Alternative Treatments For Allergy Sufferers

Doctors often prescribe medicine to treat allergies. But taking medicine has caused some allergy suffers to endure unnatural effects such as drowsiness and headaches. With growing concern of chemicals and pills, alternative approaches to treating pollen and springtime allergies are becoming more popular.

Interestingly, alternative medicine is being considered even by the mainstream. Approximately 40% of all Americans have tried some form of alternative medicine including some of the ones listed below.

Acupuncture is an age-old procedure that places or inserts needles to certain points in the body. To people who have never heard of this procedure, it might sound hard to believe that needles help someone with allergy prevention. However, a rising number of patients claim that acupuncture has helped them with their allergy problems.

In an acupuncture session, the therapist places needles on the face and corresponding areas of the body. To treat allergies, sometimes the Chinese herb moxa is placed on the tip of the needles. By doing so, the process is intended to clear the sinuses and restore normal breathing.

There?s a philosophic basis for acupuncture. The Chinese believe in an energy force called the Qi, which flows through the body near the skin. Based on this belief, the Qi must be balanced through the entire body. If the flow is broken, deficient, or disrupted, the individual feels pain. By pressuring the points throughout one?s body, the energy can become balanced and ultimately restore the health of the patient.

Similar to acupuncture, massage can help the allergy suffers; particularly individuals suffering from sinus problems. Tightened muscles could contribute to congestion. By relaxing the muscles in the neck and face, the therapist can help get rid of the congestion and allow easier breathing.

Sometimes the best way to combat allergies is to fight fire with fire. Some have argued that eating local honey can help you treat allergies to pollen. The thinking is that the local honey has the native pollen and eating it would allow you to become more accustomed to the effects. With this alternative treatment, one can build natural immunities without the use of chemicals. Although there?s no conclusive study that supports this claim, many have claimed some benefits of applying this practice.

Others have claimed a well-balanced diet is a great way to fend off allergies naturally. There is no specific food or drink that prevents these reactions, but the overall goal is to live healthy. A healthy diet means a healthy body and system. And we all know that combating allergies centers on a good immune system. Foods with good sources of vitamins can contribute to this well-being. Vitamin such as B6 and B12 help the creation of antibodies and reduce the effects of airborne allergies. Other vitamin such as C and E are antioxidants that charge the immune system by improving white blood cell production and cell membranes.

Alternative therapies shouldn?t always be considered as a replacement for conventional treatment for allergy suffers. Consult with a doctor before applying any of the approaches discussed here. There are no specific studies that claim that any alternative treatments to allergies are very effective. As such, these alternative treatments to allergy suffers should supplement medically prescribed treatments.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Allergies

I Have A Cat Allergy - What Can I Do?

If we were smart we would avoid things that we are allergic to but who said most of us were smart or sane when it comes to our pets. For most cat lovers there is no way they are going to part with their beloved pet because of a cat allergy.

That means you?ll need to learn to manage your cats and your cat allergy symptoms. Although you might not rid yourself of your cat allergy you should be able to make your symptoms manageable.

In case you have forgotten we?ll give you a little reminder about the allergens and the fact that they are airborne so when you breathe them in you can have a cat allergy reaction. There is a high rate of contamination and recontamination.

1. No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed
Okay no monkey?s here but there will be no more cats sleeping on your bed. This might be the hardest habit to break but it?s a small price to pay to wake up clear headed in the morning and without your cat allergy bothering you.

2. No Trespassing
The bedroom has to become a cat free zone and this will reduce the allergens to almost zero. Don?t give into your cats. They?ll find somewhere else they love to curl up and you?ll find yourself suffering a lot less with your cat allergy.

3. Give Me An H..E..P?A
HEPA air filters do a great job of cleaning the air in your home and because cat dander is so difficult to pick up this is a smart way to be effective and help your cat allergy.

4. HEPA Vacuum
Vacuuming just became that much more important. You need to invest in a HEPA vacuum cleaner and you need to vacuum walls, carpets, furniture, and just about anything else that lives in the house other than Grandma?s fine china. You need to do it at least twice a week to reduce your cat allergy.

5. Steam Clean
Using a vapor steam cleaner to clean your home will kill the proteins in the dander. This has been scientifically proven. What that means is for under a hundred dollars you can rid your home of everything and you?ll find your cat allergy is forgotten.

6. Wash Em Now!
Always wash your hands right after handling your cat and make sure you do not rub your eyes at any time even after you?ve washed your hands. Your cat allergies will be better.

7. Heat It Up!
Wash all your bedding in water that is 140 degrees and do this twice a month to eliminate dust mites and cat allergens.

8. Bath Your Cat
Yes we know that this task could easily be worse than your cat allergy but you simply have to do it at least once a month and more often if you can.

What?s most important to realize when you suffer from a cat allergy is that you do not have to get rid of your cat. Your cat is a family member and getting rid of your cat is like getting rid of one of your children. You can have your cat and your cat allergy too.

Get all the latest information about Allergies from the only true source at http://www.1allergyinformation.com Be sure to check out our Cat Allergy pages.

Allergy Drops Provide Freedom

Are you chained to your weekly allergy shot treatments? Typically shots need to be given once a week and require not only time but money as well. Allergy drops which have been used in Europe for some time are now being offered here in the United States. These drops are given at home and therefore can reduce the cost of doctor office visits even if you only have a copayment.

Allergy shots and allergy drops are both immunotherapy treatments allergists use for their patients. The "new" sublingual allergy drops(not to be confused with eye drop treatments) have the same goal of slowly making the sufferer immune to whatever allergen is causing their problems. This is sometimes referred to as desensitization.

Disadvantages of Allergy Shots

1. Allergy shots can be inconvenient because they require a weekly trip to the doctor's office. Typically, shots consist of diluted versions of the allergen to which the patient reacts. The patient then has to wait approximately 30 minutes after the injections to make sure there is no adverse reaction before leaving the allergist's office.

2. Allergy shots can be costly. Even if you don't count the time lost out of work or school there is usually a cost associated with the office visit itself. Even if the shots are covered by your medical insurance typically there is a copayment with each visit. I know my copayment for an office visit is $15. If you have to go every week that adds up to a whopping $780 per year out of your pocket.

Advantages of Allergy Drops

• Save time - the patient visits the doctor only two or three times a year versus as many as 52
• Save Money - reduced patient visits equals reduced copayments
• Much More Convenient - patient received the prescription at the office and places the drops under his or her tongue at home

Some patients have experienced adverse reactions to sublingual allergy drops. The risk is similar to that of taking allergy shots but you can see that most people would think that the advantages far outweigh the risk of having to deal with a reaction on their own. Typically you would seek medical treatment immediately.

Many allergists will begin a patient's treatment using both shots and allergy drops and if the drops show a reduction in symptoms similar or better than the shots the allergist will most likely suggest that the patient move to just the drops. Given the convenience of this course of treatment it has been shown that more people will take the drops on a regular basis in comparison to the injections.

Treatments get better every day, rumor has it that allergy pills are around the corner that will treat more than the symptoms of allergies but will act as replacements for the allergy drops and allergy shots that exist for immunotherapy therapy treatments that exist today. Though immunotherapy does not work for everyone if it does the effects can seem miraculous.

Marilyn Franklin writes for AllergyFiles.com where you can find more info on how to manage your allergies.

What's The Best Allergy Air Purifier? 5 Things You Should Know

We've all seen those air purifier infomercials. But can can allergy relief be as easy as spending $449 for a home air purifier? Last year over 4 million air purifiers were sold in the US. And while allergies rank #1 as the reason people bought an air purifier the rise of childhood asthma (up 60% over the last 10 years) is a close second.

The strong competition between manufacturers is creating confusion for consumers. According to one industry analyst:

"Manufacturers are battling over whether ozone purifiers, ion purifiers, and the no-replacement-filter-type purifiers are best in the minds of consumers"

According to Rich Mayer, a Research Scientist who specializes in Air Purification Technology 3 things stand out:

After testing 314 air allergy purifiers we discovered that most experts still agree that a HEPA filters are the most efficient for removing pollen and dust. Next is UV light - which can kill bacteria and viruses that can contribute to allergy reactions.

5 things you should know before you buy an Air Purifier

#1: Replacement Filters are Over-Priced

In Japan air purifiers include 2-3 extra replacement filters. WHY? Because the Japanese think ahead.

U.S. manufacturers realize American's don?t think ahead so they overcharge. Once you purchase an air purifier you?ll be stuck paying what they ask. (Reminds me of my $89 inkjet printer ?the replacement cartridges are $28!)

Remedy: Ask for filter prices first. Every 6-12 months you?ll need to change filters. And anything over $25 is too much.

Buying Hint: Ask for a discount on extra replacement filters before buying.

#2: Avoid Purifiers That Say: ?No Replacement Filters?

The idea sounds great but once you've seen a dirty HEPA filter (HEPA?s are a cloth-like filter which holds dust and pollution) you realize the ones without filters aren't catching very much dust or pollen ? YOUR LUNGS ARE!

?No Replacement Filter Models? include:

Ionic Breeze

Oreck Models (they contradict themselves on their website. You have to replace filters, but they aren't HEPA)

Remedy ? Get an air purifier that has affordable replacements. HEPA is important if you have allergies.

#3: "Fanless" Air Purifiers Won?t Move Enough Air

The ionic purifiers sell you on how quiet they are and how little electricity they use. The problem is they don?t move any air.

(Note; Because of this problem Sharper Image went to fans in their new models)

Remedy: Avoid purifiers without fans.

#4 Avoid Loud Fan Motors

A few people have emailed me that after buying an air purifier they couldn't sleep.

Remedy: For a super quiet fan ask for one with brushless motors. Read the box for decibel levels. 20-35 decibels is quiet enough for sleep.

#5: It Won?t Do The Square Footage On The Box

I called Oreck when their new $700 tower was listed as covering 1100 square feet. ?How Many Times Does It Change The Air In The Room?? (which means how many times it will change all the air in that room). They didn?t know. Finally a tech said: ?One per hour?. That?s poor.

Remedy: Make sure to ask for 4-9 ?Changes Per Hour? per Square footage.(You may have to call the manufacturer) Square Footage as listed on the box is also based on an empty room.

How to Choose The Right Technology

Here are some guidelines to match the basic technologies to your needs:

#1 HEPA, Pre-filter, Neg/Ion, Plasma Grid = Helpful for allergies and asthma, some odors

#2 Carbon, Charcoal, Ozone = Helpful for odors, smoke, animal smells, chemical sensitivity, VCO?s, and immune system

#3 UV, TiO2, Plasma Grid, Ceramic = Helpful for immune system (colds, flu, viruses, pathogens), and eliminating musty odors

New Sensor Technology There is a cool new technology from Japan that detects pollen. It promises to bring greater allergy relief. It continuously adjusts the purifier to the room saving electricity and guesswork.

In the end the home Air Purifier I found became one of the 3 parts of the plan that eliminated my allergies.

Mark Richardson is a Los Angeles based Health Practitioner and Author. He has been interviewed on over 300 radio and TV stations across the U.S. on how he cured his allergies and asthma. He recommends looking at http://www.airpodcleaner.com you can email your questions to Mark at healthideal@hotmail.com.