-16.jpg)
ALLERGIESSign up or login to add to home screen! •
Cold, Flu, or Something Else?
Cold, Flu, or Something Else?
Last week, my boyfriend suddenly came down with cold-like symptoms, but since they're so persistent and coincide with spring, I'm beginning to suspect allergies.
Read more…A Vaccine for Cat Allergies
A Vaccine for Cat Allergies
A new vaccine that's still in the early developmental stage may offer hope for those who suffer from cat allergies.
Read more…BAD RASH!!!!!
I am a 51yrs.old female! i have alot of medical problems! 5 days ago i woke up with a rash from head to toe, my body looks red as a lobster! it does'nt itch, it does'nt hurt, i have not used any thing new on my body that would make me believe that i am having a allergic reaction! since i have had it, i am hypersensitive on my body, i feel like my skin is on fire and it feels like hot pokers on my body from head to toe, then i am cold, then hot all day long! i can not take it no more, it hurts so very bad, i can't stand the pain to much longer!! i don't what this, but i want it to go away! and soon!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME FINE OUT WHAT IT IS!! Denise Gersky
Read more…Food Allergy vs. Intolerance: What's the Difference?
Food Allergy vs. Intolerance: What's the Difference?
Food allergies and food intolerance are often lumped together, but, in fact, they are distinct problems.
Read more…Air purifiers do they really work?
I just moved into a cute little cottage near lake Michigan. I never noticed the moldy smell, typical of many cottages near water, before I moved in. My allergies are ramped up and the smell is making me sick. Does anyone know if air purifiers really work and if they would take care of the allergens and the odor? If so what brand and type do you recommend?
Read more…How Allergies Work
How Allergies Work
Allergy is the body's immune system reacting to a substance in the environment that is normally harmless.
Read more…Congestion & Allergies
My son is 12 years old (13 this September 2012) He has been suffering with constant low grade fevers, athlete's foot, sinus infections, IBS, asthma, seasonal and mold allergies & minor skin issues for as long as he's been alive. He has missed so many days of school and is starting to lose his motivation because all he is doing is make-up work. His quality of life is poor and he has missed school activities and special occasions because of it. My heart has been breaking over his stress & depression. His pediatricians just put him on antibiotics because his colds always turn into sinus infections. The antibiotics reek havoc on his digestion and he NEVER gets better. He is taking (15-30 billion) probiotics (still trying to find the right kind of active live cultures). He (and I) have started Candidol and have been on it for about 5 days now. We are now more congested than ever and can't stop sneezing. I was actually breathing before I started the Candidol but within a short time of taking it, we were very congested & "stuffy". Both my son and I are not sure if we should keep taking it or stop. Is this congestion and sneezing part of a "die-off" effect or is it making our condition worse? Also, my son had a bad case of diarrhea and we're not sure if that is also part of a die-off effect. Not sure if we should stick with it.
Read more…A Doctor's View on the Neti Pot
A Doctor's View on the Neti Pot
The neti pot, a device used to help with sinus congestion, seems to help to help with congestion/sinus problems.
Read more…[The Scratchpad] Letting Your Cat in the Bedroom Increases Adults' Risk of Allergies
[The Scratchpad] Letting Your Cat in the Bedroom Increases Adults' Risk of Allergies
Having a cat in the bedroom can increase the likelihood of acquiring allergies toward pet dander.
Read more…Sudden, never-ending dry skin/rash on my eye lids... Help!
Hello! About 6 weeks ago my left eye lid suddenly had a dry patch of skin, essentially flaky it was so dry. Yet none of my eye lotions seemed to help - in fact they seemed to irritate it even more. I ended up using vaseline as it was the only thing that didn't make it hurt... My mom convinced me to use mycetracin/neosporin (because of the antibacterial effect), which I did. Shortly after I started that, my right eye lid joined in the party. Now I have two inflamed eye lids that I am unhappily loading up with neosporin each day. Not exactly an attractive look and it is incredibly annoying. I had started a new eye lotion about a month prior to the rash... could this have done it? Other than that, I had quit taking birth control pills 3 months prior and a friend told me that hormone changes can cause dry skin patches... What should I do? Thanks for your advice! :) Red Eyed Girl
Read more…Gluten-Free Food in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Gluten-Free Food in Grand Rapids, Michigan
The claim, gluten-free, seems to be popping up everywhere these days, and West Michigan is certainly no exception.
Read more…Can Honey Really Help with Allergies?
As I've talked about before, my dad suffers from allergies - indoor, outdoor - in addition to asthma. It seems that as he gets older, his symptoms get worse, and it's hard to watch. It's very strange seeing your father have trouble breathing. Anyway, he swears by his neti pot and we use a humidifier in the house, but he could always use more relief. I heard recently that eating local honey can help with allergies. Now, there are some natural remedies I can't see my dad using (I can't see him getting acupuncture, for example) but I think he could get behind something as sweet as honey. Has anyone else heard of this - or better yet, tried it? -Laura
Read more…Healthy Solutions for a Peanut-Free School
Healthy Solutions for a Peanut-Free School
Simple and safe substitutes for peanut butter to help overcome the challenges pose by peanut bans in school.
Read more…Why All These Food Allergies?
Why All These Food Allergies?
Why are there so many food allergies today? I don't recall having these issues when I was a kid or when my boys were young. What's changed?
Read more…Help - I'm allergic to exercise!
Help - I'm allergic to exercise!
No, really. I am allergic to exercise. Sounds strange? You bet - but it's a real thing, and it's called exercise urticaria.
Read more…How do you deal with food allergies?
When I was growing up, my brother had a friend who was deathly allergic to peanuts. I remember being amazed that his mother couldn't, for example, eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and later kiss him on the cheek. When he would come over for dinner, we would have to make sure that the food we were making hadn't been manufactured in a place that processed peanuts. I remember thinking, Really? It's that big of a deal? (I was five, maybe, and not the most knowledgeable or sensitive, ha.) Now, of course, I'm older and understand a lot more about how serious allergies can be. My boyfriend's mom is allergic to everything under the sun, and I can't imagine keeping track of all those allergens - and still getting adequate nutrition. I want to have her over for dinner sometime, but I'd have to make two separate meals because I'm positive I wouldn't be able to come up with something that would fit into both my vegetarian diet and her allergic one! So, my question is - if you or someone in your family suffers from a serious food allergy, how do you deal with it? How has it changed the way you eat? And what kind of resources have you found helpful along the way?
Read more…The Allergy Bubble - Are we OVER protecting our kids?
I just read this article by Sandra Beasley, a woman who suffers from an extensive list of deadly allergies. In a nutshell (bad allergy pun not intended), she advocates that parents of kids with allergies loosen up a little bit when it comes to bans and "allergen-free" zones. She brings up a lot of interesting points - for example, that such a sheltered life cannot possibly prepare the child for the real world. She says, "You can only protect us from so much." What are your thoughts on this? I think the brings up a wise point of view, but I think it's definitely easier said than done. I don't have any kids, let alone with allergies, but I imagine that if I did, I would do everything I could to protect them. It's hard to curb that protective instinct!
Read more…