Allergy Vacuum Cleaner or Vacuum Polluter?

It is easy to “clean by sight” when vacuuming a floor or carpeting – a couple of passes with the vacuum and the dirt, dust and particles are gone. However, what we don’t see are the thousands of microscopic particles still remaining which can cause a host of allergic symptoms.

A great portion of indoor air pollutants fall into the broad category particles, also known as particulate matter. I consider particulate matter control in the indoor environment to be at the top of the list for improving and maintaining good IAQ.

Particulate matter is derived from a multitude of sources including but not limited to pesticides, lead dust from sanding of old paint, synthetic fibers, organic fibers, dust mite feces, insect parts, bug parts, soot, chemical powder, pollen parts, tobacco smoke and of course, just good old house dust.

Each cubic foot of air in your home can contain tens of thousands of particles and are measured in microns. There are 25,400 microns in one inch. Approximately 98-99% of all particles by count are in the size range of 10 microns or less and the majority of harmful particles are 3 microns or less in size. The average adult breathes in about 16,000 quarts of air per day. Each quart of air breathed in contains some 70,000 visible and invisible particles. That’s potentially a billion particles per day taken in by our respiratory system.

Without doubt, the greatest tool available to remove these particles of all sizes including microscopic particles is the HEPA (High Efficient Particle Air) vacuum. The certified HEPA vacuum cleaner (or central vacuum system) is the best particle removing device over which you have total control. You decide what surfaces you vacuum and when. Any other vacuum filter is potentially a vacuum polluter and only recycles the microscopic particles which are responsible for many respiratory allergies.

Regular use of HEPA vacuum technology can drastically improve allergies symptoms in a home environment.

About the author:
Stan K. Hall has been a recognized specialist in indoor air pollution for 25 years and has performed over 400 in-home environmental evaluations. He has been recommended by doctors, nutritionist’ as well as other health professionals for his expertise in diagnosing and remediating sick houses. Go to the Sick House Doctor website.

Reducing Allergies at Home:Reducing Allergies: Vacuum Types

Shellfish allergies are considered the most common cause of severe allergies in adults throughout the world. In addition, shellfish allergies is the primary allergy known to manifest for the first time at anytime during adulthood.

Shellfish and Iodine

Although many shellfish species may be rich in iodine, there is no scientific evidence that shellfish allergies raise the risk of developing or having an iodine allergy. Furthermore, it has never been proven that people with shellfish allergies need to take precautions to avoid iodine when undergoing medical tests.  Iodine is not related to the protein that causes shellfish allergies. However, some persons feel that they may have an iodine relative; because they are allergic to shellfish or are known to have an fish allergy.

Avoiding Shellfish

Simply avoiding shellfish is really the only method to prevent a allergic reaction. Having a health professional diagnose the exact type of shellfish you are allergic to will help you to plan your seafood diet. Otherwise, shellfish should be avoided completely since the allergic reactions can be severe.

Examples of shellfish:

• Abalone
• Clams
• Cockle, sea urchin
• Crab
• Crawfish, crayfish
• Lobster
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Shrimp

Shellfish restaurant dishes to avoid

Here a a few dishes and their common names to keep an eye out for when examining restaurant menus:

• Paella
• Bouillabaisse
• Seafood gumbos
• Frito misto (a mixed fried fish dish from the Mediterranean coast)
• Fruits de mer (seafood)
• Surimi (a processed seafood product)
• Anchovies (pizza topping)
• Caponata
• Kedgeree
• Fish sauces (Nuoc Mam and Nam Pla)
• Patum Peperium
• Menhaden
• Be aware that some oriental food tends to contain lots of different kinds of fish and are hard to detect unless you ask ahead

Related Post: Food Allergies and Fish Allergy.

About the Author:
Carlton Smith is a food critic in North Carolina and writes about fine dining experiences in various cuisine publications.

To learn more about how to make your home a allergy-free haven, please sign up for our sponsor’s Free 10-Part Email Mini-Course on this page or click here to read more.

Medical Conditions & Treatments : Symptoms of Shellfish Allergies

Dander Allergy

It is believed that over 60% of all modern households throughout the world have a dog or cat as a pet and over 10% of those households can have at least one person which has dander allergies.

What is Dander?

Dander from pets are secreted (oily) fluids from their skin, a particle which contain allergens called dander. The oily-like fluids can collect on fur and feathers and can can cause allergic reactions in hypersensitive persons.

Even though dander allergies from a dog or cat are more prevelant, other pets can create dander allergy problems as well to include:

• Birds
• Guinea pigs
• Mamsters
• Mice
• Rabbits
• Rats
• and other furry friends

While an allergic individual may exhibit allergic reactions from their dander, they are more likely to actually be allergic to their saliva and urine. Once dry, these secretions become airborne and can be a source of allergic reactions for children, adults and laboratory animal workers. Proteins whcih are found in the animal’s saliva and urine are considered to be strong allergens.  Many of these allergens are microscopic and can become airborne for extended periods of time only to be breathed in by an allergy sufferer.

Related Posts: Pet Allergy, Pet Allergies and Dog Allergies.

About the Author: Daniella Jensen is a pet shop owner in Santa Monica California and writes pet related articles for local and online publications.

Allergy Symptoms & Treatments : How to Prevent Dander Allergies

Miserable Nasal Allergies

If you have been or are experiencing any of these symptoms: uncontrollable sneezing, congestion and runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, breathing wheezing, cough, headache, sometimes the loss of smell, and sore throat, then you must be suffering from allergic rhinitis.

Most people with allergies have a relative who also has allergies transmitted in their genes.  The allergic rhinitis occurs when the immune system overreacts to particles in the air. These particles, called allergens, typically are not harmful, but your immune system reacts when sensitized with the perception that it is a potentially harmful substance. The immune system is the shield against viruses and bacteria harmful, however, can sometimes be more active and respond to noxious particles. This hypersensitivity to allergens can cause the symptoms of allergies above. Seasonal allergies occur when your allergy symptoms are aggravated in the change of seasons or when pollen counts are high. Perennial allergies occur throughout the year and are usually caused by exposure to dust mites, animal dander or cockroach allergen.

Allergies can lead to complications such as sinusitis and ear infections so it is important to take steps to prevent it: cleaning the house to avoid the reproduction of dust mites and indoor molds, avoid exposure to pollen by staying home when pollen counts are high, and avoid exercising outside in the early morning when pollen counts are at its peak.

Doctors advise that the best treatment would prevent only some nasal allergies.  However, if you have already taken preventive measures, there are several treatment options available. There are also counter drugs such as loratadine and cetirizine could help treat the symptoms. There are several prescription medications that your allergist can prescribe for comfort. Allergy shots are also available for those who have poorly controlled symptoms despite taking medication, or if spends most of the year or if you are around allergens that are inevitable. Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) helps control and reduce reactions Allergic to help your immune system becomes less sensitive to the substances you are allergic to.  Through small doses of vaccine, your body slowly accumulates resistance to their allergies without causing a severe reaction. They not only treat the symptoms temporarily, but also treating the underlying disease. Immunotherapy reducing the need for expensive drugs for years and can provide significant savings in the long run.

Take care of your health.  Act now!

About the Author:

To find out more on allergic symptoms or if you are in the Cincinnati who are willing to participate on a research study on investigational oral immunotherapy, please visit www.ragweedallergycincinnati.com for more info.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – What are Allergy Shots For?

Managing Nasal Allergies

I thought allergies were only in the spring or fall, but I have them worse in the summer?

What medication should I take?

Best Answer:

Unfortunate for some people, allergies are not just for the spring and fall seasons.  Pollen from the spring plants and trees are still plentiful and can play havoc for some. The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to keep your summer allergy symptoms from developing into a sinus infection.

The first thing I would do is to rinse my nose two or three times a day with a sinus rinse or neti-pot product. Secondly, there are a few over-the-counter medications you can take. If you can take a Claritin and it all goes away, are most surely…allergies.  If not, then you has a cold or worse yet, a sinus infection. You can also try taking a decongestant like Sudafed to help with nasal drainage and to prevent your symptoms from progressing into something worse. If you have problems with mucus in the throat or lungs, try Mucinex to help loosen it up  so you can cough it out. Benadryl can help too. If all else fails, try a mild antihistamine since they often have a drying effect and will stop a runny nose. Of course, there are many other medications you can try as well.

Remember that none of these medications will work unless you stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Limit your juices since they contain lots of sugar. Take lots of vitamin C and get at least 8 hours or more of good sleep until symptoms subside.

If this still doesn’t do it, then go to the doctor and get a stronger medication.

I hope you get better soon.

Source: Yahoo Answers

Summer Allergies Relief

Allergies to nightshade plants are common throughout the western part of the world since they are common staples in the typical modern diet.

The nightshade family of plants are eggplant, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and yes . . . even blueberries and tobacco. These plants have alkaloids which can cause inflammation and cause allergic reactions. If a person is allergic to one nightshade food, then there is a 75% chance they will be allergic to all nightshades.

Nightshade allergies seem to have more symptoms than other food allergens. Here is a partial list of symptoms which can result from a nightshade allergy:

• Constipation or diarrhea
• Depression
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Joint pain
• Upset stomach
• Skin swelling

The good news is; there are great alternatives to cooking with nightshade foods and just takes some practice like anything else. The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook written by Cybele Pascal is an excellent book with a good range of recipes for people with allergies.

About the author:
Consuelo Vanderof is a master chef for a fine dining establishment in Seattle Washington and writes for a local cuisine magazine in her spare time.

Food For Fibromyalgia: Avoid The Nightshades

If you’re allergic to the stings or bites of insects, navigating your way rhough the summer can be more dangerous than bicycling through New York City. An estimated 2 million Americans have insect allergies, which send more than 500,000 of them to the hospital and cause at least 50 deaths per year. That figure may actually br higher, since some insect-allergy related deaths may not be recognized as such. Almost half of the fatal reactions occur in people who have no history of insect allergies. If you suspect you may be allergic, ask your doctor to do a skin test.

Insect Allergy Culprits

The culprits include stinging insects, such as bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, and fire ants, and biting insects, such as mosquitoes and bedbugs. Most of which are plentiful in late July, August and early September. You’ll know you’re allergic to one of them if, after you’ve been bitten, you develop hives, itchiness, swelling in areas other than the sting bite, difficulty breathing, dizziness, a hoarse voice, and/or swelling of the tongue. In severe reactions, you may lose consciousness and go into cardiac arrest as your body becomes overwhelmed and goes into anaphylactic shock. Don’t be surprised if the symptoms hit several hours after your encounter with the insect and gradually worsen before dissipating.

There’s really no way to know if you’re allergic to an insect until you’ve been stung, since this is one of the few allergies in which there is no clear family history. Just because a parent is allergic to bee stings doesn’t mean that you will be.

If you’re stung, try applying cold compresses and/or an over-the-counter hydro-cortisone cream to reduce the stinging and swelling, but even if that first reaction is mild, make sure you see an allergist.Not only do you need a doctor’s prescription for the epinephrine kit, you should ask if you’re a candidate for venom immunotherapy, or allergy shots, which can desensitize you to most insect stings.

Related Post: Wasp Allergy.

About the author:

Excerpt from Allergy & Asthma Relief

Debra Gordon, Co-author of Allergy & Asthma Relief, Reader’s Digest, 2004

Insect Allergies Explained

There has been much confusion over what causes allergies in the home for many years. Health-care practitioners may tell their patients that it is the outdoor pollutants which really cause their allergies whereas in-home air purifier manufacturers may claim just the opposite.

The fact of the matter is both outdoor and indoor pollutants can cause allergy symptoms. However, indoor pollutants have been shown to actually present a greater problem to long-term allergy sufferers. To start with, people spend more time indoors than out and the indoor pollutants are actually smaller than their outdoor counterparts. Indoor pollutants can actually split up and become smaller particles which are more likely to be breathed deeply into the lung and nasal cavities. In effect, the smaller the particle, the greater likelihood of that particle causing an allergic reaction.

Leading Causes of Environmental Allergies

Small sub-micron particles ranging from household dust to dust-mite feces are a leading cause of environmental allergies. Small particles of mold, pollen and cat dander can also aggravate allergy symptoms in children and adults. Even chemicals found in the following common household products have all shown to cause upper respiratory illness symptoms in children which have chronic allergies:

• Adhesives
• Air fresheners
• Carpeting
• Cigarette smoke
• Cosmetics
• Drapes
• Dyes
• Floor finishes
• Furniture polishes
• Household cleaners
• Paint

Mold Allergy Symptoms and Causes

Many people believe that mold growth which is visual to the human eye is the only mold which can cause allergy symptoms. However, small mold particles are responsible for over 90% of mold allergy symptoms. Mold particles are everywhere in the outdoor and indoor environment. It is the combination of mold particle size to the quantity found in a cubic foot of indoor air which most aggravates allergies. Each cubic foot of indoor air in a home or building can contain millions of particles. These indoor particles are commonly measured in microns, a metric unit of measure. There are 25,400 microns in one inch. Approximately 98-99% of all particles by count of indoor air are in the sub-micron size range of 10 microns or less in size. These sub-micron particles are known as “respirable” and are invisible to the naked eye. The average adult may breathe in as much as 16,000 quarts of air whereas children under the age of 12 can breathe in as much as 10,000 quarts. Each quart of air breathed in contains some 70,000 visible and invisible particles. That’s potentially a billion particles per day taken in by our respiratory system.

Individuals who are hypersensitive or have a predisposed reaction to these sub-micron particles may have an acute allergic reaction. These allergy-causing airborne particles which remain in the home environment for extended periods of time are the primary cause of chronic allergy symptoms in children and adults.

Allergy Induced Asthma

Allergy induced asthma is the term used primarily by health care practitioners to describe persons which are at a higher risk of developing asthma because of their chronic allergic disposition. This is because the inflammatory and sensitization responses of allergy and asthma sufferers are quite similar. Family history usually plays a role in diagnosing allergy induced asthma.

The good news is that the indoor home environment can be made a haven for all allergy and asthma sufferers by implementing the proper technology combined with proper knowledge. In today’s world of technological advances, there is no reason for a child or adult to suffer with allergies while at home.

Related Post: Dust Mite Allergy.

About the author:
The Sick House Center is a resource and information site about indoor air pollution and other related issues. Read their Indoor Pollutant Fact Sheet here.

House Dusting : Controlling Dust Mites

Diagnosing childhood allergies can be long term and daunting task for parents to undertake. Children can exhibit a wide range and variety of allergy symptoms. When a suspected allergy is combined with other infections such as viral or bacterial it becomes important to suspend allergy testing and diagnosing procedures until the infection has subsided. This is why it takes some time to properly diagnose childhood allergies.

It is paramount that parents recognize the child allergy symptoms at the earliest stage possible.  Early diagnosis will not only prevent sufferering, but will also increase the likelihood that the allergies can be controlled or cured. It is believed that a child has about a 50% chance of developing allergies if one parent is allergic while it can rise to above 75% if both parents are allergic. There is also strong evidence that children who breast feed have a lessor chance of developing their parents allergic tendencies.

Rating Child Allergy Symptoms

Childhood allergy symptoms are categorized by allergy doctors based upon their type and/or severity.  The severity of symptoms may be categorized as mild, moderate or severe.  Children who are diagnosed as  severe should receive allergy testing to determine what they are allergic to depending on the age.  Child allergy symptoms ranging from mild to moderate can occur occasionally when they eat something or are exposed to a substance that they have never been exposed to.

Parental Self Diagnosing

If a child is suspected to have allergic tendencies, then it becomes important to keep the child on a regular diet and add various foods every few days to track allergic responses. Keeping a written food schedule is needed for diagnosing reaction dates to the foods given. If a child experiences swelling of eyes, lips, and face within a few hours of eating a food you should  consult a health professional immediately. When a child experiences an moderate or severe allergic reaction then it becomes very important to monitor their breathing due to possible swelling inside the throat and airways.

Food Related or Environmental?

Even though food allergies are a primary cause in childhood allergies, it is still important to be cognitive of other indoor environmental factors which can be fod in the home. There are many indoor pollutants which can cause allergic responses in children to include:

• Mold
• Bacteria
• Pesticide use
• Household cleaners
• Laundry detergents
• Dog and cat dander
• Dust mites
• Dead insect parts
• and much more!

A parent with a child who suffers from moderate to severe allergies must become an investigator which tracks the foods they eat as well as their own indoor environment and how it relates to their allergic symptoms. With perseverance and patience, the causes of their child’s allergy can be determined. Once the causes are discovered, then steps can be taken to control their exposure to the known allergens.

Related Posts: Toddler Allergies and Baby Allergies.

About the author: Stan K. Hall, The Sick House Doctor is a recognized specialist in Indoor Air Pollution as well as Health & Safety in the home. He has performed over 400 indoor environmental evaluations over the past 26 years and has helped hundreds of homeowners make their homes a haven. He is widely known as the originator of T.E.A.M., the scientifically proven approach to controlling and resolving indoor air pollution.

On Call – Childhood Allergies

Using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or similar energy therapies to treat or cure allergies can be a great relief and in some cases can literally be a life saver. But the outcome of these treatments is often misunderstood by people who receive them.

Using energy work to heal allergies started in the 1980s with an accidental discovery by Devi Nambudripad who discovered that allergies could be cured through the use of acupuncture. He called his therapy Elimination of Technical Nambudripad allergy. Since then, thousands of people have found relief using NAET and therapies, such as Bio-Set and Freedom Technique Emotional.

Diagnosis is made through muscle response testing. The patient holds a vial containing a very small sample or equivalent energy the suspected allergen in one hand while sticking out his opposite arm. The practitioner considers the ease with which they can push for the extended arm. If the arm becomes weak and easy to push down, so anything that clings to the patient is considered an allergen.

Treatment involves the professional checking specific acupuncture points, while the patient sits still.  After a few EFT treaments, the patient can generally can eat food again without problem.

The misunderstanding comes when the patient believes he can eat all the foods that are processed without any problems. Almost everybody will test weak (allergic) to table sugar and artificial sweeteners. A few EFT treatments does not insyre that food is safe to eat at once. Using energy therapies to overcome food sensitivity should not be seen as a way to eat the junk food without consequences.

Many people have severe allergies to exhaust from cars and buses. Treatments does not mean you can spend an hour in a closed room with a bus idling outside the door without getting sick.

Sugar from food is simply not good for you and is never part of a healthy diet. It’s always going to be “calories empty” and can lead to tooth decay, obesity and worse.  But being able to eat anything without an allergic reaction, and saying that a food is OK to eat are two different things.

Using EFT to get rid of allergies can be one of the best things you can do for your health. But once the allergies are gone, do not be silly with all foods you can eat.

About the Author:

Reuven Wachsberger is an accomplished EFT practitioner, energy worker. www.supertapping.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Common Sense when Using EFT to Treat Allergies and Food Sensitivities

Treating allergies: How to control your allergies