Is It an Allergy or an Intolerance?

Food intolerances are different from allergies. “Virtually everyone has an intolerance to a food at some time in their lives’” according to Dan Alkins, M.D., director of ambulatory pediatrics at the National Jewish Medical and Research facility in Denver. Intolerances, while unpleasant, are rarely life-threatening. Drinking too much coffee or a fatty meal, for example can bring on a stomachache in some people. If you always experience uncomfortable symptoms when you eat a particular food, talk to your doctor about it, who can help determine the cause of the reaction. Following are some of the most common substances that can cause problems.

■ Histamine. This chemical is released form cells during an allergic reaction. It’s also present in small amounts in certain foods including some wines and cheeses. When ingested in large amounts, histamine poisoning is the ingestion of certain fish, if it is spoiled. Symptoms of histamine poisoning includes nausea, flushing, itching, hives, headache and light-headedness.

■ Gluten. Others are irritated by an ingredient called gluten. This substance is contained in foods such as wheat, rye and barley. Gluten damages the small intestine of those with this problem, which is known as celiac disease. Such people can suffer diarrhea, weight loss and weakness. Because celiac disease can make it more difficult for the body to absorb nutrients from food, those sensitive to it should avoid gluten entirely.

■ Lactose. A problem that’s often confused with an allergy is lactose intolerance. People with this condition are low on lactase, an abdominal enzyme needed to digest lactose (found in diary foods). Excess lactose can cause diarrhea, pain gas and bloating.

■ Yellow dye number 5. Certain substances that are added to food to enhance color can cause sensitivity reactions. One coloring agent that can be problematic is yellow dye number 5. Symptoms can include a skin rash.

■ Monosodium glutamate (MSG). This compound is added to foods to enhance flavor. Those who are irritated by MSG can suffer chest pain, headache and flushing.

■ Sulfites. Sulfites are an ingredient added to foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables as a preservatives, but it can cause an intolerance in some people. Those with asthma are at particular risk and can suffer potentially life-threatening reactions. As a result, the FDA has banned the spraying of sulfites on produce as a preservative, but they’re contained in some foods and wines. – Alyssa Shaffer

Anatomy of an Allergy

Allergic reactions can take many forms, but all have one thing in common:

They’ve triggered by the immune system. Immune proteins (antibodies) fight any intruder that threatens your health.

One type of antibody, called immunoglobulin E (or IgE), likely evolved to conquer parasites that enter the body. But in people with food allergies, these antibodies treat certain foods as the enemy.

The antibodies attaché themselves to the surface of a type of immune cell called mast cells. When food enters the body, the antibodies alert the mast cells to release inflammatory chemicals, such as histamine, to produce allergy symptoms.

Mast cells are present in all body tissues. Depending on their location, they can cause a cavalcade of responses. Mast cells that are activated in the skin, for example, can cause hives, redness and itchiness. In the digestive tract, they can set off vomiting, diarrhea or pain. In the throat, they can cause the airways to close off, which may begin as an itchy mouth or throat and lead to a swollen tongue and constricted airway, and can ultimately be fatal. – Alyssa Shaffer

Preventing the Problem

Scientist are working hard to find a cure for food allergies. One promising area, says Dr. Sampson, is the development of an anti-IgE antibody—a once-a-month shot that ties up the IgE antibodies so they can’t bind with mast cells to trigger a reaction. A vaccine to fight peanut allergies is also in the works at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City.

Until there’s a way to stop reactions from taking place, the only safe course for people with food allergies is keeping the offending foods at arm’s length. For parents, especially, this can prove troublesome, since they can’t always control what their child eats, particularly at school or a friends’ house.

It’s such a dangerous world out there for Matthew,” according to Montoya, who, when her son was 18 months old, found that he had serious milk, egg and peanut allergies. “Most parent worry about freak accidents like having their child get hit by a car. I worry about my son being exposed to milk—an item that’s in almost every refrigerator in the country.”

● Read ingredient lists carefully. A product labeled “normally,” for one, may still contain milk-derived ingredients (such as casein or whey), which can trigger allergies in a milk-sensitive individuals, according to Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy & Anaphlylaxis Network (FAAN).

● Inquire about ingredients in menu items at restaurants. Also find out whether the food has been cooked next to or with allergy-causing foods. Depending on the allergy, doctors usually recommend avoiding entirely restaurants or stores that serve the high-risk foods. For people with peanut allergies, especially, this means Asian restaurants, bakeries, ice-cream parlors and buffets.

● Be prepared with medication that can counter the symptoms of an anaphylactic attack. The EpiPen contains epinephrine, which stops the allergic reaction. It does, however, require a prescription.

● Seek out support. Families with food allergies say advocacy groups can be lifesavers, especially for the newly diagnosed. FAAN, for example, is a clearinghouse that provides information on everything from food label reading to recipe ideas. Munoz-Furlong, whose own daughter, was diagnosed with food allergies over 17 years ago, says information like this is often the best weapon in the war against allergies.

“Food allergies are serious, but you can’t live your life in fear,” she says. As long as you stay informed about what you or your child is eating, the both of you can have a long happy and healthy life. – Alyssa Shaffer

Better Heart Test

A blood test that detects inflammation predicts heart disease better than cholesterol tests in women, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Boston researchers tracked 27,939 women for over 8 years and found that half of heart attacks and stokes occurred among seemingly healthy women who had normal to low levels of LDL cholesterol levels can still have heart attacks. “We now understand that heart attack and stroke are inflammatory disorders, very much like arthritis,” says lead study author Paul M. Ridker, M.D. in the case of heart disease, fatty deposits (plaques) in the blood vessel walls become inflamed, causing them to rupture, which leads to a blood clot and blood flow blockage, says Dr. Ridker. Having the new blood test, called a c-reative protein blood test, with your regular cholesterol screenings can help doctors better assess your heart disease risk. – Christine Brophy

Prehypertension

Blood pressure is the force of blood against artery walls. When this force increases beyond optimal level, it is known as high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure causes the heart to work too hard and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. When blood pressure rises above the normal range but hasn’t quite reached hypertension status, it qualifies as prehypertension. Having prehypertension makes it more likely that high blood pressure will develop unless you make diet and lifestyle changes.

How did I find out if I have it?

A sphygmomanometer—the technical name for a blood pressure cuff—gauges blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 and below. High blood pressure begins at 140/90. Prehypertension falls in the middle of these reading.

Should I get tested?

“All adults should have their blood pressure checked every two years, even if it has been normal,” say Nieca Goldberg, MD, national spokeswoman for the American Heart Association and author of Women’s Healthy Program (Ballantine, 2006).

How can I ward it off?

“A good first step to lowering blood pressure is to reduce your intake of salt to no more than 2 grams of sodium per day,” Goldberg recommends. Part of the ongoing DASH diet study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, recently showed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products reduced blood pressure (Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 2005, vol. 7, no.6). in addition, regular aerobic exercise (several times a week) lowers blood pressure—even if you don’t exercise enough to lose weight. Of course, shedding a few extra pounds can slash blood pressure even more. – Victoria Dolby Toews

Rocket Fuel of the Body (3 of 3)

Good day everyone! This is the last part of my article and I hope that you will be following me.

More complex drinks are also available, including a partial protein drink developed primarily for cyclists. This is called 4.1 since you drink four parts of liquid carbohydrates with one part protein, thus avoiding the muscular breakdown and damage during the ride. Full protein drinks are also great to boost your recovery after any exercise, or after a long hard run or ride.

Finally, there’s also a face-specific drink: Energy Source Extreme, which has liquid carbs, electrolytes and (fully legal) stimulants to bring your performance to another level and to boost your performance when you’re just about to give up at the end of a long hard race.

The important thing to remember is that whatever your chosen sport, you need fuel and liquid – and in this hot country, you’ll have to have both in large quantities. So what you need is a balance product with a pleasant taste that you’d want to drink even when your body is screaming at you and your heart rate is going through the roof. You train hard for your sports, so give your body the best opportunity to support you fully during your event through your commitment to fuel and hydrating drinks.

Rocket Fuel for the Body (2 of 3)

Good day to all! I’m going to continue my sharing of this health to everyone. I hope that you will be following me.

A lot of sports drinks are good only for one specific purpose or the other, but not both. The best is a drink that has a pleasant taste and high levels of suitable energy that can be absorbed quickly, one that gets directly into your bloodstream and immediately into your hardworking muscles where you need it. Drinking bottomless iced tea is a great way to fill oneself with liquid, but sadly, this would just sit in your stomach and bloat you.

You need something that can be absorbed immediately, and luckily about 12 years ago, A UK Company, High5, found just that. Its research showed that by cleverly mixing fructose with glucose to form “High5 Energy Source” they were able to produce a race winning formula that is effectively a liquid carbohydrate that can be immediately carried to you muscles.

This drink enables athletes to hydrate and refuel optimally. Personal experience has also convinced me of its effectiveness, as I have been using this for over ten years while doing running and jogging.

The UK company has also created Isotonic, the ideal and best selling High5 drink in the Philippines. Isotonic delivers up to 70 percent mor carbohydrate to the working muscles, enabling one to race harder and longer. It is interesting to note that other sports drinks manufacturers have at last realized the importance of sing a combination of glucose and fructose, and now, a decade later, are starting to produce similar mixes. But they have yet to produce the same swift transfer of the drink to the muscles by glucose carriers that High5 is famous for.

(End of Part 2)

Rocket Fuel for the Body (1 of 3)

Good morning everyone. We all aware that each of us should have a good energy for our daily work. Our body is like a car that needs a fuel. Our body needs a healthy food to eat.

All of us are aware that our body needs an energy drink. But what kind of energy drink should we take? How to chose the energy drink that best suits your body and your chosen sport.

When it comes to sports drinks, it’s never a case of one size fits all. An older athlete weighing some 100 kilos will require a different drink from say, a younger sportsman who weighs only 50 kilos. And depending on your sport and intensity, your body’s requirement varies. A golfer and gym rat might do better than share a common sports drink.

But the principle remains the same: as with normal food intake, one needs sufficient fuel and liquids to keep the body performing without being weighed down by excess. If you’re exercising, your energy boost may come from your last meal or that latte you had earlier in the afternoon.

Depending on the duration and intensity of your exercise routine, this might be sufficient. However, somewhere around the 50-minute mark, you are likely to begin suffering from (a) noticeable dehydration, and (b) loss of energy reserves. Now if you’re just doing an hour in the gym, this poses no problem because you can always take a recovery juice, a chocolate milk or a protein drink afterwards.

Aside from the intensity of your sport, you must also consider the temperature in this hot country, water intake is crucial as one can lose, liters of sweat by the hour. This loss must be replaced, and while an electrolyte drink can do the job, this on its own does not serve the purpose of effectively replacing your ever depleting energy source. You would need to drink something else to do both jobs.

(End of Part 1)

Four Painless Ways to Improve Your Diet

Good morning friends. We all know that if there’s an occasion we can’t control our eating habit. We can’t resist if we saw different kinds of food. Our appetite increases a lot. Don’t worry I will share you what I have known about some ways to improve your diet. It’s painless!

If your regular cold cereal isn’t high-fiber, mix it half-and-half with a BRAN CEREAL. It will still taste good, but will provide a fiber boost of up to 7 grams (23 percent of the Daily Value, which is 25 grams for adults).

Instead of drinking 2 cups of 2-percent MILK a day, make it 1-percent (or move from 1-percent to skim) to save a total of 14,600 calories a year—enough for a 4-pound weight loss.

Pick ROMAINE LETTUCE rather than iceberg for salads and sandwiches; it has twice the potassium and folic acid, 6 times as much vitamins C, and 8 times as much beta-carotene.

Pump up IRON intake by cooking regularly in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven. Long-simmering soups, stews, and sauces tend to absorb the most iron, but even scrambling an egg in a cast-iron skillet can more than double the egg’s iron content.

How safe are herbal supplements? (3 of 3)

Good morning friends, This is the last part of my article and I'm sure some of you obtain some information that can help you. Here it goes ...

There is this story of one journalist who started chewing the seeds because he heard of the story about the mahogany seeds. And he believe that it will cure him, so he tried that. The seed was turned out to be toxic to human. And it was banned. But it was too late for that journalist.

It is the same thing with other herbals. Some plants really have medicinal value. Indeed, many medicines are taken from plants. But separating the medicinal ingredients from other parts of the plant is one thing; taking the whole plant or its leaves as a tea is another.

A plant or a leaf has many chemical properties. The medicinal property may be only one, but there may be many others that could be harmful. Herbals should be taken with caution because we don’t know the harmful ingredients they contain. Studies must first be made before a certain plant is prescribed as medicine.

How safe are herbal supplements? (2 of 3)

Good morning everyone. A second part of my article is here. I hope you acquire some idea on the first part. Let me continue here ....

Many of these herbals are being marketed like medicine, in capsule, pill or tablet form. The makers of even the herbal teas make fantastic claims about their products.

Many Filipinos readily take to herbals because we have a tradition of using herbs to cure various diseases. In the rural areas where there are few drugstores and medicines are expensive, the people go to “herbolarios” who prescribe various leaves, barks, roots, fruits, flowers and stems. Indeed, some who are seriously sick would rather take the herbs rather than the medicines prescribed by doctors.

I knew one story of a woman who was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors prescribed her to undergo a chemotherapy. But then her friend told her stories of people cured by herbs. So she decided to try the herbal therapy. Several months after taking the herbal teas she said she was feeling much better. But then she died soon after.

We have heard of herbals that used to be “miracle cures” of this or that disease. The fads didn’t last long, however. Now these miracle cures are no more.

I’m sure that some of you heard the mahogany seeds. They said that the mahogany seeds lowered blood pressure. The mahogany seed was the rage only about a decade ago.

End of Part 2

How safe are herbal supplements? (1 of 3)

Good morning everybody. We all know that everyone is experiencing the hardship in life this days. Specially those poor people. They don’t have enough cash for spending with their daily needs. Some died because they don’t have money to buy their medicine. Filipinos were good in herbals, they use this in replace to the medicine which they can’t afford to buy. But, how safe are herbal supplements? Do all get healed with that?

Take a look at some newspapers and magazines, television shows and the billboards: they are full of advertisements and commercials of these herbals making so many claims. There are estimates that the “food supplement” industry is a multibillion-peso industry.

The public must be buying these herbals in droves. They must have been convinced by the claims in the ads and commercials.

But how true are these claims? Is the public being taken for a ride? Are these herbals good or bad for the health of humans? We never know about this. These herbals are not under its control because they are not medicine but “food supplements.” That is only one excuse. Another excuse is the disclaimer: “No therapeutic claims,” that says on the box.

Yet that is exactly what the manufacturers are claiming in the ads and commercials. Like snake oil, these herbals claim to cure or prevent almost every disease known to man: arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, cancer, circulatory, digestive and pulmonary diseases, etc. One commercial shows an old man who cannot walk crying in pain because of arthritis. After taking the herbal supplement, he is shown jogging happily. Isn’t that a therapeutic claim?

End of Part 1