One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the phenomenon of cross-reactivity or oral allergy syndrome.

This occurs when a person has been sensitized to proteins found in certain tree pollens that are very similar in structure to those found in foods.

For example, the birch tree (a big pollen producer and the enemy of many a hay fever sufferer) produces a pollen called Bet v1, similar to plants in the apple, plum, and parsley family. Because the chemical structure of the protein in the pollen is so close to the structure found in the food, your body gets confused and thinks that a juicy apple is a nose full of birch pollen.

For the botanically challenged, that means apples, pears, plums and prunes, peaches, apricots, cherries, almonds, carrots, celery, fennel, parsley, and parsnip may be seen by your immune system as birch trees.  The reaction results from cross-reactivity, not a true allergic reaction to the food.

During the birch pollen season, you might want to reduce or eliminate your consumption of these in their raw state. In the case of oral allergy syndrome, you will want to destroy them year-round.  The good news is that, like all proteins, these cross-reacting pan proteins can be denatured (or broken down).

Now, that doesn’t mean that you can spray your food with ADMS Spray to denature it the way you would with a dust mite allergy. It means that you can apply heat to break that protein down. So, while a raw apple might cause symptoms, apple sauce, apple juice, or apple pie might not. That is because the cooking process (whether stovetop, oven, or microwave) will raise the temperature of the food high enough to neutralize the pesky protein.

None of this is “new” news.  A study done back in 1998 and published in The Journal of Immunology determined that alder pollen was just as bad as birch pollen. It doesn’t seem to get much attention, so I thought I would bring it up.

Do any of you have any problems with oral allergy syndrome or do your pollen allergies make it harder to eat certain foods?  I’d love to hear your stories and how you cope with it..

The post Cross Reactivity – Change Your Diet in Pollen Season? appeared first on Let's Talk Allergies.

This woman had several cats.  She is not allergic to cats.  However, she started having a problem that seemed to be caused by the cats.

They had no problems with regular cuddle time or sleeping with her.  She had no allergy symptoms after these activities. However, when she let the kitties out in the morning and then brought them back in later, she noticed that she couldn’t pet them without sneezing and getting watery eyes.  She started trying to connect her pollen allergy and her cats.

She wondered if the cats could bring in mold spores (she is highly allergic to mold) or pollen (she is allergic to pollen) on their fur.  Of course!  Pet coats are perfect for collecting mold spores and pollen.

That is why we always recommend keeping pets inside on windy or high pollen count days. We know the connection between mold and pollen allergy and cats.  Did you?

She inquired if there wa a cat allergy spray she could use to take care of the “not-cat” allergens that were collecting on the cats.  Of course!

Allerpet is not a spray, but it is perfect for taking care of these and any other allergens on the cat.  It is also a great coat conditioner.  Not only will you have an allergy-free cat, but you will have a shiny cat as well.

The same goes for dogs.  If your dog goes outside, it will bring those outdoor allergens inside.  Rover can spread pollen and mold all over the house.  Allerpet works for dogs as well.

So don’t blame cat allergy if the cat makes you sneeze.  It might just be something the cat is wearing.

The post Pollen Allergy and Cats appeared first on Let's Talk Allergies.

Susie’s solution was to rip out the carpet and stain her floors. Up until then, the only stained concrete floors I had seen were in warehouses and garages.

Fast forward to today and it is everywhere. I now see it in homes, restaurants, and stores. It’s easier to take care of and in most cases cheaper than tile or wood floors.

We have been telling our customers that carpeting is not a good thing to have it when you have allergies. No matter how clean it looks it still holds all sorts of allergens including pollen, dust, grass, and dust mites. I believe staining is a nice alternative that should be considered.

Anyway here are a couple of videos I ran across on Youtube while looking for more information. The first one just confirms what we already know. The second one is step-by-step instructions.

Video – Controlling Allergens With Concrete Floors

Video – DIY Concrete Staining: How to Stain Concrete Floors

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause
AllergyStore.Com
800 771-2246

The post Everybody Has a Concrete Floor appeared first on Let's Talk Allergies.

For individuals and families with allergies and asthma though, it means extra thought and preparation before letting the “good times roll”

As we head full tilt into summer here are some common sense but commonly missed suggestions for a healthy vacation.

Medications – Make a detailed list of any medications showing prescription refill numbers, prescribing doctor, phone number, and dosage. Make sure you pack your medications in a carry-on bag just in case the airline happens to misplace your checked bags. One would think that could not happen with what they charge for checking a bag these days but it does.

Also, make sure to pack an extra Epipen in case someone has an allergic reaction to an insect sting or something they ate. Another good thing to pack is topical hydrocortisone cream.

Essential Gear – If someone has asthma and is using a peak flow meter be sure to bring it and their chart to record results. I don’t need to tell you not to forget the nebulizer but if you are traveling overseas don’t forget the electrical converter.

We have heard from many customers over the years they could not use their nebulizer because of power problems. For people who are camping, you can either use a power converter that hooks into your car or buy a portable one that runs on batteries.

To protect yourself from dust mites it may be wise to pack your own allergy-proof pillow and mattress covers. Many of our customers use the king-size fitted mattress covers and king-size pillow encasing the when I travel.  They are easy to use and the king-size covers fit any bed.

Insurance – Don’t forget to check your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered in the area that you’re traveling. Way too many people get a big surprise if they run into a problem and need to go to a clinic or emergency room.

Sensible Behavior – During the hot summer months, people with allergies and asthma should drink plenty of fluids, especially water.  Try to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke whenever possible. Make sure you request a hotel room that is non-smoking and mold-free.

If you have food allergies call ahead and order a special meal on the airplane or better yet pack your own snacks. When eating out make sure you let your server know you have allergies.

Just because you have allergies does not mean you cannot have a great summer vacation. You just need to do a bit more planning.

Have a great Summer!

Mike

The post Enjoy a Happy and Healthy Summer Vacation appeared first on Let's Talk Allergies.

Bad Advice on Windows and Allergies

This really happened this past Saturday. I was listening to a home improvement show on the radio.  The topic was controlling moisture and humidity in the home.  The “guest” was selling a device to increase air circulation (a really good thing), but she was making me crazy with the bad information she was giving in an attempt to sell her product.

She talked about opening your windows on clear, dry, windy days to increase circulation and air out your home.  She stressed that this was important if you have allergies.  WRONG!  Windows and allergies only work well together when the windows are closed and keeping pollen out!

If you have allergies to pollen, the last thing you want to do is throw your windows open on clear, dry days, especially windy days, when pollen counts are the highest.

Good Advice on Windows and Allergies

If you really want to get the fresh air inside and keep the pollen out, you can use special air screens to repel the pollen.  The Micro-Air Screens are perfect. They allow you to open the window 8″ (enough to get some air circulation), and the special screen media will repel the dust and pollen in the air.  Because the screen repels the particles instead of filtering them, the media does not get clogged.  You can read more at  Air Screens for Pollen.

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