Allergy relief without drugs?

Greetings,

We live in North Carolina and every year about this time all everybody's talking about is the pollen and how it’s affecting their allergies.  It pretty bad this year - there's 

a thin coating of yellow pollen everywhere you look.

It is especially bad for people who are here for the first time, their sinuses just aren't used to the assault that’s coming.

Medical statistics tell us that 1 in 3 people suffer from some form of allergies!

So what’s one do if you’re like us - and don’t want to pollute our bodies with drugs?

First, lets talk about what exactly is an allergy.  Medical science labels it as an abnormal reaction to a substance that’s usually considered harmless.  This reaction causes your immune system to respond.  There lies the problem -  your body can’t tell the difference between harmful invading pathogens and something harmless like pollens and dust. 

Our body’s confuse these harmless invaders with something that's really bad  - and it starts producing histamines, whick causes inflammation.  

You know what comes next, watery eyes, runny noses, sneezing, itching, skin reactions, fatigue, hives and even mood changes . . .

This is where if you watch TV, you’re supposed to run to the store and load you body up with some OTC drug of your own choosing or with some wonder drug your doctor prescribes.  

All this does is mask the symptoms (with another foreign substance, a drug that your body has to eventually get rid of).

Often we’re told we should just avoid the things that cause us to have allergic reactions:

 flowers – grass – mold – dust mites – pollen – pet hair

Then we're told to remove or minimize rugs and carpets in our homes, to dust and vacuum often.  We're told to bath our pets often and to keep them off our furniture and beds. 

Then there’s the foods to avoid:

 animal fat – milk and milk products – eggs – wheat – coffee and worst of all – chocolate!

Then don’t forget there’s those additives in the food we eat and all the environmental chemicals found in and around our homes -

cleaning products – soap powders – air fresheners.

There are other factors that may have an impact on your allergies:

•  Eating habits during the first year of life, like not being breast feed, eating solid foods too soon, like gluten, corn, wheat and oats. 

•  Poor eating habits.  Not properly chewing our food, having an imbalance in our stomach acids, having low digestive enzymes and even drinking too much before, during and after meals. 

•  There is also the presence of parasites, worms and other bad bacteria in the body.

•  Stress.  When we experience emotional or mental stress this affects our hormones and this can make us more susceptible to having allergic reactions.

•  The food we are eating.  Today foods have additives, colorings, sulfates, MSG and who knows what else that is contributing to more problems with allergies.

•  Lack of proper nutrition.  Let’s face it, we don’t eat a balanced diet and most don’t bother taking good supplements either.

•  Eating or craving the same food.   Sometimes the food we crave the most may actually be the ones that are making our allergies worse.

So where does that leave us?  Do we all rip out our carpets, ditch our pets and live in a bubble?

There are things you can do that aren't quite so drastic.

Choose products that are free of harsh chemicals.   Many of the products you see advertised on TV have toxic ingredients and they’ve been known to aggravate allergies.   We’ve found that buying products off the web or in natural and/or holistic stores might be a little more expensive up front, but you'll use less and they'll last longer, so it works out in the end.

Eating spicy foods is really good for you! Remember the last time you bit into a hot pepper or ate at that Indian restaurant?   Those hot peppers are great at opening up your sinuses!   I'm firmly believe that the more you eat hot spicy food, the more you'll like it...

One thing Debbie & I do on a regular basis is to flush out our sinuses with a saline solution.  We make our own, but you can buy a spray bottle of saline in the store.  We use a home remedy we got off a friend years back, and have been using it with great success since then. 

Start with a bottle of regular saline, dump it into a pan and then warm it on the stove (if you already have a bottle, just add a pinch of sea salt to the water). Then add 12 drops of Grapefruit seed extract and one teaspoon of Xylotil.  Stir until mixed completely.  Let this cool down and put back into the spray bottle.  You can spray this as often as needed to alleviate your allergy symptoms. This has been a real blessing for us and we hope it’ll be one for you too.

My good friend Dr. James Winer also told us to use a hydrogen peroxide mix.  Fair warning though, while this works great, it hurts like the “you know what” when you do it, especially if you have a sinus infection.  Simply mix a solution of 50% water and hydrogen peroxide and snort this up your nose (then hold on to the sink ;-).  This really cleans out your sinuses and kills off the infection - but don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Other natural remedies you should consider are to start a regular exercise program.   Adding lots of green leafy vegetables and fruit to your daily diet.  Add natural organic food and supplements to your daily diet.  Anything you can do that will strengthen you immune system would benefit you greatly.  

If you have been doing anything that works and is natural, we’d love to hear about what you’ve done yourself to beat the allergy blues.

All the best,

Lou & Debbie

Short Neurological Test

Greetings, There is so much we have to deal with everyday, thought it would be good to lighten things up a little bit. I tried to check to see if this was true, even checked snopes.com, but couldn't find the answer?  But it's pretty cool anyway, so enjoy. Short Neurological Test Do you think you can do it? Prove to yourself that you still have your mind intact and are not losing it. (my wife might have something to say about this...)    Short Neurological Test 1- Find the C below..      Please do not use any aids,         just your eyes. 2- If you already found the C,      now find the 6 below 3 - Now find the N below.       It's a little more difficult. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist.  Your brain is in great shape and your  far from having a close relationship with Alzheimer.  Congratulations!  Now on to the second part of the test… To my 'selected' strange-minded friends:   eonvrye that can raed this rsaie your hnad. Only great minds can read this This is weird,  but interesting! If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid too Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and you tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! SO - - - now we know you're a little strange too ;-) No wonder you like our blog, you’re just like us! All the best Lou & Debbie

Air Fresheners May Pose Health Risks When Used Indoors

Greetings,

Do you use air fresheners to keep your home or office smelling fresh and clean? 

You know that while these products are great at covering up odors, but did you know they also could be putting your health at risk! 

What these companies fail to tell you is that there are dangerous chemicals in them.  Air fresheners could be a trigger that may cause people to go into a severe and in some cases, deadly asthma attack!

According to a European Consumers Union study, many air fresheners contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are known to cause cancer in humans. Some, such as formaldehyde, can cause cancer of the upper respiratory tract.

       

In the article, "Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function" published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) on July 27, 2006, NIEHS studies show that 1,4 dichlorobenzene, a specific type of VOC, causes decreased lung function. Lead researcher Stephanie London, M.D. suggests protecting yourself and your family by reducing your use of air fresheners.

Most products tested in the European Consumers Union study also contained various allergens. Rashes or respiratory distress develop in reaction to these substances in susceptible individuals.

Most people will probably use air fresheners from time to time and should follow a few guidelines. Don't use these products around children, pregnant women or pets. Avoid use around individuals with medical conditions such as asthma or other respiratory illnesses as well.  Use in moderation and only occasionally to lower the risks associated with long-term exposure to such chemicals.

New research shows that a chemical compound found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs.

"Even a small reduction in lung function may indicate some harm to the lungs," said NIEHS researcher Stephanie London, M.D., lead investigator on the study. "The best way to protect yourself, especially children who may have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is to reduce the use of products and materials that contain these compounds."

University of Washington professor Anne Steinemann found in a study that over a third (37 percent) of people with asthma said they suffered adverse health effects after being exposed to an air freshener. Those that suffer from asthma or lung diseases will have lungs that are sensitive to anything that isn't natural in the air.  Even 20 percent of people who didn't have asthma reported ill health effects after coming into contact with air fresheners. If there isn't enough ventilation in the room, you have a much greater chance of inhaling hazardous chemicals.

Some fresheners are designed to directly restrict your sense of smell. One of the chemicals is formaldehyde, which can cause long-term damage to your nasal passages. It is also known to be a cause of cancer.

Chemicals are released into the atmosphere every time an air freshener is used, a number of which are damaging to the environment. They can even react with ozone and produce toxic compounds. One of those compounds is smog.

SO - let me ask you a question? 

Are you going to keep using these products in your home?

If you’ve ever had a problem with air fresheners, drop us a note and let us know the effect they had on you. We’ll share your story with our friends.

All the best

Lou & Debbie

Nationwide Recall Of Citalopram And Finasteride

Greetings
Just found out about this.  Please find out if anyone you know is at risk.
All the best
Lou & Debbie

Greenstone Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall
Of Citalopram And Finasteride Due to Possible Mislabeling

Contact:
Pfizer Inc.
1-800-438-1985

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 26, 2011 - Greenstone LLC announced today that it is voluntarily conducting a recall, to the patient level, of medicines with lot number FI0510058-A on the label. This includes Citalopram 10mg Tablets (100-count bottle) and Finasteride 5mg Tablets (90-count bottle), both distributed in the U.S. market. The recall is due to the possibility that incorrect labels have been placed on the bottles by a third-party manufacturer. This is the only lot number being recalled and no other lots or markets are believed to be impacted.

Importantly, bottles labeled as Citalopram Lot # FI0510058-A may contain Finasteride. Patients who believe they may have ingested the wrong medication should contact their physician as soon as possible. Women who are, or may become pregnant, should not take or handle Finasteride due to the possible risk of side effects which may cause abnormalities to the external genitalia of a developing male fetus. Citalopram is contraindicated in patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or pimozide, It is also contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to Citalopram or any of the inactive ingredients in the tablet. Patients who discontinue Citalopram abruptly by inadvertently taking the mislabeled product may experience discontinuation symptoms and/or worsening of depression.

Bottles of either Citalopram (used to treat depression) or Finasteride (for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia) with lot number FI0510058-A should be returned to the pharmacist.

Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this product. Also, any adverse events that may be related to the use of these products should be reported to Pfizer Inc. at-1-800-438-1985 (24 hours a day) or to FDA's Med Watch Program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

• Online:www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm¹

Have scientist finally solved mystery of the Bee Colony Collapse?

Greetings, 

Ever notice how everything in nature fits together?  Something as small as a honeybee is vital to growing the food we need to survive.

Here's the scary part, Bees have been dying off all over the world, especially in western countries, which could put 90% of US crops in peril.

There have been multiple scientific studies that have suggested that one group of agricultural toxins – neonicotinoid pesticides as a major contributor to their rapid demise. 

It is important to note that in the four European countries that have already banned these products, Bee populations have recovered!  

So why is Bayer still selling this deadly poison here in the United states?  The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized, in a leaked document, the Bayer’s Highly toxic product is a major risk concern to not targeted insects, like Honeybees.

Back in 2009, Italy put in place a ban to stop farmers from using neonicotinoid. After Italy no longer permitted this pesticide, the next sowing of corn resulted in no new cases of widespread bee mortality in apiaries around the crops sown. A first since 1999!

So now Italy, France, Slovenia and Germany have all banned neonicotinoid pesticides, and all have had noticeable positive results. 

This is your call to action, we need to Call, Email and Write to our representatives, here in the US and around the world to put a halt to the use of this dangerous product.  

Unfortunately, we will be fighting a powerful chemical lobby to get this ban in place.  We need to act to protect our country’s food supply.

There is an organization that has started a petition to help implement this, please go and add your voice to the petition.

http://tinyurl.com/bees-us

All the best,

Lou & Debbie.

CT scan surge for kids' emergencies raises concern

Greetings,
Please let your friends with children know of this new study.  
There are going to be times when a child will absolutely need a CT scan. 
Parents need to know about the need to prevent children from getting an adult size dosage of radiation.
I don't even like to let them take x-rays of my head when I go to the dentist.
Let us know what you think about this.
All the best,
Lou & Debbie

Associated Press

CT scan surge for kids' emergencies raises concern

By Lindsey Tanner

AP Medical Writer / April 5, 201

CHICAGO—Soaring numbers of kids are getting CT scans in emergency rooms, a study found, raising concerns some may be exposed to adult-sized radiation doses and potential risks for cancer down the road.  The number of ER visits nationwide in which children were given CT scans surged from about 330,000 in 1995 to 1.65 million in 2008 -- a five-fold increase. The number of kids' ER visits didn't increase measurably during the study, but the percentage of visits involving CT scans climbed from about 1 percent to almost 6 percent.

Increases occurred at children's hospitals but also at general hospitals, where most kids are treated, and which raises concerns some may have gotten adult-sized doses of radiation. The study didn't include dose information, but general hospitals may be less likely than pediatric facilities to use special CT protocols with kids to limit their radiation exposure, the study authors said.

Increases in CT scan use have also been found in adults, generating increasing awareness about overuse and potential harm because radiation exposure can cause later cancers.

A single CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis emits about the same amount of radiation as a person would get from five years of exposure to naturally occurring radiation in the environment, according to the American College of Radiology.

Radiation can damage rapidly dividing cells, and children have more of those than adults.

More scans may be done partly because imaging has improved over the years, the researchers said.

CT scans in kids require special oversight, including adjusting doses to their smaller size, because they are more sensitive to radiation than adults, with longer life spans and more time for radiation-related cancers to develop, they said.

The study "underscores the need for special attention to this vulnerable population to ensure that imaging is appropriately ordered, performed and interpreted," the researchers said, led by Dr. David Larson at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The study authors analyzed annual government surveys on ER visits at non-federal hospitals nationwide, focusing on visits in patients younger than age 18. The data include information on CT scan use, but not on the radiation dose used.

The results were published Tuesday in the journal Radiology.

The increases may be due to improvements in CT technology; more modern scanners create clearer images and are much quicker than older models, producing results in just seconds -- a bonus for busy emergency rooms, Larson said.

But other factors likely contributed to the increases, and in some cases, overuse, including fear of lawsuits, which drives some doctors to order tests to avoid getting sued for a missed diagnosis.

"If you send a kid home (without a CT scan) and it turns out you missed an abnormality, not many juries are going to be sympathetic," Larson said.

CT scans were most commonly used for children with head injuries, headaches or abdominal pain.

Larson said it's impossible to tell from the data whether X-rays, which use less radiation, or other tests could have been done instead of CT scans.

Dr. Marta Hernanz-Schulman, a pediatric radiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the study trends "are very believable" and illustrate the need to make sure imaging scans aren't used inappropriately in children.

She is a founder of the Image Gently campaign, started in 2008 by an alliance of doctors seeking to raise awareness about ways to reduce children's exposure to medical radiation.

Larson said there are signs CT scan use in kids may have started decreasing since the study ended.

Dr. Steven Krug, emergency department chief at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said many institutions including his own have started using ultrasound to diagnose appendicitis in some kids with abdominal pain. Ultrasound images aren't as detailed as CT images, and children with uncertain results will still need CT scans, but he said the trend may help limit radiation exposure.

At Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill., about 20 percent of the ER patients are children, said Dr. Mike Swindle, emergency department chief. Procedures call for adjusting CT scan radiation doses to children's size and weight, he said.

"We've all become a bit more conservative with ordering" CT scans, Swindle said.

Parents, too, are becoming more aware and increasingly asking about the risks, instead of demanding a CT scan for every bump on the head, he said.

Alternative to Skin Cancer Surgery

Greetings,

Just wondered if you have ever heard of this?  Curaderm is a cream extracted from a plant called the Devils Apple Fruit. The active ingredient in Curaderm is Solasodine Glycosides (BEC.) These ingredients are extracted from the plant Solanum sodomaeum. They has been shown to be effective in the treatment of the malignant human skin tumors.

We believe that a natural approach is always best,  but almost anything is better than chemo.

All the best.

Lou & Debbie

Alternative to Skin Cancer Surgery

Dermatologists at Royal London Hospital and nine other United Kingdom skin cancer treatment centers have supported claims that Curaderm-BEC cures skin cancer and is a viable alternative to conventional surgery, chemotherapy and laser treatments.

  Dermatologists applied the topical cream twice daily to the cancer lesion and within weeks, laboratory biopsies confirmed the BEC cream eliminated all traces of cancer.

  This discovery is a major medical breakthrough, as skin cancer is quickly becoming a health epidemic.  

Skin cancer management usually involves surgery, and the risks of surgical intervention are well known. Excision of skin cancer, such as a Basel Cell Carcinoma (BCC), from the facial area often involves reconstructive surgery, which can be both time consuming and costly.

  Dr. Sangeeta Punjabl of the Royal London Hospital concluded the Curaderm-BEC evaluation by stating, "We consider that this rate of treatment success more than justifies the physician considering BEC as an alternative to currently predominant treatment such as surgical excision or cryotherapy.”

The product consists of a patented biochemical (BEC) which is extracted from plants and a specialized cream formulation.
  Keratolytic and other agents in the cream soften and peel of the first layer of skin allowing the anti-cancer bio-chemical BEC to reach deep into the affected skin tissue.

  This active ingredient has an incredible capacity to select between cancerous and healthy cells. Once inside a cancer cell, the phytochemicals proceed to digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates, resulting in the destruction and sudden death of the cancer cell.

  Over the past decade, similar successful claims have also been observed in independent studies by practicing doctors in the USA and Australia.

  In Australia, the skin cancer capital of the world, over 50,000 consumers have chosen Curaderm-BEC to eliminate cancer lesions. The independent skin cancer clinics positive conclusions are expected to provide further comfort to medical practitioners and consumers, proving that Curaderm-BEC is a safe skin cancer care alternative to surgery. 

(PRWeb)