Food That May Cause Allergy to Children

Food That May Cause Allergy to Children
By Susan Carey

Children are prone to food allergic (especially toddler). Re-introduction of offending foods can be attempted, but should be done under medical supervision. When eating out, ask about the ingredients and preparation of menu items before you order. If unsure, play safe by ordering plain.

Be cautious of cross-communication. Remember to wash hands and clean work surfaces/ utensils if you have handled any of forbidden foods before handling your child's food.

If you take the safety precautions outlined below, you will be able to reduce the exposure of your child to potential allergens. Ensure that you know what to do in the event of food-allergy related reaction.Family history of allergies - for infants with a family history of allergies, the following foods should not be introduced before one year of age:

eggs
wheat and other gluten-containing cereals (oats, barley, rye)
fish
shellfish
citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemon)
nuts and seeds

Food that may cause allergic reactions in kids - There are some foods commonly associated with food allergies in children. Most of them contain protein. Here are some foods you should be wary of:

milk
soy
eggs
wheat
peanuts
shellfish (shrimps, crabs, lobsters)
fish
tree nuts (such as walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans)
legumes (beans and peas)

Children are more likely to outgrow allergies to milk or soy than allergies to peanuts, fish or shrimps. Re-introduction of offending foods can be attempted, but should be done under medical supervision. In addition, foods which cause life-threatening reactions (for example, difficulty in breathing) should never be re-introduced.

If you suspect your child has a food allergy, the first step is to keep a diet and symptom diary - write down everything that your child eats and drinks, and note down any symptom, as well as the quantity and time it took for the symptoms to occur. Speak to a physician to evaluate the suspected food allergy. This may require certain tests to be done to investigate and diagnose the allergy.

The author is a big fan of cooking recipes. Visit the following website for more info about health and cooking recipes.

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The Must Know Info on Allergy

The Must Know Info on Allergy
By Ashely Farrar

Peanuts could lead you breathless, a bowl of pulses may cause swelling of the tongue and throat, or a fish preparation may lead to redness of skin and an incessant rash. The list is endless, and these are just a handful of the common allergies that people suffer from. While their occurrence may be common, what really makes the task difficult is that there is no cure for an allergy, and the only way out is by preventing the intake of food that causes allergy.

Simply defined, an allergy is intolerance of the immune system to specific foods. You are allergic to food when your body reacts adversely to it, thereby producing excess histamine, which triggers a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system.

Although an individual could be allergic to any food, such as fruits, vegetables and meat, its protein-rich food that more than 80 per cent of the people are allergic to.

You could either be allergic to specific food items, or preservatives. In case of food, allergies are generally caused by protein rich food stuffs like peanuts, fish, egg, soy, wheat and pulses.

While an allergy may develop at any age, there is no specific cure, which can be prescribed. Doctors prescribe anti-histamine drugs and may even have to inject steroids in severe cases, but these only subdue the effects after an allergy has occurred. There is no long-term cure or means to get rid of any allergy and the only way out is to prevent the intake of food that causes the allergy.

The symptoms vary from urticaria - red patches, indicating excess of blood supply to that region of the body, to general body rash and itching. In severe cases it may lead to breathlessness and angioneurotic oedema, where the wind pipe is blocked.

Patch test to find out the specific food that causes allergy exist. These are restrictive in nature and can only test allergy to 50 to 100 food stuffs. The method of exclusion serves best. Doctors recommend maintaining a diary. Once you know that you are allergic to something, start recording everything that you eat in a diary. It will be easier to detect the particular food whenever you develop symptoms next.

Once you determine what you are allergic to, it is important to learn to read food labels and thereby avoid eating food that you are allergic to. The dictum, prevention is better than cure, works best in case of allergy.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction

Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he/she is allergic.

1. Tingling sensation in the mouth

2. Swelling of the tongue and throat

3. Difficulty in breathing

4. Vomiting

5. Abdominal cramps

6. Diarrhea

7. Drop in blood pressure

8. Loss of consciousness

Symptoms may be mild or very sever, depending on how much of the food you have consumed and extent that you are allergic to it.

Ashely Farrar also writes on Kidney Stone. More info: Kidney Stones

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Soy Allergy

Soy Allergy
By Joe Marafioti

Soy allergy is an immune system response to soy. At least 16 potential soy protein allergens have been identified but their relative clinical significance is unknown.

About 0.5% of the population has soy allergy, that it is more common in infants: the average age at which the allergy manifests is 3 months but the majority of infants outgrow it by the age of two. Adults with soy allergy are rare.

The reported symptoms of soy allergy include: acne, angioedema, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, bronchospasm, colitis, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, dyspnea, eczema, enterocolitis, fever, hypotension, itching, laryngeal oedema, lethargy, urticaria, vomiting and wheezing.If soy allergy is suspected, soy should be completely removed from the diet for several days. Soy products can then be cautiously returned to the diet to see if symptoms return. Intolerence reactions can occur as long as 48 hours after ingestion of an offending substance.

The way soy is processed can affect allergenicity and many people allergic to soy are may also cross react to other foods, especially other legumes such as peas, peanuts, lentils and garbanzo beans.

Soy has a long history of use in managing cow's milk allergies in infants. However, up to 50% of children with cow milk allergy are also allergic to soy protein. In addition, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the UKs Chief Medical Officer do not recommend soy products for use in infants due to concerns of phytoestrogens, in addition to their lack of hypoallergenic.

More information on Act Against Allergy

by AAA Editorial Board

Date of publication: 01/02/2006

Source: Soy Allergy site

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Allergy Relief Air Purifier Can be a Friend for Life

Allergy Relief Air Purifier Can be a Friend for Life
By Nathalie Lafleur

Anyone who suffers from allergies will know how terrible life is when you are attacked by their symptoms. The doctor is always ready to offer some medication or another when this happens, and with a little effort the allergy abates. However, many people remembering the advice of the doctor to avoid any and all allergens, install an allergy relief air purifier in their house. This is one very efficient way to remove all possible allergens from the air, and keep healthy.

How to Choose the Best Allergy Relief Air Purifier for Your Home

Once you have decided to buy an allergy relief air purifier, go right ahead and do it. There are times when acting on an impulse is quite fruitful this is one of those times. When you are shopping for your allergy relief air purifier, you will need to know however, about certain aspects such as requirements for the size of your house or room, the process by which it effects the purification, the recurring cost, the total cost, and lastly its efficiency in maintaining the house's air.

You will need to measure your room and find out which size allergy relief air purifier would work best. In order to get the best advice, you will need to have the measurements accurately recorded so the shop sales person you visit can calculate and tell you what capacity allergy relief air purifier you will need to use.

Present allergy relief air purifiers use diverse methods of filtering the air one type works with replaceable filters where the filters have to be cleaned periodically to ensure the air circulation. The other type uses filters that need to be replaced directly instead of cleaned, ensuring exceptional purification properties.

The recurring cost for the cleaning of the filters, or exchanging the filters should be known before purchasing as this aspect will be often overlooked. You will need to find out in detail, how the allergy relief air purifier is maintained. The store may underplay instead of tell you accurately about the costs involved, so research well.

The total cost of the allergy relief air purifier would depend upon your budget. There are models available for each and every budget, so you should always ensure that you buy something qualitative, impressive looking, but also within the budget. .

The capacity of the purifier is meant for a certain cubic area, so you will need to know the exact dimensions of the house or room it will be in. Only then can the store be able to indicate the right one for your room capacity.

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Dog Allergies Including Dog Food Allergy Reduce Happiness

Dog Allergies Including Dog Food Allergy Reduce Happiness
By Barbara Kremers

How allergy signs can affect your life. This is the story of an otherwise very happy Labrador Retriever with concurrent allergies. It is based on an interview held with Nell Kremers.

Scratching for Relief

Demi is a friendly Labby, shes always happy and playful or at least she used to be up until one summer at 15 months of age. She then just started biting and scratching. As if the itching drove her mad she was literally rubbing and licking her skin away. The once beautiful chocolate-brown Labrador lost her shine.

She showed bald spots in her arm-pits and below her tail plus self-inflicted wounds in her face. Scratching for relief of allergy symptoms does cost a lot of energy.

At first it just seemed as if she had developed a bad habit and the owners at first tried to correct her for overdoing the scratching thing as perhaps she was just seeking attention being in the puberty age. Demi, the docile dog she is, obeyed and stopped the scratching as long as one of her human family members was around. But as soon as they left the room, she would make up for lost scratching time and hit it like crazy. Also when she got aroused and her blood started flowing more quickly through her veins, it appeared the itching increased.

Change to Hypo-Allergen Dog Food

And so it happened she was taken to the vet (well, not for the first time of course). She showed self-inflicted wounds and around her eyes virtually no hair had survived the intense scratching. The vet checked her for parasites and teeth problems (as she was scratching around her jaws as well) but found no problems in that area. He then advised to change her dog food from high energy Eukanuba to Lamb & Rice, to rule out a dog food allergy. Lamb & Rice is a combination that is often prescribed as a low-allergen dog food and the rationale behind it is that dogs wont have eaten this before. However, nowadays Lamb & Rice is not such an exotic dog food anymore and in this case this choice was not so fortunate for Demi.

Demi has a very loving owner who would sleep on the couch, during the heavy episodes, just to be in time to calm her down. No more scolding or shouting to try to stop her hurting herself, but instead remaining calm and trying to transfer tranquillity to her (as if giving Reiki to a dog). The owner would gently let her hands go over the itching spots, which gave Demi some relief. This was to avoid Demi mutilating herself as the self-inflicted wounds can progress and get infected (so called hot spots).

However, the symptoms did not disappear and she was taken to the veterinarian again. She received a medicine to relief the itching and, thank god, this worked so she could have some sleep again. Poor Demi had not enjoyed a good night of rest for quite some time and this was taking his toll as well, changing her behaviour and making her more nervous. She also got antibiotics and a skin sample was taken for further research. No parasites or scabies was detected.

Allergy Blood Test

Standard treatment in itching is to change dog food for about 3 to 4 months and to only give your dog that dog food, no treats, no snacks, no table scraps, nothing whatsoever. When symptoms remain, then a blood test is indicated. And Demi obviously qualified for this next step. Finally it all became clear. Just have a look at the results below.Demis allergy test revealed the following allergies:

*Food allergies: Rice, wheat, lamb, soy, carrots and nuts with highest score for rice and wheat.
*Contact allergies: Various mites and also flea bite allergy
*Inhalant allergies: Wheat (again), barley, corn, oats, stinging nettle and ribwort plantain.

Demi was suffering from multiple allergies such as grass allergy which explained the increase in allergy symptoms during summers (like the first episode) but also a very high score to rice and to a lesser extent to lamb as well, the main ingredients in her so-called hypoallergenic dog food. What an unfortunate choice this had been! With this new knowledge, she was immediately taken of Lamb & Rice and transferred to Duck & Potato Diet (Tovets DPD).

Desensitization via Allergen Injections

To deal with the inhalant and contact allergies for grain and grasses, immunotherapy was indicated. Its pretty easy to cure dog food allergies (the cure is to just eliminate the ingredients from the menu) compared to curing environmental allergies. It is often impractical to keep a dog away from offending allergens, so another solution than elimination is required. Based on the results of the allergy test a special mix was created in the laboratory to desensitize Demi to the identified culprits.

Since this involves weekly injections the owner had to learn how to inject Demi subcutaneously with these liquids. This kind of therapy thus requires a dedicated dog owner and it can be quite difficult to inject your own pet (well, thats my personal experience). The owner was given three kinds of fluids (red, green and blue caps) and the amount was set for a period of 6 months of therapy. There is a small risk of anaphylaxis, but still its the safest long-term treatment available. About 70% of treated dogs respond well to immunotherapy and the others at least show some alleviation of the clinical symptoms.

Learning to Live With Dog Allergies

Demi is now four years old and most of the time she is a happy dog. She will receive desensitization injections (maintenance dosage) probably for the rest of her life. To relief any itching that remains here's a tip from Nell that works for Demi: dilute some tea-tree oil in water and spray this on the inflicted areas. It reliefs the itching, desinfects the skin and helps the healing process of hot spots.

Knowing what allergies she has, she can enjoy an occasional treat again (though never dog biscuits or any other kind of treat that contains wheat such as most dental sticks). Luckily Demi just adores fruit and cheese which is safe to eat for her! You can make Demi really happy by offering her pineapple, mango, strawberries, cucumber, apples and pears. But she also loves a piece of bread, though shes allergic to the ingredients.

People passing by on the street sometimes want to offer a dog biscuit to this happy furry lady, but of course this is strictly prohibited. And since everyone would get tired of explaining the ins and outs of this decision, some people dont understand why this Labrador isnt allowed to enjoy a tasteful treat. Also bread left on the grass for the ducks to eat is a risk for Demi. Especially when walking in the dark its not always easy for the owner to intervene on time.

Should the allergy episodes worsen again, then there is one official remedy left: Prednisone injections. Antihistamines, though beneficial in allergic humans, give inconsistent results in dogs. So that leaves us with steroid treatment. Counter effects of prednisone are that it can damage the organs and as such may decrease life span. Though when all else fails its like Demis owner stated: Better be happy for a few years, than a very long life of discomfort and unhappiness.

However, before turning to Prednisone as final resort it appears good results are booked with a holistic approach in similar cases. This is a non-traditional approach in veterinary medicine exploring alternative and complimentary areas of health care. Let's hope new therapies and treatments are discovered to prevent and cure diseases in our beloved pets.

So what can we learn from this story about allergy:

*Prescribing Lamb & Rice dog food to rule out dog food induced allergies is not a good choice in all cases.

*Dog food induced allergies, inhalant allergies and contact allergies can occur at the same time making a clear diagnosis very difficult.

*When your dog is suddenly scratching a lot, examine his coat for fleas or other parasites and take him to the vet if your investigation was negative.

*When your dog suffers an attack of heavy itching and is relentlessly scratching for relief, try to transfer calmness to your pooch. Diluted tea-tree oil can give some relief.

*When you meet a person who is walking a dog that looks like he has some kind of contagious disease, dont immediately assume it is scabies and treat them like pariahs. You can just ask. When the other dog is suffering from allergic symptoms you need not worry. Let dogs be dogs if they want to play together. There is nothing contagious about allergies.

*Allergies cause great discomfort to both dog and owner and it is pertinent to try and identify the allergens that are causing this as quickly as possible.

*Holistic veterinary medicine may shine new light on this subject when traditional therapies fail.

For more information about dog allergies visit http://www.Best-Dog-Food-Guide.com Here you will find much more dog food related information. Subscribe to the e-zine to receive the free e-book 'A bit of Tender, Love and Care for Dogs'.To stay tuned to dog food news and trends please pay a visit to http://www.dog-food-blog.comAll the best, Barbara.

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The Sweet Smell of a Perfume Allergy

The Sweet Smell of a Perfume Allergy
By Grant Segall

Ah.the sweet, smell of perfume! Todays market is flooded with hundreds and hundreds of different fragrances ranging from floral to woodsy. Most women love the smell of perfume, wearing it even when going to the grocery store. The problem is that perfume allergy for some women, is anything but nice.

Keep in mind that a perfume allergy is not limited to the woman who wears it. For some people, men and women, just being around someone wearing perfume can have a devastating effect. Even regular household cleansers, air fresheners, fabric softener, scented candles, potpourri, hair spray, and shampoo can produce the same reaction. Although the smell of perfume might trigger a headache or rash, the more severe problem is a full-blown asthma attack.

Having a perfume allergy is not something new. Unfortunately, many people are affected by the smell of perfume, especially when in a confined space. For instance, individuals working in an office environment might not have a choice but to be around someone wearing perfume. In this case, the only real solution is to request those individuals to stop wearing perfume to work (some may) or to ask if your desk can be seated in a different area. The problem is that not all companies are accommodating, meaning a new job must be found.

The good news is that because a perfume allergy can produce such a serious reaction as asthma or an anaphylactic shock, you will find a number of products now on the market that are fragrance free. Many of these items are found in organic stores although traditional grocery stores are now trying to cater to all customers. Because you cannot control who does and does not wear perfume, you have to take steps to protect yourself if you have a perfume allergy. This might include letting a job interview know, wearing a mask, or perhaps taking medication.

If you notice that you have symptoms of itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, or coughing when wearing perfume or being around other people that do then chances are you are having a reaction. Interestingly, many people have a perfume allergy but blame it on other things, never even considering that fragrance could be the problem. Sometimes, even doctors miss a perfume allergy simply because they are more accustomed to treating seasonal allergies, pet allergies, and other forms of allergy.

In addition, remember that while you might be allergic to some perfumes, it is possible that not all fragrances will create a reaction. The reason is that performs are made up of varying chemicals so while one chemical may trigger a reaction, other chemicals might not. Therefore, it is important that you pay attention to your surroundings, taking note if you can pinpoint these symptoms specific to fragrance.

By Grant Segall RPh - You can find this article here - http://www.allergy-allergy.com/allergy-types/

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Help Living With A Cat And A Cat Allergy

Help Living With A Cat And A Cat Allergy
By J. Lloyd

Has your doctor diagnosed you with an allergy to cats? Do you own cats? Do you consider them your babies? Can you not live without them? Just because you have an allergy to cats, it doesn't mean you necessarily have to give them away. There are some things you can do to help you and your beloved feline live together despite your cat allergy.

First, most people who say they are allergic to cats are really not allergic to cats at all but instead to their saliva. Because cats groom themselves regularly, their fur is covered with this dried saliva, or dander as it is called.

Since cats also shed regularly, their fur, which is coated in dander, is left where ever they may go in your home. It may settle in the carpet, on couches and drapes. Every time you clean this fur and dander is stirred up in the air, making your allergy symptoms worse.

If you find discover you have a cat allergy, the best idea is to keep your cat outside. If this is not possible because the animal is declawed, there are a few things you can do to make your life less miserable because of allergies.

First, you might want to limit your cat's roaming to only one or two rooms of your house. After petting or playing with your feline, wash your hands thoroughly, especially before touching your face or nose. Also, never allow the cats to sleep in your bed with you.

Next, there are several ways you can help reduce the amount of cat dander that stays in your home. You might think about replacing cloth curtains or drapes with plastic or wooden blinds.

It will also help if you remove the carpet from your house and replace it with linoleum, hardwood or tile floors. These changes mean you can clean your home better and get rid of more cat dander. While these actions may be costly, they are worth the effort for those who really love their cats.

If you can't replace your carpets because you rent your home or apartment, there are still several ways to clean more cat dander out of the existing carpet. First, there are new vacuums with extra powerful suction made specifically for removing pet hair from carpet, rugs and upholstery. Certain air filters and air cleaners can also help to cut down on the amount of dander floating in your air.

Another suggestion is to try is bathing your cat, or having him bathed, on a weekly basis. Although your cat wont like this idea that much, the weekly bath may help to cut down on some of the dander on the fur. Another option is to have your cat shaved.

While this may sound strange, many veterinarians' offices offer this service for less than $50. Cats with less hair will understandably have less dander. An added bonus is that they will also shed less and have fewer hairballs.

Finally, you might consult with your doctor to see if he can suggest an allergy medication that might with your cat allergy. He may suggest allergy shots, a prescription strength allergy medication or even an over-the-counter allergy treatment. You and your doctor can work together to find the best solution for your particular cat allergy.

For those who love cats, finding out that they have a cat allergy may be the worst news they can receive. While it may seem the only option is to give away their beloved pet, there are some things they can try in order to get allergy relief, but still keep their cat.

For more information on allergies try visiting http://www.theallergyeffect.com - a website that specializes in providing allergy related tips, advice and resources to including information on cat allergy.

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