Hay fever is an allergy to pollens (the male reproductive part of the plant) from either grasses or trees. A person can be allergic to a single pollen, or more than one. When these particles come into contact with the tissue in the nose or eyes, they set off an immune reaction in your own body that brings the symptoms of congestion, sneezing, itching and runny nose. As you know if you have it, it’s hard to treat because the way an allergy affects the body is quite complex, and different in each of us.

With all it can tell us, medicine still cannot predict when people who are atopic (genetically predisposed to allergies) will start to experience symptoms according to Beverley Adams-Groom of the National Pollen and Aerobiology Unit at the University of Worcester. While this organization is best known in the UK as the place to get the latest pollen counts, its work also involves testing anti allergy products and doing clinical trials of hay fever remedies.

One theory on the timing of allergies holds that it may be something around you that triggers allergies in those who have the genetics for it. What that something is, experts still cannot say. Some believe that sufferers may in fact experience symptoms in childhood, but they are so mild that they go unnoticed. Even in the teen years, things aren’t so bothersome that treatment is needed.

There is also no shortage of blame cast toward pollution somehow contributing to the mix, or the more sanitized environments we’ve created for ourselves that keep our children from being exposed to, and developing defenses against, infections. Interesting that researchers in Austria found that young children in regular contact with farm animals are less likely to have allergies later in life. They are also three times less sensitive to hay fever, four times less likely to have asthma than those living in a non-rural environment.

The best the experts can say on what causes allergies is that we cannot say for sure why this troublesome condition develops. More work needs to be done.

Hay fever in the U.S. affects more than 35 million Americans, and in the U.K. between 15% and 20% of the population is thought to be dealing with the discomforts that come with the warmer weather. The numbers are higher amongst teens, with the symptoms typically peaking in the 20s. But not everyone follows this pattern. Stephen Durham, an allergy specialist, estimates that the number of allergy sufferers has doubled in a 20-year period.

What can you do to help yourself be more comfortable?

- Find out what type of pollen causes your allergy so you can minimize your exposure, and start treating yourself at the right time. April symptoms are typically from tree pollen. Symptoms in May, June and July suggest grasses as the culprit. If your symptoms hold off until late summer, it’s likely weed pollen and mold spores as the allergen.

- Avoid activity outdoors in the early morning, when pollen counts are at their highest. Stay inside on dry, windy days.

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Curse of Hay Fever Explained… Continued…

- Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom, and an allergy grade filter on any ventilation system.

- Shower and wash your hair when you get home, and keep windows closed, especially in bedrooms. Use air-conditioning whenever possible. Bring in washing hung outside before nightfall, as pollen levels go up at night.

- Try wrap around sunglasses to protect your eyes when outside, and wear a dust mask if you need to do yard work.

- Avoid mowing the lawn or raking leaves, as this stirs up pollen.

- Talk with your doctor about treatment. Antihistamine pills, eye drops and nasal sprays work to calm the body’s allergic reaction, but do have some side effects. You’ll want to start using your treatment two weeks before you expect your hayfever symptoms to start.

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1. Using a sponge
According to Philip Tierno, Ph.D., author of The Secret Life of Germs and director of clinical microbiology and diagnostic immunology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, the dirtiest part of any home is the kitchen, and the one tool that’s a part of so many of them is the common kitchen sponge.

It sops up liquids but also commonly caries germs like E. coli and fecal bacteria. It’s the dirtiest thing in your kitchen, along with that dishcloth according to Tierno.

To protect yourself, dip your kitchen sponge in a solution of bleach and water before you use it. This is a super easy, and super affordable, way to keep microbes under control. Also, let your sponge air dry as this kills off organisms. Another method is to microwave the sponge in a microwave safe dish with a bit of water for a minute or two each week.

2. Vacuuming
The ordinary vacuum is made to pick up an retain pieces of dirt, but tiny dust particles are able to pass right through the porous vacuum bags and go up into the air – where you’re breathing.

So while the floor might look cleaner after a vacuuming, there’s still plenty of dust and other contaminants in the air. Pet allergens, indoor dust and other materials are found in higher concentrations in the smallest, tiniest particles of this dust according to David MacIntosh, MD, the principle scientist at Environmental Health & Engineering ((EH&E), a Needham, MA based consulting and engineering services company.

You’ll want to look for a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. These filters are able to hold onto the small particles and keep them from getting back into the air you’re breathing.

3. Sleeping with Pillows and a Mattress
Okay this is just strange…
The average person sheds almost 1.5 million skin cells an hour, and sweats out one quart of liquid every day according to Tierno. These cells build up in our pillows and on our mattresses, dust mites grow too. And then there’s this, a mattress doubles in weight every 10 years because of the buildup of a variety of things; human hair and body secretions, pet hair and dander, fungal mold and spores, bacteria, dust and lint fibers and many other things too disturbing to list.

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Are These Common Habits Making You Sick..? Continued…

If your pillow is older than five years, 10% of the weight is dust mites – and you’re breathing them in as you sleep.

To help yourself, wrap your pillows and mattresses in an allergy proof covering that keeps things from getting in (or out) of your sleeping surfaces. Wash sheets weekly in hot water (130 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit) to keep them fresh and free of things you can’t see, and certainly don’t want to sleep with.

4. Grilling Meat
Barbecuing meat creates cancer causing compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), but it also gives the familiar charred markings that make our mouths water for a burger.

There are some steps you can take to make grilling healthier – wrap meat in foil, microwave it first or limit your cooking on the grill. Of course you’ll want to start with lean cuts of meat to keep unhealthy saturated fats to a minimum.

5. Opening Your Windows
While you’d think that throwing open a window to fresh air would be a good thing, it also lets in allergens and brings the poor air quality of many cities in the U.S. inside your home.

According to a report by the American Lung Association, sixty percent of us are breathing unhealthy air. What’s more, the Environmental Protection Agency puts poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat in the U.S.

The solution is to shut the windows and run the air conditioning instead, these units have filters that keep the debris from getting into the equipment, and thus inside.

There are also filters to remove particles small enough to inhale on the market, and some work rather well in negating allergy causes. These are especially helpful in the bedroom.  A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that cleaner air might add as much as five months to your life.

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Dealing with the constant congestion, itching and wheezing, the splitting headaches and other discomforts of allergies, and loving the furry source of all this misery is a tough spot to be in. But it’s exactly where an estimated ten million American pet owners find themselves right now.

Beyond the wonderful companionship and unconditional love, dogs and cats have some remarkable physical effects on the body.

Caring and cuddling these little (and sometimes not so little) critters can reduce anxiety and actually lower our blood pressure. What an enjoyable, simple and totally natural way to do something good for your health.

Allergy symptoms that are caused by pets bring on the discomforts we’re all familiar with — those itchy, watery eyes, blotchy hives, constant sneezing, awful congestion — sometimes even asthma.

Experts believe that you can develop a dog allergy some months or even years after making the pet a part of your life. If this happens to you, your best bet is to get tested to be sure your symptoms are a result of man’s best friend — and not other allergens like pollen, dust or mold — that can also be culprits.

In rare instances people outgrow allergies, including those to pets.

One of the best ways to comfortably co-exist with your beloved furry friend is to identify your allergy and undergo a series of shots to desensitize your system. Over the counter or prescription medications are also available to treat the symptoms, though the best remedy is to remove the pet from the home.

If you’re a pet lover with identified allergies, you may have heard of hypoallergenic breeds, like those being considered by President-elect Barak Obama’s family. The problem is, according to experts, there really is no such thing as hypoallergenic breeds.

Research has shown that allergies aren’t caused by the hair, allergens are produced by the animal’s saliva, dander and urine — so even a hairless dog, or one of the breeds often identified as hypoallergenic such as bichon frises, poodles and Malteses willproduce allergens that are brought into the environment.

There really isn’t any research that points to whether certain breeds are more allergy-friendly than others, though the main dog allergen that people often react to isn’t present in all dogs. The most important factors related to pet allergies are the size of the animal and the volume of hair it has. Of course an outdoor animal can bring pollens, mold spores and other allergens into the home that may also trigger an allergy attack.

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Exposing the deadly dangers of dog food

This shocking report reveals the dangers of feeding your pet most commerical dog food – how the ingredients within processed dog food can lead to diseases like kidney failure, cancers, birth defects, blindnesss and behavior problems.

For the sake of your dog’s health this vital information should not be ignored.

Find out how you can stop your beloved pet dying early and in agony and give them the healthy life they deserve.

This year, overcome your allergies… continued

Before you commit to a new pet, consider a trial period so you can see how the person who has the allergies manages.

If you just fall in love with a four legged friend, yet someone at home has pet allergies, here are some tips you can try to keep everyone happy. You can…

- Keep the bedrooms pet free zones, no exceptions.
- Wash bedding weekly, including the pet’s bed.
- Have as little carpeting in the main living area as you can.
- Vacuum any carpeting daily.
- Use a HEPA air filter in the bedroom to trap and remove allergens from the air.
- Wash the dog once or twice each week.
- Wash your own hands after interacting with the animal.

By following these few steps you can help yourself cope with the awful symptoms allergies to pets cause and still live with the pet you love.

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1. Candles - the odors from scented candles can inflame your nasal cavities, according to James Wedner, M.D., chief of allergy and immunology at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Those with allergies are likely to have a runny nose or watery eyes when near a burning candle. Candles with scents like pumpkin are usually best tolerated.

If you’re having trouble with a candle, try to move away, extinguish it outside or get some fresh air yourself.

2. Perfume - has hundreds of chemicals, mostly untested on people, and when mixed with the essential oils in the perfume and sprayed into the air they can cause a person to sneeze, feel congestion or get a headache.

It’s hard, but ask people around you to go easy on the spray scents and suggest body creams and lotions as their scents aren’t quite as strong.

You might also keep a small fan in your office or car to keep the air moving.

3. Soaps and detergents - you might be surprised to learn that most of the itching you think is caused by a cleaning agent, is actually the fault of a perfume additive.

Look for “no additives”, “unscented” or “phthalate-free” on the label.

When drying clothes, use a sheet of aluminum foil in the dryer (instead of smelly static cling sheets) to get rid of static without the strong odor. You can also try a scent-free, no-additive dryer sheet.

4. Stuffed animals - can get chock full of dust mites, a problem for an estimated 15% of people.

You can try washing (in water 140 degrees or hotter), drying and then repeating (usually monthly) for favorite toys.

Toys that can’t be washed can be put in a plastic bag in the freezer for a few hours; this will also kill the mites. Store toys on a shelf, rather than on the bed.

5. Carpeting - it’s warm on your feet and feels wonderful, but even if you vacuum all the time, you still have dust mites.

Your best bet if you have a persistent allergy is to take out the carpeting and replace it with wood or tile and use area rugs instead.

Wash the rugs monthly, and keep the humidity of the space below 50%. Dust mites thrive in humid environments.

6. Spices - add zing to your food but as they come from pungent plants they also can bring on everything from sniffling to swelling of the nasal passages, itching and burning in the lips.

Avoid the troublesome ones including coriander, poppy seeds, pepper, dill, paprika, cumin and saffron — often found in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.

If you’re not sure which spices are the trouble, try writing down what you eat each time you have an allergy attack and see if you can find a common theme.

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Sleep less BUT have more energy (like Jay Leno)

Do you find there’s not enough hours in the day to do all you’d like…Do you wake up feeling groggy and fatigued?

What if I told you you could sleep less and have MORE energy? I bet you’d snatch my hand off!

Think about all the things you could achieve with another 2 – 3 hours in the day.

Discover the new sleep solution designed with renowned Tiredness Expert Tina Hagen…

A study showed the effectiveness of these breakthrough techniques with:

- 98% of volunteers reported an increase in their energy levels
- 90% said they have no trouble getting up in the morning
- 72% said they felt healthier
- 87% said that they are able to think more clearly

Click through to find out how to sleep less BUT gain more energy

Eleven Unexpected Allergy Triggers continued…

7. Christmas Trees - the staple of the holidays is a place where mold grows very fast especially if the tree is put into a bucket of water or damp soil… a moist, dark place mold just loves.

Many people are either allergic to or irritated by the mold spores. A fake tree is the answer for many.

If you must have a real tree, avoid one that’s been cut weeks in advance, as its probably already ripe with mold. Be stingy with water once the tree is at home and keep it up for as short a time as possible.

8. Wall paint - the solvents and synthetic resins often lead to itchy eyes and headaches, with oil based paints being particularly troublesome as they continue to release chemicals even after they dry.

Keep the windows open as you work, and try to have fresh air circulating in the space for up to four weeks after finishing the work. Paints with low levels of VOCs send fewer chemicals in the air, but this isn’t a guarantee you won’t still have trouble with them.

9. Alcohol - it’s not an allergy to alcohol (which is rare) but the grains and additives used to make the liquor. Wheat or sulfur dioxide preservative can also cause stuffy noses or rash.

New York allergist Wellington Tichenor, MD also mentions grains like corn, barley and rye as well as fruit flavorings that can be troublesome too.

You might try grain free liquors like potato vodka, rum or tequila and skip flavored liqueurs. Look for wine labeled “sulfite-free”.

10. Buttons on Blue Jeans - are often made from nickel which can be a trigger for rashes in up to 20% of women. These can be itchy, red and sometimes causes blisters and are often treated with topical creams.

To avoid these symptoms replace the buttons with plastic ones or coat the button with clear nail polish, a remedy found to work by a recent St. Louis University study.

11. Lemons and limes - limonene, the zesty compound in lime and other citrus fruits, leaves many with watery eyes and a burning feeling in the nose. You might even have irritation on your skin if you touch, eat or drink products with limonene.

Treat any rash with topical hydrocortisone creams and skip the garnish with your drink or salad. Watch for lime in salad dressings, marinades and desserts as well.

Many allergens can be avoided but you’ll need to keep your eyes open for ‘hidden’ triggers like the ones mentioned above.

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