Foods to Avoid for Pollen Allergies

By: Judd Handler
May 19, 2011
Both the spring and fall bring their own set of allergies. Allergists are having a field day treating patients with hay fever and aversion to ragweed. But horrible puns aside, pollen allergies are no joke.
Up to 70 percent of those with pollen allergies experience unpleasant reactions after eating certain foods. Here are some of those foods to avoid for pollen allergies.
Most of the time, fresh fruits and raw, uncooked vegetables and certain seeds and nuts cause the allergic reactions.
 For people who experience what's medically called 'Oral Allergy Syndrome' (OAS; also referred to as 'food-pollen allergy syndrome' and 'fruit-pollen syndrome'), the following symptoms may occur after eating the offending food:
  • itchy or swollen lips
  • tingling at the back of the throat
  • scratchiness on the roof of the mouth
  • watery or itchy eyes
Although symptoms can be serious, most reactions of OAS are minor and occur in the mouth or throat.

Why do certain foods cause allergic reactions?
In a food-pollen allergy, the primary problem is the pollen, not the food itself. 
When certain fruits, vegetables, seeds or nuts are consumed, typically during spring and early fall when inhalant allergies are more common like hay fever, the body's immune system recognizes and essentially mistakes a plant protein in the food for pollen, and this irritant triggers what allergy specialists call a cross-reaction.
Cut to the chase. Which foods should I avoid?
It depends what tree or weed allergy you have. For those allergic to grass pollens, you’ll want to avoid:
  • oranges
  • tomatoes
  • melons
  • figs
As noted above, foods that cause a pollen-like allergic reaction are usually fresh or raw. If you love oranges but notice they cause a reaction, orange juice, although it's not as nutritiously-dense as an orange, might not cause the reaction. Same thing with tomatoes: freshly picked ones from the vine might cause an itchy throat, but tomato paste might not trigger a negative reaction.
If you're allergic to weed pollens, specifically ragweed, the following foods may trigger OAS:
  • banana
  • cantaloupe
  • cucumber
  • melons
  • zucchini
  • artichoke
  • teas of Echinacea, chamomile and hibiscus
Some other foods that trigger OAS in more than one type of allergy include:
  • apples
  • almonds
  • celery
  • strawberry
  • cherries
How long after I eat something that triggers allergies will I notice symptoms?
Almost immediately. Most allergists would agree that OAS symptoms appear no more than half an hour after eating.
 Besides not eating certain foods, what else can I do to avoid OAS?
Eliminate or greatly reduce artificial additives, artificial sweeteners and pesticides, as they could potentially cause bronchial spasms and histamine reactions of the eyes, ears, nose, throat and skin.

Also, boost your immune system. The weaker your immunity, the more likely your body will experience a cross reaction. Drink plenty of water, exercise daily, get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and supplement with anti-oxidants (under the care of a doctor or nutritionist).
 If you use anti-allergy medicine, try to choose natural anti-inflammatory and natural anti-histamine nutritional supplements.
 Fruits and vegetables are vital food groups to consume daily for optimum health. During allergy seasons, consume more cooked vegetables and try to eliminate the offending raw fruits. Use a food journal to determine which foods are triggering allergic reactions.
 Judd Handler is a freelance health writer in Encinitas, California.
Read more: http://www.mnn.com/health/allergies/stories/foods-to-avoid-for-pollen-allergies#ixzz3fdNzVv1Z


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How can I avoid or limit contact with ragweed pollen?

  • Wash your hands often. Pollen can stick to your hands when you touch something outside or a pet, if it has been outside.
  • Limit your time outdoors when ragweed counts are high.
  • Wear a dust mask that people like carpenters use (found in hardware stores) when you need to do outdoor tasks such as cutting the grass or raking leaves.
  • Don’t wear your outdoor work clothes in the house; they may have pollen on them.
  • Clean and replace furnace and air conditioner filters often. Using HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters is recommended, which remove at least 99 percent of pollen, as well as animal dander, dust and other particles.v
  • Use a clothes dryer rather than outdoor clothes lines.
  • If you take a vacation, choose places and times of the year to avoid high ragweed pollen counts.

The Sun is Good For You!

(Article from: http://www.realfarmacy.com/scientists-blow-the-lid-on-cancer-sunscreen-myth/)

According to a June 2014 article featured in The Independent (UK), a major study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that women who avoid sunbathing during the summer are twice as likely to die as those who sunbathe every day.

The epidemiological study followed 30,000 women for over 20 years and “showed that mortality was about double in women who avoided sun exposure compared to the highest exposure group.”

Researchers concluded that the conventional dogma, which advises avoiding the sun at all costs and slathering on sunscreen to minimize sun exposure, is doing more harm than actual good.

That’s because overall sun avoidance combined with wearing sunscreen effectively blocks the body’s ability to produce vitamin D3 from the sun’s UVB rays, which is by far the best form of vitamin D.

In the USA, vitamin D deficiency is at epidemic levels. Ironically, vitamin D deficiency can lead to aggressive forms of skin cancer. A ground-breaking 2011 study published in Cancer Prevention Research suggests that optimal blood levels of vitamin D offers protection against sunburn and skin cancer.

Additionally, vitamin D protects the body from diseases like multiple sclerosis, rickets (in the young), tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren’s syndrome.

According to the Vitamin D Council, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently reported that “lack of sun exposure may lead to cognitive decline over time.”

A DISSIDENT DERMATOLOGIST

Bernard Ackerman, MD, (deceased 2008) was one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subject of skin cancer and the sun, sunscreens and melanoma skin cancer risks.

Below are Ackerman’s views excerpted from an article in The New York Times (July 20, 2004), titled “I BEG TO DIFFER; A Dermatologist Who’s Not Afraid to Sit on the Beach”:

The link between melanoma and sun exposure (dermatology’s dogma) is unproven.There’s no conclusive evidence that sunburns lead to cancer.There is no real proof that sunscreens protect against melanoma.There’s no proof that increased exposure to the sun increases the risk of melanoma.

2000 Swedish study concluded that higher rates of melanoma occurred in those who used sunscreen versus those who did not.

SUNSCREENS: CANCER-CAUSING BIOHAZARDS

Elizabeth Plourde, PhD, is a California-based scientist who authored the book Sunscreens – Biohazard: Treat as Hazardous Waste, which extensively documents the serious life-threatening dangers of sunscreens not only to people but to the environment as well.

Dr. Plourde provides proof that malignant melanoma and all other skin cancers increased significantly with ubiquitous sunscreen use over a 30-year period. She emphasizes that many sunscreens contain chemicals that are known carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC).

Environmentally, she notes: “In areas where there has been much exposure to ED [endocrine disrupting] chemicals, coral and other sea populations have died off and the prevalence of dual-sexed fish has risen.”

Dr. Plourde’s research on mice and sunscreen exposure also showed increases in both pup and maternal mortality as well as reproductive issues in subsequent generations.

Additionally, the book documents how sunscreen chemicals have polluted our water sources including oceans, rivers and municipal drinking water. Worse yet, testing revealed that 97% of Americans have sunscreen chemicals in their blood!

Dr. Plourde’s book also has a chapter on the importance of vitamin D3 to health, and she posits that the widespread vitamin D3 deficiency is linked to overuse of sunscreen combined with sun avoidance in general.

Sources for this article:
http://www.nytimes.com

Scented Laundry Products Release Carcinogens


By RYAN JASLOW / CBS NEWS
(CBS) Scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets make laundry smell great - but do they cause cancer?
A small study suggests scented laundry items contain carcinogens that waft through vents, potentially raising cancer risk.
"This is an interesting source of pollution because emissions from dryer vents are essentially unregulated," said lead author Dr. Anne Steinemann, professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs at the University of Washington, said in a written statement. "If they're coming out of a smokestack or tail pipe, they're regulated, but if they're coming out of a dryer vent, they're not."
Previous studies have looked at what chemicals are released by laundry products, since manufacturers don't have to disclose ingredients used in fragrances or laundry products.
Needless to say, these researchers weren't thrilled with what they found.
For the study - published in the August issue of Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health - researchers enlisted two homeowners to volunteer their washers and dryers, which the team scrubbed clean beforehand. The researchers ran a regular laundry cycle for three scenarios in each home: once without any detergent, once with a scented liquid laundry detergent, and the last with both scented detergent and a leading brand of scented dryer sheets.
Their analysis found more than 25 "volatile" air pollutants - including the carcinogens acetaldehyde and benzene.
Benzene causes leukemia and other blood cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. Acetaldehyde has been shown to cause nasal and throat cancer in animal studies.
Steinemann thinks agencies focus too much on limiting other pollution sources when they should look closer to home.
"We focus a lot of attention on how to reduce emissions of pollutants from automobiles," she said. "And here's one source of pollutants that could be reduced."