trumbullnaturecenter.com

A thorough food allergy workup consists of your medical history, a physical exam, and one or more tests to determine if you are, in fact, allergic to certain foods and to identify the problem foods. Your allergist is likely to perform one or more of the following tests:

·        Skin tests: Skin tests consist of applying a tiny amount of the suspected allergen below the upper layer of the skin, usually by scratching or pricking the skin. A skilled allergist tests only the foods he suspects may cause reactions, based on the results of your history and physical exam, so no more than a few pokes with a needle are ever required.

·        Blood tests: Your allergist may draw a vial of blood and test it for the presence of antibodies that indicate the probability of an allergy to a specific food. These blood tests are commonly referred to as RASTs (short for radioallergosorbent tests) but more accurately called immunoassay for specific IgE. IgE (or Immunoglobulin E ) is a type of antibody that your immune system produces t Read the rest of this entry »

Most people don’t know or care where their nuts come from, but people who have tree nut allergies sure need to know. While peanuts, which aren’t really nuts, grow below the soil, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts hang out in trees. Like peanuts, however, these tree nuts have a nasty habit of causing severe reactions through even the smallest exposure.

Technically, tree nuts have no family ties with peanuts, but their allergens share structural characteristics, which may explain why they are so potent and why 30 to 40 percent of the people who have peanut allergy also have tree nut allergies. If you’re allergic Read the rest of this entry »

Reflexology is a natural way to stimulate healing in the body, and a healthy body is a body that feels good. Many folks have been amazed at the instant relief they have had from just a few minutes of deep pressure on the feet and/or hands. Since the hands are usually accessible, you can work on yourself almost any time—in meetings, riding in a car (not if you’re driving, please), watching a movie, getting your teeth cleaned—or virtually anywhere you have both hands free.

The ears also have reflex points, and most of us have our ears accessible all the time. The point is that reflexology can be used almost anywhere and anytime to promote balance and give you an instant lift or quick pain relief.

A reflexologist friend of mine was on a plane recently and was fortunate enough to be sitting next to a charming young lady about seven years old. As the plane was descending, the girl began to experience excruciating pain in her ears because Read the rest of this entry »