Why are my clothes causing a rash?

Most reaction to clothes can be traced back to chemical additives. It’s mind boggling how many irritating  chemicals are used in processing textiles. rubber materials, formaldehyde resins, quarternium-15, dyes, glues, elastic, tanning agents used to process fabrics & leather and metallic fasteners. The usual areas of concern for irritation from textiles are areas of the body subjected to friction and perspiration. The areas under arms, behind knees, in upper thigh, inside elbows and around waist are usually the worst.

>Disperse Blue 106 and 124 are used in the 100% acetate and 100% polyester blue, black, green and violet liners of women’s clothing (2). It is rare for men to react to the liner in their trousers, as the liner is usually white, grey or beige. The reaction to these dyes can cause a severe acute eczematous reaction in the affected areas and may become chronic. Rarely, there is sensitivity to flame-retardant materials added to clothing. Allergic contact dermatitis from the flame-retardants Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (13) and 2,3- dibromocresylglycidyl ether (14) has been reported. Chronic generalized dermatitis that was a reaction to the Basic Red 46 dye in flame-retardant clothing (15) has been reported. Many flame-retardant clothes are colored using basic dyes.<  http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Dermatitis/files/clothing.pdf

New technologies have been developed to protect against UV radiation or to enhance breathability. These new technologies applied to fabrics can also cause allergic reactions and rashes. Most people who have textile allergies react to synthetic materials most often, some people are allergic to wool. When people believe they are allergic to cotton or silk, their reaction is usually to dyes or finishes applied to these natural materials or with the synthetic materials with which the natural fibers are blended.

The term hypoallergenic is used widely, although no Food and Drug Administration–approved definition of hypoallergenic exists. A warning exists for hypo irritating cleansers, cosmetics, moisturizers, and protectants; however, no standard method exists to identify textile products that are used by individuals with susceptible skin (atopic dermatitis, facial skin of individuals with rosacea).

My advice is to read labels carefully, watch out for wrinkle-free, fire resistant, UV protection, soil repellant fabrics. Wash all new clothes three times in a perfume-free, dye-free detergent or soap and rinse two times. Do not wear heavily dyed clothing and stay away from synthetic clothing that comes in direct contact with your skin. Find an outfit or two that does not irritate your skin and designate those clothes for relaxing and exercising. During the work day, wear “safe” comfortable clothes under more irritating highly processed or colored clothes. I wear silk long underwear in white or cream under all my irritating sweaters and trousers. I get my silk underclothes from http://wintersilk.com They have a lot of styles to choose from, stay with the lighter colors to be safe.

Yes you can reduce allergens in your home

I always like to get a fresh start for the New Year. I take down all those holiday decorations and clean and organize my home. Those of us with indoor allergies or have families with allergies to dust mites, dander and mold must take this cleaning very seriously. Reducing allergens in your home is a year around job, but especially necessary when we are all sealed up inside our home or apartments for the winter months.

• Wash your bedding every week, dust mites accumulate within your bedding and mattress. Your bedroom must be cleared of dust mites and dander  for a good nights sleep. Wash Stuffed animals, pillows, throws, small rugs and bedspreads. regularly. I hate to say this because I love them, but pets should not sleep in your bedroom if you have allergies.

• Always mop and vacuum floors, sweeping just stirs up dust. The vacuum cleaner is your friend if you have a vacuum with a HEPA filter or use a built-in whole house system that exhausts the dust out of the house. Everything must be vacuumed often, this means not only your carpets, but upholstered furniture as well. Don’t forget under the bed and the sofa, dust mites and pet dander tends to float under furniture.

• Bathrooms and kitchens  can be damp, run exhaust fans when taking baths or showers and make sure your plumbing is in good working order. Clean and disinfect areas that tend to grow mold.

• Bathe and brush your pets regularly, do this outside and wear a mask.

• If possible keep your outdoor shoes outside or in a mud room to avoid tracking allergens into the house.

• Never smoke in the house, when any of the residents have allergies. Even the clothes smokers wear can bring allergens into the home.

Have a heathy and allergy-free 2012!

Caution! Correct Use of Neti Pot!

Louisiana health regulators warned residents Tuesday about the dangers of using neti pots improperly.

There have been two deaths linked to neti Pot use in Louisiana.

A neti pot, is commonly used to irrigate sinuses. I use one and recommend them to everyone with sinus problems. You should follow the directions on the pot carefully. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals issued its warning following a second death this year caused by Naegleria fowleri, the so-called brain-eating amoeba.

A 51-year-old DeSoto Parish woman in Louisiana, died after using plain tap water in a neti pot to irrigate her sinuses and became infected by the deadly amoeba, which entered the body through her nose. In June, a 20-year-old St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana man died under the same circumstances.

“If you are irrigating, flushing, or rinsing your sinuses by using a neti pot, use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution,” said Louisiana State Epidemiologist, Dr. Raoult Ratard. “Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose. He also said, it’s also important to rinse the irrigation device after each use and leave open to air dry.

I recommend a neti pot to everyone with sinus problems, I have never heard of this problem with using tap water. The directions on all neti pots do says to use boiled or distilled water. I always thought that was for third world countries with badly treated water. I guess I will have to be more careful from now on.

Source: http://health.yahoo.net/articles/flu/neti-pot-deaths-linked-brain-eating-amoeba-tap-water

Book Review: “Toxic Free”

Are you suffering from unexplained headaches, fatigue, skin rashes or depression? Are you worried about the link between chemicals in the home and the rising rate of cancer and allergies? Or are you just looking to save money (and the planet in the process)? I don’t usually do book reviews, but I found “Toxic Free, How to protect your health and home from chemicals that are making you sick” by Debra Lynn Dadd to be an excellent book for learning about and changing your environment to be healthier.

Dadd, does an excellent job of pointing out the trouble spots in your home and telling you how to find better and safer alternatives. She is a consultant, lecturer, and writer on healthy and green living, Dadd has appeared on Today, Geraldo at Large, and CNN, and has been featured on the cover of Natural Health magazine. I found this book on amazon.com

I appreciate your comments, please leave one directly below this blog entry.

‘Tis the season for indoor allergies

Now that Winter is near we are spending more time indoors. The allergens that are trapped inside the house with you are making you miserable. 10% of the population is allergic to one or more of these irritants: Dust mites, pet dander, mold, perfumes, smoke from fireplaces and even Christmas Trees.

In the Winter many people think they have colds, when they actually have allergies. If cold-like symptoms last longer than a week or if your symptoms include itchy eyes, it is most likely is an allergy and not a cold. A good resource for more information about allergens in the home is one of my favorite books,  My House Is Killing Me!: The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma

A few things to try:

• Try over the counter allergy medicines that contain antihistamines like: Claritin, Actifed, Astelin, Clarinex, Benedryl, Zyrtec and Allegra. Some will make you drowsy, so it’s best to find the one that works for you. Benedryl works like a sleeping pill for me, Actifed makes me jumpy so I can’t sleep, I use Zyrtec or Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mg Tablets .

• We all love our pets, getting rid of them would be the best solution, but keeping them entirely out of the bedrooms of allergic family members is very helpful.

• Use allergy sprays on your pets and brush them outside while wearing a mask. Special food additives for pets to keep down dander are also available. My daughter uses AllerPet on her two cats and it seems to help with her cat dander allergy. Allerpet Grooming Emollient, C for Cats and Allerpet?/D for dogs

• Wash your sheets, pillow cases and blankets at least once a week in hot water and dry in a dryer on hot. My 100% cotton fitted sheets tend to shrink with this kind of care, so I take them out when very slightly damp and stretch them over the mattress without other covers to dry throughly.

• Use zippered allergen-proof mattress, and pillow covers to control dust mites and bed bugs. Wash the zippered covers in hot water regularly.

• Use a mask over your nose and mouth when dusting and vacuuming.

• Hard surfaced floors are best to keep dust free, but if you refuse to give up your carpet and rugs, use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to filter out the allergens you are picking up so they don’t get blown right back into the air. I love my whole house Vac-u -Flo system, all that nasty air goes out into the garage, not back into the air we breathe.

• Vacuum all upholstered furniture and bedspreads that can’t be washed or run them through the fluff cycle of the dry to remove dust. I once heard that un-washable bedspreads and sofas harbor more dust mites and dander than any surface in the house. Think about it, hard surfaces get dusted regularly and rugs get vacuumed, but the huge surface of the bedspreads and sofa retains that same amount of dust week after week. Of course if you never make your bed it won’t be a problem

• Make sure you change the filter on your furnace frequently. Use high a high-efficiency HEPA filter if your furnace can use one.

• Lastly, I believe that the use of a net pot to clear the nasal passages of irritants works miracles. This type of device has been used for many years to irrigate and clean out nasal passages and sinuses. If your nose is completely blocked, the neti pot is NOT the best solution. Unblock your nose first. The neti pot will clear out irritants that are causing the swelling, but must be used on a mostly cleared nose. I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse Saline Nasal Rinse. My daughter’s family swears by the New Neti Pot Nasal Wash / Sinus Irrigation . I think they all work on the same principle.

- Cleans mucus from the nose so medication is more effective.
- Cleans allergens and irritants from the nose reducing their impact.
- Removes bacteria and viruses from the nose reducing the frequency of infection.
- Decreases swelling in the nose and increases air flow.

Information on skin allergies, itching, dermatitis and eczema.

For almost two years, I have written many blogs on skin allergies, dermatitis and eczema. These are my popular posts by far. In this blog post I would like to summarize my blogs to  give you easy  access links to many of my most popular blogs for skin allergies.

Check out a few of  these past blogs of mine:

Help for those with dermatitis and eczema.  http://wp.me/pL8NX-7o

Causes of eczema and dermatitis and how to eliminate them http://wp.me/pL8NX-7f

How to Make Itchy Skin Go Away  http://wp.me/pL8NX-6O

Allergic to your clothes? Some helpful advice.  http://wp.me/pL8NX-6x

Atopic dermatitis Why it’s so hard to control  http://wp.me/pL8NX-4O

Removing “tagless” tags from clothing  http://wp.me/pL8NX-4p

Why do blue jeans turn my legs blue and make me itch?  http://wp.me/pL8NX-3F

Are your clothes causing an itchy rash?  http://wp.me/pL8NX-29

All Skin Allergy blog posts can be found on my Allergy Comfort Zone Website.  http://allergycomfortzone.com/skin-allergies.html

If you have any comments, please make them below.

Causes of eczema and dermatitis and how to eliminate them

First of all eczema is used as a general term for many types of skin inflammation and itching skin (also called dermatitis) and allergic-type skin rashes. There are many things that can irritate your skin. There are two basic types of causes for eczema and dermatitis in your home; allergens and irritants. Some reactions happen on the surface of your skin and some reactions happen internally but show up as irritation on your skin.

Contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis are two different forms of eczema. Contact dermatitis is an external reaction that occurs when your skin comes in contact with something your are allergic to or a chemical that is irritating to your skin. This type of eczema is the easiest to figure out and correct.

Atopic dermatitis is the result of an internal reaction by your immune system to an irritant or allergen. When your immune system interacts with the trigger, and typically another component in your body such as irregular hormones, food allergies or stress-related toxins, the result is an eczema outbreak on your skin that is painful, swollen, and itchy. This rash can occur anywhere on your skin, not just at the spot where you contacted the allergen or irritant. Atopic dermatitis is the hardest type of eczema to eliminate, because it is hard to know what to look for, when two elements are involved.

The irritant may also be a common household chemical. Some of the more common chemical irritants are laundry detergent, fabric softeners, cleaning solvents, latex products, and nail varnish. However, you may eliminate all these things and still find you are breaking out. If that is the case, check many of the items you use on a regular basis, such as the synthetic fibers in your bedding, clothes, furnitures, rugs and your beauty products, to make sure they are not irritating your eczema. Also look for mold, mildew and pet dander in your environment which can serve as a trigger for allergies. Many people have a reaction to lime juice, hand sanitizers, antiperspirants, hair removal products, antibiotic ointments and even metal zippers and snaps (it’s the nickel).

Some allergens in your foods can contribute to your atopic dermatitis. Foods like peanuts, strawberries, food coloring, cow milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, wheat and other food additives are known to cause internal and external eczema.

Here are a few tips for avoiding skin irritation:

1. Read labels. Know exactly which chemicals are in the product you’re using. Try to avoid products that contain ingredients you’ve had a reaction to in the past. Follow directions on the label so you know you’re using the cleaning product safely.

2. Go alternative. “Green” cleaners won’t necessarily prevent dermatitis, but they are generally gentler on the skin, not to mention on the environment. Look for cleaning products labeled “fragrance and dye-free” or “all natural,” or try an old-fashion cleaner like baking soda.

Bottom line: Be your own detective. You are the best one to narrow down and eliminate irritants in your surrounds. Why spend the money on allergy patch testing when you can do a more accurate elimination trial on your own using products you already have.

If you have any comments or suggests please comment below.

Beautiful Fall Brings Not So Lovely Allergies

If you have a runny nose and sneezing with watery or burning eyes, you have an allergy. Welcome to the club. It’s not a very exclusive club because over 50 million Americans have allergies or develop them sometime in their life. One of the most common allergies in the Fall is pollen. It can come from grass, weeds or trees. Ragweed is the most common culprit in the Fall.

Besides the usually symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes, many people develop seasonal dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is simply your body’s reaction to something touching your skin. A skin allergy can be mild, like a slight rash or It can be more pronounced, with itchy bumps or blisters. Allergic reactions are caused by our body’s natural immune system, the body’s system of white blood cells and antibodies that fight off infection.

In people with allergies, the immune system over reacts to things that aren’t really dangerous. Their immune systems react to certain foods, plants like poison ivy, pollens in the air, metals like nickel, or ingredients in makeup, detergent or shampoo. Nobody knows exactly why this happens, but there seems to be a genetic connection, because allergies tend to run in families.

A rash can be caused by:

• Irritants in the air
• Nickel, often found in inexpensive plated jewelry or white gold jewelry
• Preservatives, including formaldehyde and quaternium 15, which are found in some cosmetics, paints, and household cleaners
• Fragrances in shampoos, detergents, lotions and anti-aging products
• Latex or other materials in rubber gloves
• Cobalt chloride, found in some deodorants. I use Almay hypoallergenic Fragrance-Free Antiperspirant & Deodorant
• Fabric dyes, especially those used on synthetic fabrics.
• Poison (plants or chemicals in cleaning products)
• Certain foods

What to do:

• Many dermatologists will tell you to use-low dose steroid creams. They are fine for very short-term use, like for poison Ivy. I would stay away from them for extended use. I used steroid creams for many years and have permanently damaged the skin on my arms and upper legs. My skin is now thinner and crepey in those areas.

• Avoiding the irritant is the best course of action. Always shower and wash your hair before going to bed. to remove any air-borne allergens from your skin that would transfer to your bedding. Wash your clothes after coming in contact with the allergen. Use a fragrance-free, dye-free detergent, with a double rinse.

• Check labels carefully for ingredients you are allergic to. Be careful of cheap jewelry and white gold jewelry that might contain nickel.

• I also like to use over-the -counter antihistamine tablets, such as an allergy medicines. Consumer Reports recommends: Loratadine 10 mg tablets, Loratadine dissolving 10 mg tablets, Loratadine liquid 10 mg or Alavert dissolving 10 mg tablet. These all contain the same best-selling prescription drug as Claritin (in 2002  loratadine became generic). Antihistamine medicines block histamine from interacting with your skin and nasal tissues.

If you have any other hints please share them with us in the comments below.

Itchy new clothes cause rashes

It’s back to school and all those new Fall clothes that cause itchy skin and rashes. I can remember as a child hating new back-to-school clothes because they itched so much. I always had problems with sensitive skin rashes. My mother didn’t know to wash all new clothes several time and double rinse before putting them on my sensitive skin. She just thought I was a complainer and a “drama queen”.

Even today as an adult, I always wash all my new clothes three times with dye-free and fragrance-free detergent and double rinse before wearing. Some highly processed fabrics and very dark textile dyes still make me break out in rashes after this 3-wash treatment. Synthetic fabrics are colored with dyes that tend to irritate skin more than the dyes used for natural fabrics.

If clothes are labeled as wrinkle-free or stain-resistant, be very hesitant to purchase them if you or your child has sensitive skin. Your clothing may be processed with formaldehyde.  Many people are allergic to formaldehyde . It takes many, many washings for these finishes to “wear” off. The clothes will look old and worn out before you can even safely wear them.

I always recommend wearing dye-free thin 100% cotton or 100% silk long underwear or t-shirts under suspect clothing. http://cottonique.com has some great cotton things for adults and children. I also recommend http://wintersilk.com for silk long underwear for children and adults.

If you have problems with allergy to the labels printed on the garments. Try my trick of using Wintergreen Oil. Brush it on the tagless label and let it sit for about 10 minutes. then use a tooth-brush to remove the loosened and dissolved bits of the  tagless tag. Then wash the garment as usual. Wintergreen oil is non-toxic when used for removing labels in this manner. This method has worked successfully for me and many others on many types of printed labels.

Please leave a comment below if you have more hints. If you would like to learn more about skin allergies and how you can make them easier to live with visit my Allergy Comfort Zone web site. http://allergycomfortzone.com/skin-allergies.html

Allergic to Food Additives

Why am I writing abut food additives on an allergy blog?

Food additive aren’t absolutely necessary in most foods. Most have no added nutrients for our bodies to use. I feel they are dangerous and unnecessary in foods and can cause health problems as well as allergic reactions. The FDA currently maintains a list of ingredients called “Everything Added to Food in the United States” (EAFUS), which features more than 3,000 items and counting. Thankfully, most EAFUS ingredients are benign, but a few of them do have potentially harmful effects.  It’s a mystery to me and most everyone else, why so many are legal.

Caramel Coloring

When made from only from sugar, it’s relatively safe. If it is produced with ammonia it gives off 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, chemicals that have been linked to cancer in mice.  Unfortunately, companies aren’t required to disclose whether their coloring is made with ammonia or sugar.

 Olestra

Used in foods as a fat replacement. Warning labels are no longer required  to notify customers about the risk of “loose stools.”Olestra also appears to interfere with the body’s ability to absorb some crucial nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene.

Potassium Bromate

Potassium bromate causes thyroid and kidney tumors in rats, and it’s banned from food use in many countries, but not the U.S.

Saccharin (Sweet’N Low)

Studies have linked saccharin to bladder tumors in rats, and in 1977, the FDA required warning labels on all saccharin-containing foods. In 2000, the FDA changed its stance and allowed saccharin to be sold without warning labels. But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely safe. A 2008 Purdue study found that replacing sugar with saccharin in rats’ diets actually made them gain more weight.

(BHA) (BHT)

The Department of Health and Human Services says BHA is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” yet the FDA allows it to be used anyway. BHT is considered less dangerous, but in animal research, it too has resulted in cancer.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Partially hydrogenated fats are the principle sources of trans fat in the American diet, and a Harvard study estimated that trans fat causes 70,000 heart attacks every year. This fat became very popular during the cholesterol scare in the late 70′s and early 80′s. Food manufacturers at that time scrabbled to label products “Cholesterol Free” even if that meant adding trans fats that are worse than eating the cholesterol that was naturally contained in foods. This is a food additive to avoid.

Sulfites

Humans have used sulfites to keep food fresh for thousands of years, but some people—especially asthma sufferers—experience breathing difficulties when exposed. Sulfites have been used for centuries, mainly as food additives, but can also occur naturally in foods such as fermented beverages and wines.

Azodicarbonamide

This chemical is used most frequently in the production of industrial foam plastic, and although the FDA has approved its use for food in the States. The United Kingdom has labeled it a potential cause of asthma.

Carrageenan

Seaweed is actually good for you, but carrageenan is a mere seaweed byproduct. Through animal studies, it has been linked to cancer, colon trouble, and ulcers. It isn’t certain that carrageenan harms humans, but avoiding it is clearly the safer option.

Aspartame (Equal)

Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown the sweetener to be completely harmless, while other have linked the additive to cancer. Why take a chance when other sweeteners like Stevia are safer.

 Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

After forty years of scrutiny, research has yet to reach a definitive verdict on MSG. Studies have shown that injecting the amino acid into mice causes brain-cell damage, but the FDA believes these results are not typical for humans. Still, the administration fields complaints every year for nausea, headaches, chest pains, and weakness. It could be that the results are limited to people with acute MSG sensitivity (read: allergy), so the FDA continues to allow manufacturers to use it. If you are allergic to MSG it is a very serious problem.

Nitrates and nitrites

Nitrates and nitrites have a tendency to fuse with amino acids to become carcinogenic nitrosamines. Ironically, the processed meats into which nitrates are commonly added are rich with amino acids, making nitrosamine formation very likely. In addition to concerns about cancer, increased nitrate and nitrite intake has been linked to deaths in Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s patients. Despite the risks, the valuable use of nitrates and nitrites as inhibitors of botulism warrant their acceptance as food additives in the eyes of the FDA.

Blue #2

A study published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest showed that the ingestion of Blue #2 led to increases in tumor development in the brain and mammary glands in lab rats. The FDA dismissed these findings, citing a variety of nebulous weaknesses in the study’s methods. The bottom line: whether or not artificial dyes are harmful, the foods they appear in are the most heavily processed, nutritionally bankrupt foods in the supermarket.

 Paraben

It’s been documented that parabens act as mild estrogens, and according to the Environmental Working Group, they can disrupt the natural balance of hormones in your body. In a Japanese study, male rats fed propyl paraben daily for four weeks suffered lower sperm and testosterone production, and other studies have found parabens present in breast cancer tissues.

Check your food labels carefully, some of the above food additives may be causing you problems and should be limited in your diet.

How to Make Itchy Skin Go Away

There are many reasons that you may have itchy skin, some of them could be quite serious. When itching is accompanied by difficulty in breathing with swelling of the face or tongue the itching my be do to an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening emergency. Seek immediate medical care, call 911 immediately.

For normal itching associated with dry skin, contact dermatitis, eczema, menopause, pregnancy and sun-burn there are a few simple remedies. When you itch at night and can’t sleep, you need help. For the extreme itch of poison ivy and bug bites see the special sections below.

• Ice packs, you can put ice cubes in a zip lock bag or use a frozen bag of peas.

• Cool showers or running cool water over affected area. A cool bath using products that contain colloidal oatmeal (available over-the-counter) have helped me a lot. Also adding baking soda can help. Do not use hot water, it may feel good for a while, but will only dry out your skin.

• Avoid soaps and harsh cleansers. My dermatologist recommends Dove for Sensitive Skin. I have tested Dr. Bronner’s Organic Soap and found it very soothing to my skin. If you are allergic to perfume try Dr. Bronner’s  unscented baby soap, or I like his almond scented soap.

• Apply a rich moisturizer to your skin while it is still damp from your bath or shower. You should try not to bathe more than once a day, so your skin doesn’t dry out. But I find that not bathing every day causes more itching with the build-up of dry skin.

• Wear loose comfortable clothes in natural  fabrics. Choose clothes that are soft and not highly colored.

• Anti-itch over-the-counter creams can help. Try creams containing: Pramoxine, Phenol, menthol, chamomile lotion or camphor. I have to admit, all of these help me for only a short time, then increase the itching. Benzocain (Solarcaine) can be applied every few minutes to deaden the nerve endings.

• For itching caused by allergies a non-sedating  antihistamine may help.  Loratidine (Claritin), Fexofenadine (Allegra) and my favorite, cetirizine hydrochloride (Zyrtec).

• Aloe Vera is used by many for itching. I seem to be allergic to it, Aloe Vera always causes my skin to become inflamed.

For insect bites:

• Make a paste of baking soda and household ammonia  • Cider vinegar  • Toothpaste  • Mouthwash • A wet aspirin held over the bite • Underarm deodorant  • The inside skin of a banana

Bee stings:

• Use meat tenderizer, baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice and rubbing alcohol and ice wrapped in fabric.

Poison Ivy:

I have written about remedies for Poison Ivy in my blog. Here is the link: http://wp.me/pL8NX-3v

If you have any other remedies that work for you, leave a comment below.

Low-gluten Communion Hosts

Exciting developments for all Christians:

Many Christians have been unable to partake in the Eucharist because of Celiac Disease. The issue made national headlines in 2001 when the parents of a 5-year-old Boston girl with celiac disease left the Catholic Church after their pastor and subsequently Cardinal Bernard Law would not allow them to substitute the wheat host with a rice wafer for her First Communion.

Dr. Alessio Fasano, researcher at the University of Maryland published a ground-breaking study last year revealed that . . . [celiac*] disease is far more prevalent than previously thought. He told The Catholic Review, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, “If there are about 300 people in church for Mass on Sunday, then we now know that two or three of them at least are likely to have celiac.”

The Vatican requires that Communion hosts contain some gluten, an essential ingredient in bread. Just a little over a year ago a pair of Benedictine sisters, after exhausting trial and error finally found a way to provide an acceptable host.

Thanks to their patience and perseverance and after over two years of experiments, Sisters Jane Heschmeyer and Lynn Marie D’Souza, of the Benedictine convent in Clyde, Missouri,  have developed a Communion wafer that has been approved as acceptable for the Eucharist by the Holy See. With a level of gluten content of 0.01% it is safe enough for consumption by almost all celiac* suffers, according to Dr. Alessio Fasano. (Please check with your doctor)

The U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy has deemed the sisters’ bread “the only true, low-gluten altar bread approved for use at Mass in the United States.” These unexciting wafers are the result of more than a decade of trial and error by the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration to develop an altar bread that is safe for consumption by sufferers of celiac disease, yet also remain in compliance with the strict guidelines of Canon Law.

To order this altar bread for your church: http://www.benedictinesisters.org/bread/low_gluten.php

*Celiac disease is a digestive disorder triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and other grains. It affects about one in 130 Americans.

You can read more about this exciting development:

http://www.catholickey.com/index.php3?gif=news.gif&mode=view&issue=20040409&article_id=2858

Allergic to your clothes? Some helpful advice.

I have been writing this blog for one and a half years now. My most popular posts and the most comments I receive are about allergic reaction to clothes, skin irritations from laundry detergents, eczema and contact dermatitis.

This is a subject close to my heart, or should I say skin. I have had problems with textile allergies and reactions to detergents for over 10 years. I have tried all sorts of remedies suggested by doctors and other allergy suffers. A lot of things I tried didn’t work at all. Some of the “solutions”  were worse than the original problem.

Causes of textile allergies:

• Dyes, Formaldehyde and N-methylol, fire-retardant coatings, anti-cling, anti-static, moth-proof, mildew resistant, anti-shrink and waterproof finishes.
• Remains of detergent, dyes in the detergent and perfumes in clothes can cause irritation.
• Friction from clothing The areas of the body that come in the closest contact with the affected materials are: underarms, inner thighs, inner elbows, around waist and neck.
• Latex from gloves, rubber additives • Chemicals used to dye and process leather, and glue products.
• Metals, especially nickel in buckles and some jewelry.
• Dyes on inexpensive beaded costume jewelry.

 This is a summary of the best solutions I have found so far.

1. Do not buy highly colored synthetic fabric clothes that will touch your skin. Be careful of highly colored natural fabrics also, be sure to wash all clothes at least three times before wearing.

2. Do not buy any article of clothing, especially for babies and children that is: wrinkle resistant, resistant to stains or odors or has fire retardant coatings.

3. Be especially careful buying underwear. NEVER wear any clothes that touch your skin, even totally white ones, before washing several times.

4. Use special clothes washing detergents that do not have added fragrances or dyes. All-free is my favorite, there are many others available. I also rinse all my clothes twice.

5. Do not use dryer sheets or fabric softeners, I use a Natural Anti Static Dryer Ball  with pretty good success. I also use vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser on my machine, it helps to remove detergent residue and softens clothes. Even fabric softeners without fragrance are unnecessary, they just add chemicals to your clothes.

6. When relaxing at home, have special “pure and natural” clothes that you can feel completely comfortable in. Wrinkled, white on white 100% cotton, may not be a fashion statement, but I sure feel more comfortable in my special “at home clothes”. I get mine at Cottonique.com.

7. In the winter I wear white or off white long underwear under my dark or brightly colored clothes. I like silk the best, it doesn’t make me look bulky or make my clothes too tight. Wintersilk.com has some great styles. Of course, I notice my silk long johns will turn light blue after wearing them under blue jeans. This dye would normally be deposited on my skin, no wonder blue jeans make me itchy and break out in rashes.

Please add your comment. We can all help each other this way.

Pay Back Time: Skin Allergies Reduce Risk of Cancer.

This study made by Danish researchers Kaare Engkilde, Jacob P Thyssen, Torkil Menné and Jeanne D Johansen was published first in the British Medical Journal 7/11/11. Could there really be something good about the aggravating skin conditions so many of us endure? It may almost make our suffering more bearable to know there might be a pay-back later on.

The new findings may support the theory that people with contact dermatitis and other allergies develop hyperactive immune systems that are primed to detect and stamp out tumors more quickly as they formed. Experts who analyzed allergy and cancer data from nearly 17,000 adults found men and women with contact allergies had “significantly lower” rates of breast and non-melanoma skin cancer compared with those without contact allergies. They said previous studies had shown allergies to substances such as pollen and dust mites could affect cancer rates. They thought people with common allergies like hay fever, asthma, metal allergies, poison ivy and others chemicals have a slight decreased risk of some cancers.

About 20 per cent of the population are allergic to one or more of the chemical and metals that constitute the baseline patch test panel. These irritants cause skin itching and inflammation. Skin allergies prompt the production of immune system T cells, which in turn can destroy cancer cells. Any protective effect may stem from the immune system going into “overdrive,” said Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, a New York City allergist and fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

To read more go to: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/early/2011/06/15/bmjopen-2011-000084.short

Allergies to Mold is a growing problem

Do your eyes water and do you sniff and sneeze more in certain locations in your house or when you visit friends or businesses? Do you seem to suffer more inside your home or office than outside? Do damp basements and bathrooms make you miserable? You may be among a growing list of people allergic to mold. Mold is everywhere around us, but our homes should be a sanctuary to escape the misery.

Mold spores are tiny (5-10 microns) they can easily evade the natural protective mechanisms of our nose and upper respiratory tract. Allergic reactions are the most common effect: runny nose, itching eyes and rashes. The other common effects of exposure to molds include wheezing, flu-like symptoms, chronic sinus infections, fever, nose bleeds, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and respiratory infections. Mold spores can trigger or aggravate asthma, particularly, in children. The effects of molds are cumulative, the first 200 exposures may have no effect but the next one can cause a reaction.

“Toxic Black Mold” is the most feared all molds. Finding this mold in you home, work place or school can mean the building must be closed for serious professional mold abatement. Insurance companies normally do not cover mold damage.  Normal household mold is easier to control and eradicate using very easy to find products. Remember, the cause of mold is moisture.

How to get rid of mold:

Before doing any of the things on the list below, it is important to wear a particulate respirator (N95 or TC-21C) and rubber gloves.

1. If you suspect black toxic mold contact a professional mold abatement company to test your home. Check that all roofing, gutters, drainpipes and siding are repaired and working correctly. Check under sinks to see if there are leaks or plumbing problems that need fixing. Check your basement for leaks and the floor for water pressure seepage. If you entirely eliminate the source of dampness, your mold problems will end after clean-up. Use a dehumidifier in damp areas of your home or office.

2. If the mold you have is not toxic, start with a fungicide cleaner to remove the mold, you must also kill the root to prevent it from coming back. Bleach will only temporarily remove the surface mold, also bleach can be dangerous. Follow the directions on the fungicide and always use a respirator and gloves. I prefer to use non-toxic methods when possible. Vinegar and tea tree oil makes a great deterrent for light mold, but it will not completely remove heavy deposits of deeply rooted mold.

3 Use an air purifier in your home or near your desk if you work in an office that has mold problems. Replace the air filters on your furnace and air-conditioner as needed. Use vinegar and tea tree oil on a regular basis as a spray in your shower and sinks to prevent new growth. Mix 2 teaspoons tea tree oil, 2 cups water in a spray bottle, do not rinse. Vinegar can also be sprayed on undiluted. Turn on the ventilation fan or open a window, the smell will dissipate in a few minutes after using.

To those of you suffering from the recent flooding, I sympathize with you. It is very had to get away form mold spores when your whole world is damp and moldy.

I Tested Dr. Bronner’s Organic Soap

I don’t like to write about a product until I’ve tried it for at least one month. I started testing this soap in June 2011.  Dr. Bronner’s soap has really helped my eczema.  My dermatologist had always told me, that it is best not to use any actual soap products on my sensitive skin and certainly nothing with fragrance. For years he told me  to use a non-soap cleaning bar like Dove for Sensitive Skin. I have also tried Cetaphil Cleansing Bars, and Purpose and Basis soaps, they all irritated my skin to some degree.

A reader suggested I try Dr. Bronner’s soap for my Eczema. Her daughter who had terrible eczema had used it with great success. I decided to test Dr. Bronner’s soap for a month and I’m still using it in January 2012. . . [read full blog on my Allergy Comfort Zone web site.] 

My First Gluten-free Restaurant Review

I had lunch with a good friend of mine who is gluten intolerant this week. I called several places that specialize in gluten-free food hoping to find a good place to eat lunch. I found a new place called New Day Gluten-free  that would be officially open  for lunch in a few days, but said they would fix anything on their to-go menu for us if we came.

They were very enthusiastic as a new business should be and offered a large selection of gluten-free food items. I thought my friend would be thrilled. As you would expect, New Day is very focused on providing foods that are substitutes for foods that normally contain gluten. There was little my friend was interested in. She has learned through the years to not crave  foods normally laden with gluten, so she usually eats salads, and plain meats and vegetables and is very satisfied ( and also very thin).

They did not offer any salads with gluten-free dressing or plain vegetables and meat. We ended up sharing an excellent gluten-free sausage pizza and each having a tasty chocolate chip cookie, but what she really wanted for lunch was a salad with gluten-free dressing. I really liked the pizza and would consider ordering it again, I would like to try the vegetarian version.

New Day Gluten-free is a made-from-scratch dedicated gluten and peanut free cafe and bakery that also supplies prepared meals to-go. They have a few tables for eating-in. They supply gluten-free pizzas and gluten-free entrees to many of the better known restaurants and pizza parlors in our area. They also carry, several pasta dishes, pies, breads, muffins, made to order birthday cakes and of course cookies. When their cafe opens later this week they will also be selling sandwiches made with gluten-free Boars Head deli meats and cheeses. New Day Gluten-free is located just outside St. Louis, in Ellisville, Missouri. Worth a visit if you crave foods normally made with gluten or have a peanut allergy.

Sensitivity to Ragweed is on the Rise

More and more people are becoming allergic to ragweed and molds. In a recent study conducted by Quest Diagnostics, the results from nearly 14 million blood tests, from 2 million patients over a four-year study clearly show increases in sensitization to pollens. Ragweed increased 15% from 2005-2008, for mold the increase was 12%.

A study in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” found that ragweed season was nearly a month longer in 2009 than in 1995 in northern areas of North America. Whether this is a result of climate change is still up to discussion. 2011 has been a bumper year for all things pollen so expect even worse results for this year.

A list of the top most populated cities for sensitization to ragweed: 1. Phoenix, 2. Las Vegas, 3. Kansas City, 4. Riverside-San Bernardino, 5. Dallas, 6. Chicago, 7. Sacramento, 8. Philadelphia, 9. Denver, 10. Washington D.C., Minneapolis/St. Paul (tied) If you didn’t see your city, and feel you live in the worst place for ragweed, you are not alone. It doesn’t matter where your city ranks if you are the one suffering from ragweed pollen. To find the pollen count for your area for the next few days go to: http://www.pollen.com/faq.asp  Also read more about how to make your life more comfortable during allergy season  on my Allergy Comfort Zone Blog

I Tried Crisco on My Skin for Eczema

I don’t think using Crisco for a skin cream is a new use for the shortening, but it was new idea for me. I like to share things that work. I didn’t want to write about my experience until I tried it for at least a month. I hate when someone writes” I just tried this product yesterday and it’s wonderful”, how do they know?

First of all I read the ingredients carefully. It contains: soybean oil, palm oil ,mono and diglycerides, TBHQ and citric acid. The only ingredient that sounded strange was TBHQ. I looked that up and found out it is butyl hydroquinone, which is an antioxidant made from petroleum. Looks like it not so great to ingest, but the jury is still out on using it on the skin. Many people swear by using petroleum jelly on their skin. OK, so nothing extremely scary in the product unless I’m worried about my arteries. I always check that the creams and lotions I use do not contain fragrance and Crisco has no fragrance or odor what so ever on my skin, but I do notice a slight odor on my clothes if they are not washed right away.

I used Crisco after my shower or bath while my skin is still damp. It seals in the moisture to help my skin stay moist and supple. I have used heavy creams and lotions on my skin for years because of my eczema I hate to think how much I’ve spent. Other more costly products may work, but why pay more for something when something as simple and cheap as Crisco can work. I have not used Crisco on my face, and do not recommend it for that use.

I did find a major problem for me with using Crisco for a skin cream. After about 6 weeks I noticed that my clothes and sheets were retaining a slightly oily smell. This is after they had been worn and washed many times. You may not notice this, I have a very sensitive nose because I do not use any perfumes or fragrances in any products including detergent. I stopped using Crisco after 6 weeks because of this residual smell in my clothes.

How to Do an Elimination Diet.

Image: zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I have found a shorter, faster and lass painful way to accomplish almost the same results. For two to four weeks stop eating the most common foods that cause irritation and allergy. The usually suspects are: soy, dairy, wheat, other gluten grains, eggs, citrus, shell fish and nuts. You can also eliminate any other foods that seem to cause you digestive upset .

Be sure to check the labels on the foods you eat very carefully. Gluten can be added to foods without any mention on the label. Look for: wheat, durum, semolina, faro, kamut, spelt, rye, barley, added vitamins, baking powder, caramel color, dextrin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, malt, MSG, flavorings and colorings, spices, starches and vinegar. With gluten, it’s best not to trust any prepared foods except those especially marked as gluten-free.

If symptoms don’t improve during the elimination period, you may not have a dietary trigger for you allergy or the food items you eliminated may not be the culprits. If you find relief, try adding back one eliminated food every few days. If you suffer a reaction take that food back out of your diet and try another food.

This process will take about two months. By the end you will have a good idea what foods you are better off eliminating from your diet..