Dr. Craig Burns, D.C., A BioVeda Health and Wellness Center in East Centennial

Question: Can a pet allergy be eliminated once and for all?

Answer: Yes, but research is showing that conventional medical treatment may not be the best approach.

It is true; the incidence of pet allergies is on the rise, as is the incidence of pet allergy related asthma conditions. Therefore, the questions we must ask ourselves are: should we be concerned, why are these conditions getting worse and not better, and what can we do about it?

How Do Most Pet Allergies Work?

Pet allergies typically occur when your immune system overreacts to certain animal proteins contained in the urine or saliva. This reaction can trigger inflammation in the lining of the nasal passages (allergic rhinitis), causing sneezing,  runny nose and other signs and symptoms usually associated with hay fever. For some people, a pet allergy may be the primary cause of inflammation and contraction of airways of the lungs (asthma), resulting in wheezing, shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties.

What is the Research Telling Us?

New research from the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows that cats are the single biggest trigger for asthma, causing reactions in 29.3% of asthmatics. A Swedish study, meantime, found 40% of kids with asthma reacted to cats, 34% to dogs, and 28% to horses. For the kids who got runny noses and itchy eyes, 49% reacted to cats, 33% to dogs, and 37% to horses.

Dr. Jeffrey Davidson, an allergist in San Francisco and a clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco, says it’s fair to expect that as the incidence of allergic disease grows, so does the number of people reacting to animals. And while cat allergies are by far the most prevalent, people can be sensitized to any animals with feathers and fur, including dogs, guinea pigs, mice, birds, and ferrets.

What is Considered Traditional Treatment?

The traditional solution to pet allergies is to avoid contact with cats or dogs. Keep the pets out of the house, and avoid visiting people with pets. Avoiding cats and dogs may seem easy, but in reality, avoiding all people who have a cat or a dog makes an avoidance strategy nearly impossible.

You’d be surprised to know how many people, with non-life-threatening allergies, live with pets despite having allergies to them! However, in many cases the situation is much worse: people are forced to live on medications that help manage their symptoms, or worse yet, are forced to get rid of their beloved pet forever.

For many of us our pets are like our children and we cannot imagine a life without them. So what should we do in a case where our “furry” children make us miserable? Perhaps, it is time to find a better way to understand and treat these symptoms?

Is There a Better Solution to Pet Allergies?

Yes, a new solution is emerging, and boy is it long overdue!

There is a group of trusted and well respected health care practitioners that have a new and improved way of looking at, and addressing pet allergies. A BioVeda Health and Wellness Practitioner is a type of health care provider that is equipped to offer real, long lasting relief.

In short, the BioVeda Wellness Practitioner is focused on the #1 factor missing in most other forms of treatment for pet allergies:

Instead of trying to control the symptoms, the concern is trying to control the cause of the symptoms, the over active immune system or hypersensitive stress response.

Does this sound like a more logical, more direct approach to treating the patient and not just the symptom? You bet it does.

As a BioVeda Wellness Practitioner, we are seeing success where other treatments have failed. To their surprise, the patients we are treating are astounded by what we are doing for them, and so thankful it brings many to tears. Now, that’s real health care!

Contact a BioVeda Health & Wellness practitioner to learn more!

By Dr. Andrew Moore, D.C., A BioVeda Health and Wellness Center in Alamo Heights

1. Pollens. Pollens are the number one allergy triggers in the United States. Pollens are produced by vegetation – trees, grass and flowering plants – and are spread by air. When inhaled, they cause a reaction on people who are allergic to them. Most plant life release pollen into the air from spring to autumn, but there are also some plants that produce pollen in winter.

2. Animal hair. As lovable as dogs and cats are, the oil they secrete to coat their hair contains protein that can cause allergic reactions. The sad thing about it is that allergy to animal dander can develop over time and can end the relationship between a pet and its master.

3. Dust mites. Dust mites live in the dust that collect in homes and workplaces. They cannot be seen by the naked eye, and they feed on bacteria, fungi and dead skin cells in dust balls. The proteins that their waste products contain can cause allergic reactions.

4. Insect bites. An insect stings or bites as part of its defensive mechanism. However, when an insect bites, it leaves proteins in the skin that are also allergy triggers for some people. The allergy can manifest as mild swelling and itchiness, but it can also be life-threatening for some people.

5. Mold. Mold develops on damp and dark areas. When mold spores are touched or inhaled, they irritate the air tract and cause allergic reactions. Molds act almost the same way as pollens do, except that they persist even in sub-freezing temperatures.

6. Food. Some people are predisposed to developing allergies to food such as shellfish, peanuts, wheat and milk. Such people produce antibodies against the substances found in the food they are allergic to. When they eat this food, their antibodies release histamine and trigger allergic reactions. You can use food intolerance testing kit to identify possible food intolerance of your body for 96 different food types.

7. Latex. Latex is made from the sap of the rubber tree, and this sap contains proteins that can be an allergy trigger for some people. When these people come in contact with latex, they immediately show an allergic reaction. This can be problematic, given that many items used in the health care business are made of latex.

8. Medicine. Some people have immune systems that are not friendly with substances found in some drugs, like penicillin and salicylates. When these people ingest medicine containing these allergens, they can break out.

9. Perfume. There are people who cannot stand the smell of perfume, no matter how good the perfume smells. The chemicals in the perfume irritate the lining of their nose and trigger the allergy.

10. Cockroaches. Cockroaches are creepy; nobody likes them. But more than that, the proteins that their feces contain can irritate the skin and cause an allergic reaction.

- by Dr. Gary Douglas

This article discusses pollen and allergy season and ways to ease your symptoms, like sneezing,  naturally.

10 Ways to Ease Your Allergies Naturally

While the flowers and warmer temps are welcome signs of spring, sneezing, stuffy noses and watery eyes are mainstays of the season you could probably do without. Yes, pollen and all of their allergy-aggravating friends are back! Try these simple, natural ways to leave allergies—and all the runny noses, dry eyes and wheezing—in the dust.

Fight back with folic acid!

People with high levels of folic acid experience fewer allergies, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Folic acid may help regulate the immune system’s response to allergens. Eating more whole-grain breads and legumes, both great sources of the nutrient, may help you tuck away those tissues.

Make a clean sweep

Once a week, scrub down the house with hypoallergenic, fragrance-free cleaners and wash your bed sheets in hot water (130 degrees) to kill dust mites and banish pollen. Be sure to choose impenetrable mattress, pillow and comforter covers. Finally, make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter, which will trap dust and pollen. Choose one labeled “true” or “absolute” to get the job done right.

Know when to expect sneezing

Track pollen counts at Pollen.com and plan on closing your windows and turning on your air conditioner or dehumidifier to keep out allergens when numbers are skyrocketing. On windy days, or a few days following high winds, pollen count is high because pollen has been spread throughout the air, and mold spore counts can be high after a heavy rain. You may want to consider moving your jog from the park to the gym on those days.

Kick off your shoes

Your treads can track in pollen, grass, mold and other allergens, so check them at your door when you come home. You’ll also have much less dirt in the house!

Wipe down your dog

Lucky may be cute and loving, but he is also a host for allergy inducers like pollen, which you breathe right in when you pat, hug and play with him. After a walk or backyard playtime, wipe down your “best” friend with a damp towel before letting him in the house, You’ll both be healthier for it!

Work out at dusk, not dawn

Morning dampness increases mold counts in the air and early afternoon temperatures cause plants to open up and release more pollen, so the best time for hitting the park is at dusk rather than during daylight hours.

Spice things up

Wasabi and cayenne pepper can cause your nose to run, which, while annoying, serves to flush out allergens. Turmeric acts as a natural inflammatory, stifling allergy symptoms. Have an extra smidge of the green stuff with your sushi to say “bye-bye” to sinus aggravation this time of year, and be free with the cayenne pepper in chicken dishes and turmeric in curry dishes. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, sardines, herring, cod and mackerel also have anti-inflammatory powers. Eat up, and breathe easier, too.

Pick up a neti pot

Allergists say the small gadget, which resembles Aladdin’s lamp, is a great way to clear out pollen particles. To use it, fill it with lukewarm, lightly salted water. Tilt your head to one side and slowly pour the water into the higher nostril; breathe through your mouth as the water travels back out the opposite nostril. It may not be pretty, but neither are watery eyes and red noses! Find one at your local health food store or pharmacy, and use it over the kitchen sink or tub to prevent a mess.

Stay sneeze-free

Feel tip-top when you travel by choosing a hypoallergenic hotel room free of up to 98% of bacteria and cleared of allergens from all surfaces, fabrics and airflow. Find allergy-free accommodations at PureRoom.com.

Pucker up

Kissing for half an hour may provide relief from hay fever, a study in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research showed. Whatever the reason, grab your sweetie and give those allergies the kiss-off!

Information Credited to: Lucy Danziger, Happier, Healthier You

The following article is provided by Dr. Jeremy Johnson with BioVeda Health and Wellness Center of Spring Hill, TN.

Allergies may seem straightforward: You’re exposed to allergens like dust, mold or animal dander, you get watery eyes, you sneeze and you feel miserable. But you may be surprised to learn why some people suffer more than others. Here, are some shocking facts about what may really be making you feel bad.

1. It may not be your pet that’s causing your allergies.
“It could be something else entirely,” says Jeff May, an indoor air quality expert and coauthor of Jeff May’s Healthy Home Tips. “Dust mites from your animal’s bed (or yours), or mold underneath antiques in small spaces” are possible culprits, he says. Even homes without pets can have a pet allergen problem. In fact, a study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that more than 99 percent of homes in the U.S. have detectable cat or dog allergens even though less than half of those homes have a dog or cat living there. Allergens can hitch a ride on other people’s clothes and they’ve been discovered in schools, hospitals, shopping malls, cinemas-and even in the offices of allergists.

2. Obese children and adolescents have a higher risk of allergies.
Especially food allergies, a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology notes. Researchers analyzed data from over 4,000 subjects ages 2 to 19, and discovered that obese participants were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies than children of normal weight. The rate of food allergies was especially troublesome-59 percent higher for children who were obese.

3. Your sneezes around your daughter’s new kitten may be more than just a cold.
“You can grow up with pets and still develop allergies to them as an adult,” says Morris Nejat, MD, of the New York Allergy and Sinus Centers. “Having a pet gives you an immunity that can be lost when you leave that environment-to move away and start your own life, for example. If you then bring an animal into your own home, you may have lost your immunity and developed an allergy to your new pet.”

4. Plants aren’t as healthy as you think.
Unfortunately, “plants do not purify the air,” May says. “Put a thin layer of gravel on top of each plant’s soil-this helps keep debris in the plant, protecting you from mold allergens,” recommends James M. Seltzer, MD, chairman of the Indoor Environment Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “Even silk plants can cause mold,” Dr. Seltzer says.

5. Trouble breathing? Don’t look to your lungs, look to your gut.
Upsetting the normal balance of microflora in your stomach and intestines can change your entire immune system, researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School report, intensifying your body’s response to common allergens like pollen or animal dander. According to scientists, our modern diet and increased use of antibiotics may be at fault. Safeguard your health with a diet low in sugar and high in raw fruits and vegetables, especially following treatment with antibiotics.

6. Allergies can trigger bad breath.
“For some people, a dry mouth, caused by taking antihistamines for allergies or by the postnasal drip that streams down the back of your throat during allergy attacks, can result in bad breath,” says Cyril Meyerowitz, DDS, director of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. “Sometimes tiny pieces of food lodge on the tongue or in the crevices of your tonsils and cause a nasty odor.”

What exactly is an allergy? An allergy is simply an inappropriate response from your body to a normally harmless substance. For example, you and I are going to eat eggs for breakfast, we make the eggs together in the same pan with all the same ingredients, we both sit down to eat them at the same time and afterwards you have a reaction and I don’t. So was it the egg that caused the problem, or was it your bodies reaction to the egg that caused the problem? It was your body’s inappropriate reaction to the egg.

So what are you to do about these allergies or reactions to certain foods or pollutants? Keep taking pill after pill or shot after shot. There is a new therapy available now that can actually eliminate your need for the redundancy and provide long-term relief. It is called Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy (NSRT), and it uses an FDA cleared device for consistent, pain-free and effective treatment. This device is called the BAX-3000 and it can actually “re-program” your system to not have the negative reaction any longer, so that next time you eat an egg you will not have the reaction again.

There is a direct correlation between stress and allergy symptoms and understanding how they are related is an important part of utilizing our therapy to its full potential. Recent research shows that general stress can cause symptoms of allergic reactions to be twice as severe. Histamine production is significantly greater when the individual is under stress. Reducing stress significantly reduces the expression of allergy symptoms and the presentation of positive stimulation via substance specific light therapy can modulate the stress response.

The answer is that allergies and specifically allergy symptoms can be alleviated by reducing stress. Our technology was designed to reduce stress and in that scope can provide a benefit to patients suffering from allergy symptoms.

If you are suffering with allergies or food sensitivities and having symptoms such as: IBS, fibromyalgia, headaches, eczema, sinuses, chronic fatigue, etc… The BAX-3000 may be able to help. For more information visit BioVedaWellness.com or if you are in the Spring Hill, TN area call Back to Health Family Chiropractic, a Bioveda Health and Wellness Center at 1-877-756-4233 for a free consultation to see if you are a candidate for this exciting new therapy.