Ragweed Season in the US is mid August to end of October.

This fall season brings one of the worst allergens into full swing. The culprit is hay fever caused by Ragweed pollen.  The 2010 season is upon us and for the 36 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies Ragweed can be one of the worst.

Ragweed is a member of the sunflower family. The pollen from the male ragweed plant is an extreme allergen. Each ragweed plant produces about a billion pollen grains each season and these tiny grains travel in the wind for up to 400 miles because they are very light.

There are seven steps you can take to help make the Ragweed season more tolerable:

1)      Start allergy medications now- Most allergist recommend taking your allergy medicine before symptoms start, be proactive.

2)      Keep doors and windows closed in your home and car-this limits air exchange with the outdoors. Run the air conditioner to decrease humidity and filter the air.

3)      Change air filters weekly-During allergy season keep your air filter as clean as possible.  If you have allergies be sure to question someone who doesn’t to remove and dispose of the filter for you.

4)      Install a whole house air cleaner-Whole house air cleaners can be installed in your homes air conditioning and heating system. These air cleaners can remove up to 99.9% of airborne pollens. They can provide right relief from allergy symptoms. Consult a local air conditioning contractor for a free estimate.

5)      Bathe pets-Any pets that spend time outdoors may track in pollen in their fur and on their feet.  Regular bathing will help to reduce the amount of pollen they bring indoors.

6)      Save the yard work for low pollen days-Be aware of the daily pollen counts and avoid doing outdoor work on extreme pollen count days.

7)      Wear a face mask-If you must be outdoors, especially on windy days wear a pollen mask.

There is no way to completely eliminate Ragweed allergies, but with a small forethought you can make it more bearable.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/surviving-the-2010-ragweed-season-3064012.html

Do you frequently find that you have gas and bloating after every meal? If so then there is a very likely chance that the cause is a problem with your digestive system that needs correcting. This problem is known as a prevalent fungus that lives in an estimated 90% of the population. It’s called candida albicans and it can cause a lot more than just gas and bloating after eating food as I’ll clarify. I’ll clarify some natural cures for gas and bloating and then how this fungus may be the real reason you’re experiencing these chronic issues.

First 2 quick natural cures for Gas and Bloating

#1. Probiotics – If you haven’t tried these before, then now is the time. These beneficial bacteria are a major reason for gas and bloating, more specifically a lack of them is the cause. You see whenever you take an anti-biotic or a drug of some kind it has a very high likelihood of destroying most of these excellent bacteria. Over time a large part of these bacteria can become killed off, this leaves room for terrible bacteria and fungus such as candida to spread.

#2. Digestive Enzymes – Very often over the course of eating a very processed and toxic diet the body will start to deplete its ability to produce digestive enzymes. These enzymes can be of a huge help to those suffering from gas and bloating, but they themselves are not the cure. In many cases the overgrowth of candida in the body will really reduce your bodies production of enzymes. This being just one of many ways in which candida is involved in weakening digestive processes in the body.

The solution to eliminating digestive problems of all kinds once and for all in an effective diet and cleanse targeted to eliminating candida and all the other contributing factors that allow for candida to ruin a healthy body. Not only does candida negatively affect digestion but also affects moods and has been linked as the main cause of ADD/ADHD and something called brain fog where it seems like concentration is always impaired. If that wasn’t terrible enough it is also a common cause of allergies and even asthma. There is a list of over 100 potential symptoms caused by candida. The best solution is to take a candida test and determine if you are at risk.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/gassy-after-eating-anything-have-gas-and-bloating-after-every-meal-1974927.html

We have some friends who are gluten free.  At first I thought this was kind of weird.  It just sounds weird.  Gluten Free. It wasn’t the first time I had heard of it but to know an entire family that is gluten free is a rarity.  So they invited us over to dinner. I was a small nervous because I wondered if they would be eating rice flour and some weird unheard of foods. I warned the kids to have excellent manners no matter what they served.  I was so excited to be their guest but wondered what this term would look like in real life?

What I found was they made fresh, healthy, and tasty food. It even had a Mexican theme to it and that is my most favorite type of food.  There was incredible salsa, chips galore that were organic and gluten free and we had steak and fresh veggies.  The kids loved it and didn’t even know it was gluten free.  It really got me thinking.  As I learned more about why they made this choice it really was a necessity.  My friend had food allergies and had been ill and the change in food had made a dramatic difference in how she felt inside and out.  It had also helped her twin daughters.

I learned so much that night about food and how it can affect you.  For dessert they served us cookies.  I didn’t reckon you could eat cookies being gluten free.  I went on to question them to clarify just what was gluten.  I learned it is when there is no wheat, rye, barley, or oat gluten present. And yet they still made these incredible cookies.

It was a learning experience.  Later that year I learned my daughter’s friend also was gluten free.  She had lost her grandpa and we wanted to do something special for them. So we made a gluten free gift basket.  What did we place in the gluten free gift basket?  We place those incredible cookies wrapped with like and pretty bows. It was so much fun knowing we were helping someone else and being sensitive to their needs.  I was learning so much.

Later, they told us how much the gluten free gift basket meant.  Not many people know what gluten free is.  I am only beginning to know.  I do know this; food allergies affect nearly 18% of kids.  That is huge.  And so I look forward to learning more……………..in the mean time here is that recipie for those incredible cookies they made that night.  Gluten free or not you will absolutely like them. You can see the recipie here or go to About.com as well.

A classic gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe with a refreshing mint flavor. If you like classic Nestle Toll House cookies (and who doesn’t?!) and you like the flavor of chocolate mint, you’ll like these cookies.

Make this a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe by omitting the peppermint extract and adding one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 26 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cup light buckwheat flour (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon natural peppermint extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (6 ounces) gluten-free chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375° F / 190° C

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly oil

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy. Add butter and beat on high until combined. Add extract and beat briefly. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (optional).

For 1 dozen large cookies use a 2 tablespoon (1/8 cup) ice cream scoop or drop heaping tablespoons of dough on prepared baking sheets. 

For 2 dozen small cookies use a 1 tablespoon ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are crisp on edges and slightly soft in the middle. Cool on baking sheet.

Try it. You will like them and they may make you feel healthier and better too. I know we did.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/what-does-it-mean-to-be-gluten-free-3786958.html

Dust mites can’t be seen by the naked eye but they are disgusting small creatures that lurk in our home.  Did you know that on average there may be anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites living inside your mattress!  They live in warm places which includes your pillows, bedding, upholstery, drapes, carpets, stuffed toys and other surfaces.  In this article you will learn how to get rid of dust mites once and for all.

In the past, getting rid of dust mites from your home for excellent has been no simple task.  Since they live in so many things, washing all of those items had to be done once a week.  It was imperative that the water was at least 130 degrees.  Feather and down pillows are very hard to wash so it was best to toss those out and get either foam pillows or ones with synthetic filling.

You also had to remember that the bedding and blankets also needed to be washed as well.  That can be a hard task if you have that type of bedding that can’t be washed that often.    

As far as your mattress goes, you could pay someone to come in and professionally clean it but then afterwards a plastic cover would need to be placed on the mattress to prevent dust mites from entering it ever again.  If you had any other bedding, that would need to be covered as well after a thorough cleaning.

Let’s not forget your children’s stuffed toys.  More weekly washing with those as well.

They also live in your carpets so that needs to be vacuumed once a week too.  If you have wood floors you can use a damp mop to dust those so that nothing will go flying up into the air and land on your bed or furniture.

If you have curtains, those will also need to be washed weekly which can be another major chore.  Replacing those with vinyl shades is the simplest route to take.  

And let’s not forget our four legged furry friends.  Not only do dust mites eat off the loose scales that are formed on our skin but our pets too.  Because they lay on the carpet a lot, jumping up in your bed will just bring those nasty small creatures with them.  

That seems like an dreadful lot of work just to get rid of something so small you can’t even see with the naked eye.  But because they can multiply as time goes by, they start to cause allergy problems which might be another reason you wake up every morning with a stopped up head or a headache.  It’s not just because you didn’t get a excellent night’s sleep.  You have to remember that you aren’t sleeping alone.

Dust mites are nasty small creatures that don’t belong inside our home.  I hope this article was helpful with how to get rid of dust mites once and for all.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/how-to-get-rid-of-dust-mites-once-and-for-all-3804214.html

   A right alcohol intolerance refers to someone’s liver being unable to fully break down the alcohol in the blood stream. About eight percent of the world’s population has this genetic condition where the body lacks an enzyme that properly breaks down alcohol.  In Asians the percentage is very high, about 50% which is why allergy to alcohol is referred to as Asian Glow or Asian Flush.

The symptoms of allergy to alcohol…

  Alcohol allergy symptoms may also include an increase in the blood flow to different parts of the body especially to the skin. The face and/or body experiences flushes or blotches, due to an accumulation of acetaldehyde.  As it turns out, whether or not someone gets a red face after drinking, and a slew of other symptoms including nausea, vomiting, increased heart beat and dizziness – is dictated by your genes.

The long term risks if you get these symptoms when drinking alcohol…

When you drink, the alcohol turns into acetaldehyde, which is a chemical that causes DNA hurt and has cancer-promoting effects. The main cancer risk be esophageal and stomach cancer. Most people can metabolize correctly sometimes (produce or have the necessary enzyme) and other times not which is why the allergic reaction to alcohol can be sporatic.

What can you do to cure your alcohol allergy and its symptoms…

 No Red Face Formula provides a step by step guide on how to avoid your face from turning red after drinking alcohol.  The No Red Face Formula has been made to help sufferers of Asian flush and Asian glow overcome their embarrassing red faces when drinking alcohol. Reports indicate that something around 99.73% of people currently using this allergy to alcohol cure are very satisfied with the results.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/alcohol-intolerance-alcohol-allergy-asian-flush-do-you-get-red-faced-when-drinking-alcohol-3099132.html

If you suffer from a Ragweed Allergy, you’re familiar with the runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and misery that it can cause. But there is something you can do about it. In this article, you’ll learn exactly how Ragweed affects your body to cause you misery and how to lessen or even eliminate the effects of this infamous weed.

Ragweed plants grow throughout the United States, but are most common in the Eastern part of the country and the Midwest. Each Ragweed plant can release up to 1 BILLION grains of pollen in a season. It is these tiny grains of pollen that interact with your immune system and make it reckon that your body is under attack from a harmful invader, similar to the reaction your body has to a virus or bacteria – even though Ragweed isn’t really perilous. This over-reaction from your body is what causes massive amounts of histamine and other chemicals to be released and causes the familiar Ragweed Allergy symptoms (runny nose, watery eyes, itching, sneezing, etc.). So in fact, your allergies are caused by your body simply being “over protective”.

Now what can you do about it? Unfortunately, there’s no cure at the moment for Ragweed Allergies, but there are things you can do to reduce or eliminate your Ragweed Allergy symptoms. First, you should obviously reduce your contact with Ragweed pollen. The less contact you have with pollen, the less severe your allergies are likely to be. This means stay aware of the daily pollen counts in your area. Your local news may mention pollen counts along with the weather, but if not you can just Google “pollen counts” for your local area. If you see that the Ragweed pollen is especially high on a particlar day, you can try to arrange your activities so that you’re not outside during the times of day with the heaviest pollen.

At the same time, reducing your exposure isn’t always possible, due to work and social committments that require you to be outside. In this case, you can try anti-histamine medications, many of which are available at your local pharmacy or supermarket. As a last resort if allergy medications don’t seem to be working well, you can turn to immunotherapy, where you visit the doctor on a periodic basis to get “allergy shots”, which gradually train your body to tolerate Ragweed pollen so that it eventually doesn’t react to it at all, and your allegies disappear.

Some other methods that some people report have brought them allergy relief are eating apples (apples contain a chemical called Quercetin, along with other substances, which can have a natural anti-allergy effect), drinking coffee, and even hypnotherapy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/ragweed-allergy-how-to-get-rid-of-your-ragweed-allergy-symptoms-2188879.html

Seasonal Allergies

May month is considered as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Many of you whose allergies cause you to dread the end of winter, that’s probably no surprise. This spring has already been labeled as one of the worst allergy seasons in decades, with many experts predicting it to be the worst ever. What’s going on? Some scientists are blaming this especially virulent allergy season on global warming. Plants need warmth and carbon dioxide to grow, both of which are becoming more and more abundant with each passing year. In addition, spring came late this year. In parts of the country, the weather went from snowy to balmy in the span of two weeks. So if you suffer from hay fever, be prepared. We come up with a few brilliant tips on how to fight off seasonal allergies so you can get outside and delight in the spring sunshine.

Runny nose and constant sneezing

Flush out excess mucus from your nose and sinuses. For mild symptoms, simply steaming your face, drinking hot peppermint or chamomile tea, or taking a long, hot shower can help. For more tenacious sinus distress. Second-generation antihistamines, such as loratadine and cetirizine, both of which are non-sedating and long-lasting. Visit your local pharmacy to learn more.

Cough,  More Cough

Don’t ignore; it could be more serious that allergies. Home remedies, like hot tea and cough drops, can help mild coughs and sore throats.

If you’re coughing nonstop and wheezing like you just ran a marathon (even though you’re sitting at your desk), it’s possible that you’re having mild asthma attacks. It’s so vital, in fact, that the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology offers free asthma screenings nationwide during the month of May. So if you’re experiencing really terrible lung-related symptoms,

Itchy, Red Eyes and a Scratchy Throat

Avoid pollen as best you can.  Try staying indoors when pollen is the highest. Between 6 and 9 a.m. and at dusk. Also, keep the windows to your house and car closed at all times to keep the pollen outside. When you do go outside, make sure to wear sunglasses or other protective eyewear that keeps the pollen from getting in your eyes If you’re doing your best to avoid pollen but still have itchy red eyes, head to the pharmacy for some over-the-counter eye drops. To avoid this rebound effect, steer clear of any eye drops that include a decongestant, and go for a brand whose active ingredient is ketotifen.

Distress In Sleeping

Target and treat the symptom that’s keeping you awake. For most people, the culprit is usually nasal congestion. To treat allergy-related nasal congestion, pseudoephedrine or an antihistamine that includes a decongestant. And, of course, make sure your bedroom is relaxing, and do everything you can to unwind before bedtime.

Constant lack of energy, stuffy head, clogged ears

Fight back; get more help. For some people, allergy symptoms dominate their daily lives. If over-the-counter and home remedies aren’t working, go visit your healthcare provider ASAP. Sure, nobody dies of seasonal allergies, Untreated allergies can lead to sleep apnea, chronic sinus problems, recurrent ear problems (especially in children), loss of sleep, and asthma. Your doctor can prescribe stronger medication or recommend immunotherapy. Usually a last resort, immunotherapy involves getting weekly shots that immunize you from what you’re allergic to. It can be highly effective for people suffering debilitating seasonal allergy symptoms.

The excellent news is that while this year’s allergy season may be severe, that same intensity and high concentration of pollen all at once means that the season will probably be shorter than usual. After all, trees and flowers can’t pollinate forever. To get more information about Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month, including awareness events near you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/seasonal-allergies-2367725.html

Allergy testiing London

How do you allergy test?

Allergy testing uses kinesiology (muscle testing) to determine food and substance intolerances, nutritional deficiencies and the presence pathogens. The results show your unique sensitivities.

Allergy testing uses homeopathic quantities of foods, substances or pathogens in sealed glass tubes, these test vials are harmless.

What is tested?

All common foods including wheat, yeast, dairy, fruits, meat and vegetables.

Deficiencies in any proteins, vitamins, amino acids or essential fatty acids.

The presence of pathogens: viruses, bacteria, parasites including candida.

The presence of chemicals, toxic metals and radiation (eg. from mobile phones).

What is kinesiology?

Kinesiology applies a light pressure to the muscle being tested, while a test vial is held against your body. When your muscle goes weak it indicates a sensitivity to the food, or the presence of a pathogen. Patients find results generally concur with medical tests.

Kinesiology was developed in 1964 by George Goodheart, a chiropractor, and has gained widespread use amongst chiropractors, naturopaths and a few medical doctors.

Allergy treatment

You will be given a list of foods you should avoid and depending on your unique test results, I combine acupuncture with EFT and nutritional supplements to resolve your symptoms and strengthen your immune system.

Allergy testing for children

This treatment can be used to test food allergies in children

“Tamzin is highly skilled in a number of different disciplines and instinctively knows which to call on to best suit your needs at any given time.  And her treatments work… quickly! She has helped me with gynaecological problems, allergies, weight management and more.  I really trust Tamzin and feel confident and safe in her healing hands.”

Claire, 38yrs Treated: Dysmenorrhoea, weight los

Allergy testiing London

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/allergy-testing-london-3825151.html

Life is full of ups and downs.  Sometimes it seems that the latter comes more often than the other.  Finding out that you have food allergies can certainly be qualified as a down time in one’s life.  But, there are ways to make it manageable and even a small fun.

We have experienced not just one, but two of these revelations.  One less severe than the other, but nonetheless for us, they were life changing.  Learning how to cope with food allergies took lots of studying, testing and experimenting to find ways to make it work for our family.

Not only do these issues affect the person who has the allergies, but it also affects the entire family as well.  Diets have to be adjusted, shopping trips are different and the places you eat out at can change as well.

Throughout this process, we had no thought how much this was going to alter our lifestyles, diets and health.  In most cases, it helped us to start eating healthier and it was an educational experience.   We learned all about how different foods can affect how you feel.   Finding out about the food allergies really became the catalyst that forced us to come to terms with how we were eating as a family.   As a family we chose that we needed to make some healthier choices overall.

This may seem like a daunting issue looming over your family, but you will be surprised at how much better your family will feel with just a few changes to your diet.  After just a small period of time, our daughter was a changed person after doing nothing more than making the choice to get to the bottom of the issue and then to adjusting our diet accordingly.

The very first step that proved to be the most beneficial in our struggle to find out what was going on with our daughter was to have a test run for food allergies.   Our doctor had the blood work done and it came back with surprising results.  The test provided us with a list of foods that she should be avoiding in her diet.  It turns out that what was affecting her the most was dairy.  Her body was essentially treating the dairy as if it was an invader to the body and was attacking it.

Now armed with this information we set out on a challenge to limit the foods that she was eating that were causing her harm.  We started by eliminating all the foods that were on her list.  This proved to be daunting, so say the least.  We found that utilizing different cook books and information like this one, The Simple Guide to Gluten & Dairy Free Baking helped us start the process of elimination.

The process of eliminating so many foods from our diet turned out to be a huge process.  We had to learn how to shop differently, cook differently and even eat out differently.  This discovery of food allergies can place a household on its head.  Since we started this process we have started relying on learning from other people who have gone through the same issues.  This has made the process so much simpler to manage and we all feel so much better at the same time.  The benefits to eating better have changed our entire family, not just my daughter who has the allergies.

So, if you have recently been diagnosed or have a family member that has been diagnosed with food allergies, and you need somewhere to start cooking better for your family, head over to www.intolerancesymptoms.com. There are lots of options available to you that taste excellent and are excellent for you.  You don’t have to despise what you eat, in order to combat food allergies.  It can be a fun experience as well!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/food-allergies-and-intolerances-learning-how-to-cook-and-delight in-what-you-eat-3804043.html

There are many people suffering from allergies. One of the most common allergies is to sneeze every morning. The level of the allergies is commonly increasing when the spring comes. Therefore, these are going to give you the information about some best ways to alleviate your allergies.

Controlling the temperature in your home is one of the best ways to control allergies. By using a thermostat, you will be able to control the temperature in your home at the 65 level during the night time and at the 70 level during the day. You have to make sure that the air is not too cold because it can lead to the increase of allergies. Do not set your humidifier too high. You have to set it not less than 50 or 40.

If you have a rug in your home, cleaning this furniture can help you to improve your health as well as prevent your allergies to come back. Make sure that the dust in your home is completely eliminated. It is because dust can become the most common cause of people to suffer from allergies.

Moreover, you have to change your sheets for at least twice a week. Changing your sheets regularly can really help you to prevent your allergies. If you let your sheets dirty, it is potential to carry dust so that you will be easily suffered from allergies. So, just wash your sheets regularly so that you can stay away from allergies.

Furthermore, since mold can also cause severe allergies, you need to clean your bathroom in order to stop the growth of mold. You have to do it for at least three times a week. Instead of stopping the growth of mold, keeping your bathroom clean will also become a fantastic way to keep your body healthy.

Additionally, it is very common for people to keep their books from college that they thought the books were vital. As the time goes, these books are dusty so that they increase allergies. Thus, it is better if you donate some of your books to the library. Or, if your books are not useful anymore, you can just throw them away.

For those who like to keep many foods on refrigerator, do not forget to clean the refrigerator in order to avoid the mold grows. Also, do not leave your foods expired for many days in your refrigerator. Cleaning your refrigerator every weekend can improve your health and keep you away from allergies.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/allergies-articles/how-to-alleviate-allergies-2708224.html