Asthma treatment

It will seem horribly unfair to any child who suffers with
allergies that they cannot have a pet or must loose one whom they
have grown attached to. Is there a way to deal with pet allergies
which may lessen or even eliminate the suffering for adults and
children with allergies?

WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?

By establishing whether the animal is actually the cause of an
allergy is certainly the best starting point. However, that can
be a difficult task if you already have an animal since the
allergens are extremely difficult to remove entirely.

If an existing pet can be removed and the home thoroughly cleaned
(carpets, walls, furniture etc.) you MAY be able to verify the
allergy in several months. Obviously that is not the easiest
solution.

Having the child stay with a friend or relative for a week (as
long as there are no pets in the home) may show an improvement
that might indicate an allergy to the family pet.

A visit to the doctor can confirm an allergy with a simple test.
The tests vary, but some can be mildly uncomfortable and would
probably not be considered if the allergy symptoms were mild.

Some allergy symptoms are compounded by exposure to several
allergens. By identifying other sources and removing them you may
find the reaction to pets is lessened and not a barrier to
enjoying their presence.

CREATING AN ALLERGY FRIENDLY HOME

There are several steps you can take to reduce the build up of
allergens and bring relief to allergy sufferers.

The first recommendation is to have hardwood or other smooth
surface for your flooring. Carpets hold far more of the particles
that cause allergies and hard flooring makes it easy to clean.

Leather furniture is also ideal for homes with pet allergies. For
the same reason as hard flooring is more suitable than carpet,
leather holds far less allergens than fabric.

Keep a seat for the allergy sufferer that pets are not allowed to
sit on. Also be certain that animals do not sleep on the beds or
enter the bedrooms of allergy sufferers. Consider keeping the
sleeping area of the home as a pet-free zone.

MAKING YOUR PET AS HYPO-ALLERGENIC AS POSSIBLE

There are even things you can do with your pet to reduce the
allergic effects of having them in your home.

Frequent grooming and bathing with a mild soap to prevent over
drying will reduce the dander that is one of the main causes of
pet allergies. It would be recommended that someone without
allergies take on this task.

Washing hands after playing with a pet and avoiding touching your
face with unwashed hands will also help. Since some individuals
are also allergic to the saliva of pets it would be sensible to
not allow your pet to lick you.

In the case of more serious allergies or asthma it may be best
that no pet share the home. For older children or adults it may
be possible to find a medication or treatment which makes the
situation tolerable if they prefer to keep the pet despite the
allergy.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

Allergies can range from a mild seasonal annoyance to a life threatening
condition. There are a number of different types of allergies that affect
millions of people.

Some of the most common types of allergies are food allergies. The
reactions to food allergies can range in severity. Some individuals
experience an upset stomach or mild headache when they eat certain kinds
of foods. Other people, however; have very serious reactions that can be
life threatening.

Of the food allergy categories, shellfish and peanut allergies are quite
common and can very serious, even leading to death. Many of the signs and
symptoms related to food allergies include rashes, itching, nasal
congestion, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, swelling of the lips, tongue
and/or throat.

In very serious reactions, the individual may go into shock and
experience a rapid drop in blood pressure. The airway may also begin to
constrict, making it difficult for the person to breath. At this point,
the allergic reaction becomes life threatening and emergency medical help
should be sought immediately.

In many cases, food allergies can be caused due to a genetic family
history. Many children experience food allergies in their younger years
but then eventually grow out of the condition as they mature.

Some individuals also suffer from various types of drug allergies. These
types of allergies most commonly include reactions to the drug known as
penicillin; however other types of drugs may also cause reactions. Sulfa
drugs, anesthesia and insulin also cause allergic reactions in a number
of people.

It is very important to let anyone treating you know if you suffer from
any type of drug allergy. Many people who suffer from drug reactions and
allergies also find it beneficial to carry some kind of identifying
information with them to denote the allergy in the event of an accident.

While no one reacts well to an inset sting or bite, in some people the
situation can become life threatening. These individuals usually begin to
experience what is known as anaphylaxis when stung or bitten. Anaphylaxis
is an extremely serious medical condition in which the airway becomes
constricted and the person is at risk for dying if medical help is not
sought immediately.

Other common symptoms related to impending anaphylaxis include swelling
of the face and shock. Severe allergic reactions are usually associated
with bites and stings from wasps, bees, hornets and yellow jackets.

Allergic reactions to latex are a problem that is not well known by many
people but that can be extremely serious. Individuals can come into
contact with latex in a number of ways and environments; both at

Not everyone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease suffers from chronic asthma, but many individuals who experience emphysema or chronic bronchitis have asthma-like symptoms. Medical experts continue to debate whether chronic asthma should be classified as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, since asthma can be reversed.

Chronic asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways; the term asthma is derived from an ancient Greek word which means panting. With chronic asthma, the inflammation leads to the narrowing of the airways, which can cause wheezing, breathlessness, and gasping for air.

Studies indicate that chronic asthma involves two stages: the hyper-reactive response and the inflammatory response. The hyper-reactive response in chronic asthma refers to the constriction of the airways in response to inhaled irritants, while the inflammatory stage involves the production of white blood cells in the airways.

During a chronic asthma attack, the muscle tissue in the walls of the bronchi experiences spasms, causing labored breathing. With chronic asthma, coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing occur almost everyday. In order to combat chronic asthma, several medications may be needed.

Some medical experts speculate that the persistent symptoms of chronic asthma indicate a food allergy. As a result, some doctors encourage those suffering from chronic asthma to revise their diets in order to reduce the incidence of flare-ups.

There are some other simple strategies one can follow in order to alleviate symptoms of chronic asthma. These include removing the cause of chronic asthma, treating the symptoms, or altering the host to be more tolerant of the causes.

If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic asthma, medical experts suggest stopping all smoking and banning cigarette smoke from the house. Chronic asthma patients should also stop the use of volatile chemicals, which may exacerbate one’s symptoms. Ending contact with pets can also alleviate chronic asthma.

The aims of any treatment program for chronic asthma should include: avoiding the trigger factors for chronic asthma, eliminating symptoms, restoring normal lung function, reducing the incidence of severe attacks, and minimizing the side-effects of drugs.

Drug therapy for chronic asthma can fall into three categories. Chronic asthma can be attacked with preventors or anti-inflammatories; relievers, which provide acute relief of symptoms; and controllers, which provide a sustained bronchodilator action with a mild anti-inflammatory action.

It should be noted that there are some misconceptions about the treatment of chronic asthma. For instance, antihistamines do not appear to be an effective chronic asthma treatment strategy. Immunosuppressives such as methotrexate are rarely beneficial for chronic asthma, and acupuncture has a negligible effect.

The basic goals of educating those with chronic asthma include an ability to understand the nature of asthma, an understanding of different types of asthma medication, an understanding of prevention strategies, knowing the correct use of inhalers, and recognizing signs of worsening asthma.

Interestingly enough, chronic asthma is often misdiagnosed in the elderly. Also, older people are more susceptible to the side-effects of drugs used to treat chronic asthma. As a result, senior citizens need special prevention strategies for chronic asthma.

Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were exposed to high levels of pollen in their last trimester of pregnancy have a much greater risk of developing asthma. One of the main keys with asthma prevention is avoidance.
When you have asthma the typical garden is not a very friendly place at all. There are mold spores to contend with and worst of all is the pollen. Typical gardens have pollen producing male trees and male shrubs and other plants that can provoke asthma attacks. Almost anyone with asthma will tell you that their asthma can be triggered by a good number of things, but pollen is often number one for causing an attack. Garden allergies are common, but they need not be. Allergies from gardening could be largely a thing of the past… if we’re willing to make some simple changes.
In fall of 1999 in Richmond, Virginia the American Lung Association of Virginia (ALAV) built a new Breathe EasyÔ office and headquarters. They had this entire large building constructed with the latest innovations in green construction and sustainable design. No construction materials were used that would off gas any harmful or toxic chemicals, no materials were used that would trigger asthma or allergies. Every attempt was made to build something that would be pleasant and healthy to work in. The people who work in this office now will tell you too, that they all notice what a great improvement it is. Their office is a healthy building.
The ALA decided it would make perfect sense to landscape their new healthy building (in some states these are now called Health Houses) with an allergy free landscape. OPALSÔ (the plant/allergy 1-10 numerical ranking system) was used to select only those plant materials that were either very low pollen, low allergy, or that were totally pollen free, allergy free. In effect they created the first true asthma friendly garden in the US.
Health Houses in other states are now also adding pollen free landscapes to their green construction, green buildings. A new Health House is about to be built in Pennsylvania, and the PA Association of Landscapers and Nurserymen are helping to surround it with an asthma friendly landscape.
Schools too are getting into the clean air act, and in the city of Visalia, California, the Tulare County Asthma Coalition recently directed the asthma friendly landscaping of a newly built elementary school.
Twelve keys to building your own asthma friendly garden:
1.Plant lots of female trees and female shrubs. Not only will these not shed any pollen, they will also trap a good deal of pollen that may stay in from somewhere else. Think of these female plants as nature’s air cleaners.
2.Use only low pollen or no pollen lawns. There are types of lawns now that are pretty well pollen free and these are a big improvement over some of the older lawn varieties. In southern states, if you have a common Bermuda grass lawn, consider replacing it with a newer, more asthma friendly hybrid Bermuda grass. ‘Princess 77’ is a new Bermuda grass hybrid that can be planted from seed. It is next to pollen free, grows very low and tight, and is especially good looking.
3.With OPALSÔ 1 is best, 10 is worst. Use only plants with rankings of 1-5. The more plants in your gardens that have rankings ranging from 1-3, the friendlier your place will be for anyone with allergies or asthma.
4.Remove any trees or shrubs with rankings over OPALSÔ #7. The woody landscape plants with rankings of 8-10 are all sure-fire allergy triggering plants and you can live without them.
5.Replace any removed high pollen, asthma triggering plants with their opposite, female trees or female shrubs. Also good as replacements are perfect flowered plants that are known to be very low pollen producers. These will all have good (low) OPALSÔ rankings.
6.Use only plants that are well adapted to your own area. If you can find natives that have low allergy rankings, consider using them. Look around your own neighborhood, and see for yourself, which kinds of plants seem to be flourishing there already. For almost every kind of plant used in landscaping, there is now a no or low pollen version of it, if you know what to look for.
7.Use a wide variety of plant materials; diversity is good. Biodiversity always makes sense. The more diverse our gardens are the fewer problems we’ll have with insects and molds.
8.Avoid plants with strong fragrances or odors, as they can cause asthma. Don’t plant jasmines or similar vines next to entrances or exits and certainly don’t use them underneath bedroom windows.
9.For mulch, use rock or gravel instead of bark to cut down on toxic mold spores in the garden. Flat stones or pavers also make good, mold free mulching materials.
10.To further eliminate mold spores, encourage wild birds in your garden. Virtually all wild birds eat insects, and insect damage triggers outbreaks of mold. Even the tiny hummingbirds actually eat a large number of insects. Put up a hummingbird feeder!
11.Keep your plants healthy. This too will cut down on both pollen and mold. When it is hot and windy, do some irrigating. Fertilize everything in the garden spring and fall. If plants are crowding each other too much, thin them out. If tree branches overhead are putting your whole yard in deep shade, consider having the tree thinned to let in more light. Fresh air and light are the enemies of molds.
12.If a tree, shrub, vine or any other plant always looks sickly, looks dirty, or always attracts bugs, then shovel prune it. Dig it up and get rid of it. Replace it with something easier to grow. Don’t get caught up in having to spray insecticides all the time, as they too can easily cause asthma and allergies.

YES, THIS IS SOMETHING TO SNEEZE AT ALLERGY SEASON FOGS THE MIND AND CLOGS THE HEAD What did we talk about before we had allergies?I can’t remember. Memory loss. That’s one of the symptoms. But about this time of year everything is an allergy symptom. “Somebody stole our trash can,” my husband says. Allergies. It’s obvious. If someone wanted to walk off with our trash can, why not do it in or ? Why wait until now?The perpetrator probably doesn’t even know he did it… Star Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities , e Brody turns allergy fighter, She’ll be in St. Paul on Sunday to discuss latest book Allergies, as e Brody likes to say, are when your immune system runs amok. In other words, you get allergies when your personal sentry against disease mistakenly ides to battle innocent passers by like pollen and turns your eyes and nose into itchy, runny ramparts. Or worse. But you and your immune system can learn better, Brody said in a recent telephone interview. One way is by reading her latest book, ” e Brody’s Allergy..

Toronto Star, The (Ontario, Canada) , Let’s separate fact from fiction in dealing with food allergies There are a number of myths about food allergies, ranging from “allergies are all in your head” to “a small amount can’t hurt you. ” Such allergies are not as common as most people think. Yet, to those affected, they are a tremendous problem in some cases, life threatening. No age is exempt. About per cent of children under and per cent of adults have a food allergy. How are food allergies diagnosed? Which foods are the.. Los Angeles Times , Allergy Season Comes At Choo The answer is blowing in the wind. If you’re feeling congested, wheezy or short of breath, blame the same Santa Ana winds that are causing hellish scenes throughout Southern California. “In the last hours, I have seen more patients than I’ve seen in the whole previous month,” said Dr. William E. Berger of Mission Viejo, president of the California Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “I’ve seen patients in.. The Kansas City Star , A survival guide for seasonal sneezes and sniffles Allergies can be controlled with medication and a few easy to follow tips Face it. If you have allergies, you will not be able to breathe until about. Then you will have five, six or maybe seven weeks of respite until ragweed season sets in and your breathing will once again be all but nonexistent. It’s necessary to either develop at least a modicum of survival skills or pack up the dog and kids and move to Arizona. (Alas, now even the Southwest is not pollen free. ) According to the American Lung Association, million Americans suffer from.. Scripps Howard News Service , ALLERGY STRATEGIES ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE SNEEZIN’ Face it. If you have allergies, you will not be able to breathe until about. Then you will have four, five, six or maybe seven weeks of respite until ragweed season sets in and your breathing will once again be all but nonexistent. Makes you kind of long for snow. But that not being in most of our immediate futures, it is necessary to either develop at least some modicum of survival skills or pack up the dog and kids and move to Arizona. (Alas, now even the Southwest is not.. West County Times (Richmond, CA) , EAST BAY HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF SNEEZING, WHEEZING AND SCRATCHING Allergy sufferers, prepare to start sneezing. Now that spring is upon us, the microscopic pollen particles cruising through the atmosphere are about to wreak havoc on people’s nasal passages. Allergists say they have had a steady stream of calls since the rain stopped last week. People are complaining of headaches, sore throats, itchy watery eyes and fatigue. “We had a very nice winter; all the trees are flourishing, and that means a lot of sneezing and.. West County Times (Richmond, CA) , EAST BAY HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF SNEEZING, WHEEZING AND SCRATCHING Allergy sufferers, prepare to start sneezing. Now that spring is upon us, the microscopic pollen particles cruising through the atmosphere are about to wreak havoc on people’s nasal passages. Allergists say they have had a steady stream of calls since the rain stopped last week. People are complaining of headaches, sore throats, itchy watery eyes and fatigue. “We had a very nice winter; all the trees are flourishing, and that means a lot of sneezing and.. UNDERSTANDING ALLERGIES HELPS IN FIGHTING BACK Allergies often can put a damper on outdoor fun. But Dr. John M. Donatelli of St. Barnabas Medical Center in Richland says there are ways to fight back. Understanding the cause of allergies, Donatelli says, is the first step in their treatment.

Normally, the immune system protects our bodies from bacteria, viruses and other biological threats. An allergy is a false alarm that occurs when the immune system interprets a harmless substance as though it were harmful. Substances that set the immune system into action when it isn’t needed are called allergens. About one person in five is estimated to suffer from.. HAPPY TAILS TIPS Allergy diagnosis, treatment for pets can be complicated Last week’s article discussed allergies in pets and the causes. If your pet is scratching excessively, a trip to your veterinarian will be needed to rule out other potential causes of itching. If allergies seem to be the most likely problem, several tests might be needed to help determine the source. Flea allergy is the most common type of allergy in both dogs and cats. It is also the easiest to diagnose and treat. Flea allergy is caused by a protein in flea saliva. Even one.. Daily Mail, The (London, England) , Daily Mail CURE FOR ALLERGIES IN YEARS A CURE for the allergies that affect millions will be available within the next few years, experts said yesterday. Cutting edge research from around the world will yield a treatment for hay fever by , with a cure for asthma following shortly afterwards. Treatments for potentially fatal food allergies are also in the pipeline, while a host of debilitating conditions could be prevented by just a single jab in ten years’ time. The injections, pills and even drops that.. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and The HealthCentral Network to Develop Enhanced Internet Resources for Patients The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (http www. aafa. org) and The HealthCentral Network (http www. TheHealthCentralNetwork. com), a Choice Media Division, announce that they will work together to create a new online resource for individuals with asthma and allergic disorders.

The collaboration ries the deep health education expertise and resources of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation with The HealthCentral Network’s multimedia capabilities and vast online.. Times Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) May , Children’s pet allergies need early treatment Since we are in the spring allergy season, it seems like a good time to talk about allergy symptoms caused by pets. This is an important topic because so many animals turned into the shelter have “allergy” written on their paperwork under “reason for relinquishment. ” Unfortunately, many of the pets will never have another home. Because this is a complicated subject with much information, I will cover it in two columns. First, I should.. May , Teamwork keeps food allergies under control at school Since May through is Food Allergy Awareness Week, the Las Cruces Public Schools nurses want to educate the public about district procedures for accommodating students with food allergies.

Food allergies are no longer a rare occurrence, as some schools have as many as students with one or more food allergies. Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish make up percent of the food allergens from which these students suffer. Food allergies can be life threatening,.. Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) May , Allergies may be on rise Adults who appear to suddenly develop allergies were probably always allergic. They just weren’t exposed to the allergens that now make them miserable. Or they hadn’t reached their “tipping point. ” “It’s uncommon to see an adult who never had a problem, at age develop something,” says Dr. Charles Rogers of Allergy Associates of Utah. It’s more likely, he says, that they had mild or no symptoms.. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News May , Sniffing around for a cure Some insurance companies make getting prescription allergy meds harder May In the spring, most allergy sufferers struggle to think and see straight let alone run a paperwork maze. But that is just what some insurance companies require. Under the assumption that over the counter allergy drugs could work just as well pricey prescriptions, some companies prefer their stuffy headed members pop over the counter allergy drugs for a month before approving a prescription Others make the d or ask the company’s permission before writing a prescription…
Allergy season springs into action John Pallotta suffered from allergies for years before he ided it was time to get his symptoms under control. Two years ago, Pallotta, a Roxbury resident, told himself it was time to visit an allergist. Dr. Neal Nadler performed tests in which allergens are introduced to the skin to g e the reaction. As it turned out, he was allergic to just about everything. “Ragweed, grass, trees, fungus, I got it all,” Pallotta said. “Before I came, I would always.. Daily Telegraph, The (London, England) , The Daily Telegraph Allergy A While increasing numbers of Britons are suffering from allergies, more believe falsely that they are.

RESEARCHERS CONFIRM BENEFITS OF ALLERGY SHOTS CHICAGO (AP) A new study confirms the long term benefits of allergy shots, which virtually cured some children of their reactivity to dust mites in a year study in Japan, researchers reported Monday. Allergy shots have been dogged by controversy despite their use for years. Two well publicized U. S. studies two years ago found they worked no better than the relatively new corticosteroid inhalers for severe asthmatics. But an expert not involved in any of the research said Monday that.. The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution , In the ket A SIGH OF RELIEF Mail order allergy products company helps patients, d ors breathe easier In , as the father of a year old child struggling with allergies, Ryner Wittgens saw a need for an easy way to buy the products that reduce dusts, molds and other nasties that triggered her sneezing. After checking out the market, he decided to launch National Allergy Supply Inc. , a mail order company that now offers a sleek page color catalog for allergy and asthma sufferers “It all started because it was so difficult to find the products you needed,” said.. Washington Post , ALLERGY MEDICINE Q Now that allergy season is approaching, I’d like to know if there’s anything more I can do to ward off the itchy, watery eyes and sneezes. Recently, my doctor changed my prescription for allergy medicine from Seldane to Allegra. He said something about Seldane being taken off the market.

Acting on a petition by WellPoint Health Networks of Thousand Oaks, Calif. , the Food and Drug Administration panel recommended that Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec be made available over the counter, without supervision by.. May , allergy drugs could get over the counter status allergy drugs could get over the counter status GAITHERSBURG, Md. Three popular allergy medications are safe enough to be sold without prescription, a federal advisory panel ruled Friday in an unprecedented case that could save the health insurance industry billions of dollars but increase costs for many consumers. Acting on a petition by WellPoint Health Networks of Thousand Oaks, the Food and Drug Administration panel recommended that Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec be made available.. Los Angeles Times , Say ‘Aaah’ Kid Health Something in the Air Spring Allergies For many people, spring is the season of sniffles. Experts say that some % of kids in the United States suffer from allergies. Called hay fever, spring allergies actually have nothing to do with hay. Plant and tree pollen, which is released into the air, can cause sneezing, congestion, coughing, wheezing and itchy eyes. “Your body is reacting against something in the environment, like pollen, or cat fur or dust mites,” explains Dr. Robert Roberts, an associate.. Sports Illustrated for Women Survive the Season Allergies can affect anyone’s game. Here’s how to tame some common triggers Ah, the sounds of spring training the crack of a bat, the thwack of a golf club, the bang of a starter’s gun. Unless you’re an allergy sufferer. Then it’s more likely sneezing, wheezing and gasping — and the minute you exercise, everything gets worse. “When you go from breathing four liters of air per minute to between and liters per minute, you’re inhaling enormous amounts of pollen, mold and.. Advertiser, The (Adelaide, Australia) , ALLERGY SUFFERER WINS LEGAL FIGHT AGAINST AIRLINES An issue worth more than peanuts A WOMAN who was banned from an international flight because she suffers from a peanut allergy has won an out of court settlement with the airlines involved. Michelle Flanagan, of Sydney, booked a trip to Ireland with Alitalia and KLM in , only to have her ticket cancelled days before departure. The airlines refused to allow her to fly after she informed them of her severe peanut allergy known as anaphylaxis because of concerns she might suffer a mid air attack. The condition is..

Allergy drugs impair drivers Driving while taking some over the counter allergy drugs can be more dangerous than driving drunk, a study released today says. And to the surprise of researchers, even the drivers who did not feel drowsy while on the popular drug Benadryl performed just as pitifully as those who were drunk. The drivers believed their performance was unaffected. ”You couldn’t predict who was impaired based on drowsiness scores,” said John Weiler,.. May , INDUSTRY GROUPS SEEK RESEARCH INTO ALLERGY FREE PEANUTS WASHINGTON (AP) In the wake of last year’s aborted government bid to protect peanut allergy sufferers in airplanes, peanut industry groups are seeking federal funding for research aimed at producing allergy free peanuts. Representatives of peanut farmers, manufacturers and shellers met with lawmakers and key congressional staffers this week to outline a three year,. million proposal for research at the University of Georgia, the University of Florida and Alabama.. Chicago Sun Times , ALLERGY FACTS A few facts about children’s food allergies Peanuts, milk, wheat, eggs, soy, almonds, pecans, walnuts, fish and shellfish cause about percent of food allergies. Some children outgrow allergies to foods, while some might remain allergic throughout adulthood. Children are three times more likely than adults to have severe food allergies because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. Usually, a child will not have an allergic reaction the first time a food is.. SELDANE OUT OF BREATH DRUGMAKER TO PULL ALLERGY MEDICINE Saying allergy sufferers can buy a safer treatment, the maker of Seldane, a popular allergy drug, announced Monday that it will pull the controversial antihistamine off the market The Food and Drug Administration began proceedings to ban Seldane and Seldane D, a decongestant formula, a year ago because of potentially deadly side effects, but maker Hoechst marion Roussel balked. The FDA had argued that the same company made another drug called Allegra that fights allergies as.. St. Louis Post Dispatch , STUDY GENE WORK POSES ALLERGY RISK Researchers have found that an allergy causing substance in one crop can be passed to another, prompting calls for greater regulation of gene spliced foods. An article in today’s New England Journal of Medicine reveals that an allergy causing protein in Brazil nuts can be transferred to soybeans through genetic engineering. The goal had been to make soybeans a richer source of protein for animal feed. But the process also transferred a protein known to cause reactions in humans.