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Posts Tagged ‘Immune System’

What does the word ‘allergy’ mean?

An allergy describes the way a particular person’s body will overreact to a certain substance which other people come into contact without any problems. People allergic to pollen for example, can suffer from sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and start coughing or wheezing – the classic ‘hay fever’ response of 10 – 15% of the general population.

Anatomy of an allergic reaction

Why is it that most people can breathe in pollen or house dust without feeling ill? Well, the allergic person’s immune system recognizes the pollen or dust particles as foreign bodies that must be got rid of and begins to develop a protein called an antibody against the specific irritant. The problems for the allergic person begin when the antibody and substance (known as an allergen) join together, a bit like a key in a lock, and produce a variety of chemical substances. The best known of these chemicals is histamine and when this is released the result is to start off an inflammation along with swelling, redness and irritation. If this occurs in your nostrils, eyelids or the bronchial tubes of your lungs, then you are going to have an attack of hay fever or asthma. The majority of the population don’t react in this way because their bodies do not have the antibody so the pollen or house dust to them is just a temporary minor irritant.

Testing for allergies

You can find out if these substance-specific antibodies are in your system by having an allergy skin test. All this involves is putting a small amount of the suspect material onto the back of you hand say, and lightly pinpricking through it. If the result is a small itchy swelling around where the pin prick was made then you have the special antibody to whatever substance you were testing for. On the whole an allergy skin test is quite a reliable indicator that you are allergic to something although there can be a number of ‘false positives’.

Allergy patterns

Amongst family members it’s been noticed that allergies tend to follow a pattern. During childhood allergies to a number of different things develop in a variety of ways only to be grown out of when they become teenagers. Other people in their late 30′s or older have had allergies since being a child and some allergic children may develop asthma. Just why allergies take different patterns of development is not known but is seems that they are definitely inherited from parents.

Can we do anything about it?

Yes, a good first step is for you to find out root cause of your allergy. Once this is known you can avoid coming into contact with the allergen but in the case of pollen this is not easy. Air conditioning in cars and buildings help the hay fever sufferer as do anti-histamine tablets. Try keeping generally fit which will help avoid cold infections that can make hay fever that bit worse.

As mentioned in the other article, the immune system, which is the set of cells and their activity against antigens or infectious agents that comprises of the body’s defense system against diseases. The immune system does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. Beside foods and nutritional supplements, herbs also play a important role in helping the immune system defend against viruses and bacteria attacks.

Here are some very common herbs that have proven record in strengthen the immune system

1. Echinacea
Echinacea, or the “purple cornflower,” has been used as a medicinal remedy by Native American Indians for over 400 years. Unlike antibiotics, which are directly lethal to bacteria, echinacea makes our own immune cells more efficient in attacking bacteria and viruses. In other words, unlike a vaccine which is active only against a specific disease, echinacea stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection.

2. Goldenseal Roots
Goldenseal Root contain the powerful alkaloids like berberine and hysdratine to help maintaining a strong inmune defense. and exhihit anti-microbial and anti- bacteria properties. Goldenseal root is often used to boost the medicinal effects of other herbs it is blended or formulated with.

3. Usnea
Usnea is a lichen; a combination of an algae and a fungus growing together. Also known as Old Man’s beard, it grows in little hair-like tufts, with the green algae covering the white string like fungus. Usnea might be used in acute situations as well as for long term immune enhancement and general prevention.

4. Shitake
Like other mushrooms, these specialty mushrooms are as mysteriously unique as they are delicious. Shitake contains an active compound contained in these mushrooms called lentinan that has the ability to power up the immune system, strengthening its ability to fight infection and disease.

5. Hyssop oil
Hyssop oil is great for cleansing the aura and breaking energetic cords. The oil is mild enough to be applied directly on almost any of the chakras. Hyssop boosts the immune system and fights viruses, fungi and bacteria. One safe way to apply it is to rub a drop into the soles of each foot so that it will be absorbed.

6.Siberian ginseng
Specialized cells which eliminate bacterial and viral infections are made as needed by the immune system. Richly supply your immune system with nutrients, and it easily counters infection, building healthy white blood cells to kill anthrax and other germs. Starve your immune system and it will falter, leaving your lymph nodes and other tissues open to infection and destruction.

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Allergies – an inflammatory response to any number of things you may be exposed to each and every day.

There is a big difference between food allergy and food intolerance. An allergy, such as the one some people have to peanuts, causes the immune system, that is the body’s defense mechanism against bacteria, viruses and any other intruder, to leap into action. One person in six has a food allergy. Sometimes a person is born allergic to something, often an allergy may develop.

Foods such as papaya, shellfish and strawberries, which to anyone else would be totally harmless, can make a person who is allergic to them extremely ill because of this exaggerated immune response. The skin may erupt into a rash, wheeziness may occur, the face may swell and the stomach may become upset. In severe cases of food allergy, the person may collapse and, without an injection of adrenaline, could die.

This serious condition is called anaphylactic shock. What is food intolerance? When you have an adverse reaction to a particular food, but there is no evidence that your immune system has gone into overdrive, nor is your life in danger, this is food intolerance. Intolerances are usually cause because your body does not produce enough of a particular enzyme to digest that substance properly.

For most people, peanuts are totally harmless. But for the unfortunate few who have a peanut allergy, they can cause a violent and potentially dangerous reaction. Even foods that are usually part of a healthy diet can cause an adverse reaction. They include fish and shellfish, pulses, wheat, sugar, strawberries and citrus fruits. So, now you have a better understanding on food allergies and food intolerance.

Pet dental care nowadays is a veterinary speciality in its own right. Just about anything
your dentist or orthodontist can do for your teeth, a veterinary dentist can do for your
pet’s teeth.

However, there is a lot you can do to help your pet maintain a healthy set of gnashers without
having to break the bank.It is also very important that you pay attention to your pet’s dental
health because it is an area that, if neglected, can lead not only to the obvious
dental problems, but also indirectly to a range of non-dental
health problems.

The thing to remember here is that, without your help, most pets (and we are talking primarily
cats and dogs here) will start developing dental related problems before they are 2 years old.
This has a lot to do with their diet and, in many cases, suburban lifestyle (i.e. they don’t
get to do much “hunting, shooting and fishing”!).

The developing dental problems immediately put an extra load on
the immune system,and consequently tend to shift the pet health pendulum away from “healthy” towards “unhealthy”.

So what can you do to help maintain good pet dental health?

1) Check your pet’s teeth regularly (e.g.monthly) so that deviations from the normal
can be spotted early and dealt with before a major problem develops. The added advantage
of this is that the pet gets used to you handling it’s mouth area.

2) Feed a dry kibble diet. These types of diet are more abrasive on the teeth than
tinned foods or home prepared diets, and tend to keep the teeth clean for longer periods.

3) Start regular brushing of your pet’s teeth using a pet specific toothpaste from when they are young.
This will prevent or at least delay the onset of periodontal disease.

4) Make sure your pet has a yearly dental check up and that cleaning and scaling is
undertaken on a regular basis.

All cats, dogs and some exotic pets are reliant on humans to ensure that they can eat
happily for their whole live.

Pet dental care, like many other aspects of pet health, is the responsibility of the pet owner!

Immunotherapy shots increasing body tolerance to certain allergens or substance that provoked allergic reactions. Immunotherapy is given to patients who suffer from sever symptoms of allergies and who suffer sever symptoms of allergies three months of each year.

This shots are given you will receive allergy shots twice a week for several months and continue to receive shots regularly for more than five years, depending on the severity of your condition. In this treatment patient not get fast relief and do not cure severe conditions. Popular belief is that shots unable to cure condition because in this shots injecting same substance which are allergic to particular substance.
So these shots are useful to reduce the body’s sensitivities to a specific substance.

Allergy shots are injections of a certain substance given to patients on a regular basis to reduce respiratory and gastro symptoms. Also reduce skin reactions caused by food source or other allergens. These allergy shots are known as immunotherapy.

People who undergo continuous therapy of allergy shots are tried other treatments that did not work, such as medications and avoidance of the allergen. Immunotherapy works well for people with hay fever, bee-sting and pollen allergies as well as other drug-related allergies.

Pros and Cons of Allergy Shots

Allergy shots work similarly as vaccinations — boosting the body’s immune system to defend itself and block allergic reactions. Immunotherapy treatments performed by the hands of well-trained health professionals are safe and effective for all ages.

To ensure that you are making the right decision, consult your doctor about the pros and cons of allergy shots to be able to develop an effective plan for your condition. Before asking for allergy shots, always make sure that the symptoms are severe or difficult to manage.

Shots are not very friend for children since it involves needles that may frighten a child. However, this kind of treatment can be appealing for people who have been struggling with the symptoms for several weeks.

Most people with allergic reactions to substances and certain foods, the only way to prevent the occurrence of allergies is to avoid the source of these reactions. When you can’t avoid these allergens because of work environment or other reasons, allergy shots can be a practical solution.

However, while some people benefit from immunotherapy and actually reduce the symptoms of asthma, patients with severe asthma may aggravate their condition. Patients under the age of five, pregnant or lactating women and those who are taking beta-blockers for heart disease should refrain from receiving allergy shots to prevent complications.