foods which are really hard to avoid. People with food allergies always have this notion of whether their allergy to food is permanent or is temporary? So to get answer to such questions you must know how to avoid them at first place.

When You Go Out For Eating

This is really very important for you if you are having severe food allergies. Even walking in your restraint may get you an allergic reaction. You must try to get to know the ingredient list in advance from the website; if they have one. This will help you to get to know whether the foods you are going to consume have food items you are allergic to or not.

It is better to avoid a dish or food item if you think it may have your triggers in. Put a stress on the preparation of the food, the utensils used so that they may not have been contaminated with your food allergen.

HOW CAN FOOD ALLERGIES BE MANAGED IN CHILDREN?

You may come across food allergies at any stage of life. If you are a child then even you may have certain food allergies. These allergies which are fatal to some food you eat or you are near to you, you need to take care of things. You must know how to prevent, manage and recognize the food allergies. The school teachers must always be informed and know about the emergency action plan to avoid any severe reactions.

Food allergies in children must be avoided by following certain things when the child is few weeks older. Researches show that you can avoid food allergies n babies if you are not feeding them with solid foods. If your baby is less than 17 weeks it must not be given any solid foods. There must be at least a six months of breast feeding for your child. Make sure you know your triggers and if not go to an allergy doctor who can help you with food allergy.

Sinus Allergy- How to Remove Casual Symptoms?

In today’s world sinus has become a major health problem. There can be a large number of reasons for sinus infection common these days. Inflammation caused or the congestion that occurs in the sinuses is majorly due to various indoor and outdoor allergens. These can be airborne allergens or can also be from irritants from the diet consumed. There are various medications and surgeries available for treatment of sinuses but do not forget the basic kitchen ingredients. There are various home remedies available which can effectively treat sinus infections.

What Are The Symptoms Of Sinusitis?

Rhinitis is one word which is often confused with sinusitis. Rhinitis is blockage cause in the nasal passage. It comes along with inflammation and irritation too. The major cause behind it could be the cold or allergies. The common symptoms of sinusitis can be coughing, fever, bad breath, or pain in teeth. Other major symptoms that can be observed are greenish nasal discharge, congestion, frontal headache or even postnal drip.

Home Remedies- Feel Better!

We all agree with the fact that it is important to completely treat the sickness than to treat the cure. But to be honest, whenever we have any sinus infection it becomes a prime importance for us to start feeling better. Hence, it becomes important to treat symptoms.

Water Is Your Best Friend!

It is a must to stay hydrated all through the day without consuming tea or sugar added juices. Thinning the mucus from inside the water is going to help you to drain it from sinus. You need to make sure that you are avoiding drinks rich in caffeine like coffee, alcohol as well as avoid smoking. These things are going to dehydrate you thickening your mucus.

Make Your Self A Mucus Dissolver

Make a mixture of apple cider vinegar and spicy foods such as cayenne pepper or horseradish adding a little lemon juice to it. This will turn out to an elixir that can easily dissolve mucus.

Facial Massage

When nothing from above is available to you, it’s good to give yourself a five-minute facial massage. When done correctly on your face it can help you breathe much better.

Try Salt Water Rinse

It can be a salt water rinse that can help irrigating the nasal cavity. It can help you get rid of mucus also clearing any unwanted inhaled contaminants in your system.

Inhale Steam

Placing some peppermint oil in water and covering your face with a towel to inhale steam from hot water can help you get rid of mucus and help you breathe better.

Try these remedies to get a little better with your sinus allergy temporarily and consult your Sinus Doctor.