Healthwisery

Personal Story…

I was a first time mother. With labor a few weeks early, my baby girl was a bit small but healthy. It was only when she turned one years old, that we noticed something was wrong. The red cheeks, dark bags under the eyes, dry skin and cranky child, she just looked sick.

I am not sure how we thought of going to an allergist. Neither my husband nor I have much allergic histories. My husband did have some asthma as a child, but he outgrew it a while ago. I had a sister who was mildly allergic to eggs for a few years of her childhood… that was all. Could my daughter be allergic?

We were shocked but relieved to find the answer. After her first skin test done, she showed positive to eggs, milk, oats and beef. No wonder, she drank 6 bottles of milk a day! We took these results at face value (only later finding out that these tests are not always 100%) and began to learn to read labels and watch what she ate. She did improve, her face and eyes looked healthier…but her skin, it was dry, itchy and red. We discovered she had eczema. Was it a result of what she ate? Or was it a separate condition? The next two years we spent going from pediatric dermatologists, to top pediatric allergists. We did allergy blood work tests followed by skin tests. Results showed positive to tens of foods, including eggs, milk, fish, chicken, potato, banana, sesame, soy, and legumes; and now showed negative to beef and oats that were originally positive. Continue reading ‘Kid’s Allergy – Helping Parents of Children With Allergies’ »

Millions of allergens are possibly present in the air that we breathe. The daily sneezing attacks that you have or the intermittent respiratory problems you or any one of your family members might be experiencing could be attributed to these allergens. Maybe it is high time for you to get an allergy relief air purifier installed in your home. There are various types of these purifiers to choose from. You can sneeze-proof your home with any one or a combination of these air purifiers. Purifiers that are specifically designed to either prevent the growth of or to stop entry of allergens in the air can easily be installed in your home.

Dirty air laden with allergies could cause minor bouts of sneezing, rashes, rhinitis, and even serious asthma attacks that could lead to bronchial spasms and life threatening anaphylaxis. This should be reason enough for you to feel the urgent need to have an allergy relief purifier at the soonest possible time. Among the allergens that could be removed from the air in your home are airborne pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and molds. If you care enough about your family’s health, you will look into the viable options for air purifiers in your home now. The small investment that you will shell out for the installation of these air purifiers is such a small price to pay for your health and the health of your loved ones. Continue reading ‘Sneeze-Proof Your Home’ »

The rapid increase in obesity across the country has resulted in a number of serious health problems. Many of these health problems can deteriorate a persons quality of life and even shorten a persons life. One such health condition that is made worse when obese is asthma. Studies are now showing that there is a link between asthma and morbid obesity. For people who are suffering from severe obesity, lap band surgery has been shown to be an effective method of weight loss that reduces instances of severe asthma attacks.

Obesity has been proven to be a risk factor for such diseases as heart disease, some types of cancer, and diabetes. Now, research studies are revealing that obesity is a risk factor for asthma. For instance, studies now show the risk for developing asthma increases when there is a large increase in weight. When a person is seriously overweight, their breathing becomes shallow because their lungs do not expand as much as it would if one were a normal healthy weight. As well, in obese individuals, there is a chronic inflammation of the lungs which reduces the airway passage. The inflammation takes place in the fatty tissue. A narrower airway passage also means the airways will remain blocked when breathing normally which reduces oxygen exchange. The airways will contract more causing more asthma symptoms. Narrow airways in obese asthmatics are more likely to stay closed during normal breathing which results in reduced oxygen exchange which puts one in a higher risk category for pulmonary hypertension. As well, obese people are more prone to sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease which can make asthma worse. Continue reading ‘Is Lap Band Surgery Good For Severe Asthmatics?’ »