Allergy-Associates – Page 39 – 6294 1st Ave N., St Petersburg, FL 33710 (727)345-1900

Herbal therapy in allergy ‘rooted’ in success, caution

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Rootology is an herbal therapy for allergy and respiratory problems that is becoming quite popular. It utilizes a number of plants and herbs from traditional Chinese medicine. Ingredients used include xanthium fruit, magnolia flower, platycodon root, angelica root, Forsythia, cinnamon, schizonepeta, ledebauriella root, schiganda, chrysanthemum, anemarrhena root, philodendron bark and licorice root. Once considered homeopathic by academic scientists, new research shows that many of these ingredients are truly allopathic (conventional). This in turn leads to the dichotomy that this therapy…

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Q – Tips: Gustatory rhinitis

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Gustatory rhinitis is a food allergy mimic with symptoms of profuse runny nose and/or post-nasal drip that occurs with eating. However, the symptoms are not brought on by an allergy to the food, but rather a neurologic reflex. As the brain sends signals to the GI tract to digest food, it mistakenly sends a signal to the nose to make mucus.

Q – Tips: Sucrose/Fructose Intolerance

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Sucrose/fructose intolerance is a mimic of food allergy. It is caused by gut fermentation of the inadequately absorbed sugar found in certain foods. The resultant symptoms are nausea, bloating, gas and diarrhea. The treatment is avoidance of the implicated food sources: cane sugar, beet sugar, all fruit and fruit products, corn syrup, most legumes, wine and beer.

Alcohol plus allergies can cause mealtime conundrum

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Dear Dr. K.: Please don’t think I’m drunk when I ask this this peculiar question: Is it possible that alcohol makes one allergic to food? It seems that the only time I react to certain foods is if I also have some alcohol. Intoxicated or not, your question is quite apt. Alcohol has been known for some time to be an allergic facilitator. First, alcohol allows quicker absorption of all food. Thus, if you quickly absorb the food, the resultant…

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Many unpleasant symptoms mimic allergy to fish

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Not all acute reactions after eating seafood are allergic. In fact, there are three common syndromes that are allergy-mimics, but are non-allergic: Scramboid, Ciguatera and Anisakis. Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common with an estimated half-million people affected yearly. CFP is caused by the ingestion of toxins that invade tropical and subtropical fish, especially in the Pacific and Caribbean. More than 400 species of fish are known to carry this toxic organism. Because of global warming and international…

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Pasta Loading? Maybe not . . .

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

WDEIA is a newly recognized condition called wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Basically, it’s a condition that requires two “hits” to lead to symptoms. The patient must ingest wheat and then partake in aerobic exercise. Wheat by itself or exercise without prior ingestion of wheat does not lead to any symptoms. Put the two together and the individual experiences allergic shock. Omega-5-gliadin seems to be the molecule in wheat that causes the allergic symptoms. Some of the first medical observations of this…

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Pre-baby house pets play a role

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Ever since the Hygiene Hypothesis was proposed in 1989 as the reason for burgeoning allergy in the modern world, more and more research tends to confirm this idea. By way of reminder: The Hygiene Hypothesis posits that modern man is “too clean” and, therefore, his idle immune system looks for “work,” and ends up causing allergic mischief. One of the supporting observations: It seems that if pets are present before a child is born, the child is less likely to…

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Statin drugs come with bonus positive prevention attributes

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

The recent Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology had an article about statins and asthma. The attention was not just for these drugs’ cholesterol-lowering properties, but also their immune-modulatory and anti-inflammation effects. You might remember that several years ago there was concern for a possibly highly lethal global flu pandemic. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended stockpiling not only anti-flu medication, but also statins. This is because they can prevent death from an otherwise lethal flu infection thanks…

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Q – Tips: Sneezes

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

The Greek Goddess Demeter is said to control fertility of the Earth. It must be for this reason that the ancient Greeks dedicated sneezes to her, in the same fashion that we now say, “God bless you.” However, the ancient Greeks believed that Demeter may have had oracular motives in sending sneezes during discussions of ideas. Maybe she prompted the saying, “not to be sneezed at.”

Q – Tips: Honeybees & Honey

February 6, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Patients allergic to honeybee stings should be aware that they have greater likelihood of being allergic to honey than the general populace. There are actually small amounts of venom contained in honey. Also, royal jelly contains a much higher quantity of venom proteins than simple honey.