| Allergy season is now in full swing, and people | | | | life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the airway |
| everywhere are looking for tips to get rid of allergies. | | | | to close or swell shut. |
| One of the first things you should do if you suspect | | | | Now that you know some of the most common |
| allergies, is to go have an allergy test done. This test is | | | | allergies, and you know that getting tested to identify |
| usually done at either your primary care physician's | | | | your allergies is the first step, it's time to talk about how |
| office, or at the office of an Allergy and Immunology | | | | to get rid of your allergies. Many (but not all) modern |
| doctor. The test is usually performed by a nurse or | | | | doctors believe that adults won't be able to totally get |
| medical assistant and the results are interpreted by the | | | | rid of their allergies. Children tend to grow out of their |
| doctor. After this test is complete, you will have a | | | | allergies, but most adults retain their allergies for life. |
| better idea of what is triggering your symptoms. Then | | | | Don't groan just yet - keeping positive is a huge step in |
| you can take steps to prevent allergy symptoms, and | | | | dealing with your allergies. Contrary to popular belief, |
| ultimately, learn how to get rid of your allergies! | | | | there is hope - yes, you can get rid of your allergies! |
| This article will discuss five of the most common | | | | Some more good news is that many naturopathic |
| allergies and tips on how to get rid of them. First you | | | | doctors, herbalists, and natural healers believe that you |
| may ask, what is an allergy? Basically, an allergy is an | | | | can indeed get rid of allergies. |
| unnatural immune reaction to a normally benign | | | | The next step to getting rid of your allergies is to avoid |
| substance (whether plants, animals, insects or food) | | | | the things that give you allergic reactions. That sounds |
| that your body thinks is harmful. These substances are | | | | fairly simple, but it can be complicated when it involves |
| called allergens. When you come into contact with an | | | | allergens such as food. Modifying your environment |
| allergen, your body releases a chemical called | | | | can go a long way to getting rid of allergies. Keep an |
| histamine into the bloodstream, (in hopes of destroying | | | | allergy diary and write about your reactions - this will |
| what it thinks of as an invader) which causes | | | | help you learn what to avoid. If you have mold in your |
| inflammation. This is called an allergic reaction. | | | | house, make sure it is cleaned out and totally |
| Sometimes, an allergic reaction is so severe, it can | | | | eradicated by specialists that deal specifically with |
| become fatal. What are some of the most common | | | | getting rid of mold. If you are allergic to your household |
| allergies? They include substances such as: | | | | pets, don't fret. Do some research into allergy-friendly |
| 1 Pollen | | | | pets that you can own - yes, there are allergy-friendly |
| 2 Mold | | | | animals out there. There are even allergy-friendly dogs |
| 3 Pets/animal hair | | | | such as the short-haired Chihuahua. If you are allergic |
| 4 Latex | | | | to pollen, make sure to have someone help you keep |
| 5 Food | | | | your grass mowed and your yard in tip-top shape, and |
| Of all common offenders, pollen is the number one | | | | take your prescribed allergy medicine daily. If latex is |
| allergen in the United States, and is the most common | | | | what gets your allergic response going, be sure to alert |
| allergy during seasonal allergy months. Pollen comes | | | | any new doctors to this allergy, and carefully read |
| from a multitude of plants, herbs, trees and flowers, | | | | labels on household and cosmetic supplies to make |
| and spreads like wildfire through the air. The most | | | | sure they are latex-free. Food allergies can be the |
| prevalent time for pollen is during the spring and | | | | trickiest, but if you become an avid-label reader and |
| summer, when most plants bloom to life. Plants release | | | | carry allergy medicine (including an Epi-Pen for serious |
| pollen on into the autumn season, and while winter is | | | | reactions) with you that should go a long way to |
| usually a time for pollen-allergy sufferers to breathe a | | | | helping you avoid the offending substances. Do a diet |
| sigh of relief, there are still some plants that release | | | | of elimination - meaning, eliminate all the problem foods |
| pollen even in the dead of winter. | | | | from your diet for a period of time (usually around 6 |
| Mold is pesky little fungi that loves to grow in warm, | | | | weeks) and then slowly introduce them back in, one at |
| moist, dark places. Mold releases spores into the air, | | | | a time. Many times, elimination diets have huge |
| and when mold is touched or the spores are inhaled, | | | | success rates, even to the point that the previous |
| they cause inflammation in the airways and bring on an | | | | allergy-causing foods no longer cause problems! |
| allergic reaction. It is important to have your house | | | | Next on the list is treatment. Take your prescribed |
| routinely checked for mold, especially if you live in a | | | | allergy medicine every day. If you know you are going |
| humid climate. The longer a mold problem persists, the | | | | to come into contact with any allergens, take your |
| harder it is to eradicate. | | | | medicine beforehand to lessen or even prevent |
| An allergy to animal hair is a very common, yet | | | | symptoms. Talk to your doctor about getting what is |
| unfortunate, allergy to have. The most common cause | | | | called allergy shots. These shots contain very small |
| of an allergy to animal hair is the proteins that coat the | | | | amounts of the substances to which you are allergic, |
| hair. Those oils/proteins are there to protect the | | | | so as to desensitize you. The theory is, which each |
| animal's coat of hair and keep it shiny. Unfortunately, | | | | shot, you become less and less allergic to that |
| those shiny coats trigger respiratory allergies in many | | | | particular substance. The good thing is, many people |
| people, which can be very sad for animal lovers. | | | | have a huge success rate with allergy shots. Another |
| Sometimes, animal hair allergies are so severe that the | | | | option is alternative treatments such as chiropractic |
| afflicted person, sadly, cannot keep a pet. | | | | and acupuncture sessions. |
| Latex allergy is another quite common, yet often times | | | | A lot of allergy sufferers swear by acupuncture to |
| severe, allergy. The protein contained in the latex | | | | alleviate their allergies. Other alternative treatments |
| rubber is the offender here, and usually leads to an | | | | would be vitamin, antioxidant and herbal supplements |
| immediate, sometimes very severe allergic reaction. | | | | that boost the immune system, stabilize cells, and |
| For those who work in the healthcare field, and those | | | | repair damage. Examples of these would be vitamin C, |
| who require frequent doctor visits, this allergy can be | | | | vitamin B complex, vitamin E, Quercetin, green tea, and |
| problematic, since many healthcare items contain latex. | | | | omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Saline sinus rinses |
| Fortunately, more and more medical manufacturers | | | | also have a high success rate, since they flush out |
| are coming out with latex-free gloves and other | | | | irritants and bacteria. Speaking of flushing out irritants - |
| latex-free equipment. | | | | a good intestinal cleanse has worked wonders for |
| Last on this list of the top five most common allergies, | | | | many food allergy sufferers. |
| but certainly not least, are food allergies. Food allergy | | | | Remember to always talk to your doctor before |
| can, at times, be the most problematic allergy of all. | | | | taking any supplements, doing any kind of cleanse, or |
| This is because nowadays, in this age of food | | | | starting any kind of alternative therapy for your |
| additives and preservatives, there are many hidden | | | | allergies. Though you may want to, you can't diagnose |
| ingredients in processed and pre-prepared foods. The | | | | yourself. Allergy sufferers need to be under the care |
| most common food allergies are nuts, shellfish, wheat | | | | of a physician. Don't fret or get discouraged, though! |
| and milk/dairy products. When a food allergy sufferer | | | | No matter what the naysayers say, there are options |
| eats an allergy-causing food, their bodies release | | | | and you can get rid of allergies. Allergies don't have to |
| histamine into the bloodstream, causing inflammation | | | | last forever - and when you follow the tips outlined in |
| which can be severe. This reaction can be anywhere | | | | this article, you can kiss your allergies goodbye. |
| from diarrhea and stomach cramps to anaphylaxis, a | | | | |