Over 40 million people in the U.S. alone are affected by allergies with reactions ranging from somewhat bothersome to potentially fatal.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) affects more than 23 million Americans annually, and current epidemiologic studies indicate that its prevalence within the United States is increasing An allergic response occurs when the body's immune system reacts to otherwise harmless substances we call allergens. When your immune system reacts to one of these allergens, to the point that you get symptoms, you are allergic to it.

How does your body react?
Your body produces antibodies to fight allergens. These antibodies then attach themselves to special cells in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts where they eventually explode, releasing chemicals including histamine, a powerful compound that actually causes allergic symptoms. Once our immune system decides that a particular type of pollen is a hostile invader, it becomes "sensitized" to it, and can react with allergy symptoms for years, and perhaps a lifetime. Allergy symptoms are your body's reaction to something foreign in your system.

Factors that influence the development of allergies include:
· Genes -Allergic diseases can develop at any age and heredity plays a key role in who will develop it. If one parent has an allergic disease, the estimated risk to the child to develop allergies is 25 percent and to 50 percent if both parents have allergies. Also, the allergic mother is more likely to transfer the disease to the child as compared to an allergic father.
· Where you live - studies in Japan and Germany show that allergies are more common in children and adults who live near busy roads rather than in less polluted parts of cities.
· Furnishings - houses with lots of soft furnishings and fitted carpets are the ideal environment for the house dust mite (a major allergen) and will also trap more allergens such as pet fur, cigarette smoke and vapor from household chemicals

Colds vs. Allergies
Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between a cold and an allergy because the symptoms can be similar. You can suspect an allergy if the cold symptoms last more than 2 weeks, causes itchiness rather than aches and fever and the mucus is clear and thin rather than yellowish and thick.

What are common allergy triggers?
There are a number of different allergy-causing substances. The most common include pollen, dust mites, mold, animal dander, insect stings, latex, and certain food and medication. If you have an allergy your symptoms can range from mild eye irritation and congestion to a more severe reaction causing swelling and difficulty breathing.

Pollen - Exposure to pollen can trigger hay fever, or seasonal allergies. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, and itchy, watery eyes.

Prevent hay fever symptoms by staying indoors when pollen counts are high, closing windows, and using air conditioning.

Dust Mites - Dust mites are microscopic organisms that live in house dust. House dust is a mixture of potentially allergenic materials including fibers from different fabrics, dander from animals, bacteria, mold or fungus spores, food particles, bits of plants, and others. Symptoms of dust mite allergy are similar to pollen allergy but often occur year round rather than just seasonally.

Prevent dust mite allergy by putting plastic covers over mattresses, using hypoallergenic pillows, washing sheets weekly in hot water and keeping all areas of the house, especially the bedroom, free of dust collecting stuffed animals, curtains, and carpet.

Molds - Molds are parasitic, microscopic fungi with spores that float in the air like pollen. Mold is a common trigger for allergies and can be found in damp areas such as basements or bathrooms, as well as in grass, leaf piles, hay, mulch, or under mushrooms. Symptoms of mold allergies can occur seasonally, especially in the summer and fall or year round if mold is in your home. Symptoms are like those of pollen and dust mite allergies and include sneezing, congestion, itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, and coughing.

Prevent mold allergies by avoiding activities that trigger symptoms, such as raking leaves. Keep windows and doors closed, and make sure moist places in the home, such as the basement and bathrooms, are well ventilated

Insect bites and stings- Everyone who gets stung by an insect will have pain, swelling, and redness around the sting site. However, people who are allergic to stings can have a severe or even life-threatening reaction. Symptoms of insect sting allergy include extensive swelling and redness from the sting or bite that may last a week or more, nausea, fatigue, and low-grade fever. On rare occasions, insect stings may cause a full-body allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of the face, throat or mouth, wheezing or difficulty swallowing, restlessness and anxiety, rapid pulse, dizziness, or a sharp drop in blood pressure.

Prevention is the best treatment. Minimize exposure to insects by not wearing brightly colored clothes and scented cosmetics and by keeping insecticide available, wearing shoes outdoors, and avoiding outdoor garbage. If you do get stung, remove the stinger.

Avoidance
The most complete way to avoid allergic reactions is to stay away from the substances that cause them. Doctors treat allergies using medications but allergy drugs only suppress symptoms rather than treating the cause of the allergy and often result in unpleasant side effects. Antihistamines, for example, such as Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine) and Benadryl (diphenhydramine) suppress histamines but also cause drowsiness. Newer, non-sedating antihistamines such as Hismanal (astemizole) and Allegra (fexofenidine) also function to suppress histamines but they have a long list of other possible side effects, including potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms.

Diet & Lifestyle Tips
· Avoid allergens as much as possible. There are a variety of air filtration devices for the home. Ozone purifiers and HEPA filtration are state of the art for home use in reducing mold, pollen, dander, and dust mites indoors.
· Stay indoors when pollen counts are high, close windows and use air conditioning.
· Cut down on sweets, dairy and nuts.
· Reduce exposure to environmental pollutants, cigarette smoke, and other pollutants.
· Use hypoallergenic products whenever possible.
· Drink quality water, either filtered, reverse osmosis, or bottled.
· Reduce intake of meat and increase cold-water fish such as cod and salmon, which are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
· Reduce the intake of vegetable oils such as corn, soy, sunflower, safflower, and canola. Use flaxseed oil.
· If allergy symptoms are associated with cold symptoms, take Maxi Biotic caps from Maxi Health Research.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet with enough calcium helps teens and young adult white and Asian women maintain good bone health and may reduce their risk of osteoporosis later in life."

View Products >>

The contents of the above article are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article