Living Normally With A Cat Allergy

Tree Allergies

An allergy is a reaction to a substance in the environment, these can be a range of things such as pollen, dust mites, animal hair etc. For some very unlucky people, they have an allergy to their cat.

Tree Allergies

Most allergy sufferers will suffer from more than just one allergy, should they ever be tested for them. And the belief that giving away the family cat will stop the allergy problems is often wrong as the other allergens still remain in the house.

Tree Allergies

The most common cat allergen is cat hair and cat dandruff. The symptoms of these produce themselves in the same way as pollen or dust mite allergies. These often include, swollen, itchy and runny eyes, a runny nose, coughing and in severe cases Asthma.

Tree Allergies

You should not even consider giving your cat away, as it is normally a combination of factors in your house that are causing you to have this allergy and therefore giving the cat away will not solve the problem.

You can ease the symptoms of cat allergies and in many cases prevent them from happening in the first place by following a few procedures:

Do not let your cat in your bed room. As you sleep in the bedroom, you do not wish to get cat hair and dandruff on your bedding or around your bedroom, as this can make the allergic reaction worse at night, causing you breathing and sleeping problems when your body is trying to repair itself.
Vacuum your cat. This sounds like a completely mad ritual, however you can remove a lot of the loose hair and debris this way. Most cats are happy for you to do this with a low suction setting and low noise. And for those cats that are reluctant, if you keep repeating the process they will soon get used to this new regular grooming process.
Wash your cat once a week. This will help with the cat dandruff. Most cats are actually quite happy to have a bath, although using the bathtub is not a good idea. Use a large bowl or the kitchen sink, and make sure the water is only tepid.
Clean your house regularly and thoroughly. Pay extra attention to your upholstery and carpets where cat hairs and cat dandruff my lie unseen. If you invest in a good vacuum cleaner you can purchase ones specifically for use in households with pets.
There is also a range of injections available to desensitised you to the cat and these are carried out over two to three years, however this should really only be considered in severe cases. If you only have a minor case of cat allergy you can try taking antihistamines available over the counter from your pharmacist. Often you will find that after a few months of taking these the allergy no longer effects you.

Living Normally With A Cat Allergy

Tree Allergies

Living With Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Tree Allergies

Imagine being unable to eat anything at work, school, amusement parks, or restaurants. Imagine attending a birthday party, and having no choice but to pass on the pizza, the cake and ice cream, and even the drinks.

Tree Allergies

This is life for Joel Harshman, age 6, and his sister Rebecca Harshman, age 5. They have food allergies and sensitivities, and they can have only allergen-free foods made from scratch. Anything that their parents do not know for certain to be safe is off-limits. They don't have the luxury of enjoying food in social situations, and they can't take for granted that they will be able to eat anywhere except in their own home. They have to research every food and personal care item before they buy it, not just once, but every time.

Tree Allergies

More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and most of those people are aware of their allergies. Millions more have food sensitivities, and most of them are not aware of it. Patrick Holford, co-author of Hidden Food Allergies, says, "I would estimate that one in three people suffers [from a food sensitivity]." For some people who are allergic or sensitive, avoiding the dangerous food is not difficult and they rarely think about it. For others, food allergies and sensitivities define, dominate and dictate their lives.

Tree Allergies

Allergic responses are usually noticeable, though not always. Food sensitivities, conversely, can go undetected for a lifetime. The most dangerous and most common food sensitivity is that to gluten and/or casein, proteins found in grains (wheat, rye, barley, and triticale) and milk (all dairy products) and their derivatives. Untreated gluten sensitivity can lead to serious conditions, including Celiac's Disease and bowel cancers. The list of symptoms connected to food sensitivity is too long to list here, but some of the common ones are headaches, problems with memory or concentration, food cravings, difficulty losing weight, digestive or bowel problems, and irritability or mood swings.

If you suspect you may have a food allergy or sensitivity, discuss it with your doctor. Treatment involves simply avoiding the offending food(s). For people with gluten and casein sensitivity, this means looking for "Gluten Free" and "Casein Free" on labels, and avoiding wheat, rye, barley, triticale, all dairy products and all of their derivatives. More than 200 terms are used for these ingredients on food labels. For a list of the terms commonly used on labels that mean wheat and dairy, see [http://www.foodandillness.com]

Food manufacturers are now listing the top eight allergens on labels, which makes it much easier to avoid dangerous ingredients. The Food Allergy and Anaphylactic Network lists the top eight food allergens as wheat, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts; these eight allergens cause more than 90% of all food allergies.

Following a special diet for food allergies and sensitivities isn't always a lifetime endeavor. Many people find that after a time, they are able to reintroduce those foods under their doctor's supervision. Joel and Rebecca are still holding onto their hope for a normal life.

Living With Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Tree Allergies

Living with an allergy to latex

Tree Allergies

The interesting thing about latex is that it is an important part of our society and often goes unnoticed. For example, carpet backing, pencil erasers, children's pacifiers, wheelchair tires, with games, balloons, rubber bands and also in latex clothes. However, many people refer to latex are used in hospitals, which is yet another example of the tape. Why do so many people have an allergy to latex, and the number of things that grow from latex, the symptoms are increasing.

Tree Allergies

TakeHealth, for example - the area is surrounded by a latex-like adhesive tape, surgical gloves, disposable syringes and blood pressure cuffs. Because medical practices, clinics and hospitals to use all of latex, are the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the results of a study made public show that a minimum of 12% treatment of all health workers may be some amount of latex allergy. Even so, the biggest concern of latex allergyrefers to children with disabilities, sick children because their bodies are very sensitive and vulnerable, have a higher risk.

Tree Allergies

Note that when it comes to latex allergy, there are many forms of reaction, some small and some large. For example, a type of latex allergy 1 as hypersensitive, ranging from minor symptoms such as watery eyes and runny nose to more serious problems include nausea and vomiting, hives seen productand dyspnea. In type 1, the problem is that the latex particles in the air and inhaled.

Tree Allergies

For Type 4 latex allergic reaction to an exposed area is limited. This would be someone with the operation and associations, rather than the latex band. The result is, rashes and irritation, swelling and redness which usually lasts between 24 and 48 hours. Obviously, this type of latex allergy is not so bad, but it is quitefrustrating.

Remember that latex is actually a natural product derived from the sap of a rubber tree. Because it is so flexible, powerful and very inexpensive to produce, only it takes many products as artificial. If you think you have an allergy to latex, consult your doctor for a thorough examination and blood tests. This test will help us to a certain antibody called IgE immunoassays to be performed by skin testing.

Thisparticular test is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and while it is very accurate for the detection of allergy to latex, is not designed to determine the severity of allergy. Therefore, more tests, if you were a reaction to latex, avoid , turned instead of vinyl or plastic.

Living with an allergy to latex

Tree Allergies