10 Great Facebook Pages for Learning about Allergies

September 15, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Here are 10 great pages for learning about allergies and how to live allergy free.

1. Amazing Allergist Page for a great allergy doctor. He post all kinds of great information.

2. Kids with Food Allergies Foundation A great page for learning about kids and food allergies.

3. Allergies Everyday Learn about the most popular allergens and how to deal with them.

4. Your Allergy Free Life My page. I know I couldn’t resist including my own.

5. Allergic Living Facebook page for a great magazine on living with allergies.

6. Sure Foods Living Great page on food allergies and living gluten free.

7. Everyday Health Great page for advice and tips on living healthy.

8. Food Allergies on a Budget Living with food allergies can be expensive. Get help from this fan page.

9. Eating with Food Allergies Get tips on eating with food allergies.

10. I Hate Allergies Community Page on living with allergies.

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The World’s Worst Allergy Control Advice

August 24, 2012 by · 1 Comment

The worst allergy control advice is unfortunately the advice that you usually get from your doctor.

Have you ever heard from your doctor words similar to these:

Just take clairtin, or benadryl and your allergies will be just fine.

Really? The reality is that while these might work for some people, the side effects that accompany long term use of these are not good and for many people this is just a cover up solution.

Really controlling your allergies requires you to make changes to diet, supplements and other lifestyle changes. There really are no short cuts. Therefore, one of the main reasons I’m writing this blog.

What is the world’s worst allergy control advice that you have ever received?

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Little Known Ways to Reduce Allergens in the Air

July 25, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Despite your best efforts to avoid allergies, one of the big problems allergy suffers have is that there are allergens in the air that in many cases you simply can’t avoid. Yes you can change your diet, yes you can avoid pets if you are allergic to them, yes you can avoid chemicals and clean naturally, but even after you have done everything possible to avoid allergens sometimes there are allergens in the air that you can’t get rid of or avoid completely.

So what do you do?

Here are some little known ways to reduce allergens in the air:

1. Avoid using air fresheners. Even the ones that you think are safe in most cases have allergens and chemicals in them. Instead you can mix a few drops of peppermint, lavender or another essential oil in a water bottle and spray these into the air for a great smell and air freshener. The smell won’t last as long but it will help with the smell and it can help to reduce allergens as well.

2. Place a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen essential oil on a kleenex and place it near your pillow or even on your face while you are sleeping.

3. Sleep at night with a diffuser with some oils or with a humidifier.

4. Keep a spray bottle with water in it with you and when you are exposed to an allergen spray it into the air around you or even a little bit on your face.

5. Put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and keep on your window sill, or on the kitchen counter top or inside the car. The best oils for this are peppermint, wintergreen, lemon, or wild orange. This will help to kill the bacteria and allergens that are in the air.

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How Essential Oils in a Neti Pot Can Help Allergies

July 22, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Have you used a neti pot to help with your allergies? If not, you should try one. While some people will say that they are not a good idea and yes there are stories of people having severe reactions and even dying from them as long as you keep yours clean and free from bacteria, neti pots are still a good idea. That said essential oils in a neti pot can help to keep them free from bacteria and viruses. However, there are additional reasons to use a neti pot with essential oils to help you with your allergies.

1. Essential oils are from my own experience the number one way to get rid of allergies naturally. While you can put them directly under your sinuses and on your skin, using them in a neti pot can help to get them into your sinuses in a way not possible without one.

2. Many people use a saline solution with a high concentration of salt inside their neti pot and while this can work, from my experience it can also cause a lot of irritation and even ear aches for a few hours afterwards. Using a few drops of peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender essential oil instead avoids these problems.

3. Using essential oils in a neti pot can help with a sinus infection which can happen as a result of severe allergies. The combination of water and the oils gets into your sinuses and allows fast healing to occur.

Questions about using a neti pot? Need to buy a neti pot?

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How to Manage Allergies in Babies

July 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Allergies in babies can be a real pain to deal with since you can’t give them many of the common allergy medications that adults use. That said, natural allergy remedies are usually better anyway for everyone so starting off using natural alternatives with babies just makes sense.

That said managing allergies in babies does require some adjustments since its not quite the same as for adults.

1. Figure out what is causing the allergies in the baby. If you are nursing the baby, the baby may be allergic to something that you as the mother are eating. Try to figure out what it is and then avoid it. If you are not nursing make sure that your baby does not have an allergy to either cows’ milk or to formula.

2. If your baby is already eating food, then the baby may have another food allergy. If this is the case, then you can eliminate that food and the allergy should go away.

3. Try a smaller dosage of the essential oil blend for allergies used with adults. Put 1 drop of lemon, lavender and peppermint essential oil in a glass of water or in a bottle and have the baby drink it. If this doesn’t work because the baby won’t drink it and some won’t, you can rub 1-2 drops of each oil on the bottom of the baby’s foot to absorb it into the blood stream.

4. If the baby is sneezing a lot and has sinus issues you can rub 1-2 drops of peppermint oil under the sinuses 2-4 times per day.

5. Avoid using chemical based lotions and other products on the baby. Most common baby products are not good for the baby and can cause allergic reactions. Use natural safer alternatives instead. You can make many of these by using essential oils mixed with coconut oil as carrier.

Questions about allergies in babies?

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Allergy Tests Can Ease Your Mind

June 21, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

No273 13 Oct 2009 Sneeze

If you suffer from allergy symptoms and can’t figure out why, having allergy tests done can help you determine what is causing your reaction. Common allergens include pets, dust, pollen, certain foods, bug bites, mold, and medicines. No matter what you think might be causing your allergies, you should set up an appointment with your doctor to discuss your condition. Since allergies can be caused by several different things, it’s important to find out exactly what you’re allergic to so you can start getting the treatment you need.

Prepare for Your Appointment

Make a list of all of the symptoms you have so you can show your doctor. Write down any questions you want to ask at your appointment about the allergy tests. Make sure you know your family’s full medical history since this information can help your doctor determine if you have an allergy or if your symptoms are due to another medical problem. Call the doctor’s office before your appointment to ask if there are any prescription or over-the-counter medications you should avoid taking before the tests are done. Some of these can affect allergy tests.

Discuss the Types of Tests

Ask your doctor for detailed information on the types of allergy tests that are offered. Your doctor might recommend one over the other depending on your situation. Skin tests are commonly done to check for allergies. A tiny amount of the substance you might be allergic to is placed on the surface of your forearm or back with a little scratch. Another type of skin test involves injecting the substance into your arm. Blood tests are also used to test for allergies in some cases. Your doctor might have you do a blood test if you have a serious skin problem such as psoriasis, if you are unable to stop taking certain medications before the test or if the doctor is worried that you might have a severe reaction to the skin test.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Skin tests provide faster results than blood tests. If the skin around the scratch or injection site becomes swollen, itchy, and red, it means that your test was positive. This generally happens within 20 minutes after the test is done, although it can also occur hours later. If it does appear later, it should last no longer than 48 hours. Blood test results take longer since they are sent to a lab. You might have to wait several days to find out if your test was positive or negative. If cost is a factor, keep in mind that skin tests are generally less expensive than blood tests. If you’re worried about accuracy, you should be aware that skin test results might be affected by certain medications. They can also be difficult to interpret if you have dark skin. Blood tests are not affected by medication.

Once you have your results, you’ll be able to start taking steps toward reducing your exposure to the allergens that affect you. Knowing what triggers allergic reactions can help you and your doctor determine the best way to treat your condition.

Casey Rivers is a freelance blogger who suffers from allergies. After getting his allergy test results back, he has been able to successfully manage his condition.


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How Positive Thinking Can Impact Your Allergies, Asthma and Other Health Conditions

June 12, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

What do you think? Do you have any experiences of how positive thinking has impacted your health?

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Why I Don’t Take Allergy Medications

June 9, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Many people are able to successfully use allergy medications to manage and control their allergies. However, I don’t use allergy medications. When many people here this they are surprised, or wonder why. At my last doctor’s physical, my doctor told me I still need them even though I told him I don’t and of course, I’m still not using them. Here are the main reasons why I don’t use allergy medications.

1. Side effects- the most common side effects of allergy medications are back pain, headaches and fatigue. In fact, many of the allergy medications when I used to take them would make me so tired I fell asleep. I also already have back pain and back problems and so the last thing I need is an allergy medication to make it worse.

2. The long term problems that are associated with allergy medications are not worth it.

3. They didn’t work for me like they should have. Sure they helped a little bit but I still had allergies and they were really bad sometimes.

4. They were expensive. Now that I use essential oils for my allergies instead of allergy medications, I spend about half to one third the amount of money that I used to spend when I was using allergy medications.

What has been your experience with allergy medications?

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My Daily Allergy Free Routine

May 25, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Living an allergy free life can be challenging. Even though I now consider myself to be more or less allergy free, I still have
times when I feel allergies coming on, or when I have less energy than I would like. So do I maintain an allergy free life? What does my allergy free routine look like?

1. Living allergy free begins at home. I have completely removed all chemical based cleaners, detergents, laundry soap, deodorants, lotions etc, from my residence. I use only natural essential oil and plant based cleaners and bath and body products.
This includes my hand sanitizers and air sprays.

2. I have a diffuser that I use for 5-7 hours at night while I am sleeping. It’s in my bedroom and I rotate between using a purify essential oil blend with lemon, lime, pine and a few other oils in it and a blend called On Guard that is used to sanitize from cold and flu germs and to eleminate mold.
This blend has cinnamon, wild orange, and clove essential oil in it. Doing this keeps the air in my bedroom and in the rest of my appartment clean, sanitized with fewer germs and I can breathe easier.

3. I keep my entire appartment very clean by vacuuming regularly and by dusting and using only a natural air spray made with distilled water and a variety of essential oils.
I also use this same spray to sanitize my mattress on my bed.

4. I drink a glass of water with 2-3 drops of lemon, lime and peppermint essential oils in it every morning before or with breakfast.

5. I try to eat gluten free whenever possible, although I will admit to breaking it occasionally.

6. I put 2-3 drops of peppermint oil on my feet after showering in the morning and at night before going to bed. I also use frankincense as frequently as possible.

7. I inhale through my nose 2-3 drops of peppermint or a breathe compound that has peppermint, laurel leaf and eucalyptus oil in it whenever my sinuses start to feel congested or if I am having asthma symptoms.

and there you have it my daily allergy free routine that when followed works for me to be allergy free.

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Summer and Allergies: 15+ Important Preparation Tips

May 22, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Allergy

Tree, grass and plant pollen can trigger allergic reactions. Hay fever is a common allergy triggered by weeds, particularly ragweed. Ragweed is a primary carrier of the allergen pollen. Pollen is an environmental airborne pollutant that causes upper respiratory health problems, including the most chronic childhood disorder, asthma, an inflammatory lung disease.

Allergy Seasons

Some allergies are seasonal, occurring during the pollination season of particular grasses or trees, in fall, spring or summer. In the spring, maple, oak and elm trees pollinate. During summer months, timothy, orchard and Bermuda grasses pollinate.

An allergy to grass is often tied in with hay fever. Symptoms and causes are alike. Among symptoms is inflammation of the sinus cavity or nose, called “rhinitis”. This inflammation results in an allergic reaction in the nose. Symptoms include runny nose, sneezing, and watery, itchy eyes. Some may experience a tickle at the roof of the mouth or at the back of the throat.

Pollen allergy is also referred to as “seasonal allergic rhinitis” or “hay fever” because the pollen count and allergic reaction is highest during hay season. Typically starting in March, high pollen counts signal the start of allergy season. This allergic reaction to pollen makes your nose run during certain seasons.

Allergy symptoms in general typically include severely itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing and symptoms that appear to be a cold or flu. A physician can conduct an allergy test to determine the source of an allergic reaction.

Prepare, Prevent and Remedy Allergies

Progressively building tolerance to airborne allergens such as pollen can help weather allergies through the summer’s high pollen count. Additionally, different strategies can be used to manage allergies.

Finding Eyes and Nose Relief

  • Eye drops. Over the counter or prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops can relieve eye irritations.
  • Nasal sprays. Used prior to and during allergy season, nasal sprays may prevent hay fever symptoms from escalating during summer season.
  • Itchy eyes may warrant hay fever intervention by a physician for more than over the counter medication.

10 Indoor Tips to Combat Allergies

  • 1. If the pollen count is high, stay indoors, especially in the morning.
  • 2. During summer, close doors and windows.
  • 3. For fresh air, use air purifier.
  • 4. Regularly clean air filters.
  • 5. Regularly clean locations where pollen collects easily, such as vents and bookshelves.
  • 6. Use hot water washing for rugs and bedding to kill allergens such as dust mites.
  • 7. Steam vacuum clean carpets.
  • 8. Upon coming indoors, wash hair to eliminate pollen.
  • 9. Use a mask when dusting, vacuuming, or cleaning house.
  • 10. Maintain the range of house humidity from 30 to 50% to inhibit dust mite populations, which thrive in highly humid environments.

    2 Outdoor Tips for Fighting Allergies

    • 1. Use a mask, regardless of allergies, when performing yard work, such as mowing or raking to prevent inhaling grass pollen, dirt and dust.

    • 2. Avoid wearing contact lenses and opt instead for glasses, which allow more oxygen to reach the eyes.

      8 Organic Tips to Remedy Allergies

    • 1. Use licorice, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that can significantly reduce allergic symptoms such as swelling.
    • 2. Inhale eucalyptus oil in steam to reduce chest and nasal congestion.
    • 3. Use nettle tablets or tea for hay fever to combat eye irritation and sinus blockage.
    • 4. Drink chamomile tea which has antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties.
    • 5. Use ginger which has anti-microbial properties and promotes platelet production to combat allergens.
    • 6. Reduce dairy intake may help hay fever sufferers keep mucus at bay in the sinus cavities
    • 7. Increase honey consumption may build up pollen tolerance.
    • 8. Consume vitamin C to boost immunity and lowers allergic reactions. Consume citrus fruits, such as lemons, grapes, and plums, and other vitamin C sources.

    Pollen is a significant source of allergies. Allergy sufferers can use this wide range of prevention and intervention strategies to successfully manage allergic reactions throughout the seasons.

    Guest author Andrew Rios is a freelance blogger for accessrx.com where you can order medications online. To learn more you can visit the Accessrx Site or their Accessrx Facebook page.


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