experts prefer allergy shots, doctors say air filters are at the bottom of
the list Best to get rid of dust collectors and pets first Allergy and
asthma sufferers will go to great lengths to find relief from the
sneezing and sniffling, including buying expensive air filters and
purifiers. But do they really work?Most allergists say no or at least not
as well as traditional allergy shots and treatments.Joe Vero of Caledon
swears by the stand alone air filtration system he purchased recently for
his Mississippi office. A lifelong allergy sufferer, Vero says the usual
suspects trigger his asthma attacks dust,… . Toronto Star, The
(Ontario, Canada) May , Researchers hot on trail of an allergy epidemic,
Nearly half of all Canadians suffer from some sort of allergic reaction
Study will follow , children to try to determine causes Study will track
, children to determine cause Nearly half of all Canadians prone to
allergic reaction The air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we
drink, even the kind of houses we live in and how well we clean them all
are suspects in the growing epidemic of allergies and asthma in Canada.
But just how they interact with our genes, so that one person develops an
allergic reaction and another in the same environment doesn’t, isn’t
clearly understood.A new birth cohort study of , Canadian children that
will follow them from the time their mothers are… . Los Angeles Times ,
Airborne Allergies Allergy sufferers, brace yourselves. It’s likely to be
a long, rough road ahead.This year’s record rainfall has created good
growing conditions for mold and pollen releasing plants, both major
sources of hay fever. Allergy sufferers will feel the effects, and so
will many people who have previously been spared the sneezing, congestion
and itchy eyes.”We’re heading for the worst allergy year L.A. has seen in
a long time,” said… . Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) , Allergy season
gets a running start, As trees, grasses and flowers spring forth, the
pollen count soars. And it won’t go unnoticed. Allergy season has arrived
with a bang and a sniffle.Tree pollen blasted the Philadelphia region
last week, reaching the extreme range as measured by air sampling. The
heavy dose spewed forth after a wet and unusually cool gave way suddenly
to warmer temperatures and longer days. The pollen explosion won’t go
unnoticed. The number of allergy sufferers appears to be growing across
the Philadelphia region, and one theory suggests that children’s immune
systems… . New York Times, The (NY) , PERSONAL HEALTH Linking Allergy,
Asthma and Infant Diets Allergies and asthma in children are on the rise
in industrialized countries and medical scientists are searching for ways
to stem this mysterious trend. d ors had long assumed that exclusive
breast feeding for at least the first six months of life and delaying the
introduction of allergenic foods like peanuts, cow’s milk and eggs was
the best way to stave off allergies. But several new studies indicate
that there are limits to the long term effectiveness of this approach…
. Capital Times, The (Madison, WI) , ALLERGIES ARE WINTER PESTS TOO
Allergies we suffer from this time of year are the perennial ones things
like dust mites, animal dander and indoor mold.So watch out for allergic
symptoms, including a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing and watery or itchy
eyes. Nancy Bogue of Madison has these symptoms a lot. The list of
allergens and irritants that cause her problems seems almost
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Some experts blame air pollution, pets, or energy-efficient . Inadequate
air circulation may increase exposure to dust mites, mildew and other
allergy-provoking substances.The most controversial question facing… ,
of 5 words . Rocky Mountain News CO – March 9, 1992 ASTHMA TREATMENT
CAUSES CONCERN Most people who suffer from asthma have some idea of what
will set off an attack, but no one knows what the underlying causes of
the condition are. At one time, it was popular to blame pollution, but
scientists have not been able to show a clear association between dirt
and the disease.Whatever the cause, there is a sinister suspicion that,
in some circumstances, some treatments may be exacerbating it. A study of
beta agonists – drugs used to relieve the symptoms of asthma – was
published… , of 688 words . *- September 18, 1991 ASTHMA EDUCATION IS
REP. EARLY’S EFFORT September means back to school for thousands of
students in Massachusetts. Most will be looking forward to getting back
in the classroom and the challenges of learning this year. But for some,
school presents a different challenge – coping with asthma in the
classroom, in school sports and physical education activities and, on
many days, absence from school and restriction from school activities
because of asthma.Working in the nation’s capital, I am often among the
first to… , of 664 words . The Milwaukee Journal – July 9, 1991 Doctors
link germ to asthma, bronchitis Physicians in Madison have uncovered
evidence linking a specific respiratory illness germ with asthma and
bronchitis in adults, leading to the cautious prediction that some asthma
may be preventable.Exposure to Chlamydia pneumonia was strongly
associated not only with development of new cases of asthma following a
respiratory illness, but with wheezing associated with an acute attack of
bronchitis, according to a report in the latest issue of the Journal of
the American Medical… , of 526 words . THE SEATTLE TIMES – February 6,
1991 CHANGES IN TREATMENT OF ASTHMA SUGGESTED BETHESDA, Md. – A national
panel of experts assembled to examine traditional treatment of asthma
recommended significant changes yesterday, based on growing scientific
evidence that inflammation is as much a cause of the chronic disease as
bronchial spasms Asthma, which affects 10 million Americans, has long
been considered a disease primarily involving constriction of lung
passages, and dilating treatments have been used to relieve the wheezing,
difficult breathing and coughing that occur… , of 464 words : 71 – 80
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. Newsday Melville, NY – November 24, 1990 Family Clinic A Contructive
Response to Asthma Q. We’ve just been told that our 7-year-old daughter
has asthma. We want to learn as much as we can about it, especially if
and when our little girl will outgrow it. A. In this era of preventive
medicine, asthma is an example of one illness that can be prevented or
made much milder when parents and patients understand and use modern
management techniques.Your efforts to find the cause of your daughter’s
asthma and, when possible, eliminate the source from her… , of 590
words . State, The Columbia, SC – July 10, 1990 ASTHMA AND EXERCISE
SWIMMER TESTED MYTH THAT ASTHMA AND EXERCISE DON’T MIX AND WENT ON TO WIN
THE GOLD When Olympic gold medal swimmer Nancy Hogshead breezes into the
lobby of a local hotel, she exudes confidence through every inch of her
5-feet-10-inch slender frame.You would never guess the 28-year-old
suffers from asthma, an often debilitating chronic illness which is, as
Ms. Hogshead is quick to point out, the No. 1 reason for school
absenteeism in this country and the No. 1 reason people visit emergency
rooms.As a swimmer in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Ms. Hogshead won
three… , of 9 words . The San Diego Union – March 5, 1990 Exercise aids
victims of asthma World-class athletes help dispel myths The image of the
asthmatic child wheezing on the sidelines, pale and puny, while other
children run and jump, is fading fast as physicians and patients discover
that exercise is not only possible but also actually helpful for people
with asthma.The turnabout has been fostered in recent years by a number
of world-class athletes who have asthma.
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Shakeema Funchess’ asthma attacks worsened into endless coughing and
dizziness. She felt like she couldn’t breathe.The attacks happened in her
basement apartment, on the way to school and in gym class. She missed
months of school. Her mother, Sheila, quit her job to take care of
Shakeema and transport her to the hospital when severe attacks overcame
the girl about a dozen times a year…. , of 811 words 92. *Madison, WI -
August 9, 2006 FINDING THAT BREATH OF FRESH AIR, ANTIBIOTIC USE IN ASTHMA
PATIENTS TO BE STUDIED When asthma struck Madison resident Susan Savage
in her 20s, she couldn’t believe it. When an upper respiratory infection
followed, she couldn’t breathe. And it only got worse. I went to lots of
different doctors and tried lots of different treatments, said Savage,
who dealt with the infection for nearly three years. I got so depressed,
I wasn’t sure I would be around much longer. I had to struggle with
every… , of 6 words 92. *- February 28, 2006 Home Improvement Expert to
Help Allergic Asthma Sufferers Reduce Allergens at Home, Andrew Dan-Jumbo
From TLC’s While You Were Out Brings His Expertise to the Sleep Work
PlayTM at Home Campaign PRNewswire — Andrew Dan-Jumbo, home improvement
expert on TLC’s While You Were Out, launched a campaign today with the
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America AAFA to help people rid their of
common allergens that can trigger asthma attacks.Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060228/LATU019 Asthma is one of the
country’s most common and costly illnesses in the U.S., and nearly half
of all American households include at least one sufferer. The… , of 959
words : 1 – 0 of 295486 | 4 4454647484950
: Jan 1, 2000 to Feb 3, 2000 | April 2001 | October 21 2001 | 3-12-2001 |
2/5/2001 – 4/ /2001 | 6/2001 – 1/2002 | Jan 7 2002 to Jan 15 2002 : 1 – 0
of 295480 | 4 445464748495051| 92. Hamilton Spectator, The Ontario,
Canada – August 11, 2005 Asthma-friendly workout tips, Breathing easier
about exercise Despite the uneasiness many people with asthma may feel
about putting their lungs through the paces, they can and should exercise
regularly, most experts agree. Although physical activity won’t cure or
necessarily improve asthma, reports the American College of Allergy,
Asthma and Immunology ACAAI, it can help patients feel better physically
and psychologically.Most of the nearly 25 million North American adults
three million in Canada with asthma… , of 6 words 92.

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Newcastle Herald
Australia – May 3, 2005 GP best for most asthma issues MORE Hunter
children aged from five to go to hospital for treatment for asthma than
for any other chronic illness. But many visits to Australian hospital
emergency departments were for mild or avoidable asthma attacks or for
problems that could be better treated by a GP, according to the National
Asthma Council.Only about 10 per cent of people with asthma who present
to emergency departments had a severe attack, council spokeswoman
Anne-Maree Kelly said.She said some patients used… , of 0 words 92. *-
November 17, 2004 TAKE A BREATHER, FREE WORKSHOPS SET SATURDAY IN GRAND
FORKS FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA. Nine-year-old Robert Henderson
was just 4 months old when he was diagnosed with asthma, a chronic lung
disease that affects about 10 million Americans.Today, despite his
illness, the third-grader at West Elementary School in Grand Forks is an
active boy who likes to play hockey, baseball and other sports. And, even
though he’s only 9, Robert has learned the importance of taking his
medicine every day and carrying an inhaler. Pretty much he’s at the… ,
of 694 words 92. Lima News, The OH – July 29, 2004 ASTHMA WALK SET FOR
SEPTEMBER Asthma walk set for September By RENEE KNIGHT
rknight@limanews.com 9-993-2101 LIMA — Get your walking shoes ready –
it’s almost time to walk to help educate people about asthma.For the
second year, the Lima community will participate in the American Lung
Association’s Blow the Whistle on Asthma Walk. There was a kick-off
luncheon Wednesday afternoon at St. Rita’s Medical Center to talk with
team… , of 0 words 92. Sun Herald, The Sydney, Australia – April 18,
2004 Sweet taste of success, `Icing sugar’ plant extract trialled to help
fight asthma A SUBSTANCE that looks and tastes like icing sugar is
helping to diagnose and manage asthma.
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allergy food network

.. . Star Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) , Airborne misery Dry weather causes
allergy inducing raqweed to bloom early FOR THREE of every four allergy
sufferers, ragweed spells trouble. The problem is that the pesky weed is
virtually everywhere along roadsides, in empty lots and even in backyard
vegetable gardens because it thrives in disturbed soil. Ragweed inflicts
a lot of misery on those allergic to the plant sneezing, coughing, itchy,
runny noses and swollen, watery eyes are among the symptoms being felt by
many as we enter the season’s peak. “I am… . Express, The (London,
England) , The Express WHAT ARE ALLERGIES & WHY ARE THEY MORE COMMON?
FOOD intolerances are different from food allergies.Intolerance causes
symptoms such as bloating, tiredness, muscle aches and pains and
migraines, and may take hours to develop after you have eaten the culprit
food. Allergies involve the body’s immune system, which mistakenly
attacks a harmless substance such as a milk protein. During the most
severe reactions, the body goes into anaphylactic shock and sufferers
need adrenaline immediately to save their lives.One… . . . Hays Daily
News, The (KS) , Recipient of allergy treatment responds Nambudripads
Allergy Elimination Technique the subject of an column received a
negative response from a local physician whose letter we published in a
May column. A recipient of NAET treatments has followed up with a
rebuttal to his evaluation. In fairness, even though the technique has
(to me) its bizarre aspects, here’s the other side of the story.”I would
like to respond to your column of Wed., May , in regard to NAET
treatments.”I have… . Times, The (London, England) , Careful cuisine,
Allergies When you develop a serious allergy to certain foods, eating out
can prove a potentially fatal experience. e Clarke learnt the hard
way.Looking back, it seems almost funny. I opened the door of my practice
to a patient early one morning and saw her reaction to my puffed up face
and extraordinary apparent weight gain. Overnight I’d turned into a
blowfish; hardly the greatest advert for a nutritionist. It was the first
of a series of allergic reactions that culminated in an… . Guelph
Mercury, The (Ontario, Canada) May , Allergy safety an almost
‘impossible’ goal Guaranteeing safe schools for children with allergies
is next to impossible, a local school board official said after Ontario
passed a law to protect severe allergy sufferers. The Ontario government
on Monday unanimously passed Sabrina’s Law, legislation that will
establish minimum standards for the province’s schools on how to
recognize and handle anaphylactic shock to prevent unnecessary deaths
among students.The Upper Grand District School Board already has a… .
Toronto Star, The (Ontario, Canada) May , d ors learning from scratch,
Pricking the skin leads to diagnosis Allergy testing safe for any age
group Skin prick testing, the mainstay of allergy diagnosis, is benign
and well tolerated by even young patients, says Dr. Adelle R. Atkinson, a
clinical immunologist in the Division of Immunology and Allergy at the
Hospital for Sick Children. Skin prick testing involves measuring
specific immunoglobulin (IgE), a type of antibody, responsible for
provoking an allergic reaction in a patient.There are four categories of
testing Food Common allergic reactions are to peanuts and eggs…. . ,
Allergy season in full bloom Spring has brought the return of allergies,
especially from tree pollen, which is in full swing. As the flowers and
trees blossom, so do the sniffles, coughs and tears. The Miami Valley is
one of the worst locations in the country for allergy sufferers. Weather
plays a tremendous role in the timing and severity of allergies. Knowing
more about that cause and effect relationship may help you deal with
things when they are at their worst.Sunny days with dry air create the
highest pollen… . Times Union, The (Albany, NY) , Many allergies get
their start in one’s home Here are the most bothersome allergens in the
environment, pri ily in the home. Allergens indoors tend to be more
intense than allergens outdoors because they’re more concentrated and
people sleep with them. Experts say the key to reducing allergies is to
keep the house clean and remove things that collect dust.Dust mites d ors
consider these microscopic pests in the spider family the worst triggers
for in home allergies.
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The coughing, the sneezing and the red eyes that… . Lima News, The (OH)
, DON’T LET ALLERGIES KEEP YOU FROM PET OWNERSHIP Don’t let allergies
keep you from pet ownership Buying the right animal and taking right
steps can ease allergy symptoms By RENEE KNIGHT rknight@limanews.com LIMA
Allergies or not, Diane Laratta isn’t willing to give up her dogs.Laratta
loves dogs, loves playing with them and training them. She even owns a
school built to train dogs called the Hollowell Academy of Dog Training.
The coughing, the sneezing and the red eyes that… . . . May , YOU CAN
BREATHE EASY WITH ALLERGY FRIENDLY PLANTS GARDENERS WITH ALLERGIES feel
the pull from opposite forces the desire to be outside and dig in the
dirt vs. the knowledge that the very plants they love cause them
uncomfortable physical responses.Allergies often prohibit gardeners from
participating fully in the activities they love the most. Seasonal
allergies affect many of us to a certain degree, but for some, the
allergies are so severe as to preclude them from even sitting out in the
garden on some days. The ultimate question for… . Pantagraph, The
(Bloomington, IL) May , Allergies in the air, Harsh season still hasn’t
peaked BLOOMINGTON Spring allergy season has been a mixed bag so far,
thanks to the unusual weather that began in late winter. For Central
Illinoisans allergic to tree pollen and outdoor molds, that meant their
allergies bothered them earlier than usual this year but have subsided
recently.For those allergic to grass and weed pollens, it means that
their allergies probably have not affected them much yet, even though
they usually start sneezing around May Day.But they’ll begin… . Desert
Sun, The (Palm Springs, CA) , Allergy facts Definition An allergy is a
specific reaction to a normally harmless substance, one that does not
bother most people. Allergic people often are sensitive to more than one
substance. Allergens enter the body in one of three ways. Airborne
particles such as pollen, dust and mold spores are breathed in through
the nose and mouth.Insect venom is injected through stingers.Foods are
ingested, or swallowed. Medicines that can cause allergic reactions are
injected or ingested.More than… . San Antonio Express News , COLD OR
ALLERGY? Similar symptoms cause confusion Colds and allergies. They’re
the Hayley Mills of the medical world. Indeed, the two illnesses are so
similar at least on the surface that, like Mills in “The Parent Trap,”
they’re often mistaken for one another.”It’s not unusual to have patients
come in complaining of a cold when what they really have is an allergy,”
says local allergist Jo h Diaz. “Or vice versa.”Since… . Sunday News
(Lancaster, PA) , ACHOO! PETS CAN SUFFER ALLERGIES, TOO, BUT SEVERAL
TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE ALLERGY SEASON EASIER FOR FIDO AND
MITTENS. Itch, scratch, lick, wheeze. Oh, what grief it is! Allergies
they not only make people miserable but also afflict about percent of
their pets, especially this time of year. Like their owners, cats and
dogs most often get relief by avoiding the allergy causing substance and
from allergy medications or shots.Unlike humans, however, allergic pets
almost always become itchy. They lick, scratch and chew until their skin
gets red or blisters. Cats, especially, groom themselves so much they…
. Sunday News (Lancaster, PA) , ACHOO! PETS CAN SUFFER ALLERGIES, TOO,
BUT SEVERAL TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE ALLERGY SEASON EASIER FOR
FIDO AND MITTENS. Itch, scratch, lick, wheeze. Oh, what grief it is!
Allergies they not only make people miserable but also afflict about
percent of their pets, especially this time of year. Like their owners,
cats and dogs most often get relief by avoiding the allergy causing
substance and from allergy medications or shots.Unlike humans, however,
allergic pets almost always become itchy. They lick, scratch and chew
until their skin gets red or blisters. Cats, especially, groom themselves
so much they… . , ANSWERS TO THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ALLERGIES
Q Can you explain allergies?A An allergic response occurs when your
body’s immune system mistakenly overreacts.Instead of ignoring a normally
harmless substance such as pollen, mold, dust, dander or food, it tries
to defend you against the item.Specific proteins called antibodies are
made by the immune system and attach to certain blood cells in areas of
your body such as your nose, eyes, throat, skin or air passages in your
lungs.
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dust allergy

.. . Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News , Spores may spark allergies in
infants Jun. Infants exposed to fungus spores early in life have a
greater chance of developing allergies, a study by University of
Cincinnati scientists has found. It’s the first study to link airborne
fungal spores with a risk for multiple allergies in children.Infants
exposed to higher concentrations of spores were more likely to develop
allergies to mold, pollen, dust mites, pet dander and food, said Tiina
Reponen, an environmentalhealth researcher.The study is to be… . , Food
for thought, Schools grapple with food allergy policies When parents send
food to school for classroom consumption, they are creating a potential
danger to students. And according to Thomas M. Caruso, principal at Major
Edwards Elementary School in West Boylston, the practice needs to be
controlled or stopped.”Student food allergies are going through the
roof,” Mr. Caruso said, adding that the danger of allergic reactions to
food from home is most severe during the holidays. Nuts, nut oils, soy,
wheat, food coloring… . Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News , The
silent tormentor Allergies . Does that bowl of peanuts give you horrible
skin rashes? Or do your eyes resemble the Niagra Falls everytime you
drive through rush hour traffic? These are sure signs of allergy which
can make life miserable. A mere irritant at first sight, allergies today
are fast becoming a major cause of worry. Experts maintain that over per
cent Indians suffer from allergies and respiratory disorders and the
numbers are increasing in metros and major cities due to increasing
levels of stress and… . Miami Herald, The (FL) , WHEAT ALLERGIES CAN
SEVERELY LIMIT DIET If there is any doubt that food allergies have hit
the mainstream, one need look no further than the season’s new, top rated
series, ABC’s Sunday night soap Desperate Housewives.Neatnik nag Bree (
cia Cross) reacts to her henpecked husband’s laration that he wants a
divorce by accidentally? poisoning him using salad tongs as her weapon.
He’s allergic to onions, she conveniently forgets that at the salad bar,
he collapses and the… . Chicago Sun Times , New drug helps allergies,
profits, With Claritin patent up, ads tout Clarinex, but is it any
better? Just in time for the spring allergy season, the new drug Clarinex
is coming on the ket with an advertising blitz but no proof it works
better than older allergy drugs. “Billions of seasonal allergies, one
tiny blue pill,” proclaim ads from manufacturer Schering Plough Corp.
Schering Plough makes Claritin, the nation’s best selling prescription
allergy drug. In , the Food and Drug Administration is expected to switch
Claritin to… . (CA) , ALLERGY FREE GARDENING ISN’T AN ANOMALY Tom Ogren
likes to talk about sex, sex and more sex.Not the kind Dr. Ruth deals
with. Ogren is talking about plants, not humans, and he’s particularly
concerned about pollen produced by male plant clones and how that pollen
contributes to allergy. Plants and the allergies they cause through their
male female interaction are the reason behind Ogren’s new book ”Allergy
Free Gardening” ( Speed Press, $ . ).With… . . . Lancaster New Era
(PA) , CHASE’S STORY ‘THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE’ FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD
ALLERGIES CHASE HENRY’S BACKPACK doesn’t feel quite so heavy these days.
No more EpiPen for the year old who was allergic to peanuts.Chase, the
son of Lancaster Countians Corky and Cindy Henry, recently outgrew his
life threatening allergy. “It’s a miracle,” says Cindy. “We’re one happy,
fortunate family.”Many children outgrow food allergies, says Dr. Clark R.
Kaufman of Allergy Immunology… . Lancaster New Era (PA) , CHASE’S STORY
‘THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE’ FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES CHASE HENRY’S
BACKPACK doesn’t feel quite so heavy these days. No more EpiPen for the
year old who was allergic to peanuts.Chase, the son of Lancaster
Countians Corky and Cindy Henry, recently outgrew his life threatening
allergy. “It’s a miracle,” says Cindy. “We’re one happy, fortunate
family.”Many children outgrow food allergies, says Dr. Clark R. Kaufman
of Allergy Immunology… . , FOOD ALLERGIES MIGHT BE CAUSE OF SKIN RASH
As many as one third of children with chronic, difficult to treat atopic
dermatitis an itchy, inflamed skin rash may have unidentified food
allergies that are causing or worsening their condition, according to a
new study.
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A Dozen Tips for Producing Low Allergy Gardens

 


 

  Thomas Ogren

A Dozen Tips for Producing Low-Allergy Gardens

Ó Thomas Leo Ogren

What we plant often has a direct effect on our own health and the health
of those near us. A pollen-producing male tree in our own yard will
easily expose us to ten times more pollen than would a similar tree
growing just down the block. This can be compared to second-hand smoke.
It is possible to inhale some smoke from a person smoking a block or two
away from you, but it is hardly the same as someone smoking right next to
you. It is the same with plants. If your own yard is full of allergenic
plants, then you will be exposed most.
Elementary school landscapes are frequently highly allergenic because all
too often they have been landscaped with trees and shrubs that will not
produce any seeds, seedpods or fruit—which the children might want to
toss at each other. What is over-looked is that these tidy choices are
usually male cultivars (clones) and although they are “litter-free,” they
are prodigious producers of allergenic pollen. I am now involved with a
pollen-free landscape planting at a new elementary school in Tulare
County, California. This work is being sponsored by their local asthma
coalition and it is very encouraging to see preventative measures like
this being taken. Children suffer greatly from allergies and asthma, and
asthma is now the most common chronic childhood disease in the US.
Another fine example of low-pollen landscaping surrounds the new American
Lung Association Regional Headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. With
“green” construction principles a new ‘Breathe Easy’ allergy-free office
was constructed. The allergy-friendly landscape plant materials are
predominantly female, and compliment the clean air building. Other
Breathe EasyÔ offices are also now using pollen free landscapes, as are
numerous Heath Houses.
Twelve tips: Remember, the greater the exposure to pollen, the greater
the incidence of pollen-triggered allergy and asthma.

1.Don’t plant any male trees or shrubs. These are often sold as
“seedless” or “fruitless” varieties but they’re males and they all
produce large amounts of allergenic pollen.
2.Do plant female trees and shrubs. Even though these may be messier than
males, they produce no pollen, and they actually trap and remove pollen
from the air. There is also some very good all-female sod to use for
pollen-free lawns. As an added bonus, these female lawns stay low and
require less frequent mowing.
3.Plant disease-resistant varieties: mildew, rust, black spot and other
plant diseases all reproduce by spores and these spores cause allergies.
Disease resistant plants won’t get infected as much and the air around
them will be healthier.
4.Use only trees and shrubs well adapted for your own climate zone.
Plants grown in the wrong zone will often fail to thrive. Because they
are not healthy, they will be magnets for insects. Insect residue,
“honeydew,” is a prime host for molds and molds produce allergenic mold
spores. Often native plants will be the healthiest choices.
5.Be careful with the use of all insecticides, fungicides, and
herbicides. Accidental exposure to all of these chemical pesticides has
been shown to cause breakdowns in the immune system. Sometimes one single
heavy exposure to a pesticide will result in sudden hypersensitivity to
pollen, spores, and to other allergens. This is as true for pets as it is
for their owners. Go organic as much as possible. Make and use compost!
6.Diversity is good. Don’t plant too much of the same thing in your
landscapes. Use a wide selection of plants. Lack of diversity often
causes over-exposure. Use lots of variety in your gardens.
7.Wild birds are a big plus because they eat so many insects. Plant
fruiting trees and shrubs to encourage more birds. Suet also attracts
many insect-eating birds. Insect dander causes allergies and birds
consume an incredible amount of aphids, whiteflies, scale, and other
invertebrate pests.
8.Use pollen-free selections whenever possible. There are many hybrids
with highly doubled flowers and in many cases these flowers lack any
male, pollen parts. Formal double chrysanthemums, for example, usually
have no pollen. Another example would be almost all of the erect tuberous
begonias. These have complete female flowers, but their male flowers have
nothing but petals, making them pollen-free.
9.If you simply must have some high-allergy potential plants in your
yard, just because you love them, then watch where you plant them. Don’t
use any high-allergy plants near bedroom windows or next to patios,
well-used walkways, or by front or back doors. Place the highest allergy
plants as far away from the house as possible and downwind of the house
too. Remember: the closer you are to the high-allergy tree or shrub, the
greater is your exposure.
10.Know the exact cultivar name of a tree or shrub before you buy it.
Don’t buy any that are not clearly tagged with the correct cultivar
(variety) name and the Latin, scientific name. Compare the exact name of
the plant with its OPALS/TM allergy ranking. With this scale, 1 is least
allergenic, and 10 is the most allergenic. Try to achieve a landscape
that averages at OPALS #5, or below.
11.If you have a tree or hedge that has high allergy potential and don’t
want to remove it, consider keeping it heavily sheared so that it will
flower less. Boxwood, for example, has allergenic flowers but if pruned
hard each year, it will rarely bloom at all.
12.Get involved with your own city’s tree and parks departments, and
encourage them to stop planting any more wind-pollinated trees. There are
thousands of fine choices of street trees that do not cause any allergies
and we should be using these instead. Working together we can make a
healthy difference, and we’ll all breathe better for our efforts.

*Note, with the dioecious plants (separate-sexed) males cause
pollen-allergy, and females because they are pollen free, do not.
Examples of some of these dioecious plants are: red maple, silver maple,
box elder, holly, willow, aspen, cottonwood, poplar, fringe tree, pepper
tree, carob tree, Osage orange, mulberry, cedar, juniper, podocarpus,
yews, ash, date palms, and even asparagus.

About the Author

Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press.
Tom does consulting work on landscape plants and allergies for the USDA,
county asthma coalitions, and the Canadian and American Lung
Associations. He has appeared on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His
book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published in 2003. In 2004 Time Warner
Books published: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the
Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening

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A Dozen Tips for Producing Low Allergy Gardens

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ADHD and Food Allergies

 


 

  Anthony Kane, MD

Introduction

There are a number of controversial areas in medicine when it comes to
ADHD. Food allergy is certainly one of them.

The classic allergic reaction, which is classified as the type-1
hypersensitivity reaction, can be elicited by food, but this is fairly
uncommon. When we discuss food sensitivities in ADHD we are discussing a
different, not well-defined, mechanism.

One of the main progenitors of the food allergy/ADHD connection is Dr.
Doris Rapp. Dr. Rapp was a pediatric allergist who noticed that many
children in her practice had significant physical and behavioral changes
when exposed to certain foods. They may have red ear lobes, dark circles
under their eyes, or glazed eyes after eating certain foods. These
children could have tremendous swings in behavior. They can be calm one
minute and wildly hyperactive a few minutes later.

To make it more interesting, children with food allergies usually crave
the food that affects them negatively. That means a child who is allergic
to peanuts will demand peanut butter and jelly for lunch everyday, and
for the rest of the afternoon you have to peel him off of the ceiling.

What is Food Allergy?

The classic allergic reaction operates through a very specific mechanism.
The reaction is caused when a specific type of antibody, called IgE,
reacts with a specific provoking substance called an allergen. The result
of this interaction is an allergic response and the person is deemed
allergic to that allergen.

The specific type of antibody involved in classic allergy is called IgE.
The proposed antibody mechanism for this type of food allergy does not
involve IgE, but a different antibody called IgG. This is significant
because standard allergy testing tests only for IgE antibodies. If your
child has IgG mediated sensitivity, his allergy test is going to miss it.
That means that your child may have a severe allergy to a specific food,
but your allergist will tell you he is not allergic to it.

Why the Controversy?

Reason 1: Diagnosis

I said this was a very controversial area of medicine and here is one of
the reasons why. Food allergies are very difficult to diagnose. One
reason is that the symptoms wax and wane. When a child has a classic
allergy, for example to bee stings, then every time a bee stings him, he
will have a reaction. Food allergies don’t work that way. There seems to
be a threshold that must be exceeded before there are any symptoms. In
addition, this threshold seems to vary from day to day. On some days a
food will affect the child, and on other days it won’t. Dr. Rapp explains
this phenomenon using the analogy of a barrel.

We can view each allergic child as if he has a barrel. As long as the
barrel is empty or only partially full, your child will have no problems.
Your child won’t become hyperactive until his barrel is overflowing.

Various things will fill your child’s barrel. Let’s say your child is
sensitive to chocolate, cats, and peanut butter. Each of these things all
can partially fill his barrel. As long as he only has peanut butter or
only plays with the cat, his barrel is only partially full. That means
that there are no symptoms and that his behavior is fine. Then, one day
he has a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, has chocolate ice cream for
dessert and plays with the cat all afternoon. These things in combination
make his barrel overflow, and by evening he is out of control. Your child
has food allergies, but sometimes they affect him and sometimes they
don’t.

The barrel can change sizes. If your child has a cold or is upset his
barrel gets smaller. It takes less to make it overflow. If he is happy
his barrel is bigger. It takes more to make it overflow. If he isn’t
eating well and that day he is low on certain nutrients his barrel gets
smaller.

Many traditional allergists find this barrel concept ludicrous. It
doesn’t fit into the pattern of how other allergies work.

Reason 2: Method of Diagnosis

The next problem is the way in which you test for food allergies. Dr.
Rapp describes a technique called provocation-neutralization testing.
This method works as follows: Say that a child frequently has headaches
after eating eggs. The practitioner will give an intradermal injection of
egg extract. If this elicits the child’s headache, then the child tests
positive for egg allergy. Other signs of a positive test include an
increase in pulse rate of 20 points, a large skin reaction (this
indicates a classic IgE reaction), a change in the child’s handwriting,
or some other physical or emotional complaint. This last criterion “some
other physical or emotional complaint” is problematic. It is too vague.
The result is that when studies compared how several physicians evaluated
the same group of patients, their results didn’t agree. For each patient
if there were twenty different doctors with twenty different sets of
findings. None of their diagnoses matched.

Reason 3: The Mechanism

As I mentioned before, the proposed mechanism is an IgG mediated
response. Some food allergists diagnose specific food allergies by
measuring IgG levels. This runs counter to all of modern allergy practice.

Allergists give allergy shots to treat allergy. The way this works is
they give a low level of allergen, which is not enough to elicit an IgE
reaction. The dose is slowly increased until eventually the patient can
tolerate a significant exposure to the allergen.

This is how it works. The repeated low-level exposure to the allergen
induces the body to make a different antibody to the substance. This
antibody attaches to the allergen and deactivates it before IgE can cause
the allergy reaction. What is this antibody that allergists try to induce
to cure their patients of their allergies? You guessed it, IgG. So the
very antibody the traditional allergists have been inducing for decades
to successfully treat allergies, the food allergy people claim is the
antibody guilty of causing allergies.

For a traditional allergist this is nothing short of heresy. IgG has been
used for decades to treat allergies successfully. Comes along Rapp and
her friends and they claim that IgG causes allergy? This is a little hard
for some people to accept.

Just how strongly do allergists reject this idea? I once tried to contact
an Israeli physician who was a food allergy specialist to discuss with
him provocation-neutralization testing. I called the hospital where he is
on staff and asked to speak with him. For some reason the operator
instead put me through to the head of the Department of Allergy.

I began discussing with him the theory of food allergies,
provocation-neutralization testing and IgG testing. He told me that he
was the head of a committee of allergists who were in the process of
testifying before the Israeli Knesset to get legislation passed to make
IgG testing illegal in Israel.

Can you imagine? You visit a prison in Israel. In one cell there is car
thief. In the next cell there is a mass murderer. And in the next cell
there is a guy who tested someone for food allergies. Now that’s pretty
strong opposition!

Do Food Allergies Really Exist?

The formal medical societies like the AMA claim there is no such thing as
food allergies. Rapp and her friends have been screaming for decades that
they do exist. So, what is the bottom line? Does it really make sense
that what a child eats can affect him so strongly that experts will
diagnose him as having ADHD?

We know that the brain is a highly complicated and sensitive organ. We
know that many foods have a physiological effect on the body without
inducing a classic allergic response. For example, people who are
sensitive to monosodium glutamate can have a severe reaction to eating
it. The chemicals in red wine affect certain people. We also know that
ingesting certain foods alters brain function. Diet has been proven to
influence neurotransmitter function. Components of foods can also be used
as drugs. For example, tryptophan, tyrosine, and choline have been used
in the treatment of sleep disorders, pain, depression, mania,
hypertension, shock, or dyskinesias.

The logic of Rapp’s argument is so strong and there is enough
circumstantial evidence, that I feel that the question is really the
other way around. We know that the brain is intricate and has tremendous
metabolic requirements. We know that some people have very strong
reactions, including behavioral changes, to certain foods. These things
are undisputed. If it turns out that foods do not elicit significant
problems in sensitive children, in my opinion, we would need to explain
why not!

Are we really seeing an allergy mechanism to food? I prefer to stay out
of that debate. Rather than be ostracized by the doctors who specialize
in allergy, I feel it is safer to call them food sensitivities. There are
no doctors who specialize in sensitivity.

Does Your Child Have Food Sensitivities?

A large number of ADHD children may be having a negative response to
food, and this response may be the primary cause of their ADHD. In what
type of child should you suspect food allergies?

The following is a list of symptoms that resulted from food allergies in
certain children:

* Hyperactivity

* Changes in mood

* Halitosis

* Sleep disturbances

* Delay in sleep onset

* Migraines

* Other headaches

* Abdominal pain

* Bedwetting

* Tantrums

* Eczema

* Asthma

* Seizures

Research shows that by treating the food allergies all of these symptoms
can be relieved.

If you see your child’s symptoms in this list it is possible that food
allergies may be contributing to his problem. If your child also has
other allergic problems, such as allergy or asthma, then food allergies
are almost certainly contributing to his problems.

What Should You Do?

As I wrote in How to Help the Child You Love, there are a number of
approaches to diagnosing food allergies. None of them are well
substantiated and all of them have difficulties. Yet, many people find
that these diagnostic techniques worked for them. Therefore, I’d suggest
you could use them provided you have it on good authority that the person
administering them has a strong record of success. In my experience,
these techniques are more of an art than a science. They really depend
upon the talent of the diagnostician.

As I said last time, the best approach to finding food allergies in your
child is an elimination diet. It doesn’t really matter which one you
choose. I prefer the three that I outline in How to Help the Child You
Love. (see addadhdadvances /childyoulove.html)

Conclusion

Researchers claim that the percentage of ADHD children whose behavioral
symptoms are affected by foods ranges from 60% to 75%. This, however, is
probably not an accurate number. Parents who consent to have their
children participate in diet studies usually believe they have observed
food-induced problems in their children. Therefore, children who
participate in these studies are more likely to respond to foods than the
general population. The truth is we do not know what percentage of ADHD
children will respond to dietary changes, but it seems that the number is
significant.

Treating the food sensitivities in ADHD children has a number of
advantages over using medication. One major advantage all the current
methods of treatment can be used to treat pre-school children. Most
clinicians do not use medication on pre-school children. A more
significant advantage of treating food allergy is that when it works, it
works all day. In contrast, Ritalin wears off in about 4 hours.

All this, of course, is providing that food allergies really do exist.

The main thing to remember is that if you think your child has food
allergies, then the biggest mistake you can make is to go to an
allergist. They don’t believe in food allergies. And whatever you do, do
not go to an allergist and ask to have your child
provocation-neutralization tested for food allergies. He is going to
laugh at you.

Food allergy is an alternative medicine diagnosis. Still, there are
physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating these sensitivities,
but they no longer call themselves allergists. Rapp and her group were so
ostracized by the formal allergy societies that they eventually broke off
and formed a new field called Environmental Medicine.

Therefore, if you want a physician to treat your child you need to find
an Environmental Medicine specialist. They are not so common, but they
are around.

As I mentioned before, there are a number of approaches to treating food
sensitivities. The one you can do yourself is to use an elimination diet.
I devoted a large section of How to Help the Child You Love describing
exactly how to use elimination diets to diagnose and treat food
sensitivities.

In the final analysis, I feel it is fair to say that many ADHD children
have sensitivities to the foods they eat. These sensitivities may
exacerbate their ADHD symptoms. I won’t go so far as to say that food
allergies cause ADHD. That means that if your ADHD child has severe food
sensitivity, treating that sensitivity may not get rid of his ADHD.
However, until you treat his food allergy, nothing else you do will
really help your child’s ADHD, either.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

addadhdadvances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician, an international lecturer, and director
of special education. He is the author of a book, numerous articles, and
a number of online programs dealing with ADHD
(addadhdadvances /childyoulove.html) treatment, ODD, parenting issues
(addadhdadvances /betterbehavior.html), and education. You may visit
his website at addadhdadvances . To sign up for the free ADD
ADHD Advances online journal send a blank email to:
subscribe@addadhdadvances ?subject=subscribeartcity

akane@addadhdadvances

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ADHD and Food Allergies

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Air Purifier Info For Dummies

 


 

  Reggie Dunn

If you are in the dark about what air purifiers are and what

they actually do, you are not alone. Many people have at

least thought about the notion of improving their indoor air

quality, but quickly abandon the idea because of the

confusion surrounding the topic of air purifiers. Hopefully,

after reading this article, you will have a working

knowledge of air purifiers and how they work.

First of all, lets define the term air purifier. An air

purifier is a mechanism that is designed to free air from

contaminants. Different techniques are used to render this

task and these include filters, adsorbents, and

electrostatic charges. Asthma sufferers, those that have

allergies, and those with other respitory problems have the

most to gain from an air purifier.

Air purifiers work by drawing these contaminants

(pollutants, particles, and pollen) from within the air that

we are breathing. Harmful air is pulled into the air

purifier by the inlet grill. Some air purifiers have a

pre-filter that helps contain the larger of the airborne

particles. Air will then travel through the carbon filter

which will help reduce unpleasant odors. Then the air will

pass through another filter that is composed of many tightly

woven fibers. Finally, the fan redirects the filtered air

throughout the room.

There are several factors that must be taken into

consideration to determine how much expense will be involved

in the purchase of an air purifier. When considering cost,

you must look into how much the replacement filters will run

as well as how often they will need changed. What may appear

to be a bargain up front on a less expensive model, could

potentially cost you much more later on down the road. Also,

it is important to see if you can order the replacement

filters in bulk at a discounted rate. It is always a good

idea to find out from the manufacturer what the estimated

electrical usage will be and whether or not the air purifier

runs on a cycle or does it have to stay on constantly.

At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide if an air

purifier is right for you and your family, but hopefully the

information contained here has given you a working knowledge

on what exactly air purifiers are and how they work.

About the Author

Reggie Dunn is a long time volunteer environmentalist and the webmaster
of Reggie Dunn is a long time volunteer environmentalist and the
webmaster of

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Air Purifier Info For Dummies

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Air Purifiers: An Investigation of the Types and their Benef

 


 

  Mike Spencer

Considering the amount of irritants that are present in the air today,
those who suffer from allergies and other breathing disorders are
challenged to find effective ways to clean the air that they breathe
within their

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  environment.

Not so many years ago, this simply meant making sure that the house was
dusted regularly and that pets were bathed and brushed – outdoors – as
often as possible, in order to cut down on the most common allergy
inducing factors.

Today, there’s far more at stake, when we consider the types of
contaminants that are present in our environment as a result of pollution.

The Challenge

Bigger challenges, then, require better tools for providing a solution -
enter, the air purifier.

The cleaning of the air within your

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  can be accomplished in a variety
of different ways.

Air Cleaners

A simple, straightforward air cleaner is designed to reduce the dust
build-up within the

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 , offering the benefits of cleaner air and less
need to perform common household chores, such as dusting. These are
electronic in nature and use a basic filtering system that’s designed to
draw in, clean and re-circulate the air.

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are a bit more complex, in that they are specifically
designed to eliminate pollutants such as pollen and other airborne
irritants, in addition to the dust that the air cleaner removes from the
environment.

These purifiers are available in a number of sizes, including the
portable version. In this case, the air is drawn to the bottom of the
cleaner and is then pushed upward through an aluminum mesh filter. This
is where the pollutants are trapped before the air is moved on to the
next phase of the process.

An electronic cleaning cell (two-stage) is the next stop for the airflow,
which ionizes dust particles that are invisible to the naked eye and
cleans them from the air. From there, the air is diverted to an activated
charcoal filter which deodorizes any odors that may remain before the air
is re-circulated.

An electronic air purifier should be placed in an area where the highest
amount of family traffic takes place, though it can be installed in any
room of the

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 .

Complete with a two-speed fan that can typically clean an area of up to
300 cubic feet when on the highest setting, this type of air purifier
would be ideal for a room that measured 20′ x 30′.

Good on Economy too…

As economical as it is useful, an electronic air purifier doesn’t require
any special wiring, and uses less electricity than that of a 100-watt
light bulb.

The electric air cleaner is utilized by placing it in the central duct
system, and cleans the air through the process of electrostatic
precipitation.

Basically, this just means that when the furnace blows smoke and other
contaminants into the air, they are forced into a filter, then a charging
station that provides charges from tungsten wires.

From there, any remaining particles are forced into a collection area,
where they’re trapped and washed away by the cleaning process. Charcoal
filters are in position to eliminate any leftover odors from the air,
which is then forced out into the

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  for re-circulation.

Depending upon the design of your

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 , your economic constraints and the
level of allergies that your family members possess, there’s a system
that will work for you. Once the air in your

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  is properly cleaned and
purified, you’ll all be breathing much easier.

For more information on selecting an air purifier visit:
Air Purifiers Reviewed Mike has suffered with asthma and numerous
allergies most of his life. He found that one way to help improve his
symptoms was by cleaning and purifying the air in his house, so took up
the challenge to find an effective and value for money solution to air
purification. He’s collated his results on his web site here: Air
Purifiers Reviewed

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Air Purifiers: An Investigation of the Types and their Benef

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