Posted by Ivey on March 17th, 2010
Spring break season has officially begun. For many people, this is a time to travel and take a break from work, school, or both. Unfortunately for asthma- and allergy-sufferers, spring break isn’t exactly a break. In fact, traveling with allergies and asthma can prove to be hard work. Luckily, there are multiple mobile phone apps available to make traveling with allergies and asthma a little easier:
Read more about mobile phone apps that can make traveling with allergies and asthma a little easier
Posted by Ashley on February 6th, 2009
America’s “Gateway to the West” has now taken on a new – and not exactly desirable – nickname. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has ranked St. Louis, MO as the No. 1 most challenging city for an asthma-sufferer in 2009. This is due to a number of factors, including a higher than average annual pollen count, poor air quality, a lack of public smoke-free laws, and a worse than average crude death rate from asthma. The Midwestern city rose to the top of the list from No. 9 last year, replacing 2008’s Asthma Capital, Knoxville, TN. Read more about the 2009 Asthma Capitals
Posted by Ashley on December 16th, 2008
This week, many of you are prepping your homes to host family and friends for the December holidays. Yet between vacuuming deliriously, setting out fresh linens, and baking scrumptious cookies, you might find yourself pondering some very important questions: “Isn’t Aunt Meta allergic to the cat?” “Wait, which one of my cousins has a peanut allergy?” Read more about hosting guests who suffer from allergies and/or asthma
Posted by john on November 15th, 2008
2008 is almost over! This is an important time for asthma awareness. If your child has asthma, by the end of the year, his or her inhaler will be replaced with a new one (if it hasn’t already been replaced). HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) inhalers will replace traditional CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) inhalers because the use of CFC inhalers releases greenhouse gases that may damage the ozone layer.
But the new eco-friendly inhalers are a bit different, and you should make sure that your child is aware of the differences. Read more about HFA asthma inhalers
Posted by john on November 14th, 2008
Your environment not only determines your health, but it also determines who you are – quiet literally – at the level of gene expression. Read more about environment and gene expression
Posted by john on November 2nd, 2008
If you have asthma, you should be familiar with all of your asthma triggers so that you can avoid them. Get tested for allergies if you haven’t already. Most asthmatics are sensitive to at least one common household allergen.
Indoor air quality is a major concern for people with asthma. If you can manage to avoid inhaling the particles that make you sick, then you’ll feel better. Read more about air quality and asthma
Posted by john on October 31st, 2008
Nearly every child is infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) early in life. The virus usually clears up in a week or so, but in some cases, this “harmless” virus may persist and lead to chronic lung diseases like asthma, according to Reuters Health.
Researchers found that RSV can stay in the lungs of some mice and cause overactive airway symptoms associated with asthma. Previously, doctors thought that the body quickly cleared itself of this virus. Read more about asthma and RSV
Posted by john on October 18th, 2008
At just 14 years of age, Otana Jakpor of Riverside, CA has already received a scientific award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after showing that ozone-producing air cleaners actually harm the lungs. Read more about ozone and air cleaners
Posted by john on October 15th, 2008
Writing an opinion column for Abilene Online, Kathy Bunkey points out that the new asthma inhalers, mandatory beginning in 2009, will be too expensive for some:
The worst part of this is that a lot of the people who need this medication in an emergency situation will no longer be able to afford it. This will specifically affect the disabled, the children whose parents cannot afford this increase, the jobless and the elderly. There is no generic for this new medication. We are being offered Pro Air HPA, Xopenex HPA and Proventil HPA, and the cheapest that I was able to find one of these in Abilene was for around $25. They can retail for as much as over $55 per inhaler. Read more about HFA inhalers
Posted by john on October 8th, 2008
BBC reports that a new British study is putting air purifiers to the test. Air cleaners will be placed in the bedrooms of over 70 children to see if their asthma improves.
So far, preliminary results from 28 children show that air purifiers in bedrooms do indeed reduce the need for asthma medication.
“They also reported they were able to do sport better and sleep better, which was really good,” said research nurse Heather Hanna. Read more about air purifiers and asthma
Posted by john on October 7th, 2008
The West Australian reports that common household chemicals can damage the lungs of unborn babies and predispose them to childhood asthma.
Professor Peter Sly of the World Health Organization says, “We have evidence that everything from the pesticides used on roses to the bleach in the bathroom impact badly on the developing lungs of unborn babies.” Read more about household chemicals and pregnancy
Posted by john on October 2nd, 2008
Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in holistic medicine and frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, recently addressed the following question at MSN Health & Fitness:
I use air fresheners in my home, but have been told I shouldn’t. Are they bad for my health?
It certainly looks like they are. Recent research strongly suggests that they raise your risk of a number of pulmonary diseases. Last year researchers found that being exposed to chemicals from air fresheners as little as once a week may increase your odds of developing asthma symptoms by 71 percent. Read more about air fresheners and indoor air quality
Posted by john on September 25th, 2008
Vitamins and supplements that mothers take during pregnancy could predispose children (and even grandchildren) to asthma, reports NewScientist.
A study at Duke University Medical Center showed that mice fed vitamins similar to human pregnancy supplements had offspring with signs of asthma. The supplements turned down the expression of certain genes, and the lungs of offspring had high levels of immune cells and proteins that predict asthma; furthermore, this effect was passed down through generations in a process known as epigenetics. Read more about asthma and pregnancy vitamins
Posted by john on September 24th, 2008
If your baby or toddler has a low-grade fever, you should resist the parental urge to reach for a Tylenol bottle. Young children who are given Tylenol (also known as paracetamol or acetaminophen) have a 50 percent increased risk of developing allergic disease, according to The West Australian.
Children who take Tylenol frequently have triple the risk of developing asthma and nasal allergies and double the risk of developing eczema. Read more about Tylenol and asthma
Posted by john on September 22nd, 2008
As Hurricane Ike evacuees return home and begin to rebuild their communities, they will encounter various environmental health hazards including mold, contaminated soil, infections, and respiratory ills.
Speaking to Galveston County Daily News, Dr. Scott Weaver points out that organisms living in soil contaminated by human waste can be easily transmitted from hand to mouth; these germs can lead to Hepatitis A, tetanus, or other infections. He advises that people should avoid touching their mouth and eyes and wear rubber boots and gloves. Anyone involved in extensive clean up efforts should get a tetanus shot to be safe. You can also order special disinfectants to clean up areas damaged by flooding. Read more about health hazards in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike
