| Allergy | 1 item found |
Allergy
|
Also called: Hypersensitivity | An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are Pollen Dust mites Mold spores Pet dander Food Insect stings Medicines How do you get allergies? Scientists think both genes and the environment have something to do with it. Normally, your immune system fights germs. It is your body's defense system. In most allergic reactions, however, it is responding to a false alarm. Allergies can cause a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling or asthma. Symptoms vary. Although allergies can make you feel bad, they usually won't kill you. However, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis is life-threatening. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Allergy: Causes Allergies and allergic reactions occur when the immune system misidentifies harmless foreign substances, called allergens, and reacts to them as if they were harmful. Specifically, allergy symptoms result when the immune system makes the IgE antibody in an effort to protect us from otherwise harmless allergens. Allergens can include things like pollens, animal dander, latex and foods. Read a brief story that illustrates how allergy happens. How People Develop Allergies To become allergic a person must have a genetic predisposition for allergy and must be exposed to sensitizing allergens. Most allergies begin in early childhood, and early environmental factors play a major role in the development of allergies. Primary Exposure - Sensitization An allergen such as mold spores or pollen enters the body through the mouth or nose or lands on the skin. Special white blood cells (T-cells) recognize the allergen as foreign and release chemicals in response. These chemicals travel through the blood and instruct another kind of white blood cell (B-cells) to produce IgE antibodies. Some of these antibodies attach to the outside of another special type of white blood cell called a mast cell. Mast cells are scattered throughout the skin and respiratory tract and their purpose is to help mediate the inflammatory response of the immune system. IgE antibodies can remain attached to mast cells for many years. Secondary Exposure - The Cause of Allergy Symptoms When the same allergen is encountered again, it binds directly to the IgE antibody stuck to the outside of mast cells. This causes the mast cells to release chemicals such as histamine. Histamine is an example of a chemical mediator - a special "messenger" chemical that immune cells use to talk to each other. Histamine is one of the best known mediators - it is responsible for causing many of the symptoms associated with allergies. Histamine opens small blood vessels causing them to leak fluid. This results in inflammation: warming and swelling of the skin, itching and watery eyes. Histamine causes sneezing and increased mucus production in the nasal cavity and airways that leads to runny nose, post-nasal drip and cough. Why Allergy is Selective Some people are allergic to lots of things. Some people are allergic to only one or to very few things. Allergies Home Remedies Allergies home remedies and natural cures, Questions and answers Allergies treatment using Nutrients Certain nutrients have been found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of allergies. Often the intake of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid brings great relief to the sufferer. This vitamin may be taken in a dose of 100 mg daily for a month. In such cases, liberal amounts of pantothenic acid helps even though the recovery takes several weeks. A dose of 400 mg of vitamin E taken daily for four to six weeks is also beneficial as this vitamin possesses effective anti-allergic properties. Allergies treatment using Castor Oil It is found that five drops of castor oil in half a cup of any fruit or vegetable juice, or plain water, and taken on an empty stomach in the morning, is beneficial for allergies of the intestinal tract, skin, and nasal passages. Allergies treatment using Lime Lime is considered an effective remedy for any kind of allergy. Half a lime may be squeezed in a glass of lukewarm water and sweetened with a teaspoon of honey. It can be taken once daily first thing in the morning for several months. This remedy not only flushes the system of toxins but also acts as an antitoxic and antiallergic agent. However, those who are allergic to citrus fruits should not take recourse to this remedy. Allergies treatment using Bananas One or two bananas a day are useful for those who are allergic to certain foods and who consequently suffer from skin rashes, digestive disorders, or asthma, The fruit does, however, cause allergic reactions in certain sensitive persons and they should avoid it. Allergies treatment using Vegetable Juices A quantity of 500 ml carrot juice or a combination of carrot juice with beet and cucumber juices, has been found beneficial in the treatment of allergies. In the case of mixed juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices should be mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice to prepare 500 ml or half a litre of mixed juice. This should be taken once daily. | |||||||
| Items 1-1 |
Home View Cart Contact Us Featured Items About Essential Oils Product List
| Powered by |
|
| Copyright © 2000 - 2010 |