COMMON ALLERGIES

Allergic disorders affect more than 20 percent of all adults and children. Allergy is an abnormal reaction to an ordinary, harmless substance called an “ALLERGEN”. Allergens stimulate the body’s white blood cells to produce antibodies. The subsequent reaction between the allergens and antibodies causes the release of a chemical called “HISTAMINE” from cells. It is these histamines, which cause the symptoms of an allergy. The tendency to develop an allergy is inherited. Allergies can develop at any age but the symptoms generally diminish with age. Initial exposure to an allergen may not always cause a reaction. With repeated exposures, the allergic reaction can develop. There are two main types of allergies: food and environmental.

Food Allergies
A food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it. The next time the individual eats that food; the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including histamines, in order to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a number of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system. Some common symptoms are swelling, nausea, wheezing, and itchy skin.
At the present time, there is no cure for food allergy. Avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction. However, most individual usually outgrow food allergies by the time they become adults.
Although a person can be allergic to any food, the following eight foods which account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions: milks, egg, peanut, tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.), fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. Environmental Allergies Some common environmental allergens are pollens (grasses, trees, weeds), dust, molds and animal dander (the skin shed by dogs and cats). Even though environmental allergies cannot be cured, its miseries can be greatly reduced if you follow these steps:
1. Avoid Exposure
㰰Stay indoors as much as possible, especially during allergy season (early Spring to late Fall) when pollen counts are high. Keep your window closed, stay in air-conditioned rooms, use an air purifying machine.
㰰Keep your home clean. Vacuum, dust and mop frequently. Use a damp, not dry, mop or cloth.
㰰Clean and replace heating filters and vacuum dust bag regularly.
㰰Keep pets out of bedroom.
2. Take Allergy Relief Medication
㰰Always check with your doctor first before taking any medication. You may need to take it throughout the allergy season.
㰰Antihistamines and decongestants help to relieve symptoms of allergy.