Quick Tips: Humidity
As the weather cools, decreased need for air-conditioning can lead to increased indoor moisture with the attendant increase in indoor mold. Using a dehumidifier can be very helpful to avoid this problem.
Asthma study shows common airway barrier, adds to bank of asthma knowledge
Last month the lead article in the New England Journal of Medicine was titled “A Large-Scale, Consortium-Based Genome-Wide Association Study of Asthma”, and was from work done by the National Heart and Lung Institute in the U.K. It was a detailed, in-depth study that led to two major findings: First, asthma is genetically heterogenous. This fact accounts for the variability in the illness itself, and also to the variability in response to treatments. That is, when an inhaler that works beautifully…
Vaso-active amines can cause copy-cat allergy symptoms
The result of certain substances (tyramine and other amines) releasing epinephrine (adrenaline) from nerves in the human body can lead to a variety of symptoms which can mimic allergy. These sometimes frightening symptoms can include: hypertension, sweating, chest fullness, flushing, headache and palpitations. A number of popular foods contain these amines: cheeses (the “riper the worser”), herring, sausage, bologna, salami, pepperoni, wine, sherry, banana, avocado, figs, chocolate and fava beans.
Lyme or lime, rash no fun
Lyme disease from ticks starts with a rash. Phytophotodermatitis is caused by limes of the citrus version. Limes contain psoralen, a chemical that absorbs long-wave ultraviolet light. The light waves excite the electrons in the psoralen to three times their normal energy state. When they release this energy it literally burns the skin and results in a red, itchy rash with blistering. Other foods that contain psoralen include lemons, parsley, celery, carrots, figs, fennel and parsnip. In fact, another term…
Quick Tips – Vitamin D
A study in Finland demonstrated reduced chance for winter respiratory infections by taking vitamin D supplements. Because of its northern climate, vitamin D levels fall in winter in Finland. Vitamin D is known to help a variety of immune functions in addition to its benefit for bones.
Quick Tips – Ragweed Season
During ragweed season certain foods can exacerbate ragweed allergy. The worst culprits are chamomile and melons.
For sufferers of chronic hives Vitamin D scores again
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have made some interesting findings in their patient population with chronic urticaria. Urticaria is the medical term for hives. It can occur as an acute problem or as a chronic one. Acute hives are usually due to a medicine reaction, insect bite or a food allergy. Chronic hives are more difficult to classify as to cause. Sometimes the cause is readily identifiable, but sometimes it isn’t. What the scientists at Vanderbilt have discovered is that there…
Quick Tips – Smoking Ban
Researchers in the United Kingdom found that following the indoor smoking ban instituted in 2006, hospital admission rates for asthma in children dropped 18 percent per year.
Quick Tips – Mistletoe
Despite the fun and stolen kisses that mistletoe can provide during the holiday season, keep in mind it can be a contact allergy for some allergic individuals. Contact with the skin can lead to a poison-ivy-type rash.
More autism research continues to show no connection to childhood immunizations
The medical journal Pediatrics just published research done by the Institute of Medicine to see if any relationship between vaccination and autism could be found. The researchers at the Centers for Disease Control studied more than 1,000 children and matched controls. They found no evidence for increased risk for autism due to the preservative thimerosal used in some vaccines, or to vaccines themselves. Special attention was paid to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and, again, no association with autism was found. In…