Daily Health and Medicine News

Allergies Treatment News: Peanut Allergies: Breakthrough Could Improve Diagnoses

Peanut Allergies: Breakthrough Could Improve Diagnoses

“Caution: This product may contain nuts.” It’s an increasingly common warning on food labels of all kinds, given the recent heightened awareness of the dangers of nut allergies. Roughly three million Americans suffer from peanut allergies; yet current diagnostic methods don’t detect every case. New findings by University of Virginia scientists, however, may allow for the development of more sensitive diagnostic tools and a better understanding of nut allergies.

The study, “Structural and Immunologic Characterization of Ara h 1, a Major Peanut Allergen,” appeared in the November 11 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Rethinking the Proteins
In the study, researchers determined that the emerging cutting-edge use of a recombinant, or artificially produced, protein in diagnostic tests may not be a suitable replacement for the natural protein Ara h 1, one of the major peanut allergens. This new insight will be critical in the effort to accurately diagnose peanut allergies and better understand their mechanisms.

“In allergy diagnostics, using a recombinant protein is thought to reveal more consistent results, as they are more homogenous than natural proteins. Individual protein molecules purified from a natural source show much more variation at a molecular level from one another,” says Wladek Minor, PhD, professor of molecular physiology and biological physics in the UVA School of Medicine and study co-leader.

“However, people are exposed to allergens from natural sources, not recombinant protein,” he continues, “and people develop antibodies to different fragments of natural allergens. If there is a significant difference between a natural source and the recombinant allergen used for allergy diagnosis, the recombinant allergen is not a good replacement in the test, because different types of allergies can be overlooked.”

In their analysis, researchers also found strong similarities in the structure of the Ara h 1 protein and those of other plant-seed proteins, which could help explain why patients with peanut allergies frequently also have allergies to tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashews.

Allergy Detection Could Save Lives
For children and adults who suffer from these serious allergies, accurate and early detection is critical. Allergic reactions to peanuts and tree nuts are the number-one cause of food-induced anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition that develops rapidly after consumption. Armed with an accurate diagnosis, however, allergy sufferers can learn to avoid certain foods and equip themselves with a portable injection of epinephrine, the lifesaving treatment for anaphylaxis.

The team’s next steps in their research will be to determine exactly why peanut-allergic patients are often allergic to tree nuts as well, and to explain why peanut and tree-nut allergies are extremely difficult to outgrow, usually lasting a lifetime.

In addition to Minor, the international research team included Maksymilian Chruszcz, a member of Minor’s UVA research group; Soheila Maleki, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Heimo Breiteneder, from the Medical University of Vienna. The multidisciplinary study included structural, bioinformatics, and immunological research on Ara h 1. Some methodology used in the project was developed as part of the NIH Protein Structure Initiative, and in particular the New York Structural Genomics Consortium.

Your guide to seasonal allergies

Ah, December! The month when the temperatures finally dip below 100 degrees and many of us prepare for the season by rushing out to stores, cash and credit cards in hand, looking for those perfect items for the tree.

Unfortunately, the season is allergy season, the items are antihistamines and decongestants, and the tree is the mountain cedar — a (sadly) drought-resistant evergreen that produces the pollen that makes many of us miserable from mid-month to late February.

The first time a particular type of pollen travels across your nasal membrane or through your lungs, your body kicks into gear and develops allergic antibodies to that pollen trigger, says Dr. Jackee Kayser, pediatric allergist at ‘Specially for Children and Dell Children’s Medical Center. When your body encounters the pollen trigger again, your immune system is waiting with the pre-formed antibodies. Histamine and other mediators head into a battle of overreaction, causing the classic allergic and even asthmatic symptoms.

Kayser says some research suggests that the immune system has to be exposed to at least two allergy seasons in order to produce an allergic reaction, which could explain why some people who have lived here for years without symptoms might suddenly find themselves affected.

Summertime’s grasses and fall’s ragweed join winter’s mountain cedar and spring’s oak pollen in testing our love for Central Texas, not to mention the molds and dust present year-round. Mountain cedar can be a bad pollen for patients, but not necessarily the worst, Kayser says, recalling an oak pollen season a few years ago when we were all driving around with the allergen covering our cars.

Prevention is the first step to battling seasonal allergies. Keep windows and doors closed. Launder pillowcases frequently, because pollen can collect in hair and be transferred to pillowcases to be breathed in throughout the night.

But once the telltale signs appear, the first step in treatment is determining whether you have a seasonal allergy or the common cold. Nasal congestion or runny nose can occur in both conditions, Kayser says, as can headaches.

One way to rule out a seasonal allergy is to remember that “cedar fever” is a misnomer. “A fever should not really accompany an allergic flare,” Kayser says. If you’re a generally allergic person and your allergy medication provides no relief, that can be another sign that allergens are not to blame.

Allergies can cause fatigue, because sufferers often don’t sleep well. But severe, flulike body aches should not result from allergies. “True muscle aches makes me concerned that there’s something else going on,” Kayser says.

It can be confusing. That’s why she recommends that patients consult an allergist. Hypersensitivity skin testing is one way to find out which environmental triggers or pollens, if any, are the cause of allergic symptoms.

Kayser usually starts with the skin prick device, which she calls “a very friendly, little device” that precludes the use of needles. A bit of the allergen is placed on the patient’s skin. Fifteen minutes later, both the bump and redness it produces are measured. Those results determine the patient’s sensitivity to that particular allergen. Once that’s known, a course of treatment can be prescribed.

In addition to prescription solutions, “nasal saline rinses and neti pots are a fantastic, nonpharmacological, therapeutic way to approach allergies,” Kayser says. In fact, she often recommends that patients use these systems before applying nasal sprays so that the sprays aren’t blocked by all of the mucus that’s being produced.

“In patients that really have significant disease, it’s usually not the sole option, but it’s a fantastic addition to helping with allergies.”

Kayser says that when patients find the typical nasal sprays and oral antihistamines ineffective (or their side effects unbearable), allergy shots help decrease sensitivity to allergens.

“It definitely is something that patients have to want to do, because it does require weekly participation for quite a while and it is a shot,” she explains. “But we know it works. If patients are just miserable and their allergy medications are not working, there’s an option out there.”

And there are other new options on the horizon.

Kayser says there is a lot of research on oral immunotherapy — popular in Europe — taking place here. Formulations containing small amounts of the problem allergen are placed under the tongue, where the substances can be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Although the practice has not yet been adopted as an effective therapy by the United States medical community, homeopathic remedies such as Cedar Allergy Mix can be found locally at People’s Pharmacy. It comes in drop, spray and tablet form and contains allergic agents in homeopathic dosages.

Allergies Treatment News

Nanotechnology research ‘could offer nickel allergy treatment option’

Scientists in the US have devised a potential new method of treating nickel allergies using a special type of nanoparticle.

The team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have created a cream containing calcium-based particles measuring billionths of a metre in diameter, which can be applied to the skin of those affected by the common dermatological condition.

These particles will capture the nickel contained in everyday objects such as coins and mobile phones, preventing the material from coming into contact with the skin and causing an itchy rash.

According to researchers, the nanoparticles are unable to penetrate the skin, thus making them safer than other treatment options, while the cream itself can be easily washed off with water.

R Rox Anderson, a dermatologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, said: “Nanoparticles that bind to allergens but do not penetrate the skin offer a new strategy. Big hope in a small package!”

According to Allergy UK, sensitivity to nickel mean that reactions are triggered by items such as wristwatches, zippers and scissors, as well as foods including cabbage, rhubarb, oysters and peanuts.

Vaccine in Development Could Cure Cat Allergies

Sniffly-nosed kitten-lovers rejoice: A new vaccine could soon banish allergies to cats.

The vaccine isn’t ready for prime time yet, but a new study finds that the shots are safe, researchers reported March 31 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. They’re also effective at reducing allergic reactions, the researchers reported.

About 10 percent of peopleare allergic to cats. Currently, the only solutions are to stay far away from felines or to get multiple injections of kitty allergens to help the body build up a tolerance. But that process can take years, wrote McMaster University immunologist and study researcher Mark Larche.

Larche and his colleagues developed the vaccine by isolating the protein shed by cats that causes the most allergic reactions. They then used blood samples from people with cat allergies to determine which segment of the cat protein binds to and activates immune cells. (An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system interprets benign substances, such as cat dander, as invaders and launches an attack.)

Next, the researchers made synthetic versions of these segments, called peptides. A mix of seven synthetic peptides makes up the vaccine. The idea, the researchers wrote, is that the immune system will encounter these peptide strands, which fit into the immune cells like a key to a lock, and recognize them as harmless. That action stops the sniffling, sneezing inflammatory response in its tracks, even when the peptides are attached to real cat proteins.

An early clinical trial on 88 patients resulted in no serious side effects, the researchers reported. A single injection reduced the skin’s inflammatory reaction to cat allergens by 40 percent, the researchers wrote. To get an equivalent response with current anti-pollen allergy treatments, they wrote, patients would have to get 12 weeks of treatment with pollen extract.

The vaccine is being developed by Adiga Life Sciences, a company established at McMaster University, and British biotech firm Circassia Ltd. The companies are continuing with clinical trials with a larger group of patients to determine the optimal dose for the vaccine.

Local alternative treatment for allergies

Do you suffer from allergies? Do the budding trees make you cry? Do you reach for drugs or head to the doctor for shots as soon as the grass needs mowing? There is an alternative being offered by a Pittsford chiropractor.

Dr. Ted McArthur has a computer system that can track which allergens you react to (no scratch tests or needle pricks). Then, using specific meridians of the body, he points a low-intensity laser at designated spots for just a few seconds. This is believed to interrupt the biorhythms that set off your allergies. Typically, after eight to 12 laser treatments, he says the majority of his patients report no more symptoms.

Dawn Parkison of Penfield says that she couldn’t even think of mowing her grass without doping up on over-the-counter allergy medicines. But after going through the laser treatment, she realized the stuffy nose and watery eyes she always put up with were gone. “I am symptom-free now and I can even go visit my friend who has a cat! I never could spend much time in her house because of her pets.”
Mexican pharmacy online
Dr. McArthur says he has been using the BAX 3000 system for two years now. He was skeptical at first, but since so many of his patients were suffering from allergies, he decided to test it. “There is maybe one out of 10 patients that doesn’t respond to the laser treatment. But for those who do, they tell me, they’ve stopped using inhalers, some no longer need shots and most of them need much less medication.”

Allergy clinic can help you breathe easier

Springtime is here! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, your eyes are itching and it’s hard to breathe. If this scenario sounds familiar, the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic can help.

Dr. Stan Fineman, allergist and president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, says it is high time for allergy sufferers due to the pollen count this time of year.

He said problems from respiratory allergies are prevalent. Symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, itching of the nose and eyes and sometimes a cough, usually triggered by pollen.

The doctor said in Marietta tree pollen is prevalent in March and grass pollen in April. “Usually, March, April and May are the bad spring season time for pollen allergy sufferers here in Marietta,” Dr. Fineman said.

He said the high pollen count in mid-February was unusual. He says as it gets warmer, pollen counts will continue to increase. “People are going to have a greater problem with their symptoms because of a phenomenon called the priming effect,” he said.

He says when people are re-exposed to an allergen a few weeks after the first occurrence, they have a more violent allergic reaction. “This is a concern with people with seasonal tree pollen allergies,” he said.

The clinic conducts a special allergy skin test using extracts in order to find out what triggers the allergic reaction. Dr. Fineman said, “If somebody is very allergic and their positive to the skin test, and they’re having significant symptoms and trouble, then we can start a medication and use the allergy shot.”

He said allergy injections are a very effective procedure to help patients build up a tolerance toward the allergen. “When they are re-exposed, they won’t have the same symptoms,” he said.

Nancy Wilkins of Dallas said the injections have helped her to get her life back. She said she is allergic to “every tree, every grass, three different types of mold, cats, dogs and dust.”

At this time of year, “Normally I have watery itchy eyes. I can’t breathe,” she said. Wilkins also has allergy-induced asthma. “My nose is stuffed up and I can’t laugh. I can’t talk without coughing,” she said.

Wilkins said at one time she was on two inhalers and taking medications and still had severe symptoms. She was referred to the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic from a friend whose son’s allergies cleared up after treatment.

“I thought I may as well try this,” Wilkins recalled. “I’ve tried everything else.”

She said her lifelong battle with allergies caused her to develop world allergy syndrome. She was unable to eat food such as watermelon, cantaloupe, nuts, and raw cucumbers.

Wilkins began treatment in 2010. She said when the skin test was conducted on her back, welts rose, indicating certain allergens. Three shots were designed specifically for her.

When she started treatment, Wilkins took two shots per week for five months. It gradually was reduced to one weekly shot, and now she goes in every other week for one shot. She is expected to finish the shots completely within six to eight months.

Wilkins said treatment has helped to her breathe and her symptoms had drastically declined. “Basically, I got my life back,” she said. She is also able to eat foods that were once restricted because of her world allergy syndrome.

Wilkins emphasizes the importance of following treatment all the way through. “Don’t skip any appointments,” she said. “It’s important to keep up with the shots or it won’t work.”

The Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic has been certified by the National Allergy Bureau and is the official pollen reporting station for metro Atlanta.

Allergies Treatment News

Pet Food Allergies: Steps to Take for Treatment

What exactly are pet food allergies?

Pet food allergies are defined as immune system, or inflammatory, responses triggered by certain foods. Other pets may not have true allergies, but are still sensitive to certain ingredients, on a less severe level.

While often referred to as “allergies,” these types of lower-grade, long-term reactions to diet are more accurately described as food sensitivities. A food allergy or sensitivity is entirely specific to the individual animal, and a food that is “non-allergenic” for one pet may cause severe reactions for another. Just as a cake may be labeled “hypoallergenic” for most human beings, because it’s made without nuts, dairy and gluten, it could cause a severe and even fatal reaction for a person with a strawberry allergy, if it is made with strawberries. Similarly, a “hypoallergenic” pet food made with, say, lamb and rice or duck and potatoes, will not even come close to improving the situation for a dog who’s allergic to lamb, or potatoes.

Different theories abound about how and why pet food allergies occur. Most holistic practitioners agree that true allergic reactions are usually the result of an underlying health problem or system imbalance. All dogs and cats are exposed to a variety of allergens in daily life, and never have a reaction of any kind. Pets don’t actually develop allergies as a result of exposure to allergens, but because they have suddenly become susceptible or vulnerable in some way.

Feeding a single type of food long-term without any dietary variety is also thought to be linked with an increased risk of food intolerance developing. Pets who enjoy a varied, whole-food diet, develop far fewer food allergies than one-food pets. Bad quality food in itself may deplete the immune system over time, because they are laden with toxins and other substances that place unnecessary burden on the body, or because they lack important nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes and so on. Many such nutrients may not be included in nutrient profiles, but still are vital for the long-term optimal health and vitality of a cat or dog.

Vaccines, chemicals, medications such as antibiotics or steroids, stress and genetics, can all predispose a pet to pet food allergies as well. It’s true that certain ingredients have a much higher incidence of causing allergic reactions than others, but the key is to uncover what your own pet can and cannot tolerate. For many dogs and cats, the most common culprits are wheat, corn, soy, rice and sugar beet pulp, as well as various preservatives and by-products.

The Elimination Diet

For many lucky pets in Eureka and Wildwood, eliminating the high-risk ingredients of wheat, corn, soy, rice and beet pulp—and usually identifying single proteins that they are able to tolerate—are the only steps needed to manage pet food allergies, and they go on to be free of allergies for the rest of their lives. In other cases, cutting out all glutenous grains from the food and also treats, brings about a dramatic improvement. A “hypoallergenic pet food” per se, is never actually required.

In other cases, feeding a food that’s very minimally processed with a single protein source, can make a vast difference. Many pets seem sensitive to beef in the form of a beef-flavored kibble, but can actually tolerate lightly cooked hamburger or a piece of raw steak very well. High-heat processing used to make kibble, can alter the amino acid structure of proteins, making them unrecognizable to the body and triggering off a pet food allergy that vanishes when the human food equivalent is fed. Genetically modified grains also are thought to be involved by some in the pet food industry. Try to be sure grains you do feed are certified organic.

Sometimes, an elimination die, or “feeding trial,” is needed to uncover the cause of pet food allergies. This involves feeding an extremely simplified diet for about four weeks, say fish and sweet potatoes or duck and potatoes, until allergies subside; and then gradually adding in one new ingredient each week thereafter, to observe for any sign of intolerance such as itching or diarrhea. Laboratory-based allergy testing is another option but can be costly, and many times the results are inconclusive or inaccurate.

In many chronic cases, real commitment is necessary to uncover what is causing a pet food allergy. Scrutiny of the label for everything that passes your pet’s lips, including snacks and treats, is crucial. Patterns often emerge, where for example, diarrhea occurs every week after a dog returns from daycare and the cause is the cookies he receives there.

In addition to determining what foods the pet cannot tolerate, and committing to avoid them long-term, detoxification and support of the immune system with herbs can be immensely helpful. Supplementation with digestive enzymes and probiotics can help get the body back on track, and ensure proper absorption of the foods being fed.

Court finds allergy treatment claims misleading

Australia (MMD Newswire) March 15, 2011 — The Federal Court has found three companies and two individuals made false claims and misled consumers about their ability to test for and treat allergies.
The findings conclude proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission against:

* Willesee Healthcare Pty Ltd

* Sophie Georgonicas

* Theoliza Pty Ltd

* Maria Colosimo, and

* Theta Line Pty Ltd.

“Recently the ACCC has taken action against a number of traders in the health and wellbeing industry,” ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said today.

“These proceedings reinforce the ACCC’s commitment to stamp out unsubstantiated claims by traders which put the health of consumers at risk.”

Each respondent claimed they could diagnose, treat and/or cure allergies using “Nambudripad’s allergy elimination technique” (NAET) or similar techniques. These techniques involve identifying allergens by testing the resistance of the customer’s arm muscle to pressure applied while holding a vial of the suspected allergen. The purported treatment then involves the application of pressure or needles to points on the customer’s body, while the customer is exposed to the potential allergen.

Its proponents believe this process clears energy blockages which have been caused by the allergen, thereby desensitising the customer to the allergen.

The court declared the companies and individuals engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by representing one or more of the following:

* that they could test for and identify an allergen or a substance to which a person is allergic, when they could not

* that they could cure or eliminate all or virtually all allergies, or allergic reactions, when they could not

* that they could successfully treat a person’s allergies or allergic reactions, when they could not

* that after receiving treatment it would then be safe or low risk for a person to have contact with the substance or allergen to which they had previously suffered adverse reaction, when none of their treatments could achieve this result.

Each of the respondents is restrained from engaging in similar conduct for a period of three years, either by injunction or an undertaking to the court.

The court ordered the respondents to display corrective notices on their websites and in their clinics. The respondents must also send letters or emails to current and former customers explaining that they engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct, apologising for that conduct and outlining the remedies obtained by the ACCC. Each respondent is also required to pay a contribution to the ACCC’s costs of the proceeding.

The court will consider proposed consent orders in relation to four additional joint respondents on a date yet to be fixed.

In February, a separate trader, Allergy Pathway Pty, and its director, Paul Keir, were fined for contempt of court after previously giving undertakings to the court not to make certain representations about Allergy Pathway’s ability to test for, identify and safely treat allergies. The ACCC has also taken action against traders this year for misleading claims relating to cancer cures and treatments.

Media inquiries

* Mr Graeme Samuel, Chairman, (03) 9290 1812 or 0408 335 555

* Mr Brent Rebecca, Media, (02) 6243 1317 or 0408 995 408

Docs: Early treatment combats allergies best

Get the antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays, inhalers and eye drops ready.

By starting those allergy remedies now, sufferers can help head off the misery that will arrive when tree pollen counts start climbing, allergists say.

“We’re advising our patients to at least start their anthistamines a week or two before their best guess of when they’re going to start having symptoms,” said Jeff Raub, an allergist with Group Health Associates in Springdale, Ohio.

High humidity and even traffic can bring on the allergins.

“We have a very large number of automobiles and diesel-fuel vehicles driving right through the middle of the city exhausting all of these chemicals into the air,” he said.

Pollutants emitted by cars aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms.

Warm weather kicks off nature’s pollen powerhouse.

Cooler temperatures mean trees make less pollen. Wind can also clear away pollen, and a good rain after a dry spell can wash away pollen and other crud in the air.

Pollen levels of 20 and under are considered low; when they get above 100, they move into the “high” category.

If they top 1,000, they move into the “very high” category. That amount of pollen won’t kill anyone, allergists say, but it will make everyone miserable.

The good news is effective remedies for allergy sufferers are plentiful, experts say.

Antihistamines, eye drops, nasal sprays and inhalers all relieve symptoms.

For people who don’t respond to those medications, allergy shots, or immunotherapy, is often their best bet, said David Bernstein, an allergist with the University of Cincinnati and the Bernstein Allergy Group.

“The real problem with the shots is there’s a long buildup phase, and people get impatient with them,” he said.

The shots help desensitize patients to whatever they’re allergic to. But it can take months — or longer — before patients get any relief.

Some allergists, including Bernstein, are taking a new approach called “cluster therapy.”

The approach speeds up the process. A patient might get two or three doses of the allergen in a weekly visit, instead of one dose a week.

“Instead of six to eight months, it takes two to three weeks for patients to get built up to where they need to be,” he said. “But they do need monthly maintenance.”

Don’t blame the trees in the backyard for sneezy symptoms, said Dave Gamstetter, a natural resource manager for the Cincinnati Park Board. The wind can blow some pollen 50 miles or more.

—-

Allergy offenders

Allergies happen when the body’s immune system overreacts to a particular stimulus, whether it’s pollen, pet hair or peanuts. Several types of remedies are available combat seasonal allergies. Here’s a guide:

– Antihistamines: These are the first line of defense, especially for seasonal allergies. Antihistamines work by blocking a substance called histamines, which cause the allergic reaction — sneezing, itching, watering eyes and even hives. A variety are available by prescription and over-the-counter. Older generation antihistamines, including Benadryl, can cause drowsiness.

– Decongestants: These ease congesting by shrinking blood vessels and decreasing blood flow to the sinus passages, which allows mucus to flow more freely. People with high blood pressure, certain types of glaucoma and coronary artery disease should talk to their doctors before taking decongestants.

– Steroid nasal sprays: These reduce inflammation in the nasal passages, which eases congestion, and other allergy symptoms.

– Allergy eye drops: Some eye drops use antihistamines; others contain corticosteroids, the same ingredient found in steroid nasal sprays.

– Leukotriene inhibitors: These block the production of leukotrienes, a substance that causes the inflammatory process that occurs when the body has an allergic reaction.

– Immunotherapy: These work by gradually introducing the allergen to the body to slowly modify the allergic response. If someone’s allergic to box elder pollen, for example, they’ll get shots containing tiny amounts of the pollen, then the dose will gradually increase over a course of several months or longer until the allergic response stops.

Reasons to sneeze

Here’s what’s making you miserable by the season:

– Spring: Tree pollens and mold.

– Summer: Grasses, and later in the summer, ragweed.

– Fall: Ragweed until the first hard frost.

– Winter: Dust, dust mites and animal dander.

Allergies Treatment News

Atopy is the culprit in dog’s skin troubles

Q: I have a six-year-old pug with food and environmental allergies. For many years, she experienced digestive upset, vomiting, skin problems and ear infections. For the past year, she has been eating a veterinary hypoallergenic formula diet and she no longer gets any treats or snacks. As a result, the digestive upsets, vomiting and ear infections are gone.

However, the skin problems persist. She scratches constantly, to the point that she starts to bleed and loses her fur, and she is always rubbing her face on her legs and licking her paws. Her ears and paws are also irritated. These symptoms seemed to worsen during the summer, leading the veterinarian to believe she also has environmental allergies. He prescribed Vanectyl P (a steroid combined with an antihistamine) on two occasions. Each time, the medication helped as she stopped scratching and her ears and paws were significantly less irritated. However, once the medication was done, the symptoms returned.

While the medication works well, I do not feel that it is a long-term solution because I am concerned with the side effects she experiences and the steroids in her medication. For the past month, to help soothe her skin, I have been giving her Omega-3 once a day in her food. I have also heard that bathing your dog once a week with an allergen-reducing shampoo can help. However, I have also heard that this frequency can be harmful and drying to their skin. Can you please clarify and perhaps recommend a course of treatment? I would appreciate any suggestions you may have regarding controlling and eliminating her environmental allergies.

A: Your dog has a disease called atopy, an allergic condition that can occur seasonally or all year long. Atopy causes your dog to lick, scratch, rub, chew and bite at herself (also known as pruritus) because of allergies to her environment.

In terms of controlling and eliminating her environmental allergies, you basically have three options.

First, you can continue with the Vanectyl P treatment on an ongoing longterm basis as needed. If you decide to go with this option, an annual blood and urine test is recommended to ensure that the medication is not causing harmful side effects.

With regard to other therapies, shampooing your dog on a regular basis as you are doing will be very effective in reducing the level of pruritus because it helps to remove allergens from the skin surface. Using the shampoos provided by your veterinarian, such as a colloidal Oatmeal or Episoothe Shampoo, helps reduce pruritus without harming or drying the skin.

Similarly, supplementation with an omega 3 fatty acid as you are doing is also very effective in reducing the level of pruritus in about 30 to 40 per cent of allergic patients and also helps decrease the amount of Vanectyl P required (and thereby the unwanted side effects).

A second option is to treat your dog with a drug called cyclosporine (Atopica). It is a very effective alternative to steroids with much fewer side effects. However, it can take up to six weeks to become effective and is given for life. In dogs that show serious side effects or have a poor response to Vanectyl P, this drug is a good alternative.

Your third option, which I would recommend, is to have an allergy test done on your dog to determine what she is allergic to and then start allergy injections, a procedure called immunotherapy. This is a very reliable and highly effective treatment for dogs that have allergies throughout the year. Allergy testing can be done via a simple blood test (serology) or via multiple skin injections (intradermal testing).

Treatment involves a series of injections usually administered once every two to three weeks by the owner.

Dr. Bernhard Pukay is an Ottawa veterinarian. address letters to Pet care, Ottawa citizen, P.O. Box 5020, Ottawa, K2c 3m4. e-mail: pets@ottawacitizen.com

Talk For Health Workers Tonight on Peanut Allergy Treatment

Members of the Connecticut medical community are invited to a talk tonight on treating peanut allergies through desensitization.

The New England Food Allergy Treatment Center is hosting the talk at its office, 836 Farmington Ave., Suite 138. Dr. Jeffrey Factor of the center will be the main speaker. The treatment works by introducing gradually increasing amounts of peanuts into the diets of patients with the allergies. The procedure was developed at Duke University.

Allergy Treatment Helps Kids Tolerate Some Peanuts

By Duke Medicine News and Communications – A peanut solution given under the tongue can desensitize a child’s deadly peanut allergies, but further testing will be needed to determine if it may permanently eliminate their reactions to the foods, according to researchers from Duke University Medical Center.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, Duke researchers built up tolerance to the allergen in 11 children with a year of small but escalating daily doses of peanut. The therapy allowed the children to tolerate 20 times more peanut protein.

These protocols were done in a clinical setting with close observation and emergency resources close at hand.

“A treatment like this means that some families won’t need to be as concerned about their children taking a bite of something that has peanut in it and could cause a life-threatening reaction,” said Wesley Burks, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Duke and senior author of the study. “It would really provide them a margin of safety.”

This form of therapy, called sublingual immunotherapy, is different from Burks’ previously published research on oral immunotherapy, which involves eating milligrams to grams of peanuts in the form of flour mixed in another food, such as applesauce. That research continues to help kids tolerate peanuts without reactions, and Burks is looking at how the therapy may help resolve their allergies.

Burks’ new research builds on a therapy that has been helpful to people with allergic rhinitis and asthma, but has not been studied extensively as a therapy for food allergy.

More than three million Americans have peanut or tree nut allergies and fewer than 20 percent will outgrow the allergy without therapy. Currently, there is no treatment for the disease. Once a diagnosis is made, physicians have to try to help the family avoid the food, which is not a perfect plan because accidental exposure can still happen.

That is one reason Burks and his team are trying to develop a new, successful therapy for peanut allergy sufferers.

“Ideally we want to eliminate the allergy,” Burks said. “But, we are not there yet.”

The study included 18 children who completed 12 months of dosing. One group (11 children) received the liquid peanut concentration, which was held under the tongue for one or two minutes and then swallowed.

The other group (seven children) received the placebo. The dose started at 0.25 micrograms of peanut protein administered in clinic and was increased biweekly by 25 to 100 percent until 2,000 micrograms was reached. In the time between the biweekly doses in the clinic, the children took daily doses of the previously administered dose at home. The 2,000 microgram dose was continued for six months.

After a year of dosing, the children on treatment tolerated significantly more peanuts when they were challenged. They tolerated the equivalent of six to seven peanuts compared to those that received placebo and tolerated less than one peanut.

“We were able to raise the threshold for the amount of peanuts these kids could tolerate,” Burks said. “But, we are not ready to take this approach to clinical practice,” he cautioned. “It’s not a long-term cure. That part of the process is still being studied now.”

Those that were on treatment are continuing and those that were on placebo have entered the treatment phase. Both groups will be followed three or four more years to determine if it’s feasible to eliminate their allergy.

“The good news is we have successfully helped these kids tolerate about five peanuts and that means accidental ingestion is less of a hazard,” Burks said. “Most kids with peanut allergies are not going to accidentally eat five peanuts and most reactions from accidental ingestions occur from just a trace of a peanut, well below the study groups’ new threshold.”

The study, which published online January 31, 2011 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and the Wallace Research Foundation.

Co-authors of the study include Edwin H. Kim, J. Andrew Bird, Michael Kulis, Susan Laubach, Laurent Pons, Pamela Steele, Janet Kamilaris, and Brian Vickery, all of Duke University Medical Center, and Wayne Shreffler, of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Allergy treatment company fined for contempt of court

A DIRECTOR and his company have been fined $15,000 for contempt of court after breaching undertakings to stop claiming they could diagnose and cure allergies through ”muscle testing” and ”positive conditioning”.

Federal Court judge Ray Finkelstein found in August 2009 that Allergy Pathway had engaged in false, misleading and deceptive comments by advertising that it could safely eliminate allergies.

Yesterday he fined the company and its sole director, Paul Frederick Keir, for continuing to make the claims in contravention of those orders, including on the internet via a YouTube video, Facebook and Twitter.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The company, which according to its website has five clinics in Australia and New Zealand, said it used muscle testing to diagnose allergies because ”a normal muscle will weaken when exposed to a substance the person is reacting to”.

”Positive conditioning” – stimulating a patient’s spine while exposing him or her to a vial of the allergy trigger – was said to ”retrain the body to no longer perceive the substance as something that is harmful”.

In a report to the court, Associate Professor Jo Douglass, head of The Alfred hospital’s allergy and asthma service, said she was unaware of any scientific evidence to support such practices, which were unsafe and, if followed, would ”expose some individuals to the risk of severe allergic reaction or even death”.

Justice Finkelstein ordered Keir and the company to publish corrective statements at the company’s clinics, on its website, on Facebook and Twitter, and in a letter to customers.

Allergies News

Got Allergies? Be Careful How You Hook Up

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that about 11 million Americans have some type of food allergy, but many more are affected by these conditions — especially the partners of highly allergic people. After they consume forbidden foods, they can cause potentially fatal reactions in their afflicted partners by kissing, touching or having intercourse.

Doctors have previously counseled the partners of allergic people to brush their teeth and wash their hands between a peanut butter sandwich and a make-out session, but according to Dr. Sami Bahna, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, new research shows that traces of the offending foods can remain in saliva (or semen) for up to 24 hours. Unfortunately, tooth-brushing and other cleaning efforts may not be enough to protect allergic people on the receiving end of a smooch. (More on Time.com: Want Good Health? There Are 10 Apps for That)

The best prevention is food avoidance for everyone — at least for the 16 to 24 hours before a bout of intimacy. Reports HealthDay:

“People need to know that intimate contact with individuals who’ve eaten or consumed suspect foods or medicines can also cause problems,” said Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, a clinical instructor at New York University’s School of Medicine, New York City, and an attending physician in the allergy and immunology department of Long Island College Hospital. “So, for people with a significant food allergy it’s always better to play it safe by making sure that everyone knows that in all situations these foods are strictly off-limits.”

He believes it’s vital that these individuals, “start a dialogue about [the allergy] with their friends, their colleagues, and their loved ones. In fact, I feel strongly that individuals with serious allergies — and I’m not talking about trivial allergies, but those with life-threatening conditions — have a kind of obligation to themselves and to the people they care about to start this discussion. Because it can and will save lives.”

Warning issued on food allergies

WITH the weather warming up and people eating out more, consumers and businesses are being warned to ensure they are aware of advice regarding food allergies.

Through the Australian Food Safety Conference, Anaphylaxis Australia revealed many Australians who lost their lives in recent years as a result of food anaphylaxis had eaten food purchased, or given to them, when away from home.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life threatening.

It is a generalised allergic reaction which often involves more than one body system.

Allergic reactions in cafes and restaurants are often caused by a lack of staff education about food allergies.

The most common food triggers for anaphylaxis are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, crustaceans and soy.

Wyong Council’s senior health officer Stephen Berry said people with food allergies were responsible for their management but it was important that people serving food in restaurants and cafes understood their responsibilities too.

“Teenagers and young adults aged between 13 and 21 represent nearly 70 per cent of food-allergic fatalities,” he said. Food businesses should take no shortcuts or change set menu ingredients and think about cross contamination when purchasing, storing, preparing and serving food.

Mobile Phones Responsible for Triggering Nickel Allergies

An allergy is a condition, which can be slightly irritating and also be fatal for a person and they do happen to be very inquisitive as allergies can be caused from anything. A strange, yet a surprising fact about allergies are that even talking on the phone can trigger an allergy.

The reason why, allergies can be triggered through a phone is because phones contain the metal nickel and when nickel comes in contact with a person it results in the reaction.

While talking about allergies, Luz Fonacier, an ACAAI Fellow states that increased usage of cell phones usually results in people suffering from nickel allergies because of an extended exposure to the metal. He adds that people end up coming to him for dry and itchy patches without the slightest idea of what could be the reason behind allergic reactions.

It needs to be noted that nickel allergies affect almost one-fifth women and 3% men and can trigger a reaction even when someone talks over the phone, as even a slight contact with nickel can result in the allergy surfacing up. Apart from the mobile, nickel allergies are also caused from coins, paper clips and keys.

Apart from nickel, allergies from tattoos and cosmetics also affect a lot of people. According to Fonacier the best way to reduce such allergies is to delay the introduction of piercings among children until they are not older than
10-years old.

Allergies News and Treatment

Parasitic Worms: A Retro Cure for Autoimmune Diseases?

By Jessica Ryen Doyle Published October 06, 2010 | FoxNews.com

Tired of suffering from Crohn’s disease, Michael, a 31-year-old financial planner from New York City, turned to a last resort – an underground network of “worm pushers” in cyberspace.

Michael, who asked that his last name not be revealed, chose to undergo helminthic therapy – infecting himself with Necator Americanus, or microscopic hookworm larvae, in order to put his autoimmune disease into remission. Helminthic therapy, also called worm therapy, is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but it has seen significant success around the world.

Worms as medicine? Sounds crazy, but it’s consistent with the hygiene hypothesis — the theory that the organisms we consider harmful today were protecting our immune systems before modern medicine.

Prior to the 20th century, autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s, multiple sclerosis and lupus, as well as asthma and allergies, were virtually nonexistent. People didn’t bathe frequently, and they were exposed more often and for longer periods to animal dander and animal feces. Advocates of helminthic therapy suggest that exposure to those organisms immunized people to their bad effects.

Seeking a “cure” for his “incurable” disease, Michael contacted Jasper Lawrence, owner of Autoimmune Therapies and moderator of a Yahoo group of helminthic therapy, to arrange a meeting outside of the U.S.

Lawrence, who used to suffer from severe allergies and asthma – and was dependent on the anti-inflammatory drug prednisone to survive – self-infected himself with hookworms after traveling to Cameroon in 2006.

“At the time, I didn’t know whether I’d been successful or not,” Lawrence, an American citizen, who runs his business out of Central America to avoid interference with the FDA, told FoxNews.com. “But after an examination, I was in fact infected, and after 16 weeks, I no longer had allergies or asthma.”

Michael, who spent most of his 20s in and out of the hospital, undergoing several surgeries and taking a host of different medications, had followed Lawrence’s Yahoo group for three years and spoken to many of its followers. Symptoms of Crohn’s, an inflammatory bowel disease, include, but are not limited to, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, arthritis and fatigue. When he simply couldn’t take it any longer, Michael decided to take the plunge.

After purchasing the worms from Lawrence for $3,000, Michael infected himself by applying a bandage packed with worms to his arm. The worms seeped into his skin within several hours; the only side effect he felt was some minor itching, which was relieved by using Benadryl.

“I started feeling better after three months,” Michael said. “I stopped taking my medicine, and I usually get sick two weeks after a skipped dose. I also didn’t have food allergies anymore.”

Scientific Evidence
Miracle? Coincidence? Luck? Maybe, but a group of doctors, including Dr. Joel Weinstock, professor and director of gastroenterology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, lend credence to the hygiene hypothesis.

Weinstock, who has been studying this concept since the early 1990s, has found that parasitic worms have a calming effect on their hosts’ immune systems. He took what he had learned and applied it to the hygiene hypothesis and, several years later, he and his colleagues started testing helminthes in mice with asthma, Type 1 diabetes, MS and inflammatory bowel disease. Sure enough, the diseased mice got better.
Generic zithromax online pharmacy
Weinstock started a round of human trials, which Michael was a part of, but this was a different kind of worm – Trichuris suis, or pig parasite, which can stay alive in a human’s body for only two weeks. This time, in order to consume the worm, Michael drank a glass of water teeming with the invisible, tasteless creatures.

But here’s the catch: Because these worms stay alive for a few weeks – Michael felt better only for a short time, which ultimately led him to contact Lawrence for help.

Weinstock published results from the helminth study in 2005, which said that 23 out of 29 Crohn’s patients went into remission.

Similar studies like Weinstock’s are popping up around the globe, and he suspects a “worm-based” pill may one day — and not too far off — help patients like Michael.

Environment vs. Genetics
If infected with too many hookworms, you can become anemic, or worse – die, which is why Weinstock does not want patients with autoimmune disease running off to Central America to get worms.

“Most people who go for helminthic therapy do it as a last resort, as all conventional treatment failed them,” Michael said. “They usually have an autoimmune illness for many years, did a lot of research in their field, and are experts in their disease and its treatment.”

But Weinstock thinks there are greater lessons to be learned from all of this: One, the environment plays a greater role in autoimmune disease than genetics, and two, Americans may be going overboard when it comes to hygiene.

“I think we need to re-examine the elements of healthy hygiene and whether it improves life and what aspects are necessary,” Weinstock said. “Is it harmful for kids to get soil in their mouth? Maybe not. Are we using too much hand sanitizer? Perhaps we are going against evolution.”

Adding celebrity to the theory is actress Kellie Martin — famous for her roles as Becca Thatcher on “Life Goes On,” and Lucy Knight on “ER” — who is starting to speak up about the hygiene hypothesis as well.

Martin, who lost her sister, Heather, at the age of 19 to lupus, is the spokeswoman for the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. She recently heard Weinstock speak at a conference titled “The Global State of Autoimmunity Today” at the United Nations.

“For me, it confirmed my suspicion that I need to give my family, especially my daughter, organic foods, free of toxins, and keep our lives as stress-free as possible,” Martin said.

Martin said she was excited to hear about the research on worms. Though no one advocates living in “filth,” she said allowing one’s body to react to healthy “flora” in and out of the body makes sense to her.

“When we are too clean, we can strip away beneficial bacteria that is essential to the normal functioning of our bodies,” said Martin, who wants to do what she can to protect her 4-year-old daughter Maggie from developing an autoimmune disease – even though she may be genetically predisposed.

“I guess we can chalk it up to: moderation is key. Let your kid get dirty and be a kid, and don’t douse them with hand sanitizers every five minutes.”

ISTA Pharmaceuticals reports preliminary positive results for seasonal allergy nasal spray

ISTA Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ISTA) announced Wednesday its positive preliminary results from a Canadian phase 1/2 clinical study of bepotastine besilate nasal spray, a treatment for symptoms associated with seasonal allergies.

The findings, based on a placebo-controlled study of 82 patients, demonstrated two of the three bepotastine besilate concentrations tested were effective in relieving patients’ nasal symptoms after exposure to seasonal allergens, the company said. The most rapid improvement was seen in sneezing and nasal itching, according to ISTA.

The data also showed the drug to be well-tolerated, with mild adverse events consistent with those observed in other antihistamine nasal sprays.

Based on the positive results, ISTA plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application to the U.S. FDA and to initiate phase 2 clinical studies of the nasal spray before the end of the year, using one of the most potent allergens, Mountain Cedar pollen.

The company expects to report preliminary phase 2 data during the first half of 2011.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, approximately 60 million Americans are affected by allergic rhinitis, an inflammation of the nasal passages caused by exposure to certain allergens, such as pollen from trees, grass and plants, animal dander, feathers, dust mites and molds.

It is characterized by a number of symptoms, including sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal itching and runny nose. Based on data from IMS Health in the U.S., approximately 43.3 million prescriptions were filled for nasal allergy treatments in 2009, resulting in sales of approximately $2.2 billion.

Bepotastine besilate has been approved in Japan for systemic use in the treatment of allergic rhinitis since 2000 under the brand name TALION. In 2006, ISTA licensed the exclusive North American ophthalmic rights to bepotastine besilate and in 2007, ISTA licensed exclusive North American rights to nasal dosage forms.

ISTA’s eye drop formulation of bepotastine besilate, BEPREVE 1.5%, was approved by the U.S. FDA in September 2009 for the treatment of ocular itching associated with allergies.

Based in Irvine, California, ISTA is the fourth largest branded prescription eye care business in the United States, with an expanding focus on allergy therapeutics. The company currently markets four products, including treatments for ocular inflammation and pain post-cataract surgery, glaucoma and ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis.

Rich have more allergies

Affluence and city life have been added to the growing array of factors thought to be driving Australia’s rapidly rising rate of food allergy.
Mexican online pharmacy
An assessment of sales of allergen-free infant formula as well as EpiPen injectors has shown how demand from parents is concentrated in the nation’s cities, and richest postcodes.

“In city versus country, formula rates were five times higher in city and EpiPens were double the rate,” said Canberra-based allergy specialist Dr Ray Mullins.
Advertisement: Story continues below

“… Formula rates were over double comparing the highest socio-economic areas versus lowest socio-economic, while (sales of) EpiPens were three times higher.

“It was certainly dramatic.”

The analysis found, for example, sales of allergen-free infant formula in the nation’s richest suburbs approached 48,000 tins per 100,000 in the population during 2008-09.

This was compared to just over 21,300 tins in the poorest suburbs.

Dr Mullins also assessed hospital admissions, and found children who required treatment for anaphylaxis were also more likely to come from affluent areas.

While the data suggests higher rates of allergic kids in cities and affluent areas, with unknown “lifestyle” factors behind this, Dr Mullins also cautioned the research could be skewed by a lack of access to specialist health care in the bush.

“Allergic disease seems to be a disease of the rich and affluent,” Dr Mullins said.

“My concern about the data is that it may also be explained, in part, by barriers to accessing appropriate medical care … almost all allergy and immunology services are in major cities.”

Earlier research by Dr Mullins shows how infant formula and EpiPens were also in more demand in Australia’s southern states, indicating a lack of vitamin D from insufficient sun exposure could also play a role in promoting food allergy.

There were other theories, he said: from rising rates of Caesarean birth to children growing up in increasingly disinfected homes which promoted overly-sensitive immune systems.

While a clear picture of the cause of food allergy was yet to emerge, Australia’s incidence of childhood bad reactions to peanut has roughly doubled over the past decade.

“What it suggests is that there are a number of potential factors influencing the development of allergic disease,” Dr Mullins said.

“There won’t be one factor. It is a whole range of them.”

Dr Mullins’ research is published in the October edition of the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy.

A University of Melbourne study, also released this week, found children exposed to cooked eggs – scrambled for example – at four to six months of age were up to five times less likely to develop an egg allergy.

This was compared to children who were introduced to cooked eggs after they turned one year old, according to the study of 2,500 children.

Allergies Today

Seasonal allergies treatments

by Manura Nanayakkara MBBS

Seasonal allergies are allergic reactions that develop in certain part of the year. It is usually triggered by environmental allergens such as pollens which are common during spring and fall.

Once entered into the body, allergens such as pollens initiate a cascade of reactions, which ultimately results in the release of neurotransmitter histamine. It is responsible for the allergic reactions. So most of the oral drugs inhibit histamine action. In addition, nasal symptoms are caused by edema of the inner nose.

Allergies, Celiac and Asthma: The New Allergicliving.com Has Got it All

Allergic Living magazine unveils the most comprehensive consumer allergy site on the Web. Allergicliving.com offers hundreds of articles from leading health journalists and a superb recipe center to serve the growing audience living with allergies and gluten-free.

(PRWEB) September 24, 2010

Allergic Living magazine proudly announces the complete rebuild of its website Allergicliving.com. The new site becomes the most comprehensive consumer allergy site on the Web.

It is an essential one-stop resource for those living with food allergies, celiac disease, asthma and environmental allergies.

“This is no mere cosmetic renovation,” Gwen Smith, Allergic Living’s editor and content director, says of Allergicliving.com. “We made a significant investment and rebuilt this site from the ground up. Visitors will find hundreds of great articles, recipes, blogs and interactive features.”

While the old site had already gained a half million visitors a year, an ambitious marketing and SEO campaign is underway to introduce a significantly larger audience to the newly unveiled Allergicliving.com.

Noting that the community of people living with allergies and celiac disease is rapidly growing, Smith says: “When you live with these conditions, there are so many questions and adjustments to your life. That’s why the team here is so passionate about our new site – Allergicliving.com will truly help people; it is that comprehensive.”

Exclusive Features
Ask the Expert: 4 leading allergy specialists, a celiac disease expert and a certified asthma educator take your questions at Allergicliving.com.
Indepth sections on: Top 10 Food Allergies, Celiac Disease, Pollen Allergy, Asthma, Skin Allergy.
The new Allergy-Safe and Gluten-Free Recipe centers. Fully searchable. Outstanding recipes created by Allergic Living’s Chef Simon Clarke.
NewsFlash – our journalists report the latest news on Allergies, Celiac and Asthma.
The Healthy Home section – from safe painting to getting rid of dust mites.
Living sections: Travel with Allergies, School and Allergies and more.
Interactive: Story of the Month for kids and teens; Our Poll; commenting available on all articles.
The Talking Allergies Forum.
Slideshow photo stories.
Intuitive navigation and advanced search tools.
“I expect visitors will be amazed by the scope of the new Allergicliving.com,” Smith says. “We’re a little amazed ourselves – and eager to hear what others think of it.”

Contact: Gwen Smith
gwen(at)allergicliving(dot)com
1-888-771-7747

How to protect your family from food allergies before it’s too late

Does your child have reactions to foods they use to eat with no problem?

They could have food allergies that haven’t even been diagnosed and they can be very dangerous.

It’s more common than you think. In fact more than three million children in the U.S. have allergies.

Lisa Horne says her son had an anaphylactic reaction to a PB&J sandwich. She rushed him to the hospital, and today he has to avoid any contact with peanuts of any form. He has to carry an Epi-pen with him for the rest of his life, and have a medical ID on him at all times.

Symptoms :

Skin reactions, including hives along with itching, flushed or pale skin (almost always present with anaphylaxis)
• A feeling of warmth
• The sensation of a lump in your throat
• Constriction of the airways and a swollen tongue or throat, which can cause wheezing and trouble breathing
• A feeling of impending doom
• A weak and rapid pulse
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Dizziness or fainting

How to protect your family

Follow-up with your doctor or allergist if you’ve had a severe reaction.
• If you’ve been prescribed self-injectable epinephrine (i.e., EpiPen® or Twinject®), carry it at all times.
• Educate others about your allergy. Teach them what you need to avoid, the symptoms of an allergic reaction, and how they can help during an allergic emergency.
• Teach yourself and others how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. Practice until it becomes second nature.
• Wear medical identification jewelry noting your allergy.

Walk for food allergy

(Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010)
Time: Check-in begins at 9 a.m.; Walk begins at 10 a.m.
Location: Tempe Arts Park, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281
Distance: 3 miles
Restrictions: No pets, glass bottles, bikes, roller skates, or skate boards. Baby strollers and wagons are welcomed.