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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Natural Allergy Remedies - There is Hope!

Dealing with Allergies

When I was young, I suffered from all kinds of allergies.  They were mostly seasonal allergies while a few were reactions to certain foods.  My mother would tap me on the head and assure me that my allergies would disappear as soon as the weather got better or when my stomach had recovered from the ingested food.  She didn't give me any medication for my allergies because her own mother – my grandmother – told her that there was no need to treat allergies.  "Leave them be.  They'll just go away on their own," she used to say.

Grandma was right.  They do go away eventually.  I went through life tolerating my allergies and in a way, I'm grateful that I wasn't fed any syrup or decongestant or given tablets and capsules to get rid of them.

Ever since I can remember, I was always wary about taking medication – over-the-counter or prescription allergy medication.  I'd rather live with my allergy than take drugs to cover up the symptoms.  I'm sure grandma would be proud of me if she were still living today.

The Cleveland Clinic classifies allergies into major types:  environmental, drug, and food, including pediatric allergies.  It defines an allergy as the immune system's incorrect reaction to a foreign substance.  The immune system reacts to a foreign body as though it was harmful.  

Allergens are substances that trigger allergies.  Your allergy may be different to the allergy of your co-worker down the corridor. If you have food allergies and you're not sure if the foods you buy contain allergens, you'll be happy to know that the US Food and Drug Administration now require food manufacturers to include the eight (8) top allergens in their labels if they are included in manufacturing the product.  (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergies/AA00057).

These eight allergens have to be listed on the label:
• Milk
• Eggs 
• Peanuts 
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) 
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder) 
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp) 
• Soy 
• Wheat

Be careful though:  if the label says "non-dairy", it doesn't mean that the product is completely dairy-free.  A milk derivative (like casein) could be present.

If you're looking for natural remedies to relieve allergies, I would give the following products a try:

  • Aller-sine Allergy Remedy by Vaxa – a product that is made in the USA and helps relieve runny nose, watery eyes and minimizes reactions to pollen, mold and animal dander. Contains no medication.
  • Vaxa Sinus Formula – helps individuals deal with their chronic sinus infections
  • Ceramic Neti Sinus Pot – the all-natural product for your nasal cleansing/irrigation needs.
You don't have to take allergy medication to get relief. I would try the Neti Sinus Pot first to try and eliminate with a natural salt solution the allergens that may be in your nasal passages. If you need additional help, you can try the Sinus Formula or Aller-Sine allergy remedy.

Good luck.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER - Natural Remedy for ADD

In the last few years, we have spoken with many parents who state that they feel helpless about their children who are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD).  Their specific complaints: 
(a) Doctors are quick to prescribe medication that produce side effects
(b)The lack of information about natural treatments for ADD 

Parents tell us, "Why should I start my 12-year old on medicines that I'm not sure are safe or will bring about complications? It raises my antennas when we're pumping young bodies with medicines containing strong chemicals.”

It's intuitve to be cautious about giving children ADD/ADHD medication, some of which have caused controversy among medical circles.

ADD is attracting a lot of attention (no pun intended) because studies show that it is behind poor academic performance, rebellious behaviour and anti-social qualities.  Over 1.6 million suffer from this mental disorder according to the American Psychiatric Association.  Five percent of American children are diagnosed with ADD; that represents about two million American children.   

How do you know if your child has ADD?  If your child exhibits these symptoms, have your doctor examine him or her:  your child cannot focus on his school work or on simple tasks, is nervous and anxious (your child can't sit still and wanders around frequently), talks excessively, tends to lose or misplace things.  Some children with ADD also interrupt people who are talking and have no sense of organization.  

Ask your doctor about natural remedies that can either replace prescriped meds or be taken as complementary homeopathic treatment.  Your doctor is the best person to advise you.

We recommend Attend by Vaxa to those with ADD or have children with attention deficit disorder. It contains essential nutrients that promote brain health by reinforcing neurotransmitters and a person's memory functions.  For more information, go to:  ADD/ADHD Alternative Treatment.