Lake Water Allergy or Swimmer’s Itch

What Is Lake Water Allergy or Swimmer’s Itch?

Lake water allergy, also commonly called swimmer’s itch, is a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to contaminated water.  Contaminated water does not mean pollution or run-off from chemicals. The contamination comes from microscopic parasites found in birds and animals.

The parasites that live in the birds or animals produce eggs that are passed through the poo.   If the eggs land or are washed into the water they will hatch.  Are you fascinated yet???  The little larvae swim around until they find a certain snail. Once they find their host snail, they infect the snail and develop further.   The snail, unknowingly, releases this new parasite into the water which swims off in search of bigger prey like birds and animals.  And so the cycle begins.  And though the parasites prefer birds and animals, they will burrow into human skin causing, you guessed it, Lake Water Allergy, in the form of a red, itchy, rash.  

Lake water allergies can be found throughout the world and are more frequent during summer months when water temperatures are higher and birds and animals are more likely to visit the lake.

Obliviously, if you are prone to water allergies the best solution would be to avoid swimming in lakes and ponds.  Even the clearest of water can be home to unwanted parasites.

The most common symptoms are burning, tingling or itching of the skin.  These symptoms can appear within minutes or days of swimming or wading in contaminated water.  Many people also form reddish pimples all over their torso.  If not treated properly, these pimples may develop into unsightly blisters. The blisters can cause severe discomfort. 

Like any allergen, prolonged or continuous exposure to lake parasites may lead to more severe symptoms.  If you are experiencing shortness of breath, huge lesions and fever you should see a doctor immediately.

The best precaution you can take to any allergy is to buildyour immune system by eating lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, get plenty of rest and exercise and if you have been on antibiotics eat yogurt, Kefir or other foods rich in probiotics.   

I'm gettin' cranky feeling janky!

An excerpt from a poem by Don Bouchard

We've come to August
And late summer sun;
The apples hang robust;
The garden's almost done.
It's time to go and have some fun,
And now my nose decides to run.
The ragweed and the goldenrod
Fill up the air with pollen pods.
I'm gettin' cranky feeling janky!

I will thank ye to hand me a hanky. 

Ragweed is related to the daisy but unlike the daisy no one wants it adorning their tables or flower beds.  It has tiny yellow-green flowers that produce huge amounts of pollen – about a million grains per plant, every single day.  It is a wind-pollinated plant growing from August to November, peaking about mid-September and dying with the first heavy frost.

However, if you suffer from ragweed allergens, you probably noticed that your symptoms are lasting longer every year than just 3 months.

This year, because of all the rain that has fallen across the country it’s expected to top all pollen records, sprouting up in fields, up and down fence lines, in vacant lots and all along the sides of the road. 

A couple of tips and precautions to follow if you are a major Ragweed sufferer:

• ·         Mow it down before is starts shedding the pollen. 
• ·         Stay in doors on windy days.
• ·         Go outside in the early morning before the dew dries and wind picks up. 
• ·         Leave your shoes at the door.
• ·         Change your clothes and shower as soon as you come inside.
• ·         Wash off your pet’s feet and try to keep them off the furniture and especially the bed.
• ·         Keep doors and windows closed.
• ·         Stay one step ahead of ragweed with AllergenaSeasonal Tabs.

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Summer Itch

Summer Sun, Summer Fun, Summer Itch!

With the last rays of the summer sun heading into Fall many people are doing everything they can to squeeze in last minute vacations, backyard BBQs and pool and beach time.  And there is nothing wrong with being outdoors and getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D. It’s the hot, humid weather that can cause all sorts of rashes, itches and other bothersome skin conditions. 

Though do not fear.  Summer skin breakouts aren’t serious.  They are just annoying.  Let’s talk about a few…

A common skin condition is known as folliculitis.  It is fungal infection brought about by bacteria and can leave the skin red and inflamed.  Think of it like itchy pimples.   Its main symptom are raised red bumps around your hair follicles.  Though it can develop anytime, it mostly occurs during the hot days of summer when we have sweaty skin.  Clothing like yoga pants and sport tops wont’ help this condition.  Folliculitis loves to grow in warm, tight places.  So, change out of your exercise clothes and don lose, breathable clothing.   

Heat rash is another fairly common summer skin condition and it is pretty self-explanatory.   It develops when sweat gets trapped under your skin from blocked pores.  It can flare up from spending a lot of time outside in the heat or after an intense exercise where you have been sweating buckets.

A heat rash can form blisters, lesions on the skin and/or bumps and can range from severe to mild cases.  It will typically clear up if you stay out of the heat and avoid the sun.  Wear light clothing.  You can try Calamine lotion to help reduce the itching or ice packs.

If you are a woodsy person who likes to hike and camp you will probably come in contact with poison ivy or sumac during your treks.  If you are one of the many who fall prey to the red shiny leaves make sure you know what to look for so that you can stay the heck away from the stuff.  Wear longs pants and long sleeved shirts.   Wash your clothes in hot soapy water.  Don’t ever try to burn the plants.  The poison can travel in the smoke and get into your lungs.

If you have come in contact with the plant wash the infected areas ASAP with warm soapy water.  Removing the oil from your skin may save you from developing blisters and a major itch.  Severe cases will require a doctors attention but most of the time you just have to apply a lot of itch medicine and wait it out. 

And my favorite, yeast infections, which can make our life seriously uncomfortable.  A yeast infection can occur any time during the year but like the folliculitis, the heat and humidity of summer absolutely gets those Candida Albicans worked up.  Living in wet bathing suits or workout clothes is a big no no.  Yeast thrive in damp moist places.  Keep your girly parts as dry as you can.  Cut out sugar and starch, which feeds the yeast along with foods that contain yeast.  Plus, cutting out those foods will help keep you in that bikini. 

Don’t let summer skin conditions ruin your summer fun!  Get a healthy dose of Vitamin D.  

Food Allergies and Fried Foods

Are fried foods damaging your cells and increasing food allergies?

Everywhere we turn the media is reporting on the rise of food allergies.  And it’s no wonder.  According to the Australasian ­Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, one in twenty children and two out of every one hundred adults have severe food allergies.  The most common triggers are cow’s milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat and peanuts.

According to the Australasian ­Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, one in twenty children and two out of every one hundred adults have food allergies.  The most common triggers are cow’s milk, eggs, tree nuts soy, wheat and peanuts. Why?

According to Professor Pete Smith of Griffith University of Medicine, eating fast foods can set off danger signals and immune ­responses in our bodies known as alarmins.

Alarmin is a substance released from damaged tissues and cells to kick start an immune response.

When we eat processed, reconstituted, microwaved, reheated, high-heated foods loaded with sugar, our bodies can very easily mistake it for damaged tissue or what scientists are calling AGEs - Advanced Glycation Endproducts- toxic compounds.  Alarmins are released and our immune system goes to work.

Professor Smith stated that foods in their natural state are not to blame.  It’s when we cook and process them that their cellular structure becomes altered with AGEs.

Though, how can we pass up our favorite grilled bacon burger with fries, pizza with soft drinks or chips and cookies?   AGEs are wonderful at temping your taste buds.  They awaken your senses and encourage you to take one more bite, even when you feel stuffed.  

Would you eat that same food raw? Probably not.

But before you give thanks to AGEs for all the pleasure they have given you over the years, think about this – no other dietary factor has been linked to so many health problems and diseases like heart and kidney disease, diabetes, dementia, stroke, skin aging, tooth decay and arthritis.

Consider limiting processed and high cooked foods.  Only use the microwave as a last resort.  Eat foods in their natural state whenever possible and stay away from sugar!

 And get your immune system back on track!! Allergena's newSeasonal Allergy Tabs can build immunity no matter where you live or where you travel. These quick dissolving chewable tablets will help your body fight the trees, weeds and grasses that make you miserable. 

Pet Allergies

A holistic approach to treat pet allergies.

Just like humans, our furry friends are susceptible to allergens and environmental pollutants.

My Service Dog, GOOSE, would get spring time allergies.  Unlike humans, who produce an overabundance of mucus to wash away the pollen and mold spores, animals scratch, chew, get hot spots and lose giant patches of fur.  

GOOSE was no exception.  It’s hard to take your Service Dog into a restaurant or grocery store when they are constantly scratching and showering fur everywhere.  

We made several trips to the vets.  We used topical medications and tried dietary and lifestyle changes but he was still scratching and chewing and chewing and scratching.

Our Veterinarian talked about the old standby corticosteroids but after doing some research I wasn’t sure that was the answer.

According to the VCA Hospitals short term side effects can include:

• ·         Increased thirst and urination
• ·         Increased hunger
• ·         Panting (especially dogs)
• ·         General loss of energy
• ·         Development or worsening of infections (especially bacterial skin infections)
• ·         Vomiting or nausea (less common)

Long term side effects can include:

• ·         Development of thin skin, blackheads, and a poor or thin hair coat
• ·         Poor wound healing ability 
• ·         Development of obesity due to increased hunger
• ·         Muscle weakness secondary to protein catabolism (breakdown)
• ·         Development of hard plaques or spots on the skin called calcinosis cutis. These plaques are the result of calcium deposition in the skin. 
• ·         Increased susceptibility to opportunistic or secondary bacterial infections
• ·         Increased susceptibility to fungal infections (especially of the nasal cavity) and
• ·         Development of adult onset demodectic mange.
• ·         Predisposition to diabetes mellitus

If only there was a magic pill and not just the systematic treatment options or watching your animal chew himself raw.

I began to do more research.  After all, I treat my human family with all natural remedies, why should my dog be any different.

I found Allergena for Dogs and Cats. 

How does Allergena work for pets? The same way it works for humans!

Allergena is a Homeopathic Immunotherapy that reduces your pet's negative reaction to allergens. Allergena homeopathic allergy drops build immunity by giving micro doses of what your pet is allergic to so their body becomes safely conditioned to tolerate those allergens and reduce allergic symptoms. 

GOOSE is now itch free and back on his cookies – that are all natural but no longer grain-free.  

Pillows Allergies

What story can your Pillows tell about your Allergies

Do you know what lives in your pillow?  A lot – in fact, I’m surprised Disney hasn’t made a movie and called it the Land Before Dust Mites.  Just think of all the sequels that movie could have produced.   Or maybe, The Great Mold Detective.  The cast list would read something like Professor Fungi, Bacteria of Baker Street and Polly Pollen. 

Let’s see just how much could be written about what inhabits your pillows.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology reported on CNN that there are thousands of foreign bodies present in your pillow and mattress, from microorganisms, to allergens, to fungus and molds and Dust Mites.  Most of these contaminants you can’t see with the naked eye and for some people there is no serious side effects.  But for the 50 million people in the United States all those contaminants can mean serious health issues.

And if you are a restless sleeper, tossing the covers about and turning from side to side will release a lot more of these pathogens than someone who sleeps soundly.   So, not are you only sending the critters, mold spores and pollen into space, now you are breathing them in as they settle back down to earth.

The micro-organisms living in our sheets can trigger everything from cold and flu to food poisoning.

We are not trying to send you screaming from the bed.  Our goal is to give you a good read with a happy ending and no cause to write a sequel. 

First, let’s talk about dust mites.  It’s not so much the dust mites but their poop that causes allergic reactions.  The best way to fight these disgusting little creatures is to regularly wash your bedding with hot water and dry on high heat.  Don’t keep extra pillows or stuffed animals on your bed.  Don’t tuck your sheets and blankets in tight, leave them lose or don’t make your bed at all. Keep the humidity down in your bedroom.  Use a damp mop or rag to wipe down any surfaces a few times a week.  Vacuum carpets and drapes several times a week.  

Fungus and mold love to grow on your pillow cases.  Change them a couple times of week more if you are a night sweater, suffer from acne or sleep in-the-nude. 

Investing in a Hepa filter can help with airborne spores and allergens.

But most important - don't forget your Allergena.

How does Allergena Dust + Mite work?

The immune system defends us against disease. When harmful substances are detected, such as dust, the immune system creates antibodies. The antibodies destroy or neutralize allergens (i.e. dust mites, mold and/or pollens) that are causing your allergic reactions. Allergena is a Homeopathic Sublingual Immunotherapy that reduces your body's negative reaction to allergens. Allergena homeopathic allergy drops build immunity by giving micro doses of what a person is allergic to so the body becomes safely conditioned to tolerate those allergens and reduce allergic symptoms.