Jack Sands asked:


Research shows that there are about five to eight percent of young children who is inflicted with food allergy. A food allergy is an immunologic reaction of the body when an individual is hypersensitive to a particular food protein. 

With the growing number of children getting food allergies, more parents and caregivers are seeking help from a lot of resources such as books. Nowadays, there are several books which tackle information on food allergies in children. However, do not be overwhelmed by books which have tempting titles which says that theirs is the best allergy-friendly book for your child. It is only in rare occasions that you can find a book which contains everything you need to know about food allergy in children. Hence, it is best to evaluate the reading material that you are about to acquire by the following standards: 

1. Overview of Food Allergy

The book must contain a general idea of what food allergy is all about. The definition of food allergy must be well-defined in a manner where even children can understand them. Additionally, the root cause of the food allergy in children should be explained.

The signs and symptoms of food allergy in children must be well-discussed. There are instances that the general signs and symptoms are different from those experienced by children. Moreover, the different treatment and prevention methods must be thoroughly talked about in your preferred reading material.

It is equally important to for any author to include food allergy related by-laws which may be helpful to you and your child. “Labeling law” is an example of state rule implemented for food allergy.

2. Types of Food Allergy in Children

The types of food allergy in children differ from those on adults. The common food allergies in children are:

Milk - this is considered to be a common “allergen” to children especially infant.

Peanut - severe allergic reaction may result with this type of allergy to children who have asthma.

Egg- allergies to this type of food may cause other illness to children such as asthma and nasal allergy. 

Seafood - seafood allergy includes hypersensitivity to fish and shellfish.

Wheat - there are children who outgrow their allergies to wheat at an early age. 

Peanut - this is said to be a life-threatening type of food allergy especially if left unsupervised.

Soy - this is said to be the least type of food allergy to cause life-threatening situations. 

3. Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

It is important for food allergy books to discuss apt diagnosis, treatment and prevention for children.

There are several methods to diagnose the presence of food allergy to children. Some examples are close observation to symptoms, elimination diet test, skin prick test and blood test. 

Studies show that the best way to treat and prevent food allergy is to prevent consumption of allergens or triggers. For children with severe allergies in food are given emergency treatment such as wearing allergy bracelet or card information or carrying EpiPen.

4. Food Recipes

Parents are sometimes anxious that their children may not be getting the recommended amount of nutrition due to food allergy. However, there are means and ways to deal with it such as preparing food substitutes to the type of food allergy. 

Recipes may also be helpful for parents or caregivers to prepare delectable meals.

Jack Sands asked:


Now a day’s food allergy becomes a common health problem to all people. It is really horrible experience to face in daily life. Food allergy can affect human body very badly. It can appear with red rashes on skin or sometime even it can take the suffered person to death. Allergic symptoms are generally very easy to identify but sometimes it is not easy enough.  Food allergy very commonly happens due to having eggs for many people even from very childhood. It is very important for the parents to observe what food is not suiting their baby because food allergy can destroy your health day by day. You will not feel comfortable with your daily life. Before giving any food to child the parents should be concerned about the labels of baby food. But if it noticed from the very starting there can be absolute solution as well as treatment of this kind of allergy prescribed by the physicians so that egg will be no more allergy source.

If your family member or members are suffering from any type of food allergy, try to avoid that food in your home very strictly. That will be very safer for the sufferer. Stop to buy that particular product causing health trouble to the family members so that they wont fell that they are missing something in their plates.

Another important food allergy can take place due to having wheat. The same measures have to be taken to stop the cause of allergy. The most rigorous allergy, which can take people to death, is allergy due to having peanuts, which can cause food anaphylaxis. Firstly the parents should be cautious until the child grows mature enough to get the knowledge of being ill because of food allergy. The reminders should be constantly given to them so that they become alert to avoid food, which can cause trouble to their health.

The bad consequences of peanut allergy are severe that people become very conscious about this. Very strictly it is followed that children should not bring any food to schools even. Adults are generally become cautious about this matter of fact because of having continuous problem due to having particular foods. When the person become mature enough he or she should personally consult with the physician so that the exact problems can come out into to be observed.

So it is better to make a diet chart including only the food that don’t cause allergy from any part. If you are no able to identify the symptoms try to consult with the physicians. They will lead you measures to follow. Don’t neglect to maintain unless it will never be cured and thus it will make you sufferer for the entire life.

Mike Krause asked:


There as been a tremendous increase in air cleaners and filters for the home introduced into the market over the last several years that are being sold as ” Allergy Filters”. Once something only purchased by people with chronic health conditions, more and more people are aware of the need for cleaner indoor air and are buying them.

There are several different types of air cleaners and filters that are marketed by their manufacturers as allergy filters. Some of these are of benefit to those with allergies and some do not. In this article, we will explore allergy filters that are installed in the air conditioning or heating system, units that actually attach to the air conditioner or furnace, stand alone allergy filters, ionizers and ozone machines that are marketed as allergy filters, and allergy filters used to filter the fresh air coming into your home.

There are several different types of allergy filters to use in place of your regular ac filter on your air conditioning or heating unit (HVAC). This is in place of the current filter you are using on the return side of your system. Most home owners use a filter made from a blue, spun polyester media. Unfortunately, these trap very few particles and actually have to be loaded up with dust to start trapping large particles. It’s like throwing marbles at a tennis net. A step up from this level of filtration is the dry-tack polyester pad. These disposable ac filter pads fit into a permanent frame. Each change, you remove the old allergy filter pad and insert a new one. The pads are usually treated with an antimicrobial product to keep mold from growing on them.

The next step up in ability to trap particles is a pleated filter material. These ac filters are also disposable and the better made ones will last for up to three months at a time. The idea behind the pleated material to make the allergy filter is that by pleating the fabric you create more surface area. More surface area means more media to trap allergens. When looking at these filters, you want a MERV rating of 8 or better. The MERV scale ranges from 1 (least efficient) to 16 (most efficient), and measures a filter’s ability to remove particles in the 3 to 10 micron size range. The higher the rating, the more particles removed. Also, higher rated filters trap more of the smaller particles. Last but not least in the HVAC filter category is the permanent filter. These allergy filters create an electrostatic charge by the friction created as air moves across the filtering media. These filters are usually very high in efficiency (that means they trap many particles) but may restrict air flow. This is true especially for older HVAC equipment. Once a month the permanent allergy filter is cleaned with water and reinstalled in the unit.

The next category of allergy filter for the HVAC system is a whole house HEPA filtration unit that attaches directly to the HVAC system. These units can be either HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) or TFP (turbulent flow precipitators). They work by drawing a portion of the air (usually about 30%) from the return side and passing it through the filter and then returning it back into the system to be either heated or cooled. These machines allow you to use one filtration system to clean all the air in a home. However, the HVAC system must be on at all times for the air to be filtered. This may not be an option in parts of the area where the heating or air conditioning system is not used year-around.

The filter that most people are familiar with is the stand alone HEPA air cleaning filter. HEPA is a measurement. It means that 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns are trapped by the filter. There are many makes and models on the market today. The most important consideration is getting the proper size allergy filter for the area to be cleaned. Most allergy filter manufacturers rate their machines in square footage. This is not a helpful measurement, as we live in 3 dimensions and not 2!

The first calculation to make is the volume of air you need to clean. This is expressed as the cubic feet of air in the room. Multiply length of the room in feet times the width of the room in feet times the height of the ceiling in feet to get the volume of air in cubic feet. (Length x width x ceiling height = volume). When you review the different makes and models of allergy filters, the most important number is the number of cubic feet of air moved per minute by the machines motor. The allergy filter can never clean any more air than the motor can move. You use this number to determine how quickly that machine can clean your volume of air. For example, if you have a larger bedroom that is 12 x 14 with 10 foot ceilings, you have a volume of air of 1,680 cubic feet (12 x 14 x 10 = 1,680). If you buy a machine that moves 100 cubic feet of air per minute, than it will take 16.8 minutes to turn over the air in that room one time. (1,680 / 100 = 16.8) That means that the air will pass through the filter less than 4 times an hour. You want a minimum of 6 and ideally at least 8 air exchanges an hour. In this instance, the machine is sorely undersized and would not be a good buy, no matter what the price. It is simply too small for the size of room. If you have such a large room, you would need to either purchase multiple units or look for an allergy machine with more power. Some of the best and most powerful units on the market are made by Austin Air and Airpura. They make several models that move 400+ cubic feet of air per minute. In our previous example, the higher powered machine would result in an air exchange every 4.2 minutes and over 14 air exchanges an hour.

There are also machines that are marketed as allergy filters that are not truly filters and most certainly are not for people with allergies. These “allergy filters” are ozone machines and ionizers.

Ozone units clean the air by utilizing a third molecule of oxygen as a free radical to destroy odors at their source. Ozone is not effective in removing particles from the air, but it is effective in controlling odors. Ozone is also a lung irritant and should not be used by people with allergies or asthma. Many of the manufacturers of ozone producing machines do not disclose this bit of information. Ionizers are also frequently marketed as allergy filters. They do not in fact contain a filter. Ionizers work off the basic principle that opposite charged particles attract. Some units work by the use of positive and negative charged rods. The particle enters the back of the unit, passes one rod and picks up a charge and then is drawn to the second rod with the opposite charge. The problem is once the second rod is covered in particles it no longer emits a strong enough charge to attract any more particles. The rods must then be cleaned, releasing particles back into the air where they are inhaled by the allergic person. The other type of ionizer uses radio frequency to send both positive and negative ions out into the room. The neutral particles pick up these charges, then stick to each other, and then fall to the first surface they hit in clumps. These machines work great to keep the particles knocked down, but as soon as there is any movement in the room, the particles are disturbed and become airborne again. Many manufactures of these types of ionizining machines fail to disclose they also produce trace amounts of ozone. One major manufacture was sued and lost over this issue.

The last type of allergy filter is not a traditional filter, but is a special screen used on your windows. These screens are called micro air screens and they can trap particles as small as 8 microns. These allergy filters fit into your windows and allow you to keep your windows open and bring in fresh outside air without bringing in mold, pollen, or other pollution.

So as you can see, there are many types of allergy filters made today. Which type of filter you use determines how clean your air will be.

Jack Sands asked:


Selective eating… you are to undergo such a phase when you are allergic to some kinds of food and beverages. A food allergy is the body’s immunologic reaction due to the presence of food protein. 

Nowadays, there are several reading materials to help you understand the things you need to know about food allergy. One such example is the book called “5 Years without Food: The Food Allergy Survival Guide: How to Overcome Your Food Allergies and Recover Good Healthy.” The book discusses overview of food allergy as well as the foods which you can and cannot eat and its alternatives. Additionally, you will also learn some necessary food allergy treatment from the book. Furthermore, “a personal testimonial” from the author makes the book credible as reviewed by readers.

Aside from the information which can be derived from the book, here are some helpful additional ideas you might want to add in your collection of thoughts.

Commonly, adults are allergic to foods such as eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish and fish. Kids, on the other hand, are inflicted with allergies to peanuts, milk and eggs. If you are aware that you have food allergy, what you need to undertake is to be well-informed about the allergy you have. By doing so, you will be able to overcome and recover from such allergy.

Some types of food allergies will be discussed for further reference:

Egg Allergy

An individual afflicted with the said allergy is hypersensitive to foods containing substance from eggs - the white or the yolk.

For some time, you are restricted to consume foods containing eggs. These days, there are egg substitutes which you can use such as tapioca and starch from potatoes. Apple sauce can also be an alternative. 

Nut Allergy

People who are oversensitive to tree nuts end up experiencing allergic attacks. Nut allergy should not be interchanged with peanut allergy. It is different from the latter since tree nuts are considered fruits that are dry.  Types of food prepared from soy nuts are considered to be a good alternative in the absence of tree nuts in your diet. A soy nut is not necessarily a nut; it is a soybean which undergoes the process of soaking and baking to achieve its crisp end result.

Milk Allergy

There are individuals who upon ingestion of proteins from a cow’s milk develop an allergic reaction. When this happens, such individuals are considered to be allergic in milk.

To obtain optimum result from milk allergy treatment, you need to completely avoid milk allergens. In order for you to fill in nutritional gap from milk, you can choose to include soy milk or rice milk in your diet. 

Seafood Allergy

If you are hypersensitive to foods such as shellfish or flaky fishes then you are most likely allergic to seafood.

The only way to avoid allergic attacks is prevention from eating shellfish and fishes which you are allergic into. Moreover, you also need to be careful on selecting pre-packaged foods for its labeling may not declare that it contains seafood ingredients such as shellfish or fish.

There is a reason for you to undergo selective eating. It will make you overcome the allergic reaction which is happening into your system. Moreover, it will help you recover and survive. To some extent, it will help you cease your food allergy. Selective eating may vary. Some food allergies are treated on a short-term; others are not treated in their lifetime.

Jack Sands asked:


An allergy takes place when the immune system suddenly has an abnormal response to a certain material that is usually not detrimental to most individuals except those who have allergies. When an allergy is triggered by a substance or allergen, a person’s body recognizes this as a trespasser and subsequently releases chemicals to fight off the “trespasser” causing symptoms that can range from a simple irritation to a fatal reaction that may even lead to death.

Food allergy is a reaction made by the immune system in which antibodies are produced by the body as a result of a negative effect to some foods. Though there are many individuals who claim that they have food allergies, there are only a few who really have certain allergic reactions to food. Most people confuse food allergy with food intolerance. Food intolerance and food allergy are both sensitivity reactions to food, but intolerance to certain types of food does not affect the immune system and isn’t really a life threatening incident.

As of the present time, the medical world still has not found any cure for food allergies. Allergy management only involves the prevention of intake of food allergens and some diet modifications.

Looking closely, during an allergic reaction, the body’s immune system releases antibodies, specifically immunoglobulin E. It subsequently causes the production of chemicals like histamine in the process of “protecting” the body. Now, these chemicals are the root cause of symptoms which may include an irritation in the eyes, skin, throat, lungs, and the gastrointestinal organs. These takes place whenever the individual is exposed to the allergen.

Although any type of food can cause allergic reactions to different types of individuals, there are eight major foods out there that are often the main culprits of an allergic reaction. These eight major allergy-causing foods are: fish, soy, milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.

By and large, individuals afflicted with allergies react only to some allergy-causing foods. Sometimes, allergy to a certain type of food may also cause allergic reaction to foods that may be related with the allergen food. This incidence is known as cross-reaction. For instance, an allergic reaction to wheat may also cause a reaction to rye. Allergy to pollens subsequently causes an allergy to green apples, hazelnuts, almonds, and peaches. A reaction to goat’s milk may also be associated with an allergy to cow’s milk. And the list goes on and on.

Moreover, individuals who have been afflicted with asthma and/or eczema may also be at risk of developing a food allergy. With bad luck, they would probably have a reaction that is more severe than those people who only have food allergy to worry about. This is due to the fact that when an allergy takes place the person will be under stress which then may lead to triggering their asthma and/or eczema which will aggravate the situation.

But the intensity of the reaction will depend on some circumstances like the individual’s sensitivity threshold to the food allergen, amount of eaten food, and the exposure scale the person has to the food.

Although, there is no cure to allergies, self-discipline and vigilance will help you, the allergy-sufferer, overcome these food problems. There may be some medications out there that alleviate the symptoms but a consultation to the physician will give you a better understanding to your allergy problems as well as treatment recommendations.

Jack Sands asked:


Allergy is one of the most common diseases existing in society today. There are millions of people suffering from allergies and about 6 percent of the population suffering from allergy is children and infants. You have to consider that this kind of disease can affect anyone at anytime. Once your immune system overreacts to a foreign object that is usually harmless and releases histamines, allergy symptoms can occur.

You have to consider that as a parent, your baby is one of the most important persons in the world. You feed them, you give them clothes and you provide them with shelter and care. This is why you should be aware if your baby has food allergies as it can cause severe discomfort to them and in severe cases, it can cause death.

As a parent, you have to be aware of your child’s health and because allergies are very common nowadays, you have to take the necessary measures in order to properly manage it and prevent your child from experiencing discomfort because of allergy attacks. Some foods are the main causes of allergies. If you are giving your child solid foods for the first time, you have to be absolutely certain that the food you are giving them will not cause an allergic reaction.

First of all, you have to know how allergy works in order for you to properly manage it and detect it as early as possible in order for you to manage it properly. When your child ate food that his or her body is allergic to, the body will first produce antibodies called IgE. After your child ingested the same food again, the IgE will tell the immune system to produce histamines to fight of the allergens. You have to consider that the allergens are usually harmless but the immune system of your child will mistake it as being harmful and attacks it. Because of the attack on the invader, the body will produce signs and symptoms of allergy after a few minutes of ingesting the food or after about two hours of ingesting the food.

The symptoms of allergy can be mild or severe. On the mild symptoms, your child will experience mild discomfort as swelling of the skin, mouth, ears and tongue. You will also see rashes on the skin that can be itchy. The child may also experience difficulty in breathing as well. In severe cases, your baby may vomit or can have diarrhea. It is very important for you to know that severe allergic reaction can be life threatening.

If a member of your family is allergic to specific kinds of food, your child may also inherit the allergy. Although there are cases where your child can eat the food with no problem at all, you will soon notice that your baby may develop the signs and symptoms after a few times of eating the same food. Here are some of the foods that your child may likely develop allergies to:

•    Fish

•    Peanuts

•    Tree nuts

•    Shellfish

•    Eggs

•    Milk

If your baby is showing signs and symptoms of allergy, you should immediately call your local emergency number as soon as you notice the signs and symptoms. You have to consider the fact that this situation can be life threatening and can cause severe discomfort for your child.

Always remember that early detection leads to proper management and care. The baby’s pediatrician will prepare an action plan for properly managing the allergy attack and will also provide medications to treat allergies.

Jack Sands asked:


Cats are one of the most loved pets in the world, no question about it. More than 50% of all households in the United States own dogs and cats. Although cats are loved animals, cat allergies are one of the common forms of allergies. Statistics in the past have shown that over 10 million people in the U.S. alone have allergic reactions to cats - especially their fur.

The biggest cause of cat allergies is dander. The dander, is dust that is produced by the body of the cat. Dander is basically shed skin that comes off of cats, normally in the form of small flakes. Although dander can irritate your skin, it can also get into your immune system as well, resulting in a variety of symptoms and almost immediate allergic reactions.

The dander, once in the immune system, is perceived to be a threat. Even though it isn’t classified as a disease, it’s more of a reflex by your body and your immune system. Cat allergies occur quite often due to cats having allergens that are spread throughout their blood, urine, and saliva. Although a cat may not be present at the time, the excretions probably still are.

Cat dander, urine, and saliva, are found throughout the home of cat owners. Cats constantly groom themselves, which involves rubbing their saliva into their fur. When they do this, they spread their dander and allergens around. Although you may try, there is really nothing that you can do about it. Cats have a natural instinct to groom or bathe themselves, no matter how many baths you give them, you simply won’t stop them from grooming.

Normally, when someone is taking an allergic reaction to cats, he or she will wheeze, cough, sneeze, itch, have watery eyes, or a difficult time in breathing. Different people react different ways to cat allergens, meaning that some symptoms may not occur at all. Fever and chills is very rare, although it can happen. If someone who has cat allergies comes down with fever and chills, you should contact a doctor immediately. Chances are, it isn’t an allergic reaction to cats, but instead another type of disease that a doctor will need to identify.

Cat allergies are normally treated with antihistamines and decongestants. Those that experience asthma attacks or other forms of allergies, normally take antihistamines. Decongestants on the other hand, are normally used to cure coughs and swollen nasal passages. Sometimes, doctors will recommend allergy shots as well. Allergy shots can help to prevent the attack, especially if someone is really allergic to cats. They are a good form of treatment and prevention, and they can also help to decrease the risk of allergies affecting the individual.

If you suspect that you have cat allergies, you should always make it a point to visit your doctor. He will be able to further diagnose your situation, and give you the best options available for treatment. If you do indeed suffer from cat allergies, the best way to stop the attacks is to get rid of your cat. 

Getting rid of a cat can be a very tough thing to do. If you have become allergic to your cat’s fur, there may be no other way to prevent attacks than to get rid of him. Although doctors can give you medicine and shots, it will only do so much. Cat allergens are no fun, especially if you develop them years after owning your cat. Cats are great animals to own - although cat allergies are something we could all live without.

Colleen F Finnegan asked:


Part 1:  Understanding the Allergy Basics

Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies or indoor allergies to dust mites, molds and pet dander, you may be regularly faced with allergy symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing or more.  You may experience allergy symptoms while outside as a result of seasonal allergies.  Or, your allergic reactions can come about due to exposure to indoor allergens while cleaning, coming into contact with pets or even while sleeping!  In order to understand the secret to living with allergies, you must educate yourself about allergic triggers, environmental controls and what causes your allergy symptoms.  As Part 1 of the Allergy Control Products series on The Secrets to Living with Allergies, learn some time-tested allergen avoidance steps toward living a healthier life that is free of allergy symptoms. 

Step 1:  Diagnose the Allergy Triggers that Cause Your Allergy Symptoms

Any allergy sufferer knows the misery that can be caused by allergy symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, headache, watery eyes, sneezing, itching, rash and even severe symptoms such as asthmatic reactions.  What some allergy sufferers don’t fully know is what may be triggering their allergies, and the key to managing these symptoms is diagnosing precisely what causes allergic reactions.  It may be surprising that many allergy sufferers who have mild allergy symptoms may not be able to pinpoint what they are allergic to.  Without consulting with a physician to understand the nature of their allergies, these allergy sufferers are unable to proactively control their allergies. 

In some cases, identifying allergy triggers is easy.  For instance, if you sneeze and have trouble breathing when around cats, it’s likely that you have a pet allergy.  Certain food allergies, contact with allergen sources or exposure to obvious allergy sources (such as dusty or moldy rooms) may also be easy to identify.  However, many people are unaware that they can come into daily contact with large allergen sources throughout the home that cause or worsen their allergy symptoms.  Understanding your sensitivity and resulting allergy reactions to these indoor allergens can have a profound impact on alleviating your allergy symptoms.

For the best understanding of your specific allergies, see your physician or allergist for allergy testing.  A skin test may be performed in order to determine whether you many be allergic to dust mites, pollens, pet dander, fungi or other sources.  Allergy medications or allergen injections may be recommended.  Physicians can help you outline a plan for addressing your exposure to allergy triggers in order to alleviate allergy symptoms.

Step 2:  Identify the Dust Mite as One of the Biggest Culprits in Causing Indoor Allergies

The top 3 indoor allergens are dust mite allergens, molds and pet dander.  All three can be found in most homes and millions of dust mites can be found in even the cleanest of homes.  One easy way to find allergy relief is to reduce your allergen exposure within your home.  Many people who have allergies are allergic to dust mites and because they cannot be seen by the naked eye, you could be totally unaware of how much you come in contact with dust mite allergens. 

Dust mites are relatives of the spider, and they thrive in the dark, warm and humid environment found in pillows, mattresses, bedding, carpets and upholstered furniture.  Dust mites excrete fecal particles and it is these particles, as well as their dead bodies, that cause your allergic symptoms.  In fact, “dust” is made up of dust mite allergens and other allergen particles. Inhaling these particles triggers your allergies. 

Around the home, you come in regular contact with indoor allergens, but the greatest allergen exposure is to dust mite allergens.  A large dust mite allergen source is your bed.  If you wake up feeling congested, sneezing, with swollen eyes or a runny nose, or with other allergy symptoms, inhaling dust mite allergens while you sleep is to blame.  You spend up to 8 hours a day in bed, inhaling these allergens and unwittingly aggravating your allergies.  The second largest source of dust mite allergens is found in carpeting. Since many homes have carpeting, the carpet is another large area for causing allergy symptoms. 

Step 3:  For Indoor Allergy Relief, Control Your Environment to Eliminate Allergy Triggers

The good news is that simple steps around the home could alleviate allergy symptoms and possibly reduce your need for allergy medications and treatments.  The first step is to address the bedroom due to the large amount of time spent there each day.  Cover your pillow, mattress and other bedding in allergy bed encasings to create a barrier between you and the dust mite allergens in the bed.  Wash your linens frequently in hot water to remove allergens.  Treat your carpet with special allergy-removing carpet products, or remove carpets in favor of hardwood floors or tile.  Vacuum weekly with a quality HEPA vacuum, which will contain allergens while you clean, and wear a face mask while cleaning.  Keep your home’s humidity level below 50% as low humidity discourages dust mite and mold growth. 

For more tips on controlling dust mite allergies in your home, request a copy of the Allergy Control Products Improving Life Indoors catalog or visit the Allergy Control® Allergy Learning Center for more allergy education.  Also, visit allergycontrol.com for upcoming topics regarding The Secret to Living with Allergies.  Next, Allergy Control Products will cover Addressing Pet Allergies and future series will include Controlling Mold in Your Home.  Don’t miss these helpful allergy tips from the allergen avoidance experts!

Mike Krause asked:


Allergy Control Products

50 million plus people in the US suffer from some type of allergy or asthma and it is getting worse every year. For some it is nothing more that a runny nose and is more of a nuisance than anything else. For others the symptoms are much more severe and in some cases life threatening. Name it, someone is allergic to it. Allergies are caused by dust mites, pet dander, trees, flowers, food, molds, cleaning products, household dust and hundreds of other things.

For almost 20 years the Allergy Store has been providing their customers with the most effective allergy control products available. We continually review and test the various products being introduced into the allergy control market and are confident when we say “The Allergy Store only carries products we know are effective in controlling allergies and asthma symptoms”. We have helped thousands of people get control of their indoor environment and get control of their allergies and asthma.

All of the allergy control products found in our store and on our web site are used in our homes and in our office. They have helped us, our employees, our customers and they will help you.

This series of articles/reviews will cover the various allergy control products we carry. We will discuss what allergies they are for, where to use them and how to use them. We will also tell you why we do not recommend certain allergy control products that are being sold elsewhere.

Allergy Control Carpet Treatment Products

The carpets on our floors are a perfect environment for collecting dust mites, pollen, mold, dust, dirt and other common household allergens not to mention food crumbs.  As people walk on the carpet they two things, stir up the settled bits of allergen, causing them to become air-borne and grind them into the fibers of the carpet. Air-borne allergens are easily inhaled and may trigger an allergic reaction

The number one way for allergy sufferers to treat and control the allergens in the carpet is to get rid of it. The reason for this advice is that it is impossible to really clean carpet.

You can pay to have them professionally cleaned, rent a carpet cleaning machine and do it yourself, or you can buy one of hundreds of carpet cleaning products available it your local grocery store. The carpets may look cleaner but none of these choices really cleans the carpet.

You can think of it this way, suppose you took a heavy sweater or shirt (with lots of thick fibers) and threw it down on the floor and walked on it for 6 months.  It would get pretty dirty, right?  Then suppose you splashed the dirty shirt/sweater with some warm soapy water and then vacuumed the water out with a wet vacuum extraction system.

Do you think that sweater would be clean?  Of course not, and neither are your carpets after using any of the numerous methods of carpet cleaning.  This is why people with allergies or asthma are told to get rid of carpet.

Unfortunately it is not realistic for everyone to just get rid of their carpeting. We lived with it in our house for 7 years before we could get rid of it and it made a tremendous difference. The alternative is to focus on the allergens in the carpet and target their destruction.

Alkaline Laboratories makes an allergy control product specifically for carpets.  X-Mite Anti-Allergen Carpet Cleaning Treatment Powder harnesses the power of the acids in tannins to denature (or deactivate) the allergy causing proteins of dust mites, pollens, molds and animal dander.  Tannic acid is found in woods like oak, mahogany, redwood and other hardwoods.  It is also found in tea.  Alkaline Labs uses a patented process to convert this into a 3% tanacetane formulation which is highly effective in denaturing the proteins from animals, molds, pollens and dust mites.

They combine this allergy control denaturing agent with a water-based solution of surfactants so that they also absorb some of the dirt found in the carpet.  The result with X-Mite anti-allergen control powder is that the proteins are denatured and thereby made harmless and some of the dirt is removed making the carpets appear cleaner.

To use the X-Mite anti-allergen carpet cleaning treatment product, you sprinkle the moist powder on the carpet.  Because it is not a fine, dry powder it does not float into the air like the products introduce by Johnson & Johnson a few years back. X-Mite allergy control carpet treatment comes out in “clumps” which need to be simply swept into the carpet with a broom. By sweeping them into the carpet it also causes the allergy control product to be worked further into the fibers, allowing for more effective denaturing action.

After about 3 hours, the carpets are vacuumed to remove the powder and absorbed dirt.  It is not necessary to move furniture and treat under furniture.  Each treatment last about 90 days, but it really depends on what is going on in your home.

As always the manufacturer recommends that you test their product on a small hidden area of the carpet before you use it.  The concern is that any prior chemicals or cleaners that you have used might interact with the tannic acid and cause a stain or discolor the carpet.

We are fortunate that we have been able to remove all the carpeting from our home.  It certainly has made a difference in the control of our allergies.  Until we were able to get them out, X-Mite allergy control carpet powder was an important part of our allergy control regimen in our home.

 

Neelima Reddy asked:


Itchiness, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and redness are some of the common symptoms that majority of the people experiences as allergy symptoms.

The most effective way to fight against particular allergen is immunotherapy or allergy shot, but some people will get frightened to get allergy shot.

Allergy shots hold a little amount of substance that fights against the particular allergen. For example, if the person is allergic to pollen, a small amount of substance called pollen will be added to the shot.

A small amount will be given so that the body will get used to fight against the allergen and if the body comes in contact with that substance next time, body will be familiar with that.

Who are not eligible to take allergy shot?

Allergy shots are not safe for everyone. Although most of the people experienced positive results from these shots, they are not suitable for all. People who are suffering from asthma, heart attack, and respiratory problems, pregnant women, and children under age of five are not recommended to receive allergy shot.

Alternatively, certain individuals are experiencing some side effects such as:

• Feelings of shock when the shot is initially injected

• Lightheadedness

• Nausea

So, for these reasons, the patient should stay in the doctor’s office for at least fifteen to twenty minutes after receiving the shot.

Benefits of allergy shots:

• Allergy shots improve allergic rhinitis, hay fever, bee sting allergies, drug allergies, and eye allergies.

• In some cases, allergy shots improve asthma symptoms also. The most common reaction to allergy shot is swelling at the place where the shot is given.

The success of this immunotherapy varies from person to person depending on the severity of the person’s allergy and the number of substances the person is allergic to.

In addition to the traditional allergy shots, there are new approaches to immunotherapy procedures to treat allergies.

Oral immunotherapy works similar to the allergy shot. In this method, increasing doses of allergen will be given to slowly build up the patient’s tolerance. The only difference with oral immunotherapy from allergy shot is with oral immunotherapy extract of allergen is used as drops. In this method, generally the drops are placed under the tongue and then swallowed.

Intranasal immunotherapy method involves intranasal administration of grass and house dust mite allergen extracts, which reduces the nasal symptoms such as “nasal allergy”.

The side effect with intranasal immunotherapy is nasal irritation. When compared to the traditional allergy shots, intranasal immunotherapy has no long lasting benefits.

Rush immunotherapy involves quick build up to the maintenance dose of extract. In this method of treatment, during early phase increasing doses of allergen will be given every few hours rather than a few days. Since there is a great risk involved with this rush immunotherapy, this should be done in hospital under close supervision.

Some people will experience severe reaction to the allergy shot, which is called “anaphylaxis”. In case of bad reaction with this shot, physicians will do appropriate treatment to stop this reaction.

Since allergy shots are not good for everyone, talking to the physician before taking this shot is more advisable. Visit Allergy Symptoms