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Posts Tagged ‘Allergy Symptoms’

In this article we’re going to discuss probably the most common form of treatment for allergy sufferers; the use of antihistamines, what they are and how they work in the body to rid people of their allergy symptoms.

In this article we’re going to discuss probably the most common form of treatment for allergy sufferers; the use of antihistamines, what they are and how they work in the body to rid people of their allergy symptoms.

The first question most people ask about antihistamines is what they are. The reason is because when they see these little wonder pills advertised they are seeing the brand name and not what the pill actually is. The most popular brand names of antihistamines are Clarityn, Zyrtec, Allegra and Benadryl. There are plenty more though. The antihistamine industry is a multi billion dollar a year industry because of all the allergy sufferers but this still doesn’t tell us what an antihistamine is.

The best way to explain what an antihistamine is and what it does is to actually break the word down. Antihistamine is composed of two words, anti and histamine. Anti means to be against something or act against something. Which leaves us with what a histamine is. A histamine is something that your body produces in defense to an attack of allergens. It is these histamines that bring on the terrible symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, etc. that we suffer from when we are attacked by these allergens. Thus, an antihistamine is something that works against the histamines that our body produces.

Your common antihistamine comes in a little pill. How it actually works is quite amazing. What these pills do is release a chemical in our body that is very similar to and looks like a histamine to our body. These look-alike histamines make our body think that we basically have enough of these and keep the receptors in our body from working against them. In other words they stop the histamines in our body from working, thus relieving the symptoms.

What most people don’t know is that this is not the only function of histamines. They also play a very important role in the brain, keeping us attentive, alert and awake. So, if we stopped all of the histamines in the body from working we would basically fall asleep. This can be especially dangerous when driving a car or operating heavy machinery and in fact, this is exactly what happens when we take old antihistamines. So if you have any of these laying around in your home, please get rid of them and do not take them. Those expiration dates on antihistamines are there for a reason.

The good news is, newer forms of antihistamines have a much better effect on your allergies with less effect on your brain. How this is accomplished is actually very simple. Some medicines barely make it into the brain from the blood. This is actually not a good thing with antibiotics for brain infections. But when research workers figured this out they started to make antihistamines that also had the same properties as antibiotics, thus making it so that very little of the drug makes its way to the brain. If you read most antihistamine labels today it will say right on it, “non drowsy”.

In our next article in this series we’ll discuss the safety concerns of antihistamines.

Recent statistics show that as much as twenty percent of the United States population – one in every five people – suffers from some kind of allergy. That’s tens of millions each year dealing with a broad spectrum of allergies, including everything from common pollen and animal fur to various kinds of foods and even some smells.

Though seldom pleasant, allergic reactions are the body’s ways of defending against attacks it perceives as harmful. Controlling allergy symptoms is largely a process of short-circuiting the body’s natural reactions to allergens in the environment.

How allergy attacks work

Allergies are a disorder of the immune system, considered a form of Type I Hypersensitivity in the body. Following the ingestion or the inhalation of an allergen, the body produces an antibody called Immunoglobulin E (or IgE) that activate certain kinds of white blood cells – the body’s most common form of immune system defense. These white blood cells, called mast cells and basophils, release the chemicals histamine and heparin as the allergen particles bind with the IgE.

Histamine is the cause of most perceived allergy symptoms, including sneezing and runny eyes. Blocking or reducing its presence in the body with anti-histamine medication is probably the most prevalent form of allergy treatment.

Three levels of allergies.

Allergies are typically classified according to three levels of severity. Mild reactions are generally limited to one area of the body. Moderate reactions are more acute, spreading to other parts of the body as the allergy attack progresses.

Severe allergic reactions occur when the body produces so much histamine and other allergy mediators in so short a time that the patient undergoes a dramatic drop in blood pressure. This condition, known as anaphylactic shock, can cause death in minutes if not treated. Researchers believe that sixteen percent of United States residents are in dangerous of anaphylactic shock, though such incidents result in less than 1,000 deaths each year.

Anaphylactic shock typically presents itself as a moderate allergy attack but then quickly develops into more painful symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, and dizziness. Mental confusion and lightheadedness are also possible as the brain struggles to deal with the drop in blood pressure.

Atopic reactions

Allergic responses typically happen where the body encounters them – pollen produces sneezing, and so forth. Allergies also sometimes produce an atopic reaction, meaning the appear in areas besides where the body encountered the allergen (for example, breathing pollen making someone break out in hives.) Atopic reactions are strongly hereditary and may come from an overproduction of IgE within the bloodstream.

If you have Tomato Allergy then you suffer from allergies Type 1 what is also called Contact Allergies. Since tomato and potato are related plants if you suffer from tomato allergies then the chances of you being allergic to potato is very good. A food allergy is triggered by a specific protein found in the tomato plant and why the body’s immune system considers some food proteins harmful and others not is not fully understood by the scientific community.

The immune system can mount a variety of defenses mechanisms against proteins that is considers as harmful or foreign. Symptoms can be very mild to life-threatening depending on the severity of your allergies. They usually occur within a few minutes to a few hours after eating or inhaling the toxic protein.

The tomato plant is a member of the Deadly Nightshade family, which also includes the eggplant, tobacco, foxglove and potatoes. An allergy to tomato is rare and the worst parts of the plant for causing an allergic reaction seem to be the seeds, skin and juice. Some patients can ingest process tomato products such as tomato paste with little or not reaction, and yet, develop severe symptoms with fresh tomatoes.

Allergies can worsen over time. Not having an allergic reaction to processed or cooked tomato products today does not mean that you will not have one tomorrow. If you are allergic to fresh tomatoes are you willing to bet your life that the persons making your pizza did not drop a slice of fresh tomato after he finished cooking your pizza or that your allergy to processed tomato products is finally kicking in today. Avoidance of tomato-containing foods is the only effective treatment for people who are allergic to tomato.

No mater what type of allergy you are suffering from their is a good chance that you can find relief from allergy symptoms. Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Allergies such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Pantothenic Acid, Glucosamine, Antioxidants, Allergy Aid, and Quercitin.

Vitamin A is a known antioxidant and can assist the human body in the healing process. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Up to one-third of older people can no longer absorb Vitamin B from their food. Vitamin B is needed to form red blood cells and keep nerves healthy.

Vitamin C is nature’s protective nutrient, essential for defending the body against pollution and infection and enhances the bodies immune system.

Beta Carotene protects the mucus membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs. It also helps protect Vitamin C from oxidation, which enables it to perform at optimum efficiency.

Vitamin E protects the lung tissue from inhaled pollutants and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Many find Pantothenic Acid to be very helpful against allergy symptoms. It is another form of nontoxic B vitamins. Pantothenic Acid is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Glucosamine is an anti-inflammatory and may give some relief from allergy symptoms.

Substances called antioxidants can neutralize free radical by pairing up or binding with the free radical elections thus inhibiting them from damaging cells in the human body.

Allergy Aid supplies 9 beneficial Herb’s to help provide temporary relief of respiratory allergies. The natural action of these specific Herb’s help to open bronchial tubes and ease breathing.

Quercitin is a well known flavonoid. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and can reduce inflammation boost the immune system and strengthen blood vessels and improve circulation. Quercitin is also known for its ability to block the release of histamines, thus reducing or preventing allergy symptoms.

If you are Allergic To Tomato then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.