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Tag: Allergies

  • Beware: Some people have serious allergic reactions to feather bedding and jackets

    Beware: Some people have serious allergic reactions to feather bedding and jackets

    Winter is fast upon us. And, thousands of people will buy a new feather blanket, pillow or jacket. Beware: Wudan Yan reports for The New York Times that, in a small number of cases, feather products could cause an infection in your lower respiratory tract.

    After buying new feather bedding, one 43-year old man felt tired and out of breath all the time for three months without appreciating the cause. Fortunately, his doctor asked a lot of questions about his domestic situation. After ruling out allergies to dogs, cats and mold, the doctor asked whether the man had new feather bedding.

    A chest X-ray and blood test revealed that the man had hypersensitivity pneumonitis or lung disease. It was caused by antibodies or allergies to bird feather dust, aerosolized bacteria and fungi. That dust was in the man’s new bedding.

    This type of lung disease is uncommon. But, if left undetected, it can cause respiratory failure or scarring in the lungs.

    Should you buy a duck or goose feather jacket or bedding? Allergic reactions that lead to lung disease are rare enough that you should buy goose or duck feather products if you are so inclined. However, if you become out of breath or start coughing soon after, try staying clear of the feathers. Allergies could be the cause. You should also talk to your doctor.

    Steroids will help if you do have an allergic reaction to the feathers. Also, consider replacing your feathered items with hypoallergenic ones.

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  • Dietary changes may help fight allergies

    Dietary changes may help fight allergies

    What’s on your plate has a significant effect on allergies, including on how well allergy meds work for you, says says Vincent Pedre, MD, a board-certified internist and integrative physician in New York City, author of the book Happy Gut, and a former seasonal allergy sufferer himself. Nutrition is Dr. Pedre’s preferred approach to treating his allergies, in order to avoid possible drug side effects such as fatigue, sleepiness, and “feeling mentally slow,” he says.

    A dietary strategy against allergies might include subtracting some foods and nutrients and adding or increasing others. Eliminating or reducing foods such as wheat, dairy and sugar can make a difference, Dr. Pedre says. “We change the diet — a lot of times taking out dairy, for example — and spring allergy symptoms become pretty much nonexistent,” he observes. “There can be a huge improvement with the right dietary changes.”

    On the add-to-your-diet list, Dr. Pedre recommends foods rich in vitamin C (a natural antihistamine, antioxidant and immune booster), quercetin (an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory), and omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatories). Foods high in vitamin C include broccoli, kale, cauliflower, bell peppers, mangoes, strawberries, oranges, pineapples, cantaloupes and peaches. Dietary sources of quercetin are apples, citrus fruits, onions, garlic, tomatoes, legumes, dark berries, green and black teas and red wine. “Vitamin C and quercetin stabilize the mast cells, which release histamine,” so you’re left with fewer allergy symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing, Dr. Pedre explains. . . . Meanwhile, omega-3 fatty acids can be found in  . . . almonds, walnuts, avocado, ground flax and chia seeds.

    Although there are no studies to support its effectiveness, locally sourced honey — a teaspoon per day, taken for a couple of months before allergy season begins — is theoretically a natural form of immunotherapy, Dr. Pedre adds. The idea is that it delivers a small dose of pollens from the local area, the same ones that would trigger an allergic response if your body were not accustomed to them.

    This post is excerpted from Medshadow.org.

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