Some urban tree species cause an inordinate amount of asthma and allergy problems, while other tree species cause little or no health problems. A large part of the problem is that the arborists and landscape professionals, who plant these trees, often dont know the difference.
The type of trees (and shrubs) used in modern city landscapes has changed dramatically in the past three decades. In the past, the majority of street trees used were perfect-flowered, insect-pollinated trees, such as the once so common American elm tree.
Today though, many of the most widely used city trees are wind-pollinated species. Most of these species are unisexually flowered (dioecious and/or monoecious) and further compounding the problem, thousands of popular cultivars sold today are touted to be seedless, low-maintenance, pod-free or litter-free.
These fruitless, seedless trees are male plants, all male, and male trees produce prodigious amounts of allergenic pollen. Female trees produce NO pollen what so ever.
In dioecious-flowered trees such as most ash, willow and poplars, it is easy to propagate male only trees because they are separate-sexed. Monoecious trees, which in Nature always have both sexes (male and female flowers) on the same tree, also usually produce abundant pollen. It is possible to have all-male trees from the monoecious species. On many species the sexes will be born on separate branches, such as on a Honey Locust tree. If you take cuttings, or budwood, only from the branches with male flowers, then, you’ll get an all-male tree. Lots of monoecious Acer spp. cultivars are male-only plants. In a somewhat different way, there are also numerous monoecious species where only the top or only the bottom will have either male or female flowers. For example, the bottom half of a mature Italian Cypress for example is all-male. Female
wood is found only at the top of the plant. Thus, scion wood taken from the bottom usually produces “seedless” plants.
The terms dioecious, and monoecious, are botanical terms, not horticultural terms. We could perhaps say that a manipulated, asexually propagated all-male cultivar, taken from a monoecious species, is now dioecious, but this is not quite correct. A proper dioecious tree is one that in Nature is separate-sexed. These modern engineered trees are never found in Nature.
Interestingly, the first reference in print I ever found to this single sexing-out with monoecious street trees, was in a USDA booklet, from 1982, called Genetic Improvement of Urban Street Trees.

How Bad Is Allergy Now?
In 1959 the official rate of allergy in the U.S. was between 2 to 5% of the public. By 1999 the official rate of allergy had increased to an incredible 38% of Americans. Asthma, which was once considered rare, is now the number one chronic childhood disease in the US.

Where are Allergies and Asthma the Worst?
The most common allergen of all is pollen and since there are so many more plants growing in the country than in the city, it would make sense then that there is more allergy and asthma in the countryside. Right? No, wrong! Allergies and asthma are far worse in the city than they are in the country.

Several things contribute to this:
1.Pavement makes a poor pollen trap. Pollen in the city often lands on pavement where wind can cause it to become airborne again. In naturally vegetated areas where there is much more vegetation, pollen often lands on and becomes stuck in grasses, shrubs and vines or in trees.
2.Cities have more air pollution, which weakens the immune system and lung function.
3.Stress, which is generally higher in cities, can contribute to both asthma and allergy development.
4.Increased carbon dioxide levels within cities causes pollen-forming plants to produce more pollen with each bloom cycle, and also often causes urban plants to bloom more often.
5.Pollen loads are actually far greater in cities because there is a sexual imbalance within the plant community. In the city there is a preponderance of male trees and shrubs, while in the rural areas there is almost always a complete balance of plant sexuality. The excess of male plants in the city results in an excess of pollen.
6.The very lack of female plant materials in the urban environment also is a prime factor in the epidemic of allergy and asthma. Female flowers carry an electrical negative (-) charge (the trees are grounded with their roots) and airborne pollen holds a positive (+) charge. The tree and the pollen are mutually attractive; thus a female plant becomes a very effective pollen trap for pollen of its own species. But with almost no female trees and shrubs in modern landscapes, most of the pollen remains airborne.

How to Improve Health and Air Quality through Tree Selection
Landscaping to reduce allergies, especially pollen allergies, is an idea that is coming into its own. In the past few years several books have been written on the subject and interest is growing rapidly.
With the addition of OPALS, (Ogren Plant-Allergy Scale) arborists now have a means to design allergy-free plantings. This scale ranks all landscape plant materials on a simple 1 to 10 allergy basis. Trees that produce zero pollen, e.g., female cultivars, usually rank the best number one. Trees that have abundant, highly allergenic pollen, especially those with very long bloom periods, are usually ranked the worst in the 9-10 range. There are many trees and shrubs, however, that fall somewhere in between. Using a list of over 100 factors, OPALS numerically ranks each species and then further ranks the individual cultivars. There are often dramatic allergy differences even between two species in the same genus.

How Are Plants Allergy-Ranked?
OPALS was developed based on the following considerations: What do plants that are well known to cause allergies have in common? and What do plants that are well known NOT to cause allergies have in common? With these two questions it was possible to build two opposing sets of medical-botanical-allergy criteria. One set is positive and one set is negative. Examples of negative criteria: tiny flowers, excerted stamens, small (less than 25 microns in diameter) sized pollen grains, extended bloom period. Examples of positive criteria: complete flowered, sticky, heavy pollen grains, presence of nectaries, brief bloom period.
There are now over a hundred criteria used to develop OPALS rankings. Individual landscapers, city arborists, the USDA and the American Lung Association have already use the scale to make better landscaping decisions.
Based on the plant-allergy scale it is now possible to state, for example, that Acer rubrum Red Sunset maple, is ranked number one and causes no allergies. By comparison, Autumn Spire, a male cultivar of red maple does cause allergies and is ranked number nine. Most Pine trees will rank at numbers 4 to 5 and will cause some allergy. Platanus species (sycamore) rank number eight, and cause quite a bit of allergy. A male Canary Island Palm, Phoenix canariensis, which is considered one of the worst at a ranking of 10, will produce an abundance of pollen that will cause severe allergic reactions to many living nearby.
Pollen dispersal rates have been measured since 1972 (Gilbert Raynor, NY meteorologist) and although many pollen grains travel far in the air, research shows that most often 99% of a tree’s pollen falls out and sticks within fifty feet of the tree. This means that the closer one is to the pollinating tree the greater the exposure. Thus, the job for arborists is to plant trees that will not expose everyone near them to allergenic pollen.

So, How Do You Tell the Boys from the Girls?
It isnt always that obvious by looking at a tree (especially a young tree) as to whether or not it is a pollen-free female or a pollen-producing male. But since so many city trees are now asexually produced cultivars, the sex is predetermined. In the book Allergy-Free Gardening, which is the result of 15 years of research on this subject, several thousand trees were individually sexed and allergy-ranked. In some cities, pollen control ordinances are already on the books, although most of these could be improved an updated. Albuquerque, New Mexico is particular interesting, since it has attempted to curb allergies by prohibiting the sale and planting of any male cultivars.
As the public grows more knowledgeable about allergy-free landscapes, municipal arborists and landscape specialists will want to be ahead of the curve. They will want to show their clients that they are well-informed on the subject. In the future, instead of planting high allergy-trees, they will need to plan and plant healthy urban landscapes.

References:
1.Lewis, Walter H., Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1976.
2.Jacobson, Arthur Lee, North American Landscape Trees, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California, 1996.
3.Koch, Christopher Von, Allergy, Die Woche, pg. 27, July 7, 2000, Hamburg, Germany.
4.Dworschak, Manfred, Der Spiegel, Feind am StraBenrad, Pp. 174, 175, Nr. 29, 2000.
5.Ogren, Thomas Leo, Turn Back the Pollen Clock, New Scientist, London, Pp. 46, 47, June 3rd, 2000.

About the Author

Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on plants and allergies for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the Canadian and American Lung Associations. He has appeared on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published in 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest book: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

Written By: Thomas Ogren

Posted: March 6th, 2008 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were exposed to high levels of pollen in their last trimester of pregnancy have a much greater chance of developing asthma. One of the main keys with asthma prevention is avoidance.
When you have asthma the typical garden is not a very friendly place at all. There are mold spores to contend with and worst of all is the pollen. Typical gardens have pollen producing male trees and male shrubs and other plants that can provoke asthma attacks. Almost anyone with asthma will tell you that their asthma can be triggered by a good number of things, but pollen is often number one for causing an attack. Garden allergies are common, but they need not be. Allergies from gardening could be largely a thing of the past if were willing to make some simple changes.
In fall of 1999 in Richmond, Virginia the American Lung Association of Virginia (ALAV) built a new Breathe Easy office and headquarters. They had this entire large building constructed with the latest innovations in green construction and sustainable design. No construction materials were used that would off gas any harmful or toxic chemicals, no materials were used that would trigger asthma or allergies. Every attempt was made to build something that would be pleasant and healthy to work in. The people who work in this office now will tell you too, that they all notice what a great improvement it is. Their office is a healthy building.
The ALA decided it would make perfect sense to landscape their new healthy building (in some states these are now called Health Houses) with an allergy free landscape. OPALS (the plant/allergy 1-10 numerical ranking system) was used to select only those plant materials that were either very low pollen, low allergy, or that were totally pollen free, allergy free. In effect they created the first true asthma friendly garden in the US.
Health Houses in other states are now also adding pollen free landscapes to their green construction, green buildings. A new Health House is about to be built in Pennsylvania, and the PA Association of Landscapers and Nurserymen are helping to surround it with an asthma friendly landscape.
Schools too are getting into the clean air act, and in the city of Visalia, California, the Tulare County Asthma Coalition recently directed the asthma friendly landscaping of a newly built elementary school.
Twelve keys to building your own asthma friendly garden:
1.Plant lots of female trees and female shrubs. Not only will these not shed any pollen, they will also trap a good deal of pollen that may stay in from somewhere else. Think of these female plants as natures air cleaners.
2.Use only low pollen or no pollen lawns. There are types of lawns now that are pretty well pollen free and these are a big improvement over some of the older lawn varieties. In southern states, if you have a common Bermuda grass lawn, consider replacing it with a newer, more asthma friendly hybrid Bermuda grass. Princess 77 is a new Bermuda grass hybrid that can be planted from seed. It is next to pollen free, grows very low and tight, and is especially good looking.
3.With OPALS 1 is best, 10 is worst. Use only plants with rankings of 1-5. The more plants in your gardens that have rankings ranging from 1-3, the friendlier your place will be for anyone with allergies or asthma.
4.Remove any trees or shrubs with rankings over OPALS #7. The woody landscape plants with rankings of 8-10 are all sure-fire allergy triggering plants and you can live without them.
5.Replace any removed high pollen, asthma triggering plants with their opposite, female trees or female shrubs. Also good as replacements are perfect flowered plants that are known to be very low pollen producers. These will all have good (low) OPALS rankings.
6.Use only plants that are well adapted to your own area. If you can find natives that have low allergy rankings, consider using them. Look around your own neighborhood, and see for yourself, which kinds of plants seem to be flourishing there already. For almost every kind of plant used in landscaping, there is now a no or low pollen version of it, if you know what to look for.
7.Use a wide variety of plant materials; diversity is good. Biodiversity always makes sense. The more diverse our gardens are he fewer problems well have with insects and molds.
8.Avoid plants with strong fragrances or odors, as they can cause asthma. Dont plant jasmines or similar vines next to entrances or exits and certainly dont use them underneath bedroom windows.
9.For mulch, use rock or gravel instead of bark to cut down on toxic mold spores in the garden. Flat stones or pavers also make good, mold free mulching materials.
10.To further eliminate mold spores, encourage wild birds in your garden. Virtually all wild birds eat insects, and insect damage triggers outbreaks of mold. Even the tiny hummingbirds actually eat a large number of insects. Put up a hummingbird feeder!
11.Keep your plants healthy. This too will cut down on both pollen and mold. When it is hot and windy, do some irrigating. Fertilize everything in the garden spring and fall. If plants are crowding each other too much, thin them out. If tree branches overhead are putting your whole yard in deep shade, consider having the tree thinned to let in more light. Fresh air and light are the enemies of molds.
12.If a tree, shrub, vine or any other plant always looks sickly, looks dirty, or always attracts bugs, then shovel prune it. Dig it up and get rid of it. Replace it with something easier to grow. Dont get caught up in having to spray insecticides all the time, as they too can easily cause asthma and allergies.

Make your garden a fun, stress free zone. Be sure to have a few comfortable garden chairs to sit in, and a little table of some sort is always good too. Wind chimes, bird feeders, and birdbaths can add greatly to your enjoyment and cost little. A beautiful, pollen free, allergy free, asthma friendly garden can be just the place for healthy children, and a great place for anyone to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. For more advice on low allergen gardening, look up allergy free gardening on the Internet, or go to your local library and read some books on this new important subject.

Tom Ogren is the author of five published books, including: Allergy-free Gardening, Safe Sex in the Garden (Ten Speed Press), and What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn (AOL Time Warner Books). Tom has an MS degree in Agriculture-Horticulture, taught landscape gardening for twenty years, owned and operated two wholesale-retail nurseries, and in northern Minnesota was host of the popular Public Radio call-in gardening show, Tom Ogrens Wild World of Plants!
Tom (Thomas Leo Ogren) has published hundreds of articles on health and gardening. His work has appeared in diverse publications such as South Africas Veldt and Field, in Womens Day, Alternative Medicine, the Burpee Seed Catalog, Sunset Magazine, Landscape Architecture, Der Spiegel, The London Times, The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, and even the Jerusalem Post. He has also made numerous appearances on HGTV and his work was the focus of two made for TV documentaries, one by the Canadian Discovery Channel.
Tom has been interviewed on National Public Radios Weekend Edition and his groundbreaking research was featured on The CBS Evening News. He is a frequent lecturer for garden clubs, arboretums, civic groups, hospitals, medical groups, Master Gardeners, and professional associations of landscapers, landscape designers, writers, nursery people, arborists, and urban foresters. He has become well known for his fun, high energy, highly informative, unusual and provocative talks. Tom is a member of the Professional Landscape Designers Association, and the GWA, the Garden Writers of America. Unlike many well-published authors, he still tries to answer all of his own email. You can contact Tom through his website, at: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

Notice of Copyright: Copyright Thomas Leo Ogren

About the Author

Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the American Lung Associations. He has appeared on CBS, HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

Written By: Thomas Leo Ogren

Posted: February 29th, 2008 under Asthma.
Comments: none

What we plant often has a direct effect on our own health and the health of those near us. A pollen-producing male tree in our own yard will easily expose us to ten times more pollen than would a similar tree growing just down the block. This can be compared to second-hand smoke. It is possible to inhale some smoke from a person smoking a block or two away from you, but it is hardly the same as someone smoking right next to you. It is the same with plants. If your own yard is full of allergenic plants, then you will be exposed most.
Elementary school landscapes are frequently highly allergenic because all too often they have been landscaped with trees and shrubs that will not produce any seeds, seedpods or fruitwhich the children might want to toss at each other. What is over-looked is that these tidy choices are usually male cultivars (clones) and although they are litter-free, they are prodigious producers of allergenic pollen. I am now involved with a pollen-free landscape planting at a new elementary school in Tulare County, California. This work is being sponsored by their local asthma coalition and it is very encouraging to see preventative measures like this being taken. Children suffer greatly from allergies and asthma, and asthma is now the most common chronic childhood disease in the US.
Another fine example of low-pollen landscaping surrounds the new American Lung Association Regional Headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. With green construction principles a new Breathe Easy allergy-free office was constructed. The allergy-friendly landscape plant materials are predominantly female, and compliment the clean air building. Other Breathe Easy offices are also now using pollen free landscapes, as are numerous Heath Houses.
Twelve tips: Remember, the greater the exposure to pollen, the greater the incidence of pollen-triggered allergy and asthma.

1.Dont plant any male trees or shrubs. These are often sold as “seedless” or “fruitless” varieties but theyre males and they all produce large amounts of allergenic pollen.
2.Do plant female trees and shrubs. Even though these may be messier than males, they produce no pollen, and they actually trap and remove pollen from the air. There is also some very good all-female sod to use for pollen-free lawns. As an added bonus, these female lawns stay low and require less frequent mowing.
3.Plant disease-resistant varieties: mildew, rust, black spot and other plant diseases all reproduce by spores and these spores cause allergies. Disease resistant plants wont get infected as much and the air around them will be healthier.
4.Use only trees and shrubs well adapted for your own climate zone. Plants grown in the wrong zone will often fail to thrive. Because they are not healthy, they will be magnets for insects. Insect residue, “honeydew,” is a prime host for molds and molds produce allergenic mold spores. Often native plants will be the healthiest choices.
5.Be careful with the use of all insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Accidental exposure to all of these chemical pesticides has been shown to cause breakdowns in the immune system. Sometimes one single heavy exposure to a pesticide will result in sudden hypersensitivity to pollen, spores, and to other allergens. This is as true for pets as it is for their owners. Go organic as much as possible. Make and use compost!
6.Diversity is good. Dont plant too much of the same thing in your landscapes. Use a wide selection of plants. Lack of diversity often causes over-exposure. Use lots of variety in your gardens.
7.Wild birds are a big plus because they eat so many insects. Plant fruiting trees and shrubs to encourage more birds. Suet also attracts many insect-eating birds. Insect dander causes allergies and birds consume an incredible amount of aphids, whiteflies, scale, and other invertebrate pests.
8.Use pollen-free selections whenever possible. There are many hybrids with highly doubled flowers and in many cases these flowers lack any male, pollen parts. Formal double chrysanthemums, for example, usually have no pollen. Another example would be almost all of the erect tuberous begonias. These have complete female flowers, but their male flowers have nothing but petals, making them pollen-free.
9.If you simply must have some high-allergy potential plants in your yard, just because you love them, then watch where you plant them. Dont use any high-allergy plants near bedroom windows or next to patios, well-used walkways, or by front or back doors. Place the highest allergy plants as far away from the house as possible and downwind of the house too. Remember: the closer you are to the high-allergy tree or shrub, the greater is your exposure.
10.Know the exact cultivar name of a tree or shrub before you buy it. Dont buy any that are not clearly tagged with the correct cultivar (variety) name and the Latin, scientific name. Compare the exact name of the plant with its OPALS/TM allergy ranking. With this scale, 1 is least allergenic, and 10 is the most allergenic. Try to achieve a landscape that averages at OPALS #5, or below.
11.If you have a tree or hedge that has high allergy potential and dont want to remove it, consider keeping it heavily sheared so that it will flower less. Boxwood, for example, has allergenic flowers but if pruned hard each year, it will rarely bloom at all.
12.Get involved with your own citys tree and parks departments, and encourage them to stop planting any more wind-pollinated trees. There are thousands of fine choices of street trees that do not cause any allergies and we should be using these instead. Working together we can make a healthy difference, and well all breathe better for our efforts.

*Note, with the dioecious plants (separate-sexed) males cause pollen-allergy, and females because they are pollen free, do not. Examples of some of these dioecious plants are: red maple, silver maple, box elder, holly, willow, aspen, cottonwood, poplar, fringe tree, pepper tree, carob tree, Osage orange, mulberry, cedar, juniper, podocarpus, yews, ash, date palms, and even asparagus.

About the Author

Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on landscape plants and allergies for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the Canadian and American Lung Associations. He has appeared on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published in 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

Written By: Thomas Ogren

Posted: January 27th, 2008 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Allergies are disorders of the immune system, which when a foreign substance that is normally harmless in most people causes an extreme reaction within the body. Contact can be with the skin, lungs, oesophagus, mouth, stomach and intestine and can cause a reaction to those organs plus the musculo-skeletal, genoto-urinary system, bowel, cardio-vascular, nose, eyes and brain. The substances that cause these reactions are called allergens and the person who suffers from this, is said to be allergic to the substance. When an allergen comes into contact with the body, the immune system believes it is under attack and produces antibodies called IgE to fight it. The antibodies trigger chemicals (the main one being histamine) to different organs of our body from mast cells which causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

The most common allergies are to dust mites, pollen, animal dander in household pets, insect bites, food and drink – the most common being milk, wheat, eggs, fish, soy, citrus fruits, seafood and peanuts, washing powder, cosmetics, toiletries, jewellery, mould and mould fungus, latex and rubber and certain drugs such as antibiotics and anesthetics.

Every individual has their own target organ that has more of an allergic reaction than the others organs. Whatever the substance that causes the reaction, the symptoms occurs in the weak target organs whether this is the same point of contact or not. The symptoms as a result from the allergic reaction will be dependant on the function of the afflicted organ and whether it is depressed or excited.

The main organs that are affected are the brain, eyes, ears, nose, lungs, heart, skin, bowel, genoto-urinary system and musculo-skeletal system.

The brain is the most sensitive of the body’s organs and is easily affected by allergies. Mild forms can be as simple as forgetfulness and severe forms can be as serious as dementia. ‘Woolly brain syndrome’ is a common symptom described by most people who suffer from allergies and this is why most people consider it normal. Other afflictions to the brain are anxiety, depression and panic attacks. The eyes can be affected by becoming watery, red and itchy and also afflicted by conjunctivitis. The mastoid glands in the ears can become affected producing pain and infection. When the nose is affected it can show symptoms such as hay fever, rhinitis, catarrh, blocked nose, sinus pain, sneezing and a running nose. The mouth and throat can be affected by swelling of the lips and tongue, sore throat and coughing. The heart can be affected which can cause hypertension, palpitations and irregular heartbeats. Asthma (wheezing and shortness of breath) and bronchitis can be cause by the lungs being affected and bowel can be affected with Crohn’s disease, colitis, diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain and vomiting. The skin can be affected becoming itchy, inflamed and having a red rash as with eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and urticaria. Urticaria (hives or nettle rash) can be caused by allergies to bee stings, medicines, animals and foods. The genoto-urinary system can be affected with PMT, cystitis, impotency and frigidity. Arthritis, Myalgia and fibrosis can affect the musculo-skeletal. The most extreme allergic reaction is anaphylaxis.

The target organ can change as the body changes, for instance, a child may have eczema as an infant which then changes to hay fever later in childhood which then can change again to migraine attacks in the teenage years which then can change again to arthritis in old age.

In the UK, 1 in 3 people will suffer from one or more type of allergy, 1 in 5 suffer from hay fever, 1 in 5 school children suffer from asthma and 6 million people have eczema.

Natural substances such as mould, spores, pollen, dust mites, animal dander and insects usually cause an allergic reaction in the upper respiratory systems. They cause redness, itching and fluid in the form of water and mucous and can affect the eyes, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs and bronchial tubes.

A person can be allergic to any food, wheat, milk, eggs, corn, yeast, coffee and chocolate are the most common. Food allergies mostly affect the nervous, respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin areas.

Allergic reaction can be caused by food additives and environmental chemicals such as chemical sprays, pesticides, hydrocarbons, tobacco smoke plus thousands of others.

Allergies to certain foods are associated with certain symptoms. For example, headaches are associated with chocolate and wheat, migraine headaches are associated with milk, eggs, nitrates, alcohol, cheese, chocolate, citrus fruit, nuts, wheat, tomatoes and MSG, eczema is associated with eggs, tomatoes and citrus fruits, hay fever is associated with milk, wheat, cola drinks, chocolate and sulfites, hives are associated with strawberries, nuts, pork, mangoes, tomatoes, eggs, chocolate and shellfish, asthma is associated with wheat and eggs, cerebral symptoms are associated with wheat, corn and Soya beans and childhood allergies are associated with fish, beef, rye, milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, artificial colourings and flavourings and salicylates.

Other factors that can contribute to allergies are bad feeding habits in the baby’s first year of life, poor digestion, excess or repeated contact of a particular substance or food, low nutrients level, presents of candida albicans, parasites, worms or other bacteria, stress and environmental toxins.

To help eliminate or reduce the symptoms of allergies it is best to consume lots of still mineral water, brown or white rice, fruit juices except citrus fruit juices, lots of vegetables except corn and tomatoes, fish except shellfish, turkey and almonds, sunflower seeds and walnuts.

In conclusion, good nutritional health is vital to support our immune systems to help ward off allergic reactions to foods and environmental chemicals. Once a person knows they have an allergy, it is best to avoid that food or chemical, improve nutrition and exercise regime, combat stress and generally support the immune system. It is best not to ignore allergic reactions, as they can lead to further more serious illnesses.

About the Author

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh Advice for a healthier natural life website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com

Written By: Stewart Hare

Posted: December 13th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Among all allergic and respiratory-related diseases, asthma allergy makes up the majority. Asthma allergy is perhaps one of the leading causes of respiratory illness among children and young adults although this condition may progress a lifetime.

While it is considered an allergy, asthma is so prevalent (especially among children) that it deserves to be addressed in its own chapter.

Proper care and health maintenance is essential to warding off the debilitating repercussions of exposure to irritants which could trigger all the symptoms underlying such disease.

What exactly is Asthma allergy?

Asthma allergy is a chronic lung disease characterized by difficulty of breathing, wheezing, coughing, and increased mucus production during recurrent attacks. These same symptoms can cause death in some cases depending on the severity of the amount of allergens involved and antihistamine molecules produced by the body enough to block the airways for the transportation of air to the lungs.

Around 7 to 10% of children experience the condition and current statistics shows an increasing number of sufferers. Asthma allergy does not seem to be an inherited disease since a family member, who apparently do not have relatives exhibiting the symptoms of the disease, can be infected anytime should he or she is exposed to environmental factors triggering the onset of the disease.

People with this medical condition have a very sensitive bronchial pathway. Presence of molecules or particles recognized by the body as foreign can set a huge allergic attack characteristic of the condition described above.

From a medical point of view, asthma is a type of allergy. Allergy is defined as a change in the body’s biological activity due to the presence of one or more types of allergens (substance promoting the symptoms of allergy.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 50 million Americans are suffering from allergy and currently 20 million individuals, comprising the wide-range of America’s population experiences the symptoms of asthma.

Causes of Asthma allergies

The causes of asthma allergies are the same as for other allergies we have discussed. Causes can be in the form of dust, certain chemicals, scents, and various odors. Other trigger factors may be in the form of temperature. Cold or hot air can provoke allergic reactions to patients sensitive to them. In any case, allergic reactions are specific to individuals and not all individuals suffering from allergy responds universally to all types allergens.

Particularly interesting clients are the ones allergic to some forms of physical activity like exercise. In the same manner, emotional state is one factor for some individuals in order for the characteristic asthma symptoms to set in.

Among all these influential agents, smoke has been found to occupy the universally recognized trigger attacks for patients with asthma allergy especially for children. At least 8 out of 10 children are more prone to developing asthmatic conditions once exposed to these agents.

Perhaps, as society becomes industrialized and increased fume emissions accelerates, more and more people will develop symptoms characteristic of this disease.

Who Are at Risk?

Statistical data shows that asthma allergy is not a discriminating disease. It affects people of all ages, race, culture, color and gender.

Especially predisposed to developing such illness are people who are exposed to heavy car or industrial emissions and filthy surroundings. 10 to 12% of children averaging 18 years of age are the common target.

Additionally, individuals whose relatives have a history of such illness are more at risk in manifesting such condition in the future.

Latest Diagnostic Device and Treatments

Gone are the days when people die of symptoms and complications involved in asthmatic attacks. Due to the development of studies and research in asthma allergies and other forms of allergies, treatment and varying levels of diagnosis were introduced to properly treat the symptoms typical of asthma allergy.

But basically, one first hand “cure” or initial activity to be done in the management of asthma allergy is to avoid the source of the allergens to which the individual is allergic to.

For example, if the individual is allergic to dust, staying indoors may help reduce the probability of allergic occurrence. In any case, consulting a family doctor or an immunologist will provide you the most practical and wise information regarding dealing with individuals experiencing such condition and recommendations which will keep you from attacks you would rather stay away from.

About the author:

Mihail Fortomas is a teacher of Biology and his site introduces you to what you need to know to get allergy relief! Visit: http://1source-body-health.com/ease-allergies.html

Written By: Mihail Fortomas

Posted: December 1st, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Whether you suffer from asthma, allergies or simply want to ensure the air in your bedroom is as clear as possible, there are several easy measures you can take to limit the amount of dust that collects in one of the most used rooms of your house. We spend more time breathing air in our bedroom than any other room, and shed more skin there too (unpleasant sounding, but true!) as we get changed in and out of work, casual clothes and pyjamas. The amount of dust in your bedroom can irritate existing allergies and asthma, or even just create an irritation without any prior allergy having existed. Opening the windows to let in the breeze can only clear your room for a short time, so setting up your room to be dust-free from the outset is the best way to go about cutting out that stuffy nose and horrible heavy-headed feeling in the morning.

There are many ways you can reduce the amount of dust in your bedroom, and you can of course use any or all of these methods, depending on how much work you are willing to do. Incidentally, when carrying out any amount of cleaning work in a dusty room, you may find it beneficial to wear a filter mask. They’re very cheap from any DIY or hardware store, and can save you a stuffed nose.

Carpets – The first major storage area of dust mites and their droppings is the carpet. If you can, replace carpeting with wooden floors (hardwood, tile or linoleum flooring can be obtained fairly cheaply at DIY stores for easy home-fitting). If this is not an option, you could consider treating your carpets with Tannic Acid, which kills the mites. It’s not as effective as removing the carpet however, can irritate some people’s allergies, and needs constant reapplication.

Furniture & Furnishings – Any flat surface in the bedroom is a perfect place for dust to gather. Try to limit such surfaces (floor to ceiling wardrobes is a good way to get round clothes storage) and get rid of all upholstery. Upholstered furniture simply adds another layer of fabric for mites to make their home, so ensure all surfaces and chairs are metal or wood, which can be scrubbed every now and then, and don’t store dust and mites. If you have any clothes that cannot as yet be stored in a closed drawer or wardrobe, store them in zippered plastic bags, and make sure shoes are off the floor. Avoid heavy curtains or Venetian blinds, use light fabrics or, ideally, window shades. The thicker the material the more space for dust mites to live and breed, and for dust to collect. Venetian blinds, obviously, provide multiple flat surfaces for dust to settle, so are not ideal either. When washing bedding, wash the curtains too.

Beds – One of the worst storage areas for dust mites and collected skin cells, mattresses are impossible to clean completely. If possible replace your regular bed with a waterbed, which is easily cleaned and provides no chance for dust mites to hide. Many stores will sell allergy-safe bedding covers and pillowcases, so use those or bedding with a Dacron content. When washing bedding, ensure you are washing at temperatures above 130 Degrees Fahrenheit. It goes without saying that it’s a good idea to avoid wool-blankets or other such comforters on the bed.

Pets – Of course if you already have animals you are not going to want to get rid of them, but just making sure they don’t get into the bedroom can make a world of difference. As mentioned before, you spend more hours in your bedroom than in any other room, so it’s worth excluding any fur-covered pets.

Cleaning – Try to clean the room completely and thoroughly every week, using a damp cloth on all smooth surfaces (including window sills and the tops of any high cupboards) to pick up dust rather than just kicking it into the air. Open windows to air the room while you wash bedding and furnishings, and vacuum any carpeting and upholstery you may have in the room.

Air Purifying – Using dehumidifier and air conditioners can help regulate high temperatures and moisture that can increase mite breeding. Only use air conditioners when absolutely necessary however, as they can dry the air so much as to be harsh on nasal passages.

When already firmly settled in a home, you can’t really move, but if you have a choice then it’s a good idea to avoid basement living. You can translate all these practices to the rest of the house too, with the living room being perhaps the next most important room to target.

For mild allergies, just putting some of these measures into practice can lead to quite some relief, and for serious asthma and allergy sufferers you can create a virtually dust-free room by doing everything talked about in this article, leading to better quality of life and often a reduced need for medications.

About the author:

The British Waterbed Association aims to support both their members and the buying public to ensure waterbeds are promoted in a manner that accurately reflects the significant benefits that a well-made waterbed provides. You can find more information, and a list of BWA members on their website: http://www.waterbed.org

Written By: Mike Hand

Posted: November 7th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

When we hear of allergy and asthma studies, we often find them lumpted together. Is there really a connection between allergies and asthma? To get to the answer to this, we must first learn what allergies and asthma actually are.

Allergies are immune system reactions to things that others would find harmless. Certain foods, pollen, even dust are all considered allergens that can trigger an allergic reaction. The immune system produces antibodies that release chemicals

Asthma is a chronic lung condition, characterized by difficulty in breathing due to extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. During an asthma attack, the airways become irritated and react by narrowing and constructing, causing increased resistance to airflow, and obstructing the flow of air to and from the lungs. Common early warning signs of asthma include fatigue, coughing (especially at night), wheezing, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, runny nose, and itchy throat.

Allergies, on the other hand, are immune system reactions to things that most people would experience as harmless. Certain foods, dust, pollen … these are allergens that can trigger an allergy attack. When they’re encountered, the body’s immune system produces IgE antibodies to fight the allergen. These antibodies create the release of chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which (histamine) affects the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and skin, causing the allergy’s symptoms.

So now that we have a better picture of how these two health conditions work, the question becomes … is there a relationship between allergies and asthma?

It’s true that those with certain allergies (usually allergies that affect the nose and eyes, such as dust mites, animal dander, mold or pollen) are more likely to develop asthma than say … those without allergies or those with allergies in other classifications, such as food allergies. But it’s also true that many of those with allergies never develop asthma at all.

In addition, there are other factors that can contribute to a person’s asthma. Unmonitored exercise, for example. Or other illnesses, such as colds or the flu.

Scientists aren’t sure what lies at the root cause of asthma. Various studies are looking at a variety of factors, including air pollution, obesity, and as strange as it might sound, even the lack of exposure to viruses and bacteria in childhood (which may prevent he immune system from growing stronger).

What we do know is that exposure to indoor allergens, pollen, animal dander, grass … in other words, allergy-related factors, are often found in asthmatics. Often, but not always. And it also appears that asthma tends to run in families. If both parents have asthma, there’s actually a 40% probability their children will develop the disease as well.

Current research efforts have been exploring the influence of environmental factors, genetics (as mentioned above), and even stress on asthma. This creates the potential to dramatically reduce a person’s asthma severity levels by altering his or her exposure to the aggravating factors. This can be particularly successful when the culprit is something that’s relatively easy to control. Dust, for instance. Or something only encountered in a work environment. Or, though it’s certainly much more difficult because of the emotional component, a family pet.

Unfortunately, the most common allergy that appears to have a direct influence on asthma is an allergy to dust mites. Eliminating these mites to the extent that it might make a difference in the severity of your asthma requires a major change in lifestyle and can often be quite expensive. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, only that it’s not as easy as simply staying indoors during the pollen season or switching to a less stressful job.

Of course, new treatments are coming along all the time, and considerable research is currently dedicated to finding ways to modify, abolish or diminish the affect allergies have on the body. It’s believed that with the successful control of allergies can come the successful control of asthma, particularly in younger sufferers.

In the meantime, here’s what we know … asthma can be triggered by allergic reactions, but it can also be triggered by nonallergic reactions. Most asthma attacks result from exposure to allergens such as pollen, household dust, and mold. These attacks can be influenced by indoor or outdoor environments. Because a majority of asthma sufferers are affected by some form of allergies, it’s worth the effor to work closely with your doctor to try to identify and control all potential allergens within your influence.

About the author:

Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com – a website for health, fitness and wellness information.

Written By: Amanda Baker

Posted: November 1st, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Go to any grade school or high school sporting event! ake a peek at the sideline bench and note how many inhalers you see. Did you know that the number one reason children miss school is asthma? Why the explosion of asthma and respiratory problems in children?

4 Reasons Respiratory Problems are on the Rise!

1) Couch Potato Generation kids weigh more, exercise less and spend more time indoors.
2) Too much antibiotic use – Immune systems never get much opportunity to fight infections, and then react abnormally to airborne contaminants.
3) Air Pollution Pollution does not cause asthma but can be a trigger for an attack. Cars and factories now have stricter controls on emissions but the problem is still there.
4) Indoor Air Pollution 20 years ago no one ever heard of Indoor Pollution! Since the Energy Crisis in the 70s, buildings became more energy efficient. This meant all pollutants became trapped inside. Many of the items we furnish our home and school with are outgassing contaminants continually. Carpeting, curtains, cleaning products, particle board furniture and more! With people spending 90-% of their days indoors, this becomes a problem!

4 Things You Can Do To Protect Your Kids from Allergy & Asthma Reactions!

1) Watch for days when pollen counts are high and restrict vigorous exercise on hot days.
2) Avoid Wood Stoves and fireplaces in the home and NEVER allow smoking in the home of an asthmatic.
3) Keep pets out of the bedrooms.
4) Make sure kitchen, bathrooms, and basement are well ventilated to cut down on mold in humidity.
5) Put pillows and mattresses in allergen-impermeable covers to cut down exposure to dust mites.
6) Use non-toxic cleaning products and avoid perfumes and scented products.
7) A filter-less air purifier is highly recommended since a filter can only capture a small portion of allergens.

About the Author

To learn more about products for a healthier indoor environment, please visit my website at www.myhealthysolutions.com or register here for my bi-weekly issue of The Achoo Reviewan online newsletter to help you and your family with allergies and asthma.

Deborah Mumm has been an Indoor Environmental Consultant for 7 years. She has helped hundreds of people with her tips and healthy products. http://www.myhealthysolutions.com

Written By: Deborah Mumm

Posted: October 14th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a super-sensitivity to a substance that is not harmful to most other people. These substances are called allergens. The common allergens include pollen, mould, dust mites, cockroaches and pet dander. Some people also have food allergies. Some people have symptoms with strong chemical fumes, odours (including perfumes, fragrances in household cleaners and detergents), smoke and air pollution. These compounds are chemical irritants and not true allergens. The common symptoms of allergy include hay fever, asthma, eczema or food reactions.

How do I know if I have allergies?

Hay fever is the most common allergy problem in Canada. The typical symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes, a dry cough and itching. Asthma is a lung condition which can lead to shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing. Eczema is a skin condition which often involves a dry itchy rash. True food allergy reactions can include hives, itchiness, shortness of breath, throat tightness, lightheadedness or stomach pain after eating the food allergen. Allergies can be a serious medical condition and you should consult your doctor if you suspect you have them. A doctor may recommend allergy scratch tests (a type of skin testing in which suspected allergens are applied to the skin, scratched and observed for a reaction in 15 minutes). Skin tests should always be done under the supervision of a qualified physician with an expertise in allergy.

How are allergies treated?

The first step in an effective allergy treatment plan is to make some simple lifestyle changes that will limit your exposure to allergens. I would suggest having allergy scratch tests done before any major lifestyle changes are made. After the allergy scratch tests you will know the likely causes of the allergy symptoms. One can avoid pollen by keeping windows closed and air conditioning on during the high-pollen seasons. Most of the mould that causes allergies is from the outdoors. Therefore, keeping the windows closed is helpful. If you notice mould in the house it should be cleaned with diluted bleach. The best ways of avoiding dust mites are to purchase proper dust mite proof pillows and mattress covers, remove carpet from the bedroom, wash the bedding in hot water and to keep the humidity around 40 percent. Vacuuming and duct cleaning are actually not very effective at removing dust mites. The only way to remove pet allergens completely from the home is to keep the pet outdoors or to give the pet away. By keeping pets out of the bedroom, washing pets weekly and removing carpets from the bedroom, you can decrease your total pet allergen exposure. If you have a true food allergy, that food should be completely avoided.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about which medications would help you manage your allergy symptoms. Antihistamines are the most common medications used to treat hay fever. Antihistamines block the action of histamine released by the immune system and are effective at reducing sneezing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. They are particularly effective at relieving the symptoms of seasonal hay fever and should be taken as soon as an allergy attack develops. You may also need a decongestant to reduce nasal congestion. Some antihistamines can cause side effects such as drowsiness and they should be avoided if you have to drive, work or perform tasks that require you to be alert. There are several websites offering good information on allergies, for example, visit www.claritin.ca.

About The Author

Dr. Harold Kim is an allergy specialist based in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web. News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial “fill” items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Written By: News Canada

Posted: October 8th, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none

Asthma is an inflammatory condition where your bronchiales constrict causing breathing difficulties. Your bronchioles become inflamed for a variety of physical, emotional and environmental reasons. It is not contagious so, you cannot catch it from another person.

But what is the real cause asthma? Why do some people develop asthma and why is asthma more common in the western world?

Inheriting Asthma

However, you can inherit the asthma tendency from your parents, although people with asthma should not worry about their future children on this score.

Studies show that children whose parents smoke are twice as likely to develop asthma as children of non-smoking parents. Also, children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy tend to be born with smaller airways, which greatly increases their chances of developing the disease.

The “westernised” environment and lifestyle in developed countries has a lot to do with the chances of whether a person will develop asthma or not.

Many people believe air pollution has something to do with asthma, although the evidence, at this stage, is surprisingly very weak.

Allergies

Causes of asthma include allergies to house dust mites, cats, dogs, and moulds.

Childhood infections and exposure to substances from bacteria in a dirty environment seem to protect against allergies, and this seems to be the main reason why richer populations have more allergic disease.

So the causes of asthma are complicated. They include genetics, exposure to chemical irritants and pollution, a low immune system, emotional or mental problems, allergies to certain foods.

Almost all asthma in young people is cause by allergies. This means that if you have asthma you probably have inherited genes which make it possible for you to get asthma. Add to this, allergy-producing things in your environment, such as house dust mites, cats, or dog and your asthma get worse.. The allergies and the genes are the causes for developing asthma, because if either of them were not present you would not developed asthma.

But, what about colds, exercise, laughter, or tobacco smoke, which are asthma triggers?

You can’t cure your asthma by not doing exercise, or by not laughing. Quite simply, these are not causes of asthma, though they can be causes of an attack.

The type of interior house paint can apparently make asthma worse. Glossy oil paints used for home decorating can bring on asthma attacks. The good news is that emulsion paints don’t seem to do this.

Polyurethane paints, usually recognisable because they come in two packs which need to be mixed together before use, can cause occupational asthma in people who use them regularly. However, they probably cause no great risk in people with asthma who use them infrequently. As always, when using chemicals and paints, it is surely a good idea to ventilate the area well during and after use.

Emotional issues

Now, deep seated emotionally issue can be the cause of asthma. When emotion is embedded into the body, it has to express itself in a way that its electrical charge can be released. This release happens over and over as outside situations trigger the memory.

The way an embedded emotion issue choses to express itself is by the path of least resistance. If your heart is weak, the emotional issue will pound your heart. If your joints are weak, it will pound your joints. If your bronchia or lungs are weak, it will pound them and eventually weaken those more, leading you to asthma or other respiratory diseases.

Early on everyone should be aware of their family illness history. This is something that is seldom considered. If it were, you could take preventative measures if you knew you were prone to asthma. Choosing the right foods and keeping specific body organs or systems strong, with the right nutrients early on, would definitely prevent you from having to suffer with asthma as you became older.

About the author:

Rudy Silva is a Natural Nutritionist. To discover more about using natural remedies for asthma go to: http://www.asthmatreatments.info

Written By: Rudy Silva

Posted: September 23rd, 2007 under Asthma.
Comments: none