Monthly Archives: February 2018

Home Remedies to Reduce the Chances of an Asthma Attack

Over the years the number of people affected by asthma has gone up with around 18 million affected in the united states. The disease affects more than 6 million children with the cases going up every day. It’s therefore essential that we mitigate the effects of asthma without relying solely on asthma treatments. Homemade remedies will help ease the effects of asthma.It’s imperative before taking on home remedies that you visit an asthma doctor for a thorough analysis and a discussion of the home remedies and their effects on any medication prescribed.

Breathing Exercises

There are an exercise that will assist air movement into the lungs.  Don’t exercise while your asthma is severe as this may result in an asthma attack. Discuss all the remedies with your allergist before you start the exercise

  • Belly breathing technique

The technique will ensure that there is air distribution in your lungs. Breathe in slowly through your lungs and ensure you abdomen goes out, exhale and ensure that your abdomen goes in. The exercise will make sure that there is proper air circulation.

  • Purse through lips technique

The technique is effective during asthma to attack. To ensure that the air trapped in your lung is removed inhale slowly through your nose and exhale through pursed lips.

Foods and Oils

  • Mustard Mixed in Camphor

Warm the oil and add the camphor. Massage your chest with the mixture until you feel relieved

  • Ginger

Ginger is known as an antibiotic property among other uses.mix ginger, honey, and pomegranate and drink the mix three times daily

  • Figs

Figs is one of the best asthma remedies. Soak the figs in water and drink the water the first thing in the morning

  • Eucalyptus Oil

Put the oil in steamy water and breathe in the steam, that will clear the airwaves

Foods rich in Vitamin

Vitamin A maintains a healthy mucous membrane and reduces severe asthma attacks. Food such as vegetables and fruits are an excellent source of Vitamin A. Ensure that the vegetables and fruits are fresh.

Vitamin B9 reduces inflammation and allergy reactions. And to get Vitamin B9 ensure your diet has Vegetables, beans, and nuts.

Vitamin E and C are antioxidant and help your body detox. Foods such as nuts and natural oils are a source of the vitamins and are known to ease wheezing.

Omega 3 helps reduce inflammation and strengthen the immune system

Keep your home allergen free

Allergens in your home will affect you more than the ones inside. Below are some tips on how to keep your house allergen free and fresh

  • Open the windows during the day to bring in fresh air
  • Avoid stoves that emit smoke
  • Use flooring solutions that don’t attract dust
  • Keep your bedding clean and fresh
  • Keep pets out of your bedroom and rest areas
  • Exterminate cockroaches
Stress management

High-stress levels will increase the chances of an asthma attack by causing inflammation and weakening the immune system. It’s imperative that you manage your stress levels.

Though asthma is not a curable disease, managing it can make life more bearable and fewer medications will be used. It’s critical to understand your allergens so that you can counter the effects.Visit your allergy clinic often for check up on the progress you are making while using home remedies.

6 Food that Cause Allergies and their Supplements

 

Food allergies are one of the most prevalent allergies in adults. About 4% of adults in the united states suffer from food allergy, and they tend to be lifelong. The allergic reaction to food can begin at any point in the adult’s life. It’s best to seek an allergist in Maryland advice if you notice any kind of allergic reaction to any food. Foods that cause the allergic reaction include

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Peanuts
  • Fish
  • Wheat
  • Soy

Symptoms of allergy include

  • Stomach discomfort
  • A cough
  • Dizziness
  • Itching
  • Swelling and shortness of breath
  • Anaphylaxis which is potentially harmful and send the body into shock

The allergic reaction caused by food occurs after few minutes after eating the food, but in rare cases, the reaction may take hours. It’s imperative to consult an allergist immediately you experience such symptoms to know exactly the cause of the allergy. Uncooked vegetables may cause an allergy but once the food is cooked the effect of the allergen is neutralized.

Foods That Cause Allergies and their Supplements

It’s necessary to determine which foods causes the food allergy so that one can avoid the food. Although sometimes it’s not easy to tell which foods one needs to avoid unless the allergy doctor carries a thorough test. It’s important however to supplement the food one is allergic to, and we look at how one can supplement some of the foods.

  • Eggs

If you are allergic to eggs its essential to find an egg supplement to make sure that your diet is complete.It’s necessary to determine which component of the egg one is allergic to as you will find that some people react to egg white while others react to egg York. One of the most common egg replacement is plain yogurt. A quarter cup of yogurt has the same protein content as an egg and therefore a great substitute to make sure you don’t lose out on the egg nutrients completely.

  • Milk

Milk is one of the best sources of Calcium and proteins and is therefore essential to find food that replaces the milk.The foods to indulge in are such as sardines which are rich in calcium, soya which is a good protein source, potatoes, and vegetable oils can make up for the milk. If allergic to cows milk, substitute that with goat milk or soya milk or any other milk that will give you the same nutrient value.

  • Wheat

Wheat is a source of Vitamin B and Iron. It’s therefore essential that you find foods that contain the nutrient if you are allergic. Fortified grains such as rice, corn, oats, and barley are the perfect alternative to wheat.

  • Fish

Fish is a source of proteins, and Vitamin B6, B12, A, and E. The goodies found in fish can also be found in green vegetables, flaxseeds oil, soya oil, and canola oil.

  • Peanuts

Peanuts are a source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. To supplement peanuts use sunflower seeds, soynut butter and hummus made from chickpeas.

  • Soy

Soy is a source of protein, iron, zinc and Vitamin B6 and can be substituted with foods such as meats, fish, poultry, and vegetables

It’s paramount that before embarking on a supplement journey, you ensure you visit your allergy doctor MD for more advice. It’s important as one food replacement may cause an allergic reaction which could be fatal. Ensure that you eat a healthy diet in spite of the allergic reactions, as this helps avoid low immunity to other diseases.

 

What You Need to Learn About Allergy Testing

Allergic reactions can take a toll on one’s lifestyle especially if don’t identify the allergen. Effective allergy treatment requires testing accurately to treat the allergy conclusively. It’s also paramount to get the medical history details of the patient to ensure that nothing is left to chance. Allergy testing involves examining to determine your body’s reaction to a particular substance. The doctor will expose you to a small amount of allergen and test the response. Find an allergy doctor near you to carry out the test. There are three kinds of allergens which the allergy doctor will seek to check;

  • Allergen that you inhale and usually affect your lungs, nostrils, and throat
  • Ingested allergens are those you ingest in certain foods
  • Contact Allergens are the ones that you react to when they touch your skin

Importance of Testing for Allergy

  • Confirm or rule out allergies thus reducing any complications
  • Avoid unnecessary use of medicine
  • Avoid symptoms from escalating to severity
  • Identify the specific allergic triggers to ensure you avoid the allergens
  • Improve quality of life

Preparation for the allergy test

Once you find an allergy doctor near you, he will ask questions about your life and medical history. The doctor will require you not to take any over the counter anti-allergy medication like an antihistamine and any other medicines which could hinder the effectiveness of the allergy testing.

Types of Allergy Tests

  • Skin Test

The skin test takes around one hour and involves getting a small amount of the allergen, and the doctor tracks your reaction to the allergen. There are several skin tests

  1. Skin Prick Test

The doctor will leave a small portion of the allergen on your skin and then prick the skin underneath. If you are allergic, the skin will start getting itchy, and hives will develop

  1. Patch Test

The doctor will place a patch of allergen on your skin and leave it for 46-48 hours. In case you have an allergic reaction, the skin will itch, and hives will develop.

  1. Intradermal skin test

The test involves injection an allergen into your skin. The doctor will do the test when one has an allergic reaction to the environment and drugs

  • Blood Test

A blood test involves testing your blood for the allergen. The Biochemical test also known as the immunoassay test involves checking the presence of specific macromolecules using an antigen.

  1. Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent test

The test which is widespread measures the amount of allergen in your body.

  1. Radioallergosorbent Test

The test seeks to identify your allergy triggers

Side Effect of the Allergy Tests

Testing can result in mild itching, swelling and bumps may develop on the skin. In case the examination causes a severe reaction to ensure you talk to your allergy doctor Centreville VA to prescribe medicine.

Once the doctor the tests are done, work together with the doctor to come up with an action plan on how to avoid the triggers of the allergy. Take up any medication prescribed as per the given schedule.