Tag Archives: allergic reactions

Why You Need Sunshine for Optimal Health

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Discover How Sunlight Helps Heal Almost Every Known Health Condition–and How You Can
Bask in the Sun without the Risk of Overexposure

If you’re like most people, you probably think that getting a sufficient amount of safe sun exposure daily is not that important.  Unfortunately, you’re mistaken.  Insufficient sun exposure puts you at risk of serious medical problems, from bone fractures … to cognitive impairment … to cancer!

Vitamin D, which is known as the “sunshine vitamin,” is produced by the body in response to sunlight.  The latest statistics show that 1/3 of all Americans are deficient in vitamin D.  Continue reading →

Vitamin D Aids Cystic Fibrosis Patients

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U.S. researchers say vitamin D may help treat and prevent allergic reaction to mold in cystic fibrosis patients.

Researchers led by Dr. Jay Kolls of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans suggest vitamin D might be used to treat and even prevent allergy to the common airborne mold — Aspergillus fumigatus.

A. fumigatus, tolerated by most people, can cause severe complications for patients with cystic fibrosis and asthma. As many as 15 percent of patients with cystic fibrosis will develop a severe allergic response — known as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, finds aspergillosis patients had a heightened response by immune cells — type 2 T helper cells — that was linked to the presence of the protein OX40L.

This response was correlated with lower levels of vitamin D. Patients who did not suffer from aspergillosis had higher levels of vitamin D.

“We found that adding vitamin D substantially reduced the production of the protein driving the allergic response and also increased production of the protein that promotes tolerance,” Kolls says in a statement. “Based on our results, we have strong rationale for a clinical trial of vitamin D to determine whether it can prevent or treat allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in patients with cystic fibrosis.”

Other Butters May Replace Peanut Butter

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Some U.S. schools are banning peanuts and peanut butter from school lunches but a Dallas nutrition expert says other nut butters can be used as substitutes.

Joyce Barnett, a registered clinical dietitian at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas says parents don’t necessarily need to reach for the cold cuts as a source of protein if their child’s school has banned peanut butter because it can cause an allergic reaction in some children.

“Spreads made from other nuts or seeds provide a nutritious alternative to peanut butter,” Barnett says in a statement.

Alternatives to peanut butter include:

– Almond butter is high in protein and is a great source of potassium. Research has shown that almonds, which are tree nuts, can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well as total cholesterol levels.

– Soy nut butter is made from soybeans and has as much fiber as peanut butter. It’s free of peanuts and tree nuts, but children with soy allergies should avoid it.

– Sunflower seed butter is free of peanuts and tree nuts. A two-tablespoon serving provides more than one-third of a child’s daily magnesium and vitamin E requirements.

Man ‘Allergic’ to His Wife

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LONDON – A man who claims to be allergic to his wife says he comes out in a rash whenever he goes near her.

 Darren Young, 45, is allergic to a component regularly used in common creams and body lotions.

His heart rate soars – it may even stop – and his body swells if he comes into contact with the chemical, known as polyethylene glycol.

Mr. Young, a bus driver from Sprotbrough, South Yorkshire, says he cannot get close to his wife Sue unless she is free of all creams.

He told The Sun: “When it comes to bedtime Sue doesn’t need a headache as an excuse. She just says she has been using body lotion and it might kill me.

“It’s not just Sue – I can get a reaction if I go into a pub or a restaurant where a woman has been sitting. The doctors don’t really know why it has suddenly happened.”

Mr. Young discovered his allergy when he was given a steroid injection containing polyethylene glycol to treat a problem with his foot.

His face swelled up, he heart stopped and he had to be resuscitated.

He now has to be careful of what he touches and constantly carry medication.